The Daily + Weekly by Vince Miller

Welcome to The Daily.

Today, I want to give a shout-out to Josh Garfin from Bradenton, FL. Thanks for being a Project23 donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about Project23.

Our text today is Esther 1:19-20

"If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike." — Esther 1:19-20

Some decisions take five minutes to make and five years to undo. I have made decisions simply because I wanted the tension to end. So I send the message without thinking. I draw the line without weighing the options. I make the call just to get it over with.

In the moment, it feels decisive. But later, I realize I was not acting from conviction—I was reacting from frustration.

That is exactly the danger in today's text.

King Ahasuerus is angry. His pride has been wounded publicly. Then Memucan proposes a solution that cannot be undone: remove Vashti, ban her from the king's presence, give her position to someone else, and write it into Persian law so that it "may not be repealed."

Think about that for a moment. A permanent law is being proposed in response to a temporary emotional wound. The shame is too much for the king. And Memucan even frames the king's wounded pride as public policy, claiming the decree will protect marriages across the empire.

But this is not about strengthening the family unit. It is about protecting the king's image.

We do the same thing. We make an emotional decision, then search for a reason to justify it. Or we wrap an emotional reaction in spiritual language. And sin loves speed, because speed keeps us from slowing down long enough to examine our motives.

Wisdom slows down. It asks why we feel pressure to act now and what emotion is driving us. It recognizes that any decision driven by anger, fear, embarrassment, or wounded pride deserves closer examination.

Ahasuerus used his power to make his anger permanent.

So before you make a permanent decision to relieve a temporary emotion, pause. Pray. Seek wise counsel. Let the emotion of the moment cool long enough for truth to speak. The wisest decision you make today may be the one you refuse to make too quickly.

Delay one nonurgent decision today. Pray over it overnight, and ask whether you are acting from wisdom or reacting from emotion.

1. What decision am I rushing?
2. What emotion is driving me?
3. What would wisdom tell me to do?

Father, slow me down when my emotions rush me, and help me make decisions shaped by your wisdom rather than my wounded pride. Amen.

Lord, I Need You.

Welcome to The Daily.

Today, I want to give a shout-out to Jerry Espeseth from Somerset Hill, WI. Thanks for being a Project23 donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about Project23.

Our text today is Esther 1:16-18

Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.' This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty." — Esther 1:16-18

Have you ever watched your mind turn one difficult moment into an entire disaster?

• An awkward conversation becomes the end of a friendship.
• A bad report becomes the worst possible diagnosis.
• A mistake at work becomes, I'm going to lose my job.
• A conflict at home becomes, Our family is falling apart.

Nothing catastrophic has actually happened yet. But in your mind, it already has. That is what Memucan does in these verses.

Vashti refused one command from the king. It was a serious and public act, but Memucan immediately turned it into a crisis that would spread across the entire empire.

Notice the escalation in his reasoning:

All the officials → all the people → all the women → all the husbands.

According to Memucan, one queen's refusal would soon produce "contempt and wrath in plenty" across the whole empire.

That escalated quickly.

But Memucan is not alone in this kind of thinking. We do it too. Fear rarely speaks in measured, careful terms. It gravitates toward absolutes like everyone, always, never, and completely ruined.

I have caught myself doing this more times than I want to admit. Something unexpected happens, and my mind immediately runs ahead. I start preparing emotionally for outcomes that haven't happened, conversations that haven't taken place, and consequences that may never come. By the time I'm done, I'm exhausted from carrying a future that only exists in my imagination—and likely never will.

This does not mean we ignore real problems. Wisdom takes consequences seriously. But wisdom also knows how to separate facts from speculation.

Fear says, "This is what will happen." Faith says, "This is what I know right now, and God will meet me in whatever comes next."

Jesus told us not to be anxious about tomorrow, because tomorrow will bring its own concerns (Matthew 6:34). He was teaching us not to borrow trouble from a future we have not yet entered.

We are given grace for today's troubles—and when tomorrow becomes today, we are given grace again.

So receive grace for today, and stop letting fear write stories about tomorrow that you do not yet know. You do not know every outcome. You cannot control every consequence. But you do know the One who is already present in every tomorrow you fear.

