Remain Faithful!
At the end of your life will you hear the Lord say “well done, thou good and faithful servant?” I personally believe those will be the sweetest and most desired words a follower of Christ will ever hear.
To help us, Jude gives us some instructions. We find that he is counseling those who are enduring difficult times and shares four things they need to do if they are to persevere (continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty):
“But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying 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. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 17-23 NIV).
Build — In verse 20, we are to build ourselves up in your most holy faith and help others to do the same. We all have heard someone say they have strong or weak faith. This carries with it the need to exercise our muscles of faith. We can accomplish that through doing right, Bible study, sharing the gospel and being the church in our communities.
The Christian life demands certain disciplines. Through these, we are led to a strong faith, which brings us to his second point.
• Praying in the Holy Spirit — Prayer is a discipline and a tool given to us by God. As a discipline we ought to pray just as we ought to work, love our families or eat. Without eating, we starve ourselves; without prayer, we have broken communications, resulting in us not fully comprehending God’s will for our lives. It is imperative that we maintain a consistent prayer life.
• Keep — Third, in verse 21, he tells us to keep ourselves in God’s love. Notice that he is not saying “keep your love for God” but “keep in His love for you.” Believers remain strong if they stay focused on God’s love for them and do His will.
In John 15:10, Jesus assures us that we abide in His love if we keep His commandments. In Luke 15:11-24, the prodigal son journeyed to a pagan country that was far from home. During this time, his father still loved him, but in that country the prodigal was unable to enjoy the benefits of his father’s love. However, when he returned home, he enjoyed the love his father lavished on him. Brothers and sisters, the believer needs to “stay home” to fully enjoy the heavenly Father’s love. God is love, and to be like Him we must keep on keeping on by loving Him as well as others.
• Wait — Jude adds another exhortation, “wait for the mercy.” He urges us to eagerly anticipate the mercy Jesus will bestow on us when He returns. We rejoice in the fact that His present mercy includes forgiveness, but we must realize that at Jesus’ return it will also include eternal life in Heaven and all its accompanying benefits.
To wait is to have patience, and Jude implies that in the waiting there is a sense of hope. It is easy to get caught up in the building, the praying and the keeping that we lose sight of the end. We can begin to feel like the Christian life is a one-sided struggle toward perfection, yet really it is a team sport — it is us and God working toward the same end.
May we be found faithful doing what we can for it is only through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that can bring us across the finish line and into His eternal glory. Aren’t you glad we have such a wonderful and great hope?
Let me close with Jude 24, “To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.”
From Our Missionaries
Arkansas Hispanic Missions: Michael Hight writes, “This week was another difficult one as we said goodbye to some dear friends from the church I pastored in Pine Bluff. We continue to navigate the COVID-19 waters, as do all our missionaries. I have labeled this year as the year of Resilient Discipleship. There have been so many things over the past year to discourage and distract us, but the call to make disciples remains.
“In February, we will host a preaching lab for the missionaries. It will be bi-lingual for anyone who would like to come. The cost is only $20, and you can contact me for more information. It will be held at South City Church in Little Rock on Feb. 5-6.
“Please keep us all in your prayers. We have been affected in some way by 2020 and now is the time to be strengthened by the grace that is in the Lord Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2:1).”
Connection Point, Brookland: Chad White writes, “We had a good week at Connection Point. Our Wednesday night groups are back up and running. It is great to have the opportunity to recharge in the middle of the week with the encouragement of friends.
“Sunday was a good day. We had some guests in our service. Continue to pray for us as we continue the work here in Brookland.”
The Mustard Seed, Cain: Jim Tollison writes, “We have enjoyed a good week at the mission. Wednesday night classes and fellowship time are still going great.
“Sunday service at the mission is still on an upward trend, and we are having a number of visitors who are beginning to become regulars.
“Last Wednesday after services, I led in a renewal of wedding vows for an older couple in their home. The lady had just been released from an extended stay in the hospital.
“We have another family that we have been wanting to start to church with us. Becky and I visited with them in a store in Fort Smith. They were excited about getting started this last Sunday, however the family has tested positive for COVID-19, so the whole family is quarantined. Pray for this family, and for Becky and me that we did not contract the virus. This missionary work can be risky, but it is so worth it! I believe God will see us all through these troubled times.
“Let’s all agree to storm the throne of God about this virus and our nation. God bless you all.”
