Jump Start # 378

Jude 24 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy”

  This powerful verse from Jude is filled with many interesting thoughts. It is found at the end of this short letter and it is addressed to God. It is God who is able to keep us from stumbling. We sing a hymn, “He is able.” The three Jewish boys thrown into the Babylonian fiery furnace knew that God was able to deliver them. He is able. Consider a few thoughts here:

• We can stumble. This letter is written to Christians. Some think that once you become a Christian, that you can never “lose” it. Not so. This passage alone shows that one can stumble and be guilty (the opposite of blameless). Paul said similar things to the Corinthians and to the Galatians. Our relationship and “standing” with God is based upon our walk with Him. It is a journey. We can’t stop nor quit. To do either, will lead to stumbling.

• God is able to keep us from stumbling. How? By the nature of His word. As we walk with God and please Him, we can not stumble. Peter said it this way, after listing the virtues that a Christian should add to their life, the apostle wrote, “…for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble” (2 Pet 1:10).  “These things” are the characteristics that Peter wants us to develop and grow and add to our life. Becoming more spiritual and following God is the means by which we will never stumble. It’s God’s plan. It’s God’s way. It is God who keeps us.

• These things will make us able to stand in His presence. What a powerful expression, to stand in the presence of God. Not to hide in fear of Him, as Adam and Eve did; nor to run from Him as Jonah did, but to stand. And how do we stand? Blameless and with great joy!

  These expressions from Jude remind us that God is working with us and for us. He wants you saved. He wants you in Heaven. He’s doing what He can to get you there. But we have to take responsibility and ownership of our own souls. And that is the problem. Too often we don’t. We don’t feed our souls the good food of God’s word. We don’t encourage and build up our souls by being in encouraging circumstances. We take care of our bodies, our minds, our pets, our homes, our kids, but our souls starve. They long to be built up. They need maintenance. They need fellowship and association with God.

  Intimacy with God is a wonderful concept that is expressed both in our song books and throughout the book of Psalms. Expressions such as, “I need Thee as a deer pants for the water” illustrate the soul’s desire for intimacy with God. Sunday church services are not enough. We need time to meditate, to grow, to talk with, and to be with God. Your soul needs it. My soul needs it. When it’s missing we tend to begin to stumble. We make choices that are not based upon the spiritual. We tend to ignore the spiritual side of things. We tend to live for now and we fail to remember God’s word.

  “To Him” as Jude addressed this verse is our help and our hope. To Him we must turn. To Him is the answer.

  Roger