Don't Fall, Jude 1:24

Don't Fall

Jude 1:24 To him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy


Who is that can keep us from falling back into a life of sin? The Spirit of the Living God is able to keep us from falling! If we draw close to him and lean on his arms of grace, we will be given the strength to stand through any temptation without succumbing to its power and our weaknesses. Praise be to God, we can live without sin!

K and A, know that a clean life is possible. Is it possible to sin after initial salvation? Certainly. Is it possible to fall from away from God? Sadly, yes. You have the responsibility to live a life of obedience to God, but take heart, Jesus can keep you from falling, so he can present you to his father without fault... This gives him great joy, not to mention what it will do for you!

~Dad

Relating To Non-Christians, Jude 1:22-23

Relating To Non-Christians

Jude 1:22-23 Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

The last part of this verse we will save for the next time...

How are we to respond to the non-believer? In the past we called them sinners. But, who would dare belittle someone today? It is better to come around the sinner, and declare that we all  are sinners! When we do that, it becomes harder to help them see their need of a savior. So how should we approach them...

Be Merciful - When we know someone who doubts who Jesus is, do not be harsh with them. Be merciful, giving grace and patience, so their doubt turn into hope.

Snatch Them From the Fire - Sin is real and its penalty is death, eternal death, but God desires to will deliver them and save them from the fiery pit. He expects us to help him,

Show Mercy - sounds quite similar to the first one, but with it comes a warning - we must be careful that we do not get snagged by the sins that so entangles.

K and A, you must be willing to reach out to the lost. How will they ever know if they have not been told. Be gently with them. Remember, you too were once a sinner, and if no one told you, you would still be in a state of  denial! First, be thankful that someone willing to see your spiritual need, then reach out for others and lovingly take along to heaven, knowing that if not for Christ, you would be stuck in your sin, separate from God.

~Dad

Three Things To Do Until Christ Returns, Jude 1:20-21

Three Things to Do Until Christ Returns

Jude 1:20-21 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in the most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Christ is coming back! When he comes, he will have mercy on all who are his, but his return will not be so pleasant for the ungodly. They are destine for the fiery lake of burning sulfur!

For those of us who belong to God, Jude gives us three things to do until Christ returns:

1. Build ourselves in the most holy faith
1. This would including Bible study and prayer, fellowshipping with other believers - as iron sharpens iron.
2. Pray in the Holy Spirit
1. To me, this relates to God directing our prayer; what we should pray for and being filled with the Spirit in order to know how to pray;  praying in accordance with the duties of the Spirit
3. Keeping oneself in the love of God
1. We know the Lord loves those who obey his commands. We must do the things we know to do and flee the evil things of this world not letting ourselves become soiled by the world around us.

K and A, If you desire the mercy of God in your life today and in the eternity to come, you will need to continue in your walk with the Lord. It is not enough to once been saved. Salvation is a life-long commitment of following Christ. Flee the passions and desires of the world and do not your natural desires control you, rather be self-controlled, doing what the Word of God says. Then, when the end comes... at the end of your life or in the Day of the Lord, you will stand before him with confidence and his mercy will be upon you!

~Dad

She's A Natural, Jude 1:19

She's A Natural

Jude 1:19 These men who divide you follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

When we select people from within the church to lead the church based merely on their capable talents, we hurt spiritual health of the church. There are those who appear to be natural leaders, others who are talented handling money, some are great organizers, but it is wrong to choose elders of the church who do not have a spiritual relationship with Christ. It only serves to divide the church during crucial decision making times. It is then when the wisdom of the world begins to take over the church and leads her awry.

K and A, I do believe that you were born more inclined to excel in certain areas of life than others. These God-given talents can be groomed to become well developed skills. You are a natural at something. What is that, you may ask? That isn't the important focus right now, what the focus needs to be is your spiritual talents. As the Spirit fills your soul and life, you are given spiritual gifts that he will use in the Kingdom of God. They will work along side any natural or developed talents. It is at that time when your Spirit-guided instincts become effective in building the church, helping fellow believers to come together to serve and worship the Lord. This is the leadership that is needed. You are the leadership that is needed. With the Spirit, you are a true natural!

~Dad

In The Last Days, Jude 1:17-18

In The Last Days

Jude 1:18 They said to you, In the last times, there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."

