“Keeping the Faith”

 “Keeping the Faith”

 

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life.  In this way you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.  Jude 1:20-21

 

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James could also have been the half-brother of Jesus Christ, but felt he was NOT WORTHY to be called the “brother” of Jesus. We only know how he introduces himself in verse one.

Most of Jude’s letter was WARNING believers to be on alert for those people who were coming into the churches teaching and preaching a FALSE MESSAGE.  They were LEADING some away from the FAITH.

Close to the end of his letter, Jude gives ENCOURAGING COMMANDS for BELIEVERS: (1.) EARNESTLY CONTEND for the FAITH, which is to HOLD FAST to what you have been taught and BELIEVE it, above and beyond anything else.  (2.)  REMEMBER the TEACHING of the APOSTLES, that there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to SATISFY their UNGODLY DESIRES. (V17-18) In other words, DON’T BE A PART of THEIR UNGODLY DESIRES. (3.) BUILD YOURSELF and OTHERS UP in the MOST HOLY FAITH. Encourage each other and PRAY for each other.  (4.)  PRAY in the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT, which means to PRAY with HEARTS that are INDWELT, ILLUMINATED, and FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT.  (5.) KEEP YOURSELVES in the LOVE of GOD.  A BELIEVER that will DRAW CLOSE to GOD and have FELLOWSHIP with HIM DAILY, and STUDY the WORD of GOD will be NURTURED and will MATURE in the LOVE of GOD.  (6.) BE WAITING EXPECTANTLY for the MERCY of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who will BRING you ETERNAL LIFE. And LOOKING for the BLESSED HOPE, which is the RETURN of CHRIST, for His CHURCH, which is known as the RAPTURE, the SNATCHING AWAY of the BELIEVERS of JESUS CHRIST, to ENJOY a NEVER-ENDING LIFE, in the PRESENCE of the ALMIGHTY GOD.    Are YOU READY?

We are living in PERILOUS TIMES, yet they are NOTHING COMPARED with what awaits the UNBELIEVER after the RAPTURE, the period of time known as the TRIBULATION.  It will be the MOST HORRENDOUS time in the HISTORY of this OLD, SINFUL WORLD. 

In order for YOU to be READY you MUST BECOME a CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  To do that you MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, the SON of the LIVING GOD, who PAID the PRICE for ALL of MANKIND to have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  And to be ABLE to ESCAPE HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before GOD.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and KEEP THE FAITH.  Do this NOW while you STILL can.  HE’S WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!