Misión Creciendo en Cristo (Growing in Christ), North Little Rock: Juan Carlos Posadas writes, “Last week, we continued our service to the community. On Tuesday, we had our food pantry, with the donations of around 5 pallets of food from the Food Bank of Little Rock. On Friday, we gave out 195 lunches provided by the World Kitchen Center.
“Saturday morning, I met the Latino pastors of our association in Central Arkansas and Warren for breakfast and a time of prayer. We spent much of the morning praying for each other, our families and ministries. Time was short and the communion was excellent.
“In our Sunday meeting, we studied about the care of shepherds, based on I Tim. 5:17-25.
“I thank you for praying for Wilmer and Jose Luis. Every Monday at 7:30 p.m., we meet virtually to study the Word. I hope God will use this time to establish them in faith and strengthen their commitment. Both men have shown an interest in growing spiritually and are taking steps of obedience to the Lord.”
Life Journey, Fort Smith: Darrin Smith writes, “It is exciting to see young men and women stepping up and taking on different roles to help us get prepared to minister to the needs that are around us.
“In our Sunday morning class, I am teaching about ‘What is the Church’ and ‘What are the Responsibilities of a Church.’ We have an average of 10 who attend.
“Our Faith Bible Institute also kicked off this past week, and we are very thankful for the six students who have enrolled. This is another way to develop our leaders. Watching people grow in their walk with Jesus is exciting to see.
“Thanks for all you do for us. You are such a blessing.”
Grace, Green Forest: Carter Pearce writes, “Last month, my wife and I tested positive for COVID-19. All three of our children had mild symptoms, but were never tested. Although I work with COVID regulations every day and discuss the illness with people daily, I was shocked when Kristen and I went to the doctor and learned that there is really no treatment. Our doctor told us to take some over-the-counter medication, get plenty of rest and let her know if things got worse than we could handle.
“There are times when I realize that I am spiritually sick. I know the signs and symptoms, and I want to take something or do something to get myself better. Then I realize that the real answer is to continue reading the Bible and continue in regular prayer. The real need in those times is to take time away from the stress of life and take time to let God heal.
“Life is always worse than we can handle on our own. Right now, Christians are battling with governments who suppress freedoms, a generation that doesn’t believe in truth and people in our churches who aren’t really focused on the Lord. While we certainly face difficulties, God still wants to heal. We need to take a break and spend time with Him. Each of us needs to stand firm in our commitment to follow Jesus!”
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “These past two weeks, we have asked for prayer for protection during the time that we have visited every home in Ebenezer. God has been good and has protected us in the places we have gone. During these two weeks we have prayed for 11 men representing their families; some worship at Ebenezer and others do not. We also prayed for two homes where there is no male leader. For Kory and me, it has been a great blessing to share with each of the families and hear their testimony of being grateful for our visit. Next Sunday, we will pray for one more family that doesn’t attend.
“As a result of these two weeks, one of the men made his decision for Christ. Pray for José Luis and his spiritual growth. The Vidal family also asked us to start a Bible study in their home.
“Pray for David Romero. He is my new barber and I invited him to seek God. God will continue to do great things around us in 2021. To God be the glory.”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “What a week at Faith Chapel, praise God! We had a wonderful prayer service Wednesday night. A good number of prayer warriors are joining us each week, and the Lord is blessing that.
“We had a very good number Sunday morning, too. Only one member was not there, and he is working in Louisiana. Please join us in prayer for him to find a good job close to home. They are such a faithful family.
“Sunday night we went home to our mother church, The Bridge, and baptized three new members. What a time we had! It is so special to be able to share events like that with them. We love them all so much.
“We also have decided to start up Sunday evening services in the next week or two. Please join us in prayer for that.
“We love what God is doing in Flippin and are so happy to be a part of it! We thank all of you for your continued prayers and support for our Mission, they mean so much to us, and we thank God for each of you!”
Not Alone, Springdale: Clinton Morris writes, “We have been praying for some ways to meet our neighbors. God provided a way to meet our next-door neighbor when my son left our van door open all night. I always find it fascinating and humbling how God uses even our mistakes to further His plans. We are now able to make further plans to hang out with our neighbors in the weeks to come.
“We have had some great conversations and are making plans to start up the church’s internet footprint.
“Our furniture is still being delayed, please pray that they will arrive soon — as in this week soon!
“Friday, I had a great time of fellowship (even though it was virtual) with other church planting pastors within the BMA Church Planting Apprenticeship.
“Continue praying that we will see God’s plan plainly, that we will also develop the friendships and contacts we need and that we will see souls saved.”