Prophetic Prospective Daily Devotional

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

The theme of this little book written by Jude, the brother of James, the Pastor of the church in Jerusalem, is "earnestly contending for the faith". Jude goes at this exhortation and challenge from several directions.

As we come to our devotional reading for today, Jude wants each of us to "contend for the faith" by “remembering”. We must remember the “word spoken by the apostles”.

The apostles were a select group of men that Jesus trained for a special period of time and purpose for the new "body", known as the church. Each of the apostles had to have seen Jesus, in person, after His resurrection. The last of the men chosen to be an apostle was Paul who saw Jesus in person on the road to Damascus as he was traveling from Jerusalem, Acts 9:1-16.

The Holy Spirit "breathed" into these men the "words of warning" that Jude wants us to remember. Let me just remind you of the words of two apostles, Peter and Paul. In Paul's last letter, II Timothy, he wrote of the days that would mark the "last days" that lead up to the return of Jesus Christ.

II Timothy 4:3-4 reminds us of the people who will no longer endure sound doctrine, they will turn away their ears from the truth and they do this because they, of their own lust, will choose teaching that will "tickle their ears."

Peter also, writing his last words before his death, reminded us of those who would even "deny the coming of the Lord" as they also would "walk after their own lust," II Peter 3:3-4.

Now notice what Jude tells us about his "warnings of the mockers in the last days," verse 18. These mockers of Jesus, His second coming, and even us as followers of Jesus, these mockers will be those who walk after their own lust," verse 18.

Jude gives us three ways to live in these times described as the “end times”. Verse 20 tells us to "build" ourselves up in the "holy faith." Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and believing it to the extent that we walk in what it says.

Then Jude says to "pray." Matthew says "watch and pray", we watch for Jesus to come as we pray. Then in verse 21 Jude says "keep yourself in the love of the Lord." This means "stay in love with the Lord," don't forsake or leave your first love for Jesus.

If you notice that you have left your first love, return to that proper relationship by spending time talking to Him in prayer and allowing Him to talk with you in His Word.

These are only several ways that Jude tells us we can "earnestly contend for the faith" as we await His soon coming.


PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord for the warning of the end times, help me to "contend for the faith" by remembering your Word for these days.