Open the Bible UK Daily

[Build] yourselves up in your most holy faith…Jude 20Jude is talking about the same faith here that he mentions in verse 3: “The faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” You can build up your faith by affirming what you believe. That’s why Christians throughout the centuries have recited creeds in their worship: “I believe in God the Father, maker of heaven and earth…”C.H. Spurgeon preached to vast crowds in London over a hundred years ago. When the time came for him to enter the pulpit, he often felt...

[Build] yourselves up in your most holy faith...Jude 20There will be times when you seem to be making little progress, and you wonder, “What’s wrong with me? Am I a Christian at all?” Jude says, “You need to build up your faith.” How do you do that?Satan loves to point out how puny, pathetic, and embarrassingly small your faith is. You should counter by recognising that the faith you have—however small—is a miracle, a gift from God, and by giving thanks for it.When you begin to thank...

I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith...Jude 3Evangelicals often emphasise spiritual life and the importance of the new birth. We rejoice when people give testimonies of how they came to faith in Christ. But spiritual life is no guarantee of spiritual health. You may be spiritually alive, but are you spiritually fit?We know what it’s like to be out of shape physically. What does it look like when we’re out of shape spiritually? Here are some symptoms:Loss of vigour and...

But you, beloved, [build] yourselves up in your most holy faith...Jude 20Jude’s message is very simple: Keep yourself in spiritual shape. It is also very practical, because Jude breaks this down into seven workouts for a healthy Christian life.You may be committed to some kind of fitness programme. You may work out with a coach or a personal trainer who gives you an exercise routine to help you get in shape.A good exercise routine will get you working on different muscle groups: “This one is for your...

Certain people have crept in unnoticed... who pervert the grace of our God...Jude 4The book of Jude was written to a group of believers who were discouraged because of a growing number of church leaders who were marked by moral compromise and doctrinal error. Jude describes the quality of leadership (verse 12) in many churches:Shepherds who feed only themselves. These pastors were trusted to care for God’s flock, but they were more interested in their careers.Clouds without rain. These leaders seemed to be walking with God, but they were spiritually dr...

“Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”John 18:37Pilate had so many voices ringing in his ears. He had the voice of his wife, who said to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream” (Mat. 27:19).Much louder were the voices of the chief priests who had handed Jesus over to him. Pilate also had the voice of his own conscience. Three times he declared that Jesus was innocent (Jn. 18:38; 19:4, 6).And then there was the voic...

Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews.John 18:38Some suggest that this was a genuine question, but Pilate didn’t wait for an answer. It seems that he spoke these words as an exit line. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” And he said this as a judge charged with bringing justice.Imagine yourself standing in a court of law on false charges, and your only hope is that the judge will uncover the truth.The judge asks if you have a...

“I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”John 18:37Jesus tells us here that there is a realm where all truth is known. It is not in this world. Jesus came into the world to “bear witness to the truth.”The Bible tells us that in this world, we know “in part” (1 Cor. 13:12). That is why we often feel that we are only getting part of the story. Where on earth is the truth fully known?Jesus tells us...

“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.”John 18:37This is the last statement of Jesus about why He came into the world. The chief priests have brought Jesus to Pilate’s house, and Pilate has to make a decision about Him.The religious leaders “began to accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king’” (Lk. 23:2). So Pilate’s first question to...

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”John 8:12If you follow Jesus, you will never be in total darkness.He may lead you through some dark places. One day, He will lead you through the darkest valley, the valley of the shadow of death. But even there, He will walk with you.His light will shine in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it. Follow Jesus, and you will be able to say with...

“The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.”John 12:35There is a profound sense in which these words of Jesus speak to us today. The light of Jesus comes to us through the Scriptures, and each of us has it for “a little while.” What will you do with the light you have received?Suppose that you and some friends decide to explore a cave. It is like a labyrinth. Every few yards there is a fork, and you have to decid...

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”John 12:46The human story can be described in four eras. And in each of them, the light of Jesus shines in a different way.Moonlight“You search the Scriptures... and it is they that bear witness about me” (Jn. 5:39). In the Old Testament era, Jesus was there, but He was not seen directly, like the light of the sun reflected by the moon. The law shows us why we need Jesus. The sacrific...

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”John 10:10What does a more abundant life look like? It is a life with:More peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (14:27). Jesus can give more peace than any of us has yet received.More love. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (15:13). Jesus has more love to give than any of us has yet known.More joy. “These th...

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”John 10:10Jesus came so that you may have life. If you are in Christ, you have it. Life is in Christ, and if Christ is in you, life is in you.But Jesus does not stop there. He adds these four marvellous words: “and have it abundantly.” What does this mean? It would be easy to say, “Jesus wants you to have a life of total fulfilment, health, wealth, and satisfaction. He came so...

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life... ”John 10:10Picture your life as a house. You are sitting in your living room, and there is a knock on the door. You pull back the curtain to see who is outside.Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).If you fear that Jesus may be a thief...

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”John 10:10Notice that alongside Jesus, who has come into the world to bring life, there is also a thief who comes to steal. The thief takes away what was yours and leaves you with less than you had.The thief has also come to kill and destroy. Once you had faith and hope and joy, but your faith is now a flickering candle. Your hope has been crushed. Water has been pour...

“This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”John 6:39Someone might hear that Jesus has come into the world, and say, “So what? What difference is that to me?” Here are two reasons to rejoice:1. Rejoice in the goodness of GodSuppose that this world was ruled by some dark power who sought our destruction. Suppose that this enemy sent his son to get his will done. There would be no Chris...

“This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.”John 6:40Maybe you are not sure if what God wills is really for you. Let’s consider the words of Jesus together:“This is the will of my Father…”Some of us could be described as strong-willed. Once you get hold of something, you won’t let it go. How strong is the will of almighty God? When He determines to do something, nothing will stop Him.“Eternal Life”<br...

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”John 6:38How did Jesus get the will of God done? Here are two ways:Jesus came down from heavenNotice Jesus tells us that He came “down from heaven.” His life did not begin in the manger. Before He lay in the arms of Mary, He was at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.He says, “I have come down from heaven.” No prophet, no religious le...

“I have come... not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”John 6:38-39Here is another reason Jesus came into the world: to do the will of the Father. Jesus gives us an inside look at God’s will for every believer.1. All who come to the Son are gifts from God the FatherIf you are a...