Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Keepin’ it Holy in 2014

Finishing up my study in Jude today I reread the chapter. A short 25 verse book. 632 words. An average reader could read it in just a few minutes… but if you really want to squeeze the juice out of it, it’ll take you a while. Our modern day letters are usually penned with the purpose of encouraging one, the recipient. But Jude’s letter, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost has touched countless lives through the ages for eternity. We often read scripture like we write letters, out of duty; and in so doing we miss the blessing.

I had read Jude, but this morning as I re-read it I stopped in verse 5 when Jude said to the reader “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart as clear as day, “I know you’ve heard it before, but stop and savor what I’m telling you. They didn’t listen, be the generation that does.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the countless times God has drug me out of Egypt. Falling right back into a habit, path, decision, etc. that leads me away from His divine will. So… I concluded the book of Jude verses 17-25 where Jude again tells us, “I know you’ve heard it before…”

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

How can we possibly keep ourselves Holy in such an unholy world?

Building up yourselves

To build is to form or construct something. The foundation has been laid by the Holy Ghost, it is now our responsibility to build on what He’s given us. Has He given you talents, financial means, a concern or a burden for a project or a people? Now is the time to build on that faith that whatever it is God has called you to do, He’ll equip you with the means. (Philippians 1:6) ~ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Praying in the Holy Ghost

If you’ve been saved anytime at all you should have long since traded the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer for a deeper conversation with God. A conversation with God shouldn’t be just once a day, it should be all day. There should be moments where it is one on One, undisturbed by the world, and the rest of the time should be the acknowledging that He sees what you see, He goes where you go, He hears what you hear. Everything you experience, He does too… talk to Him about it.

Looking for the Mercy

When I first read that verse in Jude I read it “Looking for mercy.” Then I realized I’d misread it, God said looking for “the Mercy.” Maybe it’s not mine, maybe I should be looking for someone else’s mercy, or even an opportunity God would call mercy.

Making a Difference

Preceded by “And of some have compassion.” The world needs to see a compassionate Christ in us; not the judgmental organization that we’re often viewed as because of our lack of service and reaching out to those in need. We need to make a difference and that difference is an eternal one.

Jude closed the chapter with another reminder that we are Holy in Him and not in ourselves.  Allow Him dominion over your life and the power will come through Him to accomplish great things in 2014.

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Confidence in the Wait

Hebrews 10:35-36 ~ Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Waiting for the will of God… never my strong suit. I pray for it continually and then there are those times that I strive for it about 30 seconds. I’m just keeping it real. I’ve told you before, I am the poster child on what not to do. God must tell me again and again sometimes before I get it. Why He is so patient I don’t understand. I fully believe I was set apart for such a time as this and I don’t say those words lightly because I know from reading the scripture that those who do the will of God generally don’t have an easy time of it. Trouble befell them, their families were often caught up in it, they lost their lives and yet they rejoiced.

We know that scripture says our trouble here is just for a little while, and yet trouble can feel like an eternity when you’re in the midst of it. That’s why verses like Hebrews 10:35-36 are in the scripture.

On my way home from the office a few days ago I stopped at a convenience store and this cute little old lady, cute as can be was checking out in front of me. As always I was in a hurry; so when she pulled out her lottery tickets my stomach rolled over. True to form my eyes probably did too. I detest the lottery just so you know. It’s a waste of money and another way that the wicked get wealthy at the poor’s expense. So I waited as she cashed in her $3.00 win for two bottles of water and thought to myself, “Well at least praise God she didn’t buy beer with it.” And when she finished that transaction I gleefully thought my suffering was over. But no. She then had to determine what new flavors of destruction she was going to purchase by way of lottery tickets. I wanted to tell her that God had so much more for her, but she went on her way and I paid for my soda pop and walked out feeling discouraged.

Lottery tickets are a hoped for quick fix with your chances of winning 1 in 175,223,510. Of course that’s your chances of winning the Powerball, you may win a mesely dollar or ten. But in truth how much did you spend to win it? And the wicked laugh all the way to bank as you do without something good that God would have liked for you to have. God’s ways are not generally a quick fix but hallelujah they’re guaranteed!

C.S. Lewis once said “ There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’”

I’m not sure who this was written for today, other than me. But God’s word says to be confident in the reward, and patient, and that after His will is done you’ll receive the promise. The will of God? If you run that through a concordance what you’ll discover is that His will is around His service. He may use many other means to get there, but the end result should come back to His glory.

Want to know what’s not His will?

Matthew 18:14

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

How are you serving today?

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The spirit of truth or the spirit of error?

Or to country quote it, “It either is or it ain’t,”

1 John 4:6-7 (KJV)
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

There is much about life that confuses me. Do I or don’t I do this or that? Should I or should I have not said this or that? In reality most of it is common sense. I already have the answer, the question likely should be “do I rebel against God or do I not?” Owch! that’ll slap you in the noggin. But its truth in my world. This is not the direction I wanted to go with this verse this morning.

I wanted to be all pious and write something really deep about this verse on how we that are saved hear, and those that are lost do not. And then God came beside me on the couch and said, “Yes, Shari. That’s true. But what about the saints of God that just plain don’t listen?”

Can you hear Me now?

The Spirit of truth is the fact that God enters the soul upon the second of salvation. Maybe the second before; after all something had to prick the heart to tell you that you needed Christ. And there it stays, just like water on demand! The truth is there in plenteous supply but it is the spirit of error that is often tapped into. I am totally speaking of self, although I may not be alone. I keep trying to undo God’s plan.

There is a story of a farmer and his son who were starting their day when the father ask, “What are you doing today son?” It was actually a trick question. The son replied, “I’m going to the stable to work with the horses.” The father responded, “don’t you mean if its the Lord’s will you’re going to the stable?” The son arrogantly replied, “I’m going to the barn with or without God’s permission.”

The father waited a bit and the went to the barn to check on his son. The son was placing the lead strap on an unbroken horse. As soon as the strap clicked the horse bolted and drug the son out of the stable and down the road. As he was drug past the father ask, “what are you doing son.” The son replied, “I’m going to work with this horse… If its the Lord’s will.”

God will have His way. We can go easily or with a spirit of error we can be drug kicking and screaming. Either way… God wins.