January 11 – Resolved to Serve

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”  - 1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV)

Do you make New Year resolutions each year?  How does that work out for you?  For most of us the resolutions we make at the beginning of each year begin with sincere intentions but sort of fade from our memories. Soon, they are like a wisp of smoke from a candle that has just be put out. Our promise today might be a better starting point for new resolutions.  We are promised that as believers in Jesus Christ through faith, He has given each of us a gift.  The purpose of this gift is to glorify God through Jesus Christ.  Bringing Glory to  God is why we exist. It is why Jesus came to Earth and took on the form of a man lived a perfect life and sacrificed himself, a man without fault or spiritual blemish.  Resolving to observe the promises of this verse is a good place to start each year and throughout the year serving one another as God has enabled us to.  Today then, let's resolve to put our gifts to work for the Glory of God.

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November 18 – Before, Now and Future Time

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless 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.”  -  Jude 1:24-25 (NASB)

Our verses today are the doxology found at the end of the letter written by Jude, a half-brother of Jesus and full brother to James.  There is only one chapter in this book, and it is packed full of warnings against a life of sinful living and in rebellion to God and Jesus Christ our Savior.  But Jude ends the rather harsh letter with these encouraging words and promises. We have the promise that Jesus Christ is able to keep us from stumbling into the life and actions Jude previously warned us off of.  And the promise that Jesus gives us a rightful standing in the very presence before God.  Not just a standing but a standing in His glory and in a blameless state, filled with joy. There is so much here that the next time we hear it recited at the end of a message or service, we should think deeply about these promises and not let them just roll off our tongue.  We can acknowledge that Jesus Christ our Lord has glory, majesty, dominion, and authority from eternity past, before all time, now in time, and forever into eternity future for all time.    

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November 2 – Before, Now, Forever

“... 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.” Jude 25 (NASB)

The letter written by Jude, who was a half-brother to Jesus, is short and not divided into chapters.  Three books are shorter than Jude in the New Testament.  We read today the last verse of Jude's letter which we often hear as a closing benediction.  This, of course is how Jude brought his letter to a close by praising God.  There is never a time when it is not right to praise God.  Jude, however is instructing us how we should acknowledge God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Ascribe glory and majesty and dominion and authority to God always and not simply at the closing of a service or time of prayer.  It has been right to do before all time and is right to do now and is right to do forever in the future.  Jude, in his letter, is warning his readers that people will mock God and so mock those who follow God in faith believing.  He warns of those who seek ungodly lusts, cause division, seek only the things of the world.  Remembering God in  the frame Jude gives us, is  our way of affirming a promise of who God truly is and we can rejoice in confirming this truth in our hearts and minds.  

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July 16 – Trustworthy and Faithful in All

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” Psalm 145:13 (NIV)

It is so good to know that we have a God who keeps His promises. As we think back on our experiences in the Christian life we can think of promises that God has made real to us. Let's never forget those promises because God will not forget them. He'll keep His word to each of us. And all this is true because of God's faithfulness. Our verse reminds us that God is faithful and trustworthy in all He promises. It is God who made us and gave us life. Then when we believed in Jesus, God made us part of His family. My friend, remember that God made you. He gave you life. And if that is true then He loves you.