To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:… 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…For certain men have crept in unnoticed,” (Jude 1-4).

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13-14).

Are you born again? Then you are “sanctified by God the Father in Jesus Christ? Jude is exhorting us “to contend earnestly for the faith.”

Why? “For certain men have crept in unnoticed… who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1-4).

We are living in days of ungodliness. These are days of satanic power. It will only get worse unless Christians stand firm in faith. Prepare your children for what is ahead.

These evil men have one agenda and that is to destroy churches, deceive Christians, and lead the lost to hell. They have been on the scene since the Early Church and are not going away! They are gaining ground today. Their time is short! Judgment coming on them! Until then we must “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (I Cor.16:13).

We must be alert because evil never sleeps. Satan has an army of “certain men” who creep into our lives and churches unnoticed. The sad thing is that many professing Christians enjoy them. This is because they are not in the Word of God and do not recognize the deception. They are anti-Christ. They deny Christ! They are spreading deadly doctrines thru demons.

They are in our pulpits, schools, churches, seminaries and colleges today deceiving the Christians. Many who are finishing seminary are speaking of new things. There is nothing to add to the Word of God!

The local church that does not have sound doctrine will be weak! Christian, if you do not study your Bible you will never become what God has called you to be. You will be spiritually handicapped! You are a target for the evil forces to conquer.

We are in a battle with evil! Paul tells us that “… the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (II Cor. 10:4).

Our weapons are prayer, Word of God, our faith. The Word of God with prayer prepares us for the battle. We learn how “to contend earnestly for the faith” from His Word. We learn we can “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” when we seek to know God and His Word.

Christian, do you know how to “contend earnestly for the faith?” Are you fully committed to God and under the power of His Holy Spirit? How often do you “study” His Book? What is your prayer life like?

Do your children have a Bible? Are you teaching them to pray? If you are not in His Word, you will be enticed to change your belief in Christ, you will not be able to stand firm. You are sleeping, and evil is upon you. This is exactly how the local church becomes a target for false teachers.

Our faith must be alive in our Christian walk. These men who creep into our homes and churches do not have faith in God, they are here to destroy and hinder our faith. This must not be allowed!

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1-4).

Pray that the church becomes a powerful witness in our community and around the world. Satan is very determined to kill and destroy as many as possible. You may be on his hit-list!

We are “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:1416). Let us shine the light of Jesus in the face of evil and see it run like the cockroach when you enter the room and turn the light on.

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

Pray for one another. Praise God continuously!

Redemption is near! Amen!

(I John 18-23; Jude 1-25; II Peter 2)