Jude 1: 5 For even though you know
all this, I want to remind you of how the Lord once rescued the people of
Israel from Egypt, but afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 Remember the angels who did
not stay within the limits of their proper authority, but abandoned their own
dwelling place: they are bound with eternal chains in the darkness below, where
God is keeping them for that great Day on which they will be condemned. 7 Remember Sodom and Gomorrah,
and the nearby towns, whose people acted as those angels did and indulged in
sexual immorality and perversion: they suffer the punishment of eternal fire as
a plain warning to all.
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“Can’t they see he’s
lying?” were the words running through my mind. I wrestled with this guy “getting
away with “ his lies about me and wondered why people believed the lies.
- I was furious that he could “get away with” deception and I had to have “my” reputation tarnished.
- I thought about trying to convince other people that this guy was lying, but it seemed hopeless.
- I wondered how many other people have gotten hurt because stories were “spun” in a certain way to ruin reputations and shift power.
Jude, human brother
of JESUS, reminds everyone that the LORD not only sees wrong, but does
something about it. He gave examples of how GOD used HIS power to address wrongs
that had gone on for long periods of time. He also reminds everyone that GOD is
still watching.
My Observations:
- GOD sees the sins I do and gives me plenty of time to confess my sins and turn from them.
- GOD’s grace covers a multitude of sins, BUT HE still wants me to turn from them so I can see HIM and hear HIM.
- GOD sees those who manipulate words, hide malice in their hearts, use divisive ways and who flat out lie and HE has already decided what wrath HE has for them.
It’s not them I
need to be concerned with, rather, I need to be good with GOD. I mean, when I
look back on times that people have lied to get positions, power or praise, I
can also see that GOD may allow a season that seems, to the liar, that he or
she is “getting away” with things, but they are not.
GOD see my sins and
yours. HE sees the sins of those who try ti cause harm and who may even be
fooling themselves. GOD sees the hearts of mankind and wants to repair hearts
of stone, turning them into a soft area HE can live in. I gladly take HIS
reminder that HE is in control of all situations, even the ones that seem out
of control.
Challenge
- Why does the writer use the examples in this passage?
- Have you ever seen a situation that seemed out of control, come to order?
- Will you place your trust in GOD, knowing HE has the situation where deception seems to be winning, but it really is not because HE is in control always?
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