Build Yourself Up!
JUDE 20-21But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!
22-23Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
Jude is a little book with a lot to say about living life. This weekend, our church was involved in an outreach that touched several hundreds of people in our community with some tangible love: that's love you can feel. So many hours went into the preparation and the set-up and then all day Saturday we were facilitating the event, loving people, serving them and then cleaning up. At the end, the weariness was not in the eyes of everyone, it had reached our bodies too. I felt it. As the pastor, I knew that many folks would be extremely tired on Sunday for church. We needed some energy. How do you you bounce back after such an outpouring of yourself?
You build yourself up in the most holy faith by praying in the Spirit. You stay in the sweet spot of God's success and love and keep those arms outstretched and open wide. God will send the mercy, the strength and the refreshing. Faith is a great replenisher. You hear God's Word and faith rises up. As I shared the results of our event, I could physically see a transformation happening in the people. They were bouncing back and the strength was coming back into their bodies AND their Spirits. There is more to do and we cannot afford to stop when His momentum is carrying us forward.
Maybe you need to build YOURSELF up today. Pray in the Spirit. Stay in God's sweet spot, stay open to the next task, the next ministry and outreach that He is sending for you. Mercy is on the way to heal you and to help you. You ARE a champion! YOU can do ALL things through Christ! This is YOUR hour, your day!
24-25And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes!
22-23Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
Jude is a little book with a lot to say about living life. This weekend, our church was involved in an outreach that touched several hundreds of people in our community with some tangible love: that's love you can feel. So many hours went into the preparation and the set-up and then all day Saturday we were facilitating the event, loving people, serving them and then cleaning up. At the end, the weariness was not in the eyes of everyone, it had reached our bodies too. I felt it. As the pastor, I knew that many folks would be extremely tired on Sunday for church. We needed some energy. How do you you bounce back after such an outpouring of yourself?
You build yourself up in the most holy faith by praying in the Spirit. You stay in the sweet spot of God's success and love and keep those arms outstretched and open wide. God will send the mercy, the strength and the refreshing. Faith is a great replenisher. You hear God's Word and faith rises up. As I shared the results of our event, I could physically see a transformation happening in the people. They were bouncing back and the strength was coming back into their bodies AND their Spirits. There is more to do and we cannot afford to stop when His momentum is carrying us forward.
Maybe you need to build YOURSELF up today. Pray in the Spirit. Stay in God's sweet spot, stay open to the next task, the next ministry and outreach that He is sending for you. Mercy is on the way to heal you and to help you. You ARE a champion! YOU can do ALL things through Christ! This is YOUR hour, your day!
24-25And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes!
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