Take one worry and divide a page into two columns: What I Know and What I Fear. Respond to the facts, then surrender the predictions to God.

1. What outcome am I assuming?
2. What do I actually know?
3. What future must I surrender?

Father, keep fear from writing conclusions you have not written, and help me trust you with what I cannot see. Amen.

I Will Trust My Savior, Jesus.

Welcome to The Daily.

I want to give a shout today to Sean Durkin from Morgan Hill, CA. Thanks for being a Project23 donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about Project23.

Our text today is Esther 1:13-15

Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom): "According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?" — Esther 1:13-15

I have learned this the hard way: when I'm angry, I don't always want counsel; I just want agreement.

I want someone to hear my side, affirm my frustration, and assure me that I am right. So I call the person most likely to agree with me. Then I tell the story in a way that makes my actions sound reasonable, and the other person's actions sound ridiculous. I may not technically lie. I just make these small edits.

That is what is happening here.

King Ahasuerus is still burning with anger after Vashti refused his command. So he turns to seven influential lawyers. It may look like wisdom, but listen carefully to the question he asks:

"According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti?"

He doesn't ask:

• Was my request reasonable?
• Why did she refuse?
• Did my intoxication affect my judgment?
• Did I play a part in her refusal?

The king has already decided who is wrong. Now he wants his lawyers to decide what should be done to her. Anger does this to us. It turns counselors into jurors.

Instead of inviting them to help us discover the truth, we recruit them to support our verdict. We don't want someone to examine the situation. We want someone to take our side.

But truly wise voices do more than confirm your feelings. They slow you down. They ask questions. They point out what you may be missing. They help you separate facts from feeling. And sometimes, they tell you what you do not want to hear.

Proverbs warns us that a fool believes his own way is right, but a wise man listens to advice (Proverbs 12:15).

This is especially important when we are angry because anger narrows our vision. We see the offense clearly but overlook our contribution. We remember their words but forget our tone. We magnify their failure while minimizing our own.

But the gospel gives us the freedom to stop. Because Christ has already carried our guilt, we do not have to protect ourselves from the truth. We can admit that we were impatient, defensive, controlling, or wrong without being crushed by shame.

So maybe before you send the message today, or make the decision, confront the person, or tell everyone your side, pause. Ask yourself: Am I looking for wisdom—or am I looking for a witness for the prosecution?

Share one unresolved conflict with a spiritually mature person who will tell you the truth, not merely take your side. Ask what you may be missing.

1. Do I seek counsel or agreement?
2. What part of the conflict is mine?
3. Who tells me the truth?

Father, humble me enough to seek truth, receive correction, and make decisions guided by your wisdom rather than my anger.

Christ Our Wisdom.

Welcome to The Daily.

I want to give a shout today to Gordo Christianson from Verton, VT. Thanks for being a Project23 donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about Project23.

Our text today is Esther 1:9-12

Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him. — Esther 1:9-12

Nothing exposes our need for control faster than hearing the word no.

Remember, Ahasuerus had spent six months displaying his wealth and power. Then, on the final day of another seven-day feast, with his heart "merry with wine," he commanded seven eunuchs—castrated male officials who served in the royal palace and were often assigned to women's quarters because they posed no sexual threat—to bring Queen Vashti before his guests.

What he was trying to do was display her beauty, just as he had displayed everything else. But Vashti refused.

We need to be careful in our interpretation here because the text never tells us why she refused. We do not know if she was being courageous, defiant, wise, or wrong. But what is unmistakably clear is the king's reaction to her action:

"The king became enraged, and his anger burned within him."

This moment reveals a great deal about the king.

We often focus on what someone "did to us" because it helps us avoid what their action exposed in us.

You see, Vashti's refusal did not create the king's pride, insecurity, or need for control. It exposed what was already there. And resistance does the same thing in us.

My will does not enjoy being resisted. I doubt yours does either. When our plans are interrupted, our advice is ignored, our authority is questioned, or someone refuses to do what we want, anger can rise quickly.