In the last days... Jesus warns about the end times. He says that before the end comes, there will be earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars, famine and pestilence, and fearful events. Paul talks about how there will be terrible times in the last days. Certainly, times will be tough among both Christians and as Jude calls them, the ungodly. Even in the church, it will be bad. The ungodly will infiltrate the church and will scoff at common doctrine. They will cause trouble and try to divide the church!

Now, I have heard it said that what Jesus warned about is not a concern. What he was really saying was that you will hear of wars and rumors of wars, when you hear of earthquakes and famines, etc. They are just common occurrences, nothing to be worried about. The end will come without a sign and on a day least expected. To me that is a half truth. Some of it true and some not. Jesus did promise to come as a thief in the night, but the Bible is clear that troubles will increase as we near the end times.

K and A, you need not fear the end times, if your heart is right with God. You can put your complete confidence in his love and grace. But, you still need to be on the look-out for trouble, especially troublemakers. This is what Jude is warning of. Watch out for people who seek to bring in another gospel than what you were taught. Satan is seeking to take back everyone he can - even you! Know that the last days are evil. Be on your guard against the joys of this world, and seek to grasp the joys of the Lord.

~Dad

Ungodly Characteristics, Jude 1:16

Ungodly Characteristics

Jude 1:16 These men are grumblers and fault finders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Have you ever grumbled or found fault with how others do things? It seems like most people do. Why I am the one who does it right; Why would anyone do it like that; why do people have to be so stupid; why is the boss telling us what to do; anyone could have thought of a better way to do it; its so hot outside; why did it have to rain today; whose idea was it to invite them; this is boring and on and on... people love to complain about any and every thing.

Then there is pride: I did a great job putting that program together; my way always turns out so good; my girl is the goalie, isn't she's amazing; no one can sing like my daughter, she sings like an angel; Whoa, that was a great hit, who did that, oh, it was my boy, should have known, he's the best player on the team. And flattery: your really pretty, who are they in the picture, you have such a beautiful family; I really like you dress, you look so good in it; is that a new haircut, you are gorgeous; are they your children, they are so well behaved. People act like this when they are trying to puff themselves up above others and when they are trying to get something from others.

These are dangerous places to live. From this verse, we see that they are signs of ungodliness; ways to lift yourself above others; ways to put others down.

K and A, pride can be sneaky. It enters into one's life subtly and takes over. It can be hidden from our conscience and from others but at some point it rears its ugly head for all to see. You know how I despise the words I'm so proud of you; you make me so proud; you must be so proud of your daughter,  and on and on... but it is a holy pride. Yeah, but pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. If you read much of Proverbs you'll find it a major theme. And so is flattery and complaining; I'd rather live on a corner of a roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife. That's for sure.

These are characteristics for you to avoid in your life, and they are signs to watch out for in others. Encourage others to rise above these traits and avoid any resemblance in your own life.

~Dad

Let God Convict, Jude 1:14-15

Let God Convict

Jude 1:15 [The Lord is coming] to judge everyone and to convict the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against [the Lord].

I know a person who, when double crossed, becomes angry and looks for ways to get back at them. I guess I know more than one... The people I know, some who claim to be Christians, think that should be the normal response.  And, I guess it is for non-believers, but it must not be for the one who has given their heart to Jesus. The Bible is specific in saying that it is for the Lord to take vengeance. He will repay, the Scriptures say.

Daughters, there will be a day when the Lord will not only judge, but he will also convict the guilty. Verse 13 says that there is a place he has reserved for them where they will be forever; blackest darkness, Jude calls it. Yet, when you are taken advantage of, do not striking back, rather forgive. This is the heart of God. He desires all to come to repentance, so let your light so shine by loving them, and pray that they will see that light in you and find Christ as their Savior.

~Dad

Cliche's Of The Ungodly Church Goer, Jude 1:12b-13

Cliches Of The Ungodly Church Goer

Jude 1:12b-13 They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted - twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Here are a few clichés that are fitting for the ungodly church goer, those who sway back and forth and "worship", say amen, or clap their hands. They look holy at the right times, but sadly they deny the power of God in their daily lives.

