Monday, January 9, 2012

Mon., 1/9/12 Devotion (Jude 3b-4)

Today's encouragement comes from Jude 3b & 4a, where these words are found:

"I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnest-
ly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For cer-
tain men have crept in unnoticed . . . "

Earnest contention for the true religion is necessary, because, just as soon as the regenerated saints let up, the Pharisees and hypocrites are right there (to seek to replace God's gospel with their own perver-
sions). The Christian warrior never lets up, he keeps pressing on, pushing down the gates of hell, and putting the enemies of God to flight.

The worst of these foes are those who "creep" into the church, and seek to take it captive to their own lusts. Let us fight the good fight of faith today, and never lose heart. No devil or deceiver can over-
come us as we are truly in Christ Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "So it pleased the sovereign God that the angels should have the most glorious discoveries of divine wisdom by His doings towards His church . . . " --Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "The Wisdom of God"]