From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "Heritage" <gheritage.ga@verizon.net>
Subject: Joyous Greetings
Date: Sunday, May 04, 2003 6:37 AM

Jude 24-25 so strongly emphasizes Christ's power to keep those who trust
in, rely on and cling to Him that we need to look into them again and be
assured by the truth of them.

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you
faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our
Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and forever.  Amen."

"Now to Him who is able...to present [you] unblemished (blameless and
faultless) before the presence of His glory..."  Verse 24 in the Amplified
Bible.

First of all we need to see that,
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Philippians 2:13

Now let's look at some Scriptures regarding "unblemished (spotless),
blameless and faultless" to get a better understanding of what Scripture
is telling us.

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged
in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through
death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond
reproach."  Colossians 1:21-22  (Also read Vs. 23)

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may prove
yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you
appear as lights in the world."  Philippians 2: 14-15

"And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one
another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; so that He may
establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints."
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

"But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new
earth, in which righteousness dwells.  Therefore, beloved, since you look
for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and
blameless."  2 Peter 3:13-14

"That He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no
spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and
blameless."  Ephesians 5:27

Oh for that day to hear the Bridegroom say to the Church, His bride,
"You are altogether beautiful, my darling, and there is no blemish in you."
Song of Solomon 4:7

Look closely at these verses; so briefly, they tell us that beginning
with our salvation to the coming of the Lord for His Bride we are being set
apart for holiness.  How can it be otherwise?  Our God is holy, therefore,
we who are livingly related to Him must be holy.  It can't be any other way!

With thankful hearts can we do anything else, but join the Psalmist as he
invites us all to,
"Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
 In all places of His dominion;
 Bless the Lord, O my soul!"  Psalm 103:22

Our God reigns!  Hallelujah!