"Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen" Jude 1:24-25 (NLT)
Interesting thing about this little book of the Bible called Jude. It kind of reminds me of the entry hall before you step into a huge theater. It sort of prepares you for what you are getting ready to see and experience in the final book called Revelation.
More than likely this little book named Jude was written by Jude the half brother of Jesus. He probably doesn't specifically tell us which Jude he is out of humility. No desire for recognition here. The only thing important is the message that he is bringing. That message could probably best be summed up in 2 one syllable words--Watch out!
You see, the book of Jude was written to prepare us for the last days. Each generation has assumed that they are in the last days but we need only to turn on the evening news to see that we very likely are living out the reality of the times he is describing.
False teachers are everywhere. Sadly, many are sprinkled throughout bookstores and christian television. Jude says they have "wormed their way into Your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives" (vs 4). Later on in verse 8, he also tells us that " these people - who claim authority from their dreams--live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings."
Sobering, isn't it? What's an everyday believer like me to do? I sure don't want to get swept up into deception and fall away! Jude reminds us that all glory belongs to God and He is able to keep us from falling away. Our job is to stay faithfully anchored and connected to Him and He will do the rest.
Now isn't the time to slack off in reading the scripture, attending church, spending time in serious prayer, keeping ourselves accountable to other believers and those God has put in spiritual authority in our lives. Those things are His "safety net" so to speak for us His children.
Let our sincere prayer be "Lord, Keep Me From Falling!"