• Clouds without rain, blown along by the wind
• The look and talk like Christians, but when you need their help, they disappear
• Autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted - twice dead
• You take care of them, feed them and water them, but all for nothing. The never produce anything satisfying or lasting. They never brow in the Lord, they are dead inside.
• Wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame
• They continually come at you. You seek to tame them, fight against their never ending attacks but they never give up. All that is produced is anger and confusion. It billows and rolls over the weak among you
• Wandering stars, for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever
• They never solidify their faith. They build their lives on the shifting sands of the world instead on the firm rock of Christ. They are taken away by deceptive pleasures. Soon they will be sucked into the black hole sinful living, never to return.

K and A, this section would take more time to decipher than I have to give it this day, but hopefully you get the point; there is more to your Christian walk than looking good. You must be good! Christ saved you to do more than eat and drink of the goodness of God. He provides spiritual food to supply the strength to serve him and others. Each one of these clichés starts with a promise and expectation, but ends in emptiness. Let the promise you portray bring hope and fulfillment to others.

~Dad

Unworthy Diners, Jude 1:12a

Unworthy Diners

Jude 1:12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm - shepherds who feed only themselves. The are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees without fruit and uprooted - twice dead.

Like the people caught in Korah's rebellion, these people think they are holy, but they lacked spirituality. In fact, they are worse, for they are ungodly pretenders leading others astray. They come to the Lord's supper, as Paul described, in an unworthy manner.

It should bother us when everyone feels welcome to take communion. That may sound shocking, but that is because we have been programed to please everyone who enters the doors of the church. We wouldn't want someone to feel out of place, or like a sinner or something, far be it. We have become so accustom to calling everyone a sinner that we now call everyone holy. In fact the words are somewhat interchangeable today. That is how we get the leaders like Jude spoke of... they look good and sound good. Sure they do some questionable things, but we each have our own fault, our own dark side. But the good they do far exceeds their faults.

K and A, do not take communion lightly. When you take it in an unworthy manner, you are sinning against the body and blood of Christ... that's scary. There have been times when my heart did not feel worthy for communion, so I stayed in the pew and prayed instead. If you fake it once... you will begin to eat away at the corners of your conscience, and then after a couple more times, it won't bother you any more. And, you'll do as you please without feeling wrong.  Be true to your soul, purify yourself, then fill yourself with all Christ has for you, then you will be worthy to partake of him!

~Dad

Pretentious Korah, Jude 1:11, Numbers 16

Pretentious Korah

Numbers 16:3 they came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them,  You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, everyone of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves up above the Lord's assembly?"

You have to read the whole chapter to get the whole feeling of the event. The basic story is this: Korah, a self proclaimed Levite leader, was upset that Moses and Aaron were setting up laws for the people of Israel. He claimed that Moses and Aaron were not chosen by God and had led the Israelites into the desert to kill them. Moses sees through this attempted coup and declares that what Korah is really upset at was that the sons of Aaron were the only ones fit to be priests. They were the only ones holy enough to serve before the Lord and that Korah and the 250 plus others felt slighted.

So, how does this relate to the godless men that Jude was talking about. This is how I see it... We have a problem in the church today. We make everyone equal and we are not! I'm just as good as you is a common theme. So we take the common, immature believer and make them a leader in the church. How did we get to this point? One area is in minimizing sin. We equalize by claiming that we all sin in thought, word and deed everyday. You are no better than the next guy. We are all sinners. If you claim Christ then we are all equal. In fact, We are all holy! I heard a preacher say that he believes everyone has the right to come before God and praise and worship him, even non-believers.

This is dangerous, in our own church, we set an alcohol salesman as an elder of the church board. We put new believers in charge of Sunday school classes to teach out children. We equate the wisdom of children to that of mothers and fathers. We allow those who we know want to commit willful sexual sins and place them as worship leaders. This must not be! We are not all fit for leadership. We are not all mature enough to lead the church. We are not all holy! This is Korah's rebellion - we want to be leaders but are not willing to live holy lives that are required to do so.

K and A, seeking to be a leader in the church is a noble task. It pleases me that you have taught SS, led music, ran VBS, and have been involved in junior church and other things... all good and noble things. But, remember this! Know that God see you as a leader differently than others. You have a special role not to be taken lightly. You hold the hearts and souls of others in their hands. Their eternal destination may be determined by you by your life outside of church! James says it this way... not many of you should presume to be teachers , my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Daughters... we are not all holy! If you read that chapter in Numbers you will see what God thought about the subject. Keep your heart right before the Lord, so you can lead others with a clear conscience. Then they will mature in righteousness learning from your words and from your life!

