Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. [Jude 3, NIV]
Jude in his book alerted children of God of the challenges of staying as Christians in the world today. It is true that upon recruitment into God’s family, we all have a common salvation that is available to all men, however, the amount of falsehood and adulteration that has sneaked into the body of Christ puts ‘common salvation’ at risk. If not guarded carefully, we can lose it without knowing.
We are therefore encouraged to contend for the faith, to fight and preserve, to jealously guard our faith. Our faith is our salvation and this is the target of all anti God forces working against us… 1 Peter 1:9, mentions ‘for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls’. The salvation of our soul can be victory in our secular job, it can be answers to specific prayer requests, it can be healing, it can be every breakthrough that gives us peace.
As faith comes by hearing the word of God, we can contend to preserve our faith by reading, listening and meditating on the word of God regularly. Not as tradition but with the awareness that we are strengthening our faith. Hiding the word of God in our heart dispels fear. We also contend for our faith by praying in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20 says, …build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. As we contend for our faith according to the word of God, I pray the Spirit of God multiply His fruit in our lives in Jesus name.
Prayer: Lord please teach me to pray in the Holy Spirit to the building of my most Holy faith. Open my heart and ears to your word and quicken me to obey. Preserve my faith Lord by the strength that makes you my worthy God, I pray in Jesus name.
One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Aug. 23 2010 - Jeremiah 48 - 52 (OT), 1 Thessalonians 1 (NT)
God’s love and mine…
