Daily Inspirations

   Good morning. Today we start the book of Revelation. This is a book that many Christians either avoid like the plague, or delve into continuously to try to discover what the end times will bring, and when certain things will happen. We should avoid both extremes. While it is a book that new believers will not benefit greatly from, they should, after a time, read it. Some of the things were current when John wrote them. The majority of it is for the end times, which many Christians believe we are in today. Some things have double meaning – both for when they were written, and also throughout history that followed. I am assuming that all of you have heard of “the Apocalypse“. Apocalypse is simply the Greek word for revelation. The book begins with: the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond servant John. This opening verse tells us the purpose ...

   Good morning. Have mercy on some, who are doubting (possibly those who have been deceived by these apostates); save others, snatching them out of the fire (possibly those who have gone so far down the rabbit hole that there seems like there’s no way out); and on some have mercy with fear, heating even the garment polluted by the flesh. And an extremely important verse: now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. That is awesome beyond belief! He can even keep us from stumbling. It is one thing to “sneak in the back door of heaven“, but it is something else that here on earth He can keep us from failing to live the Christian life. Here is our collective exultation: to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen! That is the end of the book of Jude. Next time we begin (wait for it) the book of Reve...

   Good morning. But you ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts“. [My Bible says that the Greek for this phrase indicates that the apostles continually and repeatedly warned that such godless apostates would come.] These (the ones we talked about last time) are the ones who cause divisions, worldly minded, devoid of the Spirit (that would indicate that they were not Christians). Instead of that - But you, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, (how?) praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Father help us to do as Paul says, “pray without ceasing“ in the Holy Spirit, like Jude says.

   Good morning. These men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds, … for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. They pretended to be a part of the believers, but they had ulterior motives. What they showed to the other members of the church was not their true selves. Their punishment is very strong. These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. This last item is a technique that many deceivers use. They flatter people, telling them how great (in this case a Christian) they are. The listeners will then accept things that they normally would not. Father help us to listen to words from You no...

   Good morning. Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming (possibly claiming to have a revelation through a dream), defile the flesh, and reject authority (they hold to what their dreams says, rather than listening to those in authority in the church), and revile angelic majesties (there are even some today who “take authority over“ angels and other powers in the heavens). But Michael the Archangel, when he disputed with the Devil and argued about the body of Moses (this is not mentioned in the Old Testament; but could be from one of the books of the apocrypha), did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “the Lord rebuke you!“. The implication is that, if Michael did not personally rebuke the devil, neither should they. Father it is You and You alone who has authority over the enemy. You said that we should pray that You would keep us from the power of the evil one, and so we do for the reader and his/her family.

   Good morning. Possibly as a warning: now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Just because God brought them out of Egypt, it did not mean that they would be able to enter the promised land. Also it says that they did not believe. Of course some will say that that example shows that you can lose your salvation. Not all who came out of Egypt were believers, at least not in Moses. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. There are varying views on what that means, some of which sound like science fiction. Jude then talks about Sodom and Gomorrah. These indulged in gross immorality and are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Father help us to not fall away from believing in You and what You...

   Good morning. Today we begin the book of Jude. He does not claim to be Jesus’  brother; but he says he is the brother of James - accepted as the brother of Jesus. While I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. It sounds like people were arguing against what Christians believed and were trying to portray salvation as something different. We are not to lie down and let people trample all over our beliefs. Certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. This sounds like what is known as “greasy grace“. You can do whatever you want because God will forgive you through His grace. Father thank You that while Your grace is all encompassing; i...