~Dad

Money Hungry Baalam, Jude 1:11, Numbers 22-25

Money hungry Balaam

Numbers 22:16-17 They came to Balaam and said: "this is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me."

Balaam was an Aramean, which is basically land of Syria today. The Arameans were the descendants of Aram, Shem's son, the son of Noah. Although he was in a land that was in a continual struggle with the people of Israel, he was a prophet, a man of God. If he blessed someone, they would be blessed... even the enemies of God knew he was reliable. This is because he relied on God and when he prayed to God, God would speak to him. When he prophesied, it came to pass.

Sound like a pretty good guy so far... well, to cut-to-the-chase, When Balak saw the people of Israel coming to take the Promise land, they feared what God would do to them, so they contacted Balaam to curse them... but Balaam could not, because he only said what God wanted, and the destruction of Israel was certainly against what God wanted... But after Balaam was promised wealth - anything he wanted above and beyond the normal fee for a seer, he came up with a plan... he went to Moab, Balak's kingdom, and blessed the Israelites contrary to Balk's wishes but according to God's word and His desire. Yet afterwards, he told Balak how to destroy God's people... have your women entice the Hebrew men and defile them sexually and also spiritually by worshipping the gods of Moab with those women, of course... This Balak did this and many Israelites were destroyed by a plague. Balaam was willing to sin against God in order to become rich.

Many people today are willing to sell their soul to profit financially. This can be done on many ways. I know of families who would never have their family business open on Sunday's, but over time they succumbed to the pressures of the world and now it makes no difference. They are people who take jobs that are contrary to scriptural principles, because the money is good. Those who cheat on their taxes, earning money under the table and sell away their soul. We must be careful that the love of money does not capture our heart!

K and A, do you live for money? Is your success determined by how much you make? Will you take a job when required to work on Sunday, sell items that are contrary what is right? K, will you be a nurse in a abortion clinic? A, will you sing secular music? Do you give your tithe to the Lord on the gross you earn or just drop some money in the offering plate. Money is an important issue. Paul said, that The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Make sure that it doesn't capture your heart that you become money hungry and forget God!

~Dad

Your Dad Forever, Isaiah 9:6

Your Dad Forever

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Wow, hard to believe, but this is the 1000th post I have written to my daughters on the forever-dad blog!

How could that be!? It started when you, Anna, went off to college at Penn View. It was then I knew that just because your child is going off to a Christian school doesn't mean that my responsibilities as a father end. In fact, I believe that during their college years a father is even more responsible to fulfill his duties to love and care for the needs of his children, especially spiritual and emotional ones.

Anna, you are done college except for student teaching, and Kellie, you are married. Life is soon going to go faster and faster... moving away from home, married, children, houses, hopes and dreams, work decisions, money issues, even troubles, deaths and heartaches.

Life! That is what's ahead. Good times and bad, joys and sorrows, yet through it all you will have Dad. No, not me, for although I claim to be ~Dad, I can't be with you all the time. I will not be around forever. I do not have all the answers, I can not solve all your troubles, and I certainly cannot make you holy and pure. Sure, as long as I live, I commit to the responsibility to help you in all these areas, but you must live your own life. It is for you to seek the Lord and make the determination on what is right. Along with your husband, you are responsible to follow the Lord with all your heart, mind, body, and soul.

Yet you are not alone! I will not leave you fatherless, for Jesus is your Everlasting Father. He will be the best counselor, he will be your God, and he will bring you peace. Let me leave you with this verse...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    Lean not on your own understanding
        In all your ways acknowledge him
            And He will direct your paths Proverbs 3:5&6 jbv

This is why I write, that you will take what I have given you and search out what God has for you and take what he is giving you and live for him. Be the hands and feet and mouth of Christ. Deny yourself, go to others, serve them and tell them about Jesus! And when I hear of all your selfless deeds, I will be eternally grateful that God has taught my daughters far beyond what I could ever have done. May God be praised for his glorious deeds!

~Dad

Note... this is not the last post. I wanted it to be a special one. I wanted it to show how much I care for you two. Honor me by honoring Jesus!