The Community of God

The Community of God

This quarter we are studying about community, a subject close to the heart of this church.
Our studies will range from the extreme prejudice and disobedience of Jonah, who felt a people so unworthy he sought to deny them an opportunity to experience the mercy of God; to the admonishing of Jude to:
20“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have mercy, who are in doubt;
23 and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh….”

When I read the Jude scriptures I felt “WOW”!!

What a standard to strive for.

-building up ourselves on our most holy faith.
-keeping ourselves in the love of God
-looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (Not fault finding and looking for the worst in others)
-having mercy on those who are in doubt (remembering when we were not saved and had many, many questions about The Way)
-taking responsibility to save some, through the example of our lives, “snatching them out of the fire”
-having mercy with fear for those who appear entrenched in darkness, loving them though we fear for their salvation and continuing to provide a light on the hill through the testimony of our lives.

It is difficult to admit, and sometimes even to see, our own shortcomings. I think this is especially true when we feel we have a calling on our lives for God. It is sometimes difficult to have patience with those who “just don’t get it“. How could anyone not want to be saved?

Yet there are such lessons in humility in these two of the shorter books of the bible. Here we have such opportunities to live the Word, if we only incorporate these lessons into our daily lives.

May God Forever be a Blessing in Your Life!!!