“But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”  (Jude 1:9)

How easily judgement rolls off our tongues.  We are commanded to not judge, but we judge all day long.  If the Archangel does not judge, then who are we, amidst our trivialities, to judge one another?  We have our disputes and disagreements, but the word of the Lord has spoken.  Judge not in condemnation lest with the same condemnation you be condemned.  Look to the Lord for all things and act accordingly.

Lord, I am guilty of having spoken such judgements and feeling quite alright about the whole thing.  Help me to not condemn others, for You alone are the judge of the living and the dead.  Yes, I do need to discern, but You have forbidden that I pronounce condemnation.  Lead me into a life that encourages others to live into the promise of faith You have given them so that they too may know the joy of Your presence in their lives.

Lead me, Lord Jesus, to see all the things necessary so that I can become like You.  Guide me to live by the words You have spoken and understand the goodness You intend for me.  Through Your grace and mercy, teach me to be one who also has grace and mercy.  Let me not condemn those who disagree but instead live a good life which shows Your presence in my life.  Amen.

“Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties” (Jude 1:8).

The things of the Lord are the things of the Lord.  Do not make up for yourself what you want things to be or live by wishful thinking.  The Lord has spoken His word and revealed His purpose.  Be guided in the goodness and mercy of the Lord and do not give in to the temptation to be an authority unto yourself.  Be led by the Lord and walk in His ways now and always.

Lord, I am tempted at times to reject certain authorities when I want something other than what I will receive when I walk in Your ways.  Guide me, Lord, to live into the life You have set before me.  Continue to grow me according to Your purpose so that I may become more like You each day.  You have placed the hope of eternity in my heart.  Increase my faith and grow that hope into reality.

Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope I have through faith.  By grace You have freed me from the bondage to sin and death.  But You have not given me license to do as I please.  Lead me, O Lord, into the life of faith You have given me so that I might do the work of a disciple and live according to Your teaching.  Guide me this day and help me walk humbly with You, My Lord and Master.  Amen.

“[J]ust as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7).

Look at the world today.  Think about what was acceptable and unacceptable one generation ago.  We have all kinds of things going on that are not acceptable according to Scripture.  God still loves us, and Jesus died for our sins, but our world has accelerated chasing after gross immorality.  Do not be led astray by what the culture does.  Be led by the word of the Lord and His eternal truth.

Lord, it is easier to sin now that things have gotten worse.  Help me to see the contrast between good and evil that I may live into the life You have promised me through faith.  Guide me, dear Lord, so that I may walk humbly with You.  Lead me by Your goodness to not do the things of this world, but to seek Your wisdom and live according to Your precepts.  Help me Lord to not go in  the way of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Lord Jesus, You went to the cross so that we who have been in bondage to sin, death, and the devil could be freed.  Lead me, O Lord, according to Your never-failing promises to have the hope You give for a perfect eternity.  Guide me through the perils of this world so that I may live into the life of faith and not the hopelessness of momentary pleasure at the cost of eternal salvation.  Amen.

“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” (Jude 1:6)

The rebellion against God includes the fallen angels who want what they want and will not submit to what the Lord has created.  Do not be led astray by this world but be transformed by the renewing of Your mind in Christ Jesus.  The fallen angels will entice you, but the Lord of life has already defeated them.  Judgement day will come and if you are in His grace, look forward to that day.

Lord, there are so many conflicting stories out there.  So, why am I looking out there?  Help me to hold fast to what You have already revealed knowing that in You alone is there hope and truth.  Grow in me Your likeness day by day as I walk this path of grace.  Let me not live in fear, but in hope.  Let me not participate in rebellion but learn how to submit to You in and for all things.

Lord Jesus, You modeled the godly life by humbly submitting to the will of the Father.  Lead me to do the same.  Teach me how to be humble.  Teach me how to look to the Father for all things.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is that goodness, humility, and hope.  Let me be silent, and let You take over and give me the words You would have me speak.  Amen.

“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” (Jude 1:5).

The blessed assurance of salvation comes through faith and by grace.  The faith is in a person, not an idea or circumstance.  You are either walking with the Lord Jesus, or else you are not.  There is no in-between.  The Lord has already saved all who will believe.  The question for each one of us is whether we will trust in what Jesus has already done.  Are you fully trusting the salvation of Jesus?

Lord, You know the foolish doubts of every generation.  You know how difficult it is for us to walk by faith.  In this rebellious world, we delude ourselves by wanting to be in charge.  Help me, dear Lord, to humbly walk with You, my Savior and Maker.  Lead me to follow the Gospel way that You have already established and keep me from wandering.  Guide me to live knowing once and for all that You alone are Lord.

Lord Jesus, You did not come to this earth to teach us a few nice things.  You came humbly and endured humiliation for our sake.  You came that we might become like You.  Lead me, O Lord, so that I may grow into Your likeness each day.  Guide me according to Your promises so that I may forever hold fast to You Who gives me the hope that in You I have eternal life.  Amen.

“For 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” (Jude 1:4).

There are two ways heresies tend to move us.  Either they go in the way of trying to live up to the law which condemns us (legalism), or else, in the opposite direction of saying that because Jesus died for our sins, it does not matter what we do (antinomianism).  Both are nothing less than rebellion against God.  He is God and we are His creation.  He has given us the ability to think, but that does not mean we are His equal.

Lord, humility is lacking in our day.  People are full of themselves and think they are superior to others.  I too have this infection.  Lead me to the cure by Your grace so that I may live according to Your purpose.  Guide me Lord in the way of salvation and help to not go one way or the other but stay on the narrow Gospel path You have laid before me.  Let me become both humble and firm in this faith You have given me.

Thank You Lord Jesus for accomplishing what I could not do for myself.  Help me to be conformed to the Father’s will.  Let me not abuse the liberty You have given me through grace, nor become so rigid that I have no mercy for others.  Through all things, continue to conform me to Your image so that I may become more like You each day.  Lead me in a life of true faith today and always.  Amen.

“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write 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” (Jude 1:3).

We all have a common salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  There are no special dispensations.  One person is not treated differently than any another.  In Christ we are one and equal.  These words are important.  Our world rails against differences, as well as against similarity.  The Lord created us to be equal under God, but each of us is also a quite unique individual.  Contend for the true faith and do not let what the world preaches get in the way.

Lord, You know those places where I am led astray.  Help me, I pray, to see the places which get me off track and stay away from them.  Guide me to live the common salvation which is beyond denomination, tradition, or particularity of understanding.  You have given the faith once for all, just as You died once for all.  Lead me in the true faith so that I may live into the life to wich You have called for me to live.

Lord Jesus, You are the Savior.  You are the Master.  Lead me to live the life for which You have called me and for which You died.  Let me not think myself superior or inferior, but one of all with whom You have been saved by grace through faith.  Guide me, Lord, to live humbly in You .  You know what I need for this day.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go and help me to follow You alone.  Amen.

“To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1:2).

Many are called and few are chosen.  Many hear the word, and it is choked out or quickly dies in them.  Those kept are the ones who hold fast to the truth all the days of their earthly lives.  Are you chosen?  You will find out when you stand before Jesus.  To believe is to act.  Believe and act as if you are one of Jesus’ disciples.  Walk therefore, humbly with your Lord and Master.

Lord, the world does all kinds of twisted things.  It acts as if it knows (follow the science) when it does not.  I need to be reminded that this is Your world and that You created all things.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go.  Help me to understand that only in You is there life and that all other ways lead to death.  Guide me Lord in order that I humbly submit to all that You would have me do.

Lord Jesus, You promised the peace that passes all understanding to those who believe.  Help my unbelief so that I may walk humbly with You, my Lord and Master.  Hold me in Your mercy so that Your love grows in me.  Teach me how to love You and my neighbor as I am called to do.  Teach me how to walk as one who believes and obeys.  Guide me in Your goodness, O Lord, so that I may grow into Your likeness on this journey You have placed before me.  Amen.

“Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James” (Jude 1:1)

We may not be able to definitively answer who this Jude was.  Is this James the brother of Jesus?  Is this Jude the Apostle?  The answer does not matter except as a matter of curiosity.  James is a slave (bond-servant) of Jesus.  That’s what the Greek word says.  That means Jesus is the master and Jude is the slave.  He is writing so that those who are being led astray may know the truth.  We are to be slaves to our master, bound by His word.

Lord, in this world which cries out over everything, slavery is not a popular idea.  But how can it be otherwise?  I will destroy myself unless You take over.  Let me not argue with You over what must be, but instead submit to You who is the author and finisher of my faith.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of truth so that I may understand more fully this journey on which You are leading me in this age.

Lord Jesus, You are the Master.  Too many think You are just a friend of sinners.  You are God-in-the-flesh and You have come to lead the way.  Help me to not get this one wrong.  Help me to understand that everything is, as it must be, in Your hands (Matthew 28:18) and that I must follow You wherever You lead me.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, now and forever.  Amen.

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:17-18).

Jesus told us the parable of the wheat and the tares.  There are those who are unprincipled, and they are among the church.  Do not be led astray by those who will lead you away from the truth.  Listen as the Holy Spirit ministers to you and be guided by the word that endures forever.  The Word will not lead you astray, but you have the free will to revert to the old Adam and listen to the rebellious voice which does not speak the truth.

Lord, Your word is truth and Your word sets me free, restraining the old Adam and letting me know the true word when I hear it.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy so that may I abide in You and You in me.  Lead me according to all of Your promises.  Help me to be discerning and accept the words that are true and reject them when they are not.  Guide me into truth that I may live in Your truth always, and open my ears to hear and mind to understand when You speak.

Lord Jesus, You died so that those with ears to hear and understand would not perish, but have everlasting life.  Guide me in the truth You have spoken so that I may be led by the hope You give me.  When one tries to lead me astray, let me understand what is being said and done so that I may hold fast to what is true.  Guide me, Lord, in the way You have established and help me always to remain in Your grace.  Amen.