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But you, dear friends,

by building yourself up in your most holy faith,

and praying in the Holy Spirit,

keep yourself in God’s love as you wait

for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ

to bring you to eternal life.

~Jude 20,21



My beloved sister,

Do you ever feel like a loser? Like some victory is just out of reach? Maybe life isn’t going the way you envisioned? Life can be difficult at times, to be sure. I’ll admit, I’m feeling a bit like that after some recent upheaval in our family.

As I sat down to write, I had no idea what to share that would encourage you. After praying, the Lord led me to the book of Jude. I read the entire book, all twenty-five verses! Out loud! I was reminded that I live in the same fallen world that Jude lived in nearly 2,000 years ago! Funny how some things never change.

But, you know what? God’s Word never changes either! I am encouraged that He is able to keep me on His path because when I am weak, He is strong! God knows what trials and temptations I am facing today. He knows what trials and temptations you are facing today too.

In His love, God allows some trials in our lives in order to show our weakness and His great strength and protection! “Count it all joy, my sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3) Even going through trials, we can depend on God’s faithfulness to see us through!

Very often, temptation follows a great work of God. I always kind of forget about that part. I’m flying high on the wings of victory and then something comes along that makes me think that I’ve failed in another area. But that sounds more like the voice of condemnation, not a closer step to another victory. That voice is not from God.

Cartoons used to portray these voices as a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Although they’re kind of comical, they do portray a Biblical truth. Which voice do we listen to? God says that He is able to keep me from stumbling! Condemnation says I could have done better or I missed the mark entirely.

None of us perfectly obey God’s direction, but we can choose to listen to God’s Word! We can choose to immerse ourselves in His truth! We can choose to keep our eyes, ears and hearts directed to Him!

We never know what the future holds, but we can trust God that He holds our future. Often, life does not work out according to our own dreams or desires. For me, once married, I envisioned sweet, little daughters playing quietly at my feet while I embroidered Scripture samplers to decorate my home. Silly me, instead, God gave me five sons and a rollicking, noisy, busy life filled with much joy, but also no little heartache. But that’s the way with love and growth, isn’t it?

Think about what it must have cost our Father God to give up His only begotten Son. Not only to give Him up, but to watch Him die a horrible death that separated them for the first time ever. Such boundless love to pay such a price of our adoption! To adopt as His own all the rebellious, stubborn lot of us that would accept His free gift of salvation!

The next time you find yourself on the brink of stumbling, don’t give heed to that voice of condemnation, but call out to the One who can keep you from falling. He will instead make you to stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy through Jesus Christ our Lord! What a glorious promise written to close Jude’s letter!

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,

and to make you stand in the presence of His glory,

blameless and with great joy,

to the only God our Savior, 

through Jesus Christ our Lord, 

be glory, majesty, dominion and authority,

before all time, and now and forever.”

Amen

Don’t stop praying! Run to the One who can keep you from falling!

As we walk together in fellowship, I’m looking forward to the day when we stand in the presence of His glory with each other, dear sister!

With love, your sister, Celeste