"Earnestly Contend"

"Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them." (S.O.S. 4:2)

  Not to deviate from the subject, but there is something here that has grabbed my attention. As it were, there is something that "teeth" represents in the church, which are the ones who teach God's word, those that chew the word of God, who discern and divide it; making it digestible and easy to consume. Along with this, very understandable concept, there are two that make this happen, the teacher and the Teacher; the one who delivers the word, and He that causes the word to take root.
  The title above is taken from Jude 3, in which Jude exhorts those that are called, to "earnestly contend for the faith." In other words, we should not be passive when it comes to the truth, but be ready to give an answer; which does not mean we wait for a question to be asked, but that we are ready to give an answer when the faith we have might be challenged. It is not dependent upon the pastor of the church to do all of the heavy lifting; each and every one of us that have God's Spirit in us, have the Word of God dwelling in us, as well.
  You are completely furnished with all that you need, if you would simply allow Him to work in your life! I'm not saying that you will have teaching abilities or be a prophet; but the Holy Spirit within each and every believer is able to do so much more than we are able, if we just make ourselves available to be used. Part of that availability is to be ready! Ready means that you are "shorn" and just freshly up from "the washing."
  To put that in laymen's terms, it means that you are prayed up and can earnestly contend! Whether or not you have the skill, is not the question; but do you have the will? Which is the desire or choice to do something; more importantly, to allow God to do something in you, that you do not think you can do! I mean, let's get real; if you are going to earnestly contend for the faith, then you must exercise the faith that is within you.
  Pastor Rick spoke about some very serious "woe's" this last Sunday, comparing most every one of them in contrast to the Beatitudes: eight woe's, to eight beatitudes; the beatitude being what makes up a believer, the woe being that which makes up the deceiver. The key to that contrast is pride and humility; one is for self, the other for others! Oddly enough, but when you put others before yourself, you lift up the both, them and yourself. Talk about never being barren!
  I was thinking of the eyelids and earlids thing yesterday, as I realized that He did give us earlids; He gave us two hands, one for each ear...

"Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don't understand God's way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God's way, they cling to there own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God." (Romans 10:1-4) NLT