Today Our Daily Bread Jude

Jude
:1 This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.I am writing to all who are called to live in the love of God the Father and the care of Jesus Christ.:2 May you receive more and more of God's mercy, peace, and love.:3 Dearly loved friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News.
God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people. :4 I say this because some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God's forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives. The fate of such people was determined long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.:5 I must remind you – and you know it well – that even though the Lord rescued the whole nation of Israel from Egypt, he later destroyed every one of those who did not remain faithful. :6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the day of judgment. :7 And don't forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with sexual immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and are a warning of the eternal fire that will punish all who are evil.:8 Yet these false teachers, who claim authority from their dreams, live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at the power of the glorious ones.:9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you." (This took place when Michael was arguing with Satan about Moses' body.) :10 But these people mock and curse the things they do not understand. Like animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and they bring about their own destruction. :11 How terrible it will be for them! For they follow the evil example of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they will do anything for money. And like Korah, they will perish because of their rebellion.:12 When these people join you in fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvesttime. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots. :13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the dirty foam of their shameful deeds. They are wandering stars, heading for everlasting gloom and darkness.:14 Now Enoch, who lived seven generations after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, "Look, the Lord is coming with thousands of his holy ones.:15 He will bring the people of the world to judgment. He will convict the ungodly of all the evil things they have done in rebellion and of all the insults that godless sinners have spoken against him.":16 These people are grumblers and complainers, doing whatever evil they feel like. They are loudmouthed braggarts, and they flatter others to get favors in return.:17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you, :18 that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable. :19 Now they are here, and they are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They live by natural instinct because they do not have God's Spirit living in them.:20 But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.:21 Live in such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. :22 Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. :23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren't contaminated by their sins. F7 :24 And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy. :25 All glory to him, who alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
I just think this is so awesome that Jude & James were both living in the same house as Jesus they were Jesus’ brothers, and they consider themselves far more than blood relatives. They lay aside all pride to pursue a calling made by God to serve Him in order to save others. Longtime relation endurance, covenantal commitment to the Lordship of Christ is essential. We are not trying our faith like some worldly fad. We’ve been "married" in the Lord Jesus, married to God’s plans, His purposes and will and whatever it takes to do His will. This is our lifestyle of purpose in the spirit. There’s NO turning back. Repentance is turning to God, not just for a glimpse, but for a new direction. I keep going back to, how we want God to keep His promises, and we have the option to break ours, or minimize them or change our minds? There’s something wrong with that picture! We even point our finger at God if he doesn’t do what He says, yet we can change our minds or plans and not keep ours- to Him? As much as we do it to the least of these we’ve done it "to" Him. Some of our world is going to hell, because we choose to do this that or the other instead of continuing in the love and purpose of God. God, I pray that I will get centered on and choose Your way, for the lost, just as James and John did. Rebellion and love for other things are enemies of the work of Go, we could start with those two things and just about check everything off with that to see where we measure up with God purpose and plan for this life on earth. God help my desires to increase for what I need to do and be as a winner of this world where I live. One enemy of God I find myself continually having to put up resistance towards is- criticisms. There are so many valid reasons and things to criticize, every single day I could open my mouth and critique something, somewhere. When I participate in this, no matter how valid it is, I am becoming one with strife, an enemy of God. When I participate with this spirit, I actually add a power of agreement to God’s enemy, building his forces up against God’s. God is a God of peace, at all costs. How one pursues peace in this day takes the strength of God, a supernatural ability and determination. I’m determined to pursue peace, the peace of God that puts me in agreement with God’s words and empowers God’s will in the earth and bring increase to Godly spiritual activity in my life and yours
:-).