Jude 22-23: Be Merciful to those who doubt

Jude 22-23 and Zechariah 3:1-5 have so much in common. The relationship. We are called to imitate God's attitude towards sinners and sin. Have a look ....

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude 22-23)

and

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.

The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” (Zechariah 3:1-4)

Australia Day Weekend

Here's something I had to leave out. I wanted all of tomorrow's illustrations to be Australian - but I couldn't quite pull it off. Ah well. There are bigger issues to fight.

I'm really looking forward to speaking on 'be merciful to those who doubt.' (Jude 22-23)

Jude 20: And Pray in the Holy Spirit

On Sunday I preached on praying in the Holy Spirit. I tried to show that praying in the Holy Spirit is the wonderful blessing of praying as a child of God - calling out 'Abba, Father' (Romans 8). I think all Christian prayer is prayer in the Holy Spirit. I have been thinking about it and I wonder whether I should take one more step:

Since Christian living is 'being what we are' in Christ, then when we pray - we pray in the power of the Holy Spirit and so we should acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit.

We always pray in the Holy Spirit because we pray as children of God, who want to walk his ways etc... , but the command gives us a 'be what you are sense'. We should pray as children, who are humble, confident, wanting to serve Christ and want to see God honoured.

Jude 20: Build Yourselves in Your Most Holy Faith

I handed out the following suggested reading list at church on Sunday. I'd love to hear what people think should be added. (Remember my main point was not that we read lots of books ... but that we do everything in our power, convinced that our faith is most holy, to build ourselves in that faith.)

Reading the Bible
The Daily Reading Bible, Matthias Media*
Search the Scriptures, IVP
For the Love Of God, Don Carson
Table Talk + XTB, The Good Book Company (Family Devotions)

Biography
The Billy Graham Story, John Pollock
The Cambridge Seven: A fire in Chine – C.T. Studd and Friends, John Pollock
The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, edited by Jonathan Edwards
Tested by Fire: the fruit of affliction in the lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper and David Brainerd, J Piper

Christian Books
Life’s Big Questions, Vaughan Roberts*
God’s Big Picture, Vaughan Roberts*
The Pilgrims Progress, John Bunyan*
Knowing God, J I Packer
Desiring God, John Piper
Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper
The Last Word on Guidance, Phillip Jensen
The Cross of Christ, John Stott
A Call to Spiritual Reformation, Don Carson
Is the New Testament History, Paul Barnett

Websites
www.desiringgod.org *
www.biblicalpreaching.org *
www.sydneyanglicans.net
www.biblicaltraining.org
www.ninemarks.com
www.christiansinthemedia.org