Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Chronicles 1-3; Jude
Devotional Thought:
One author has articulated the danger of false teachers in the church very well. “Without question, the greatest threat to the church has always been false teaching. Its subtlety and severity make it a spiritual poison unlike any other. While external threats-such as religious persecution and the world’s animosity-are certainly unpleasant, the wounds they inflict are only physical and the injuries they cause only temporary. The deadliest false teaching, on the other hand, comes not from deceptive, non-Christian religions outside the church, but from spiritual pretenders inside the church. And the resulting damage is far greater than that caused by any external assault; the casualties are spiritual and the consequences are eternal.” Jude expresses his desire to write about salvation and to encourage these persecuted saints. However, he says, “it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (vs. 3) This book mirrors the message of Peter in 2 Peter 2. There has always been an attack on truth and there always will be until God makes a new heaven and a new earth. In Genesis 3 there was an attack on truth, “…hath God said?” God will judge unbelief! He judged it with the children of Israel in the wilderness, with the angels “which kept not their first estate,” Sodom and Gomorrha, and He will judge those who misrepresent the truth of God’s word today. “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. ” (vs. 14-16) God will have no mercy upon those mock His truth and lead people into apostasy. There is one command to the faithful believer in the last verses of this great book, “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” (vs. 21) We accomplish this command by building up our faith, praying, remembering the mercy of God, and having compassion toward others. May we be Christians that are willing to defend the truth, contend for the faith, and grow in our love for the Lord Jesus.
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to never fall for the tricks, lies, and counterfeit of the Devil. Please give to me the discernment to lead my church, family and personal life according to truth.
• Lord, thank you for the encouragement that comes from the promise that it is you that is able to keep us from falling, to present us faultless, and help us to glorify you in this life.
• Lord, please help me to stand against false teachers with tenacity and yet grace, with fervency and yet mercy, with steadfastness and yet love.