Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. -Jude 3 ESV

  Let’s face it, people are discouraged.  Perhaps a better word to describe it, based on my personal observation, is weary.  Most of us are living waiting for the other shoe to drop.  What else can go wrong?  If it can go wrong, 2020 seems like the year for it to happen!  Hit after hit has caused many to grow weary in their faith. 

  In our verse Jude reminds us, actually he appeals to us to “contend for the faith.”  To contend is to fight strenuously, it stresses the need to stand for the truth of the Gospel continually and vigorously.  It’s a compound verb from which we get our English word agonize.

  Throughout the centuries, Christians have always dealt with resistance and spiritual challenges, this is nothing new. Remember, it’s a narrow road that we’re on, and one of the characteristics of this road is this, it’s hard Matthew 7:13-14.  So how do we get through discouraging times?  Where do we go when we feel weary and tired?  Paul told us in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, for though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  Our battle is spiritual and so we must fight this in the spiritual realm. -AB 

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