'Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus'

'Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus'Reader: Billy GrahamDate: 31st January 2022Passage: Jude 3-------------------We are used to hearing about wars, brutality and racial unrest in so many areas of the world. These conflicts are usually far away from us and perhaps they may not affect us too much. In our own country we enjoy peace and stability. The wars, for the most part, are confined to our TV screens.But there is a war going on — and it is right here in Scotland as well as throughout the world. It is a war that is not fought with guns or bombs, and the enemy may look very like ourselves. It is a spiritual war. It has been going on for a very long time and the aim of the enemy is to destroy the purity of the church and the authority of God's Word, the Bible. That is why Jude wrote this warning letter. He saw the enemy attacking the church in his day and it is still the same now.Jude tells us about the enemy's tactics. He says certain ungodly people had wormed their way unnoticed into positions of influence in the church and began misleading Christian people with false teaching leading to immorality. This kind of situation is still with us. You see it when people deny the authority and teaching of the Bible and allow ways of living which the Bible condemns. Jude calls us to defend the truth of the Good News. We have to stand up for Jesus and the truth the Bible teaches us. This takes courage but God will be with us as we stand up for him.PrayerLord Jesus, give me courage to stand for truth and for you. Amen.