Islamic terrorists, insane laws and regulations, unequal justice under those laws and, just this week, racially motivated sniper attacks on the police in Dallas; the world’s gone mad, indeed.

Every day, Christians are faced with yet another attack on our faith and the moral guidance of the Bible. Down is up, right is wrong, public officials lie with impunity and we feel utterly helpless. We mutter among ourselves about “end times” and turn to the book of Revelation with new earnestness, but we should pause when leafing to the back of our Bibles to look at the tiny book of Jude, tucked between 3rd John and Revelation..

My Living Insights Bible calls Jude “A Manual for Survival” for the Church and urges believers to heed these words:

¹⁷ My dear friends, remember the warning you were given by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They told you that near the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God. ¹⁹ And now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don’t have God’s Spirit. 

²⁰ Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. ²¹ And keep in step with God’s love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life. ²² Be helpful to all who may have doubts. ²³ Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.- Jude 17-23 (CEV)

It is time for the whole body of Christ to stand steadfast, side by side in the spiritual battle, keeping in step with God’s love.