How would you describe Jesus in three words? Would one of them be "Judge"? A much-neglected truth about Jesus is that he will judge all of us, all the nations, when he returns to this world. In this passage Jude sets the solemn reality of that before each one of us.

The world God has made sends a silent message to every human being every minute of everyday: your Creator exists. But it takes the specific message of God's spoken Word - embodied and fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ - for us to know and love this God in a personal way.

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Some consider Jude the most neglected book of the New Testament - it's short, strange and at times solemn. But it's also hopeful, reassuring and includes some of the most beautiful words of blessing in the whole of Scripture. So, let's study it!

Christians often feel defeated, discouraged, as though we are part of a lost cause; far from it! Psalm 18 continually emphasises that with God we are victorious, because of the strength he supplies. He has equipped us with everything we need to endure our battles against Satan and sin. In Christ Jesus we have a King who has even defeated death itself.

Having described God's rescue of him, here in the heart of the psalm David describes how God justifies him. David describes a life of perfect obedience to God - a life that David himself was incapable of living, because of his sin. Yet in speaking of a perfect King, David points us forward to his Son, the Lord Jesus (see Acts 2:30, Luke 24:44). By faith in him, we too can be justified in God's sight!

We love a good story of rescue - the more death-defying, the better. Here King David rejoices in the rescue God has provided for him, nothing less than rescue from the clutches of death itself. Every follower of Christ can share in praising God for that.

Unfairly accused of wrongdoing, surrounded by enemies, under attack - what would you do? King David, once again, prays. King Jesus, when faced with the same or worse, prayed ("Father, forgive them"; "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"). Christians need to learn to persist and insistent in prayer. Psalm 17 shows us how.

Our culture encourages us to consume CONtent, rather than find contentment. Rather than gratefulness for what we have we are pressured to possess we don't yet have. This psalm instead speaks of the contentment we can have both here and now, and in eternity, through the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who gets to be with God forever? This psalm lays out the qualifications. Here we find the description of a perfect worshipper. It's a psalm that demands more than any of us can give - but also points us to the one person who can help.

We tend to think of someone as "foolish" for embarrassing themselves, or because of gaps in their general knowledge! The Bible has a different definition. Here we consider the natural foolishness of every human heart in stubborn rebellion against God - and the wisdom required of Jesus Christ to save a world of fools.