Morning by Morning, May 1 - Grace to Withstand the "Scoffers" of God and Authority of His Word
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good Shepherd, let me hear Your voice and follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit, as I begin my morning in the communion of prayer embraced by my heavenly Father. ...
"But you, beloved, must remember the predictions of the apostles and of our Lord Jesus Christ; for they said to you, 'In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.' It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies. Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of His glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen" (Jude 17-25).
Some say that the ones "who are causing divisions" are those who believe the Word of God as the authority for our lives, who trust in Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior, who seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, who willingly submit to the loving correction and godly discipline of our heavenly Father to grow up into maturity as sons and daughters of God. But Your Word says "the ones causing divisions" are the "scoffers," the ones who insist on "indulging their own ungodly lusts" (v. 18).
They may be "worldly people," fitting well into the culture and ways of this world that seems "hell-bent" on rejecting God and God's authority from every corner of their lives and imposing their will on everyone else in the name of their own personal liberty. But according to Your Word, they are "devoid of the Spirit" (v. 19).
So what are we to do? We are to pray (v. 20). And we are also to act in each situation according to leading the Holy Spirit, whether to have mercy in silence or have mercy by "snatching them out of the fire" or have mercy by keeping our distance (v. 22-23).
"The proud, haughty person, named 'Scoffer,' acts with arrogant pride (Proverbs 21:24). And the heart of pride is the arrogant insistence on our own will and our own way instead of Yours. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). The heart of humility is to willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone.
Lord, give me the grace to humble myself before You, to willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone. Give me the grace to trust You and Your Word and Your wisdom to know what's best for me and my life and my world. Show me how to have mercy and walk in love toward those who would scoff at me and scoff at You. Empower me with the courage and the grace to "build (myself) up on (my) most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep (myself) in the love of God, and look forward to the mercy of (my) Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life" (Jude 21). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
May you be empowered with the courage and grace to withstand the scoffers of God and the authority of His Word, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, please join with me in prayer for our nation and every soul in our world to turn to God, trusting in the mercy of His love and grace through Jesus Christ and trusting in His wisdom to know what's best for each of us.
I'm excited to be traveling to teach at the Fredericksburg, Texas campus of Oak Hills Church this weekend in our strategic partnership between Rapha God Ministries and Oak Hills Church to provide equipping and training for healing prayer ministry. Please keep us in your prayers and I pray for the Lord to equip you and your church for His vision and purposes through you life. God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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