Scripture
A Call to Remain Faithful
17But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. 18They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
20But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,[1] 21and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
22And you must show mercy to[2] those whose faith is wavering. 23Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,[3] but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.[4]
A Prayer of Praise
24Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Translation notes (4)
- 1:20 Greek pray in the Holy Spirit.
- 1:22 Some manuscripts read must reprove.
- 1:22-23a Some manuscripts have only two categories of people: (1) those whose faith is wavering and therefore need to be snatched from the flames of judgment, and (2) those who need to be shown mercy.
- 1:23b Greek with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love. Jude 1:20-21
A good friend of mine was recently asked, "What do you want to be known for?" His response? "I want to be known as a person who prayed." This response moved me and inspired me. I also want to be known as a person who prayed, but I have a long way to go. Prayer changes things. When we pray, God hears us and responds to our prayers. What's more? He delights to hear from us and talk to us.
The book of Jude calls all followers of Christ to be people who pray.
"But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way,
you will keep yourselves safe in God's love" (Jude 1:20-21).
Not only is this verse a call to pray, but it is also a call to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. You see, prayer is powerful. I am convinced it is more powerful than we even realize.
Imagine what could happen if you and I dedicated ourselves to prayer. I firmly believe that most of us want to spend more time in prayer. I also believe that prayer takes intentionality and discipline. To become people who pray, we have to actually take time throughout our day to pray. We have to talk to God every day. The more we talk to Him, the more natural and habitual it will become. Let's be known as people who prayed.
Moving Toward Action
Make a commitment to become a person who prays. Think through three times throughout the day where you can pause and pray to Him. For the next week, commit to pray each day those three times. Additionally, keep a list in the notes on your phone, or a physical notebook if you prefer, of people things to pray for, and pull out that list during the times you have set aside to pray.
Going Deeper
Read Jude 1:17-25 (NLT)
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