The easy explanation is: They're the problem. But anger often sits on top of something deeper—a threatened desire, wounded pride, lost control, or fear of embarrassment.

Ahasuerus's concern was not his relationship with Vashti. He needed her compliance to preserve the image he had spent months building. Her refusal threatened his public image, and his anger exposed just how fragile that image really was.

The book of James teaches that conflict often comes from desires at war within us. We want something, and when we do not get it, we react.

This does not mean every form of anger is sinful. Jesus became angry at hard hearts and injustice. But righteous anger seeks God's honor and another person's good. Selfish anger protects my image, comfort, timeline, and control.

Here is a question I have had to ask myself in my own anger: What am I trying to protect right now? This one question can expose the idol hiding behind my anger.

Unlike Ahasuerus, Jesus possessed all authority, yet he did not use his power to protect his public image. When he was rejected, mocked, and opposed, he entrusted himself to the Father. On the way to the cross, he did not retaliate. He surrendered himself for us. That is power under God's control.

So before you defend your reaction today, let God examine it. Maybe that interruption, disagreement, or refusal is not merely a problem to remove. Maybe it is an opportunity to reveal where you still demand control. Being told no does not have to make you burn with anger. It can become an invitation to surrender to the true King.

When irritation rises today, do not respond immediately. Identify the desire beneath your anger and surrender it to God before you speak.

1. What usually triggers my anger?
2. What am I trying to control?
3. How would surrender change my response?

Father, reveal what my anger is protecting and teach me to surrender control to you. Amen.

I Surrender All.

Welcome to The Daily.

I want to give a shout today to Andrew Bright from Highland Ranch, CO. Thanks for being a Project23 donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about Project23.

Our text today is Esther 1:5-8

And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: "There is no compulsion." For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. — Esther 1:5-8

The table is full. The room is stunning. The wine keeps flowing. And everyone is free to have exactly what they desire.

It sounds like freedom—but it may be one of the clearest pictures of bondage in the chapter.

After spending 180 days displaying his wealth to the leaders of the empire, King Ahasuerus hosts another feast. This one lasts seven days and includes everyone in Susa, "both great and small."

The details are intentionally excessive: white cotton curtains, violet hangings, silver rods, marble pillars, gold and silver couches, precious stones, and golden drinking vessels. An abundance of royal wine fills the scene. Every detail communicates the same message: there is more than enough.

Then we arrive at the decisive line. The king orders his staff "to do as each man desired."

It may sound generous, but it exposes a lie we still believe: that if we give our desires more room, they will eventually be satisfied.

But human desire is never satisfied, as the poet Mick Jagger famously observed.

It only wants more. More money becomes the new normal. More food creates another craving. More attention raises the level of attention we require. And more comfort makes every inconvenience harder to bear.

The line of desire keeps moving.

I've noticed this in my own life. Something I once prayed for can quickly become something I take for granted. Before long, I'm reaching for the next thing as though the last blessing never came.

That's what desire does when it's left unrestrained. It convinces us that satisfaction is always one more thing away—one more purchase, one more experience, one more promotion, one more relationship, or one more achievement.

But the problem is not enjoying the good gifts God gives. The problem begins when we ask a created gift to carry a satisfaction only God can provide. Food, money, success, and attention can temporarily fill us, but none of them can fill the soul.

Jesus does not shame this desire; he redirects it. He calls himself the Bread of Life because our deepest hunger can only be satisfied in him. Christ does not merely give us more—he gives us himself, the only source of true and lasting fulfillment.

So today, ask: What desire is beginning to control me and redirect my heart away from God?

You don't need to satisfy every appetite simply because you feel it. Sometimes the most freeing response to desire is not indulgence, but restraint.

The king's feast declared, "Do as you desire." But your Heavenly King says, "Come to me and be truly satisfied."

Choose one appetite you usually satisfy immediately—food, scrolling, spending, entertainment, or attention—and delay it today. Use the pause to thank God and remember that Christ is enough.

1. What desire has been quietly ruling me?
2. When did enough stop feeling like enough?
3. How can I practice contentment today?

Jesus, expose the appetite that rules me and teach my heart to be satisfied in you. Amen.

All I Have Is Christ.

Welcome to The Daily.

I want to give a shout today to Robert Beauchemin from Alexis, NC. Thanks for being a Project23 donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about Project23.

Our text today is Esther 1:1–4

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. — Esther 1:1–4

Imagine spending six months showing people how impressive you are. That's how this book begins.

King Ahasuerus rules 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. He sits on a royal throne in a fortified capital. His officials, military leaders, nobles, and governors all gather before him. And for 180 days, he shows them "the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness."

Six months of parading his wealth. That's an extraordinary display of pride. The text doesn't tell us everything happening in his heart, but it does linger on the duration of his display. His wealth isn't merely possessed—it must be seen.

Most of us will never experience this level of wealth, and we will probably never host such an extravagant display. But we understand the impulse.

We want people to notice our house, our new title, our physical transformation, our family success, our growing ministry, even our spirituality.

This reveals a deep need to impress, which can mature into a proud display. We don't just want to be blessed—we want to be seen as blessed.

Even I know how subtle and deceptive this can be. I can take something God has entrusted to me and, without anyone realizing it, turn it into evidence that I matter. Then approval becomes my oxygen. So I check the response. I start looking for the reaction.

But, like you, I've learned that anything we use to secure our identity will eventually control us.

So back to Ahasuerus. He really did possess enormous wealth, influence, and power. The issue wasn't his wealth itself—it was making his glory the center of the room.

The point is this: don't diminish what God has given you. The time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted to you can be powerful. But we must deflect the glory to God and let go of the need to be seen.

And don't miss the contrast in this book. We begin with Ahasuerus spending 180 days displaying his glory. Yet God never announces himself in the Book of Esther. Still, God is the one quietly directing the story—not Ahasuerus.

You don't have to prove your worth. In Christ, your identity isn't earned through effort or applause—it is received by God's grace, not your performance.

Stop trying to impress others like a human king. Be faithful because of your Heavenly King's greatness. Remember, you are not a king—you are a child of the King. Live out of that identity today.

Do one meaningful act of faithfulness today without announcing it, posting it, or waiting for someone to notice.

1. Where am I most tempted to impress people?
2. Whose approval am I chasing?
3. What would quiet faithfulness look like today?

Father, free me from the need to impress others and teach me to find my identity in you alone.

Only Jesus.

Welcome to The Daily.

We will begin Esther tomorrow. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a Project23 donor giving $35/month or more, don't purchase one; we have already mailed it to you.

Our text today is Jude 20-25

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. — Jude 20-25

Jude has spent most of this letter exposing false teachers, distorted grace, corrupt leadership, rebellious desires, and divisive people.

But after describing "these people," Jude turns to believers and says: "But you, beloved." In other words, they may live that way. But you don't have to.

Jude gives us four clear actions for staying faithful.

1. Build yourselves up.
2. Pray in the Holy Spirit.
3. Keep yourselves in the love of God.
4. Wait for the mercy of Jesus.

First, build yourselves up in your most holy faith.

Jude is not telling us to invent a more relevant version of Christianity. Christ has already laid the foundation. Our job is to keep building on it. We do this through Scripture, sound teaching, obedience, worship, and relationships with other believers.

And notice Jude says, "building yourselves up." This is plural. Christian growth is not a solo construction project. We need other believers who will encourage us, correct us, pray for us, and remind us of the truth when our judgment gets cloudy. You cannot build a strong faith while continually separating yourself from faithful believers.

Next, Jude says, pray in the Holy Spirit.

This means prayer directed, shaped, and empowered by the Spirit of God. It is not praying whatever we want and attaching God's name to it. It is bringing our desires under God's will. The false teachers followed their ungodly passions. Spirit-led believers bring their passions before God and ask him to lead them.

Sometimes the most spiritual prayer you can pray is: "God, I want this. But I want your will more."

Third, Jude says, keep yourselves in the love of God.

Now, he is not saying you must work hard enough to keep God loving you. Jude has already called these believers "beloved." God's love is not the issue. Our wandering loves are. Keeping yourself in the love of God means staying close to him. Receiving his love. Responding to his love. Refusing to wander after every love that pulls you away.

