🎬Contend🏁

Focus on standing up for your beliefs, facing your challenges, and debating ideas without anger.

Jude 1:3 (KJV) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

I have read that verse many times but today it jumped out at me. Maybe because of some recent things that just happened to an outstanding Pastor that just blew my mind as it shook the Christian Community that knew of him.  Are you ready, this is what jumped out at me “it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith.” When I heard the bad news my heart sink my mind couldn’t understand what I was hearing. This Pastor who has reached more people than I ever will fell into sin. 

I needed encouragement and a moment to gather my thoughts, I first looked around and asked myself do we as a Christian people fear God? I have seen the day where you couldn’t get in the Church house. People at the altars with tears running down their cheeks and many asking Christ to come into their heart and forgive them of their sins. The uplifting music about our wonderful savior and this without padded pew, sound systems, FB, Youtube or any other electronic device. I lived when there was nothing open on Sundays, no shopping, no amusement parks, no youth baseball tournaments. I wasn’t brought up in a strong Christian home; what I mean is we didn't read the Bible as a family nor pray as a family. My dad would say prayers with each of us boys as we lay down for the night. We went to Church and Sunday was a special day given to the Lord. I can’t remember Ever seeing anyone get saved or can I remember ever hearing about Salvation. Then in 1968 off to the military I went and that changed my life forever. It wasn’t all bad. I learned a lot real fast and I grew up quicker than most, which helped me greatly. When I got discharged I came home with a bunch of mental  baggage. It wasn’t hard for me to see I was a sinner and in less than 6 months I had given my heart to the Lord and was saved.

Back to the contending for the Faith. Contend means to “continue” . I need to know that I can’t help nor undo what others do. Just because their FAITH got weak and their FEAR level got low and they became a wash out as far as people are concerned; I didn’t say God but people. Paul said to examine your faith. 

2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Examine who? “yourselves” and see where my faith level is. If I were in court and questions were asked could I prove myself without question? How do I know Christ is in me? What’s the proof? Why do you know that? I’m glad I asked myself that question and here is why. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

• Did anything change the day I asked Christ to forgive my sins? 
• Has anything  continued since that day? 
• If so, why what made the difference? 

I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins which were many.  Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

Although no one showed me that verse that morning, that is what I did. I didn’t leave that Church feeling like a rocket scientist but I did know something happened to me. 

• What was that? 

I was now in Christ and Christ was now in me. 

• How did I know 

because the old things began to pass away and my desires changed and I started walking in a new way with a new mind. Is it real? You better know it is. What happened to that Pastor? Two things, 

• his faith weakened and 
• his fear level of what would happen for his disobedience diminished. 

That is what happens when my or anybody else's self level gets to the point of selfishness. One might say that “God made me this way.” That’s half right because we are all sinners but sin is not to have dominion over us. Romans 6:14 (KJV) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Don’t let sin captive us.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

How does one keep from being “captivity?” One must have the “the knowledge of God” how does one get that? Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I just believe I will keep contending for the Faith that was once delivered unto the saints. I know what Jesus Christ did for me; do you? Never forget that God hates sin but also that God loves the sinner and there is forgiveness for our sins. Never let anyone tell you or try to teach you that God won’t forgive you of your sins. Because He will and the proof is in God sending Jesus into this sin cursed world to do just that which he gladly did.  

Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.