Contending For The Faith

A few days before Christmas the Lord began to speak to me concerning 2008. The theme of what the Lord said to me was "Contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Of course these are the words of Jude in his Epistle, verse 3. It is believed by some that Jude was the half-brother of Jesus, and because of his early unbelief concerning Jesus that he only referred to himself as "the servant" of Jesus Christ.

Jude declares that when he considered writing of the salvation message, he determined it was more needful for him to exhort the church to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. His concerns are voiced about the rise of false prophets and false teachers! He begins by reminding the reader of God's dealing with people in the past. He recalls that God after he had delivered Israel out of Egypt destroyed them in the wilderness! He also speaks of the angels which kept not their first estate, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the great day of judgment! Also note worthy, is the fact that he specifically mentions the fate of Sodom and Gomorrha,(suffering the vengeance of eternal fire)!

Jude describes these false prophets and teachers, comparing them to Cain, Baalim, Kora! He said, they have gone(in the way of Cain),ran greedily(after the error of Baalim) and perished(in the gainsaying of Kora). Let's examine Cain first. What do we know about Cain? We know from Gen.4 that he was, 1. a tiller of the ground 2. he brought an unacceptable offering to God,3. h e had wrath in his spirit, 4. he murdered his own brother. Cain was only interested in what the soil could produce, many ministries today are only interested in what the soil can produce in the material realm! Cain was not willing to give God what was acceptable and murdered his brother who was wiling t0 give to God the acceptable offering! Many ministries in America today live a life of pleasure and sin and despise the man or woman of God that will make the sacrifice God is requiring! Instead they go about trying to murder the influence or assassinate the character of those who will not sell out to the greed of the flesh! You remember Baalim? Numbers ch.22-24. Baalam went to prophesy for money. He asked God for permission to go with Balak to prophesy against Israel, but God refused. When Balak offered more money he asked God again. He wasn't satisfied with the provision God was making for him, he was greedy! While he could never curse the people of God as Balak wanted, he told Balak how to defeat the people of God by getting them to mix with the people of the land, so that God had commanded them not to do! These false prophets of today do not define the ways of God in order to keep the people of God from mingling with the seed of the land thereby causing the destruction of the people of God! They have prominent platforms and much influence but refuse to tell the people that there is no salvation in any other name but the name of Jesus! They refuse to preach to the people a Jesus that changes lives! Instead they tickle the ear of the drunkard, the harlot, the gaming addict. Never telling the the truth of God's word, which commands us to come out from among them and be separate! They are nothing more than motivational speakers, cheerleaders, some even refer to them selves as "life coaches" having made a shambles of their own lives they now profess to know the answers for the lives of God's people! Jude calls this error! Lastly let us look at Kora. His claim to fame is his disregard for God appointed authority! Presuming that because he was an adult and a Jew as was Moses that he was autonomous! That he had the right of self-determination! He did not have to be in subjection to God's anointed and God's appointed authority! The conclusion of that mess was sudden destruction! I have witnessed some of these false prophets at youth rallies and other meetings teaching people to defy God's established order and authority making themselves to be some great spokesman of God! Liars and false shepherds leading many unsuspecting lives to the pit with themselves!

My friends the word for 2008 is, that you might earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints!



Beloved, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you as you go! As you go preach saying the kingdom of God is at hand! P.O. Box 1158 Lake City, TN. 37769 Phone:865-426-6617