Today’s Scripture: Jude 1:24, NKJV- “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,”
Only God can keep us from stumbling. I have written many times of the moment my life really changed. I was not changed in church although I grew up in it. I was not changed by doing my best to be obedient. I was not changed by my words or actions. However, God has proven to me He is able to keep me from stumbling.
Instead of a church pew I found the ability of God to keep me from drinking in the plastic chairs of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I could not stop drinking on my own. I lied about my drinking. My words meant nothing. But here in this meeting I heard a young man say his life had been changed forever because he hit his knees every morning and thanked his higher power for keeping him sober yesterday and asked Him to keep him sober today.
That young man changed my focus to my higher power. He taught me that God is able. Turning away from our abilities and turning to God changes us. He turns us away from our stumbles to His exceeding joy.
Only God can keep us from stumbling. Our responsibility is to turn to God’s ability. We must turn from our natural instincts to the Spirit of God as Jude mentions in Jude 1:19. Our instincts create stumbling. The Holy Spirit of God builds us up. Jude 1:20 encourages us to build each other up. “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,” (NLT)
We may never know who we may help build up. I wish I could find that young man who helped build me up. I love Jude 1:21, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” How about this for an affirmation, “I am keeping myself in the love of God.”
We best stay in God’s love by thanking Him and loving Him in our spirit. This is how we experience our Lord Jesus Christ today. We are not waiting for some day for His return. Jesus is right here, right now, with us in the Spirit of God’s love for all eternity.
The young man that helped show me the way was living Jude 1:22: “Be merciful to those who doubt;” He was not preaching or telling me or the others in the room how to run our lives, he was simply sharing with us what had changed his life forever.
It was up to me to choose and act. Right there in that room I asked myself when the last time was that I hit my knees. I set an appointment with Jesus the next and every morning since. My writings are my attempt to live Jude 1:23. “save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
I pray that someone else will keep from stumbling by hitting their knees and thanking their higher power for helping them and ask Him to keep them in His love today. Those of us who have been blessed by God’s saving grace can remember Jude 1:17-18. There will always be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. However, with mercy, we can share the light of God we found in our darkest places. As we share others will follow. Will you share how you found your God who keeps you from stumbling?
Today’s Prayer: Thank You Heavenly Father for keeping me sober yesterday, please keep me sober today. Thank You LORD for Your Spirit and the grace of Jesus Christ. I am living in Your love today, Father God. Please use my testimony to snatch others from the fire as You have me. Help me LORD to be merciful to those who doubt. Thank You for Your exceeding joy! Amen.
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