Fourth, Jude says, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We live with our eyes on Jesus. What you are waiting for shapes what you resist. If this life is all you see, you'll chase every pleasure. But if Jesus is coming, you can say no to temporary desires because something better is ahead. And while we wait, we don't withdraw from people—we help them.

Some need mercy because they doubt. They are confused, hurt, or afraid. They don't need judgment; they need patience and care.

Others need to be snatched from the fire. They are heading toward real danger and need someone willing to speak clearly and urgently.

And some need mercy with caution. We help them without joining their sin, staying humble and aware that we are not above falling ourselves.

I can spend far too much time watching who is falling, who is wrong, and who is compromising. But Jude turns the question back on me. Am I building my faith? Am I praying? Am I staying close to God? Am I waiting for Jesus? Am I showing mercy to people who are struggling?

And then Jude ends with one of the greatest promises in Scripture: "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling."

We are commanded to keep ourselves in the love of God. But God is the one who keeps us from falling. That is not a contradiction. That is grace. We pursue faithfulness because his preserving power is already at work within us.

Did you notice how Jude begins and ends this letter? Verse one: we are "kept for Jesus Christ." Verse twenty-four: God is able to "keep you from stumbling." From beginning to end, the entire letter is held together by God's keeping power.

So this is not a fragile faith held together by your grip on God—it is a secure salvation held together by God's grip on you.

And that means he is not merely going to drag you across the finish line. He will carry you all the way home. He will present you blameless before his glory "with great joy." Not reluctant joy. Not barely enough mercy. But overflowing, triumphant joy.

And that is not just good news—it is the end of the story.

Write down these four words: Build. Pray. Stay. Wait. Circle the one that has been weakest in your life recently. Then take one action today to strengthen it. Also identify one person who is doubting or drifting. Reach out with mercy, not an argument.

1. Which of Jude's four commands do you most need today: build, pray, stay, or wait?
2. Is there someone you have treated like an enemy who may actually need patience and mercy?
3. How does knowing that God is able to keep you from stumbling change the way you face temptation and uncertainty?

Father, build my faith, lead my prayers, keep me close to your love, help me show mercy to others, and hold me faithful until Jesus returns. Amen.

Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me.

How do you stand against false teaching without becoming cruel—and show mercy without compromising the truth?

Summary:

The Letter of Jude calls Christians to contend for the faith while refusing both compromise and cruelty. Jude warns that false teaching often enters quietly, twisting grace, rejecting Christ's authority, and producing spiritual fruit that eventually exposes the deception. Believers are called to strengthen their own faith while moving toward those who doubt or drift with truth, wisdom, and mercy. Ultimately, our confidence is not in how tightly we hold onto God, but in the God who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before his glory.

Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions:

1. Why do Christians often drift toward either harshness or compromise when confronting false teaching? 2. What does Jude mean by "the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3)? 3. How does knowing that you are "called, beloved, and kept" change the way you contend for truth? 4. What is the difference between being contentious and faithfully contending? 5. What do Cain, Balaam, and Korah teach us about the motives that often accompany spiritual rebellion? 6. Why should we evaluate teachers by both their doctrine and the fruit of their lives? 7. How can Christians show mercy to someone who doubts without affirming what is false? 8. Why does Jude give different responses for different kinds of people who are wavering (Jude 22–23)? 9. What is significant about the repeated idea of being "kept" throughout Jude? 10. Who in your life may be wavering right now, and how can you move toward them this week with both truth and mercy?

Welcome to The Daily.

We will begin Esther next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a Project23 donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail.

Our text today is Jude 14-19

"It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.' These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, 'In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.' It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit." — Jude 14-19

You can usually hear division before you see it. It starts in the mouth. A complaint. Then a grievance. Finally, a strong personality gathers unsuspecting or willing people. And by the time a church visibly divides, hearts have usually been dividing for a while.

Jude quotes a prophecy from Enoch. The reference may sound strange to us, but Jude's point is very simple: The Lord is coming. And when he comes, every hidden motive, rebellious action, and harsh word will be brought into the light.

God will not allow evil talk to divide his people forever. It ends when Jesus returns. He will execute judgment and convict the ungodly. In fact, Jude uses the word ungodly four times in a single sentence.

These people might have sounded spiritual. They may have attended Christian gatherings, used Christian language, and presented themselves as leaders. But their lives and mouths kept pointing away from God.

Then Jude tells us what that ungodliness sounds like.

1. They are grumblers.
2. They are malcontents.
3. They follow their own sinful desires.
4. They are loud-mouthed boasters.
5. They show favoritism to gain an advantage.

That's a descriptive list. So let's work through this and see what Jude is calling these divisive people.

What's a grumbler? Grumbling is not the same as honestly naming pain or addressing a real problem. Grumbling is different. Grumbling keeps God, leadership, circumstances, and everyone else on trial. It keeps talking about the problem without ever moving toward a faithful solution.

Next on the list malcontents. These are people who are never satisfied. Change the circumstances, and they will find a brand new complaint. Give them what they asked for, and soon they will ask for something else.

Next, sinful desires. In other words, their flesh or appetites lead, and their beliefs follow. They do not bring their desires under God's control. They reshape truth to protect their personal desires.

Next, Jude calls them loud-mouthed boasters. They talk big. They make themselves sound important, informed, spiritual, successful, or specially chosen. They use words to elevate themselves and diminish others.

And finally, they show favoritism to gain an advantage. They tell influential people what they want to hear. They praise the person who can promote them, protect them, pay them, or give them access. They are driven by leverage.

Then Jude tells believers, "You must remember." He is reminding them that the apostles already warned that these scoffers would come. With the purpose of "causing divisions."

Not everyone who asks a question. But a deliberate divisive person who gathers groups around a grievance. They fracture trust, recruit supporters, stir suspicion, and pull others away from truth. They do not want resolution. They want a following. Jude calls them "worldly people, devoid of the Spirit." They may use spiritual words, but the Spirit of God is not directing them. Their desires, pride, and ambitions are.

I really have to watch this in myself. I can call what is actually divisive discernment. I can repeat the same complaint to three different people and tell myself I'm just processing. But sometimes I'm not processing. I'm recruiting.

That is how division spreads. And before long, people who once walked together become suspicious of one another.

Jesus did the opposite. He never manipulated people with flattery. He never built himself up through boasting. He never gathered people around petty complaints. He spoke the truth. He submitted to the Father. And he laid down his life to bring divided people back together under God.

So before we point at loud scoffers online or divisive voices in the church, we need to listen to our own words and test our own motivations.

The Lord is coming; therefore, every word matters. So don't let your mouth become a doorway for division. Tell the truth. Take your complaint to God. Speak directly to the right person. Refuse to flatter people for personal advantage. And abide under the leadership of the Holy Spirit in all you do.

Identify one complaint you have repeated recently. Before you repeat it again, write down:

• What is actually bothering me?
• What does Scripture require of me?
• Who is the right person to speak with?

Then talk to the right person instead of three people who cannot resolve it.

1. Which pattern appears most often in your speech: grumbling, discontent, boasting, sinful desire, or favoritism?
2. Are you genuinely trying to resolve a concern, or are you recruiting people into your frustration?
3. How can you protect unity without avoiding necessary truth and confrontation?

Jesus, guard my mouth from grumbling, pride, and division, and help me speak truth with humility under the leadership of your Spirit. Amen.

O Church Arise.

Our text today is Jude 11-13

Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. — Jude 11-13

Not every spiritual voice wants to help you. Some want to use you.

That sounds harsh, but Jude is not interested in softening the truth. These false teachers had worked their way into the church, used spiritual language, and gained their trust. But underneath it all, they were serving themselves.

So Jude reaches back into the Old Testament and gives us three names:

1. Cain.
2. Balaam.
3. Korah.

Three men. Three different stories. But one shared problem. They wanted something from God without wanting to live under God.

So take Cain. Cain worshiped God, but he wanted to worship on his own terms. When God accepted Abel's offering and confronted Cain's heart, Cain refused to repent. He became angry, jealous, and ultimately violent.

Cain's problem was not simply that he had strong emotions. His problem was that he refused correction. God warned him that "sin was crouching at the door." But he walked through the door anyway. That is the way of Cain.

It looks religious on the outside but resists God on the inside. It compares, competes, and resents anyone whose faithfulness exposes its compromise. And when pride will not accept correction, it eventually turns against the person telling the truth.

Then Jude mentions Balaam. We talked about him in our last study. Balaam was a spiritual man with a greed problem. He knew how to speak about God, but money kept pulling at his heart.

He wanted the reward offered by a pagan king, so he kept searching for a way to get paid without appearing to disobey God. And when he could not curse Israel directly, he helped draw them toward compromise. We call it Balaam's error. Using spiritual influence for personal gain.

Today, that may look like someone using God's name to build a platform, manipulate an audience, sell a promise, or pressure people into giving. The problem is exploitation. It is telling people what they want to hear because it keeps them watching, clicking, buying, or giving. And it's everywhere today.

Then Jude brings up Korah.

Korah rejected the authority God had established through Moses and Aaron. He gathered people around himself, questioned their leadership, and presented his rebellion as though it were a righteous cause.

That is what rebellion often does. It rarely introduces itself by saying, "I'm ambitious and unwilling to submit." It usually sounds more spiritual than that, like "I'm standing up for what is right."

But Korah was not correcting ungodly leadership. He was rejecting God's order because he wanted more authority for himself.

So here is what we have. Cain refused correction. Balaam used spiritual influence for gain. Korah rejected authority to gain power. And Jude says the false teachers followed all these paths.

Then he gives us a series of pictures, and none of them are flattering.

They are hidden reefs. A hidden reef sits below the surface where no one can see it. Everything looks safe until a ship strikes it and breaks apart.

That is what deceptive teaching does. It does not always look dangerous at first. But beneath the surface, it can wreck faith, families, churches, and lives.

They are shepherds feeding themselves. A shepherd is supposed to protect and feed the sheep. But these leaders were using the sheep to feed their own appetites. They took more than they gave. They wanted the position without the sacrifice.

They are waterless clouds. They look promising. They sound promising. But when thirsty people come looking for water, there is nothing there. A lot of spiritual content works this way. It creates excitement without substance. It offers inspiration without truth. It promises a breakthrough without repentance, maturity, or obedience. It looks like rain, but nothing gets wet or grows.

They are fruitless trees. Plenty of appearance. No fruit. That is why Jesus told us to pay attention to fruit. Not charisma. Not confidence. Fruit. Does this person's life increasingly reflect humility, holiness, truth, love, self-control, and submission to Christ?

Jude also calls them wild waves and wandering stars. Wild waves make noise and throw debris onto the shore. Wandering stars offer no reliable direction.

This passage makes me seriously examine my own heart. It is easy to read Jude and think about corrupt pastors, celebrity teachers, or manipulative ministries. But I also have to ask whether I am serving people or using them. Am I pointing people toward Jesus, or quietly drawing attention toward myself?

That is a question every spiritual leader should ask. Every pastor, teacher, small-group leader, parent, and every believer. Because influence always carries responsibility. So be careful who you follow. But also be careful how you lead.

Do not be impressed by the cloud. Look for rain. Do not be impressed by the leaves. Look for fruit. Do not be impressed by the platform. Look for a shepherd who looks like Jesus.

Choose one spiritual voice you regularly listen to—a pastor, teacher, author, podcaster, or online influencer. Do not evaluate charisma or popularity. Examine the fruit. Ask: Does this person consistently point me toward Jesus, Scripture, repentance, and obedience—or toward themselves, their platform, and their promises?

1. What warning from Cain, Balaam, or Korah do you most need to take seriously in your own life?
2. Have you ever confused charisma, confidence, or popularity with spiritual maturity?
3. In the areas where you have influence, are you genuinely serving people or quietly using them to meet your own needs?

Jesus, protect me from deceptive voices, expose every selfish motive in me, and teach me to serve others with the humility and sacrifice of a faithful shepherd. Amen.

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