“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:7-10) No matter where we go. High. Low. Good places. Bad choices. God is there. When we draw near Him, for worship, or comfort, or with requests, He is a

"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:7) If God cares enough to know something so insignificant as the number of hairs on our heads, then He most definitely cares about every other single detail of our lives. He knows everything about us, even more than we know about ourselves, and more importantly, He cares about us even more than our close loved ones do. We truly have nothing to fear wh

Jude exhorts us, lovingly appeals to us, encourages us, begs us even, to earnestly contend for the faith. What does this mean and why is it so important? Contend earnestly means to struggle for, agonize over, or defend. It’s similar to phrases we use in sports when a competitor gives all he or she has, such as a wrestler contending while on the mat, exerting maximum, intense effort. In the Christian walk, contending earnestly denotes hard, diligent work throughout our lives.

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,” (Hebrews 6:19). Work, tests, traffic, sickness, other people, or life in general may make you feel unsteady today, like you’re tossed in the waves and can’t find the shore. But take a deep breath and remember that your anchor is locked in Jesus, and He will not let you go.

Why does Jude call our salvation common? Because we are all saved the same way, through faith in Jesus Christ. Even the people who live across the world that we will never meet while here on earth are our brothers and sisters in Christ, including those Christians who've lived throughout time, Jews and Gentiles alike. We all have this in common - we have chosen God as our Father and Jesus as our Savior. Even though we are separated and may never meet, even though we may have

“For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,” (Hebrews 6:13). Saying God is the greatest seems too elementary. But let’s list ways this is true: He is the highest authority. He cannot lie. He has perfect patience. His character is unchanging. He never breaks a promise. His love is unconditional. What would you add? How have you seen His greatness in your life?

Jude wanted to write to the church about the salvation they all shared but felt it necessary to first discuss contending for their faith. Why? Because of the serious issues we learn about in verse 4. When we follow God’s leading, and do His will instead of ours, He can do mighty things through our efforts. If Jude had merely written what he wanted to write, or what he had initially intended to write, his little book may have never made it into scripture. But he obeyed the pro

“…but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” —John 15:15 So many things about our Savior seem too wonderful to be true, and none more than Him calling us His friends. Think back to your first day of school, work, or even some place like a conference where you knew no one. Being alone in a crowd can feel so isolating, even overwhelming. But facing a challenge with a trusted friend by your side can make all the differe

Jude didn’t want just a bit of mercy, peace, and love added to his fellow believers’ lives, he wanted them multiplied in their lives! Couldn't we all use more of those three? “What Jude prays for, therefore, is not that his readers may be helped to exhibit in large measures a merciful, peaceful, and loving disposition to others, but that they may enjoy in liberal degree the great blessings of God’s mercy, peace, and love bestowed upon themselves,” (Pulpit Commentary). I would

"The heavens and earth will shake, but the Lord will be a shelter for His people," (Joel 3:16). When we fully trust in someone, we are confident they will be there, ready and willing to help us when we are in trouble, in need, or scared. The mere thought of them gives us hope. God wants to be that for us. When all of heaven and earth seem shaky and unstable, He is our shelter and our hope,

"Am I a God near at hand," says the Lord, "and not a God afar off?" (Jeremiah 23:23) I'm so thankful we don't have to go to church to find God. No matter where we go, He's always near.

Now that we know who Jude is, let's explore to whom he wrote this letter: to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. Jude wrote this letter to the church, to those who were already believers. Called means invited to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom through Christ. We know from John 3:16, as well as so many other scriptures, that all are called. No one is excluded. “The important thing is to answer the call when it comes, just

Jude was the son of Mary and Joseph, and the half-brother of Jesus. Jude, as well as Jesus’ other half-brothers, did not come to faith until after Jesus’ death and resurrection, but once he chose his brother as his Savior, he was fully committed. At the beginning of his letter, Jude identifies himself as a faithful, devoted, submitted, and dedicated servant of Jesus Christ. To be a servant of Jesus Christ is “the highest glory which any, either man or angel, can aspire to,”

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies,” (Romans 8:33). What a powerful statement! Once we have accepted God’s gift of salvation, no one can bring a charge against us that would make our salvation null and void. Why? Certainly not because we deserve it. Not because we are perfect and sinless. But because on the cross, Jesus took our sins upon Himself and stamped “Not Guilty” on our eternal record. Innocent in the eyes of God. There is truly n

“If you pour a pail full of water on the floor of your house, it makes a great show, but if you throw it into the sea, there is no sign of it. So, afflictions considered in themselves, we think are very great, but let them be considered with the sea of god’s mercies we enjoy, and then they are not so much, they are nothing in comparison.”—Jeremiah Burroughs (as shared by Steve Laube)

“…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light,” (Colossians 1:12). Without our Heavenly Father, would we qualify for heaven? On our own, would we be able to earn or buy our way in? We all know the answer is no. Without Him, we would have no hope of a peaceful eternity. But the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior, we immediately become God’s child, fully and completely qualified to enter heaven. The best inh

“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance,” (Hebrews 9:15). Before we accept Christ, there’s a huge ravine separating us from God. At the moment of our salvation, Jesus bridges that gap, giving us direct access to our Father. Sin can clutter our bridge, but confession keeps our pathway clear. 💗

“Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you,” (Isaiah 46:4). I hope as you read this verse, you feel the way I do, as if God is cradling you in His arms, carrying you no matter what you’re going through. What tender, faithful, steady care He offers us throughout every stage of our lives. From the moment we are conceived, hidden away in our mother’s womb, until we open our eyes

I heard this from Dr. David Jeremiah, and it was too good not to share. "The reasonableness of fully surrendering our lives to God: He is all-wise, and He knows better than anyone else what is best for my life. He is almighty, and He has the power to accomplish that which is best for me. He loves me more than anyone else in the world loves me. Conclusion: the most logical thing a Christian can do is to surrender his life completely to God." -- from a speech by Lewis Sperry Ch

"I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm," (Jonah 4:2). God not only loves us, His love is abundant. Isn't that a beautiful thought? He is overflowing with unfailing love. For us! Lovingkindness can also be translated as "steadfast, loyal love." It would be enough to say God loyally shares His steadfast love, but when you add the word "abundant?" That's powerful. What more can we ask for?