Thought of the Day !!

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 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 1:17-23 NIV

 

Praying in the Holy Spirit means not just praying for things you want.  It means letting the Spirit guide you as you honor your Father in Heaven and as you pray for those who are truly in need.

 

One more thing that came to mind about this Scripture was the word mercy.  It says to "be merciful to those in doubt", and "to others show mercy, mixed with fear."  We live in a world of revenge and looking out for number one.  Having mercy may include forgiveness.  It may mean going into uncomfortable places or situations.  It may mean looking weak to peers.  But in truth, we can never show as much mercy to others as God has shown to us.  Think about that the next time you have something you can hold over another or the next time someone needs help.  God is all about love and mercy.  And He hopes that His children are like the apples that don't fall too far from the tree.

 

In the love of Christ,
greg