Daily Devotional Thoughts All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.  This Week’s Study: Jude 1:1-3 Monday - Choosing our Master. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied (Jude 1:1-2, KJV). This week we take up the devotional study of the book of Jude.  Jude opens his letter by telling us he is a servant (Greek “doo’-los”), literally a slave of Jesus Christ.  This Greek word is used of one who is a slave either voluntarily or involuntarily.  The reality is we must make a choice to serve Jesus Christ.  Failing to make that choice automatically puts us in the service of the evil one.  We might say the default setting is involuntary slavery to evil. We have only one possible way to escape this slavery to sin and that is to choose Jesus Christ as our Master.  Our choices are clear.  We either remain in slavery to sin with no control over our actions and destiny, or we choose the freedom that is ours when we choose Jesus Christ. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30, KJV). Tuesday - Beloved and called to holy. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of Jam es, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied (Jude 1:1-2, KJV). Jude calls himself the brother of James, with no further identification given.  This implies, that at the time of the writing of this letter, James was well known.  That Jude was the brother of James, the brother (really stepbrother) of Jesus is possible, though the James mentioned here could just as well have been another James who was prominent in the early Christian church. Yesterday we dwelt on the bondservant-by-choice perspective.  Today we move to the next part of the text: “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, . . . .”  What is meant by being “sanctified by God the Father?” “Sanctified” refers to being called out or set aside for a special purpose, that of being made holy.  However, the oldest manuscripts use “beloved” rather than “sanctified” and the original Greek manuscript reads “in” rather than by.  So to put this all together, we read: “to them that are beloved, {or to them who are called out to be made holy} in God the Father.” So. . . how do you feel about being God’s beloved?  How do you feel about being set apart by God to made holy?  How do you feel, knowing that in God your are holy?  What a blessing and privilege!  Let us live our lives today keeping firmly in our minds, that we are beloved and called to live holy in God the father. Wednesday  - Preserved in Christ! Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied (Jude 1:1-2, KJV). Today we focus on the “preserved” part of this text.  “To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, . . .”  The meaning is, that they owed their preservation wholly to him; and if they were brought to everlasting life, it would be only by him. What the apostle here says of those to whom he wrote, is true of all Christians. They would all fall away and perish if it were not for the grace of God keeping them (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible: Jude 1:1). What a blessing to know we are called (chosen) by God, sanctified (set apart to be made holy) by God, and preserved (by God) in Jesus Christ.  Don’t you just love it?  It is God all the way.  Everything we are, everything we can and will be, all our future, we owe to God!  Here are Jesus’ reassuring words: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand (John 10:27-29). Let’s rest in the salvation God provides for His called out, beloved, and preserved in Christ, children. Thursday  - Mercy, peace, and love, be multiplied. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied (Jude 1:1-2, KJV). In his greeting to his readers, Jude wrote: “Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.”   Can you imagine a better greeting?  Mercy (active compassion),  peace, (quietness, rest),  love (agape- affection, benevolence).  All of that be multiplied or unboundedly increased, as Adam Clarke puts it (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible: Jude 1:2). We need God’s mercy, peace, and love multiplied in our lives more than we need anything else.  And we can have it when we choose God as our God and Master. “Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.” Friday/Weekend - Contend earnestly for the faith. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). “While I was very diligent” is translated from a Greek phrase that means “being exceedingly intent upon a subject; taking it up seriously with determination to bring it to good effect” (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible: Jude 1:3).  Jude’s desire is to make very prominent the importance of contending “earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” What about this faith, what is it?  Reduced to it’s simplest form it is the “common salvation”  the salvation that all Christians who are in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ experience.  And along with that salvation comes a complete package of Bible truth.  A package clearly detailing the happiest way human beings can live. Adam Clark puts it this way: “Everything which He has revealed, we are to defend as true. We are to surrender no part of it whatever, for every part of that system “is” of value to mankind. By a careful study of the Bible we are to ascertain what that system is, and then in all places, at all times, in all circumstances, and at every sacrifice, we are to maintain it” (Ibid.). Let’s rise up fellow Christians. Let’s rise up and defend the faith.  This world needs what we have to offer! Press <Control>+D to bookmark this page 2010-2012 Marvin Glass, Inc. And now back to more great Southern Gospel Music!