We need constant reminders of important things:  We keep calendars, memos and notes on our refrigerators, our computers and phones with reminders of appointments and important dates, like birthdays and anniversaries, dinner invitations… the list goes on.  We get upset when we forget to set the reminder option.  Then it can cost us money or an opportunity to give timely congratulations, or a missed date with a good friend.  

How much more precious are these reminders in God’s holy word of what happens when we become complacent and forgetful of our most holy faith.  We let opportunities go by to spend precious time with brothers and sisters studying the word, being uplifted and instructed in the ways of God.  We sometimes get careless on Sundays and get caught up in the plans of the day or the week and thoughtlessly partake of the Lord’s supper in a less than appreciative, grateful or worthy manner.   We forget how great the Father’s love is for us and go about our lives as if we have all the time in the world to accomplish His will, and go after other less important issues, at least of eternal importantance.

Remind me:

Jude 1:5ff

BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU, THOUGH YOU ONCE KNEW THIS, THAT THE LORD, HAVING SAVED THE PEOPLE out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.  And the angels wo did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness oft the judgement of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Remember:

“But you, beloved, remember the word which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.  These are sensual person, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” Jude 1:17-19

Warnings

11 Timothy 3:1-9

 But know this, that in the last days [a]perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, [b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

11 Peter 3:1-9

 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of [a]us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and [b]perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward [c]us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Rebuild:

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” Jude 1:22

Continue in what you have learned.  Paul writing to Timothy admonishes him to continue (and us by inference)

11 Timothy 3:10-15

10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Holy conduct

11 Peter 3:10-13

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [d]burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

 Be diligent and grow—Like Paul the apostle Peter writes, in

11 Peter 3:14-18

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It  might be that you struggle with something I have had recent occasion to recognize, in showing mercy to others.  I came to the realization that I was willing to accept God’s mercy through Christ for myself, but was withholding that same mercy to others.  I was forgetting the great love with which God bestowed salvation to me, who was no more worthy of it than the next person.  Yes, while I ‘still walked in sin’ he died for those sins.  Every one of them, knowing I could choose to humble myself and die to them in him, or I could go on living for self.  The choice is ours.  But we also must show that mercy and compassion to others, as Christ did for us.  They may not change, but we must do our best to show Godly love to those around us, and let Him deal with the rest of it.  Our part is to look like Jesus, in every aspect of our lives.  

If we, like Jude, are going to be true bondservants of Jesus, we must embrace all his word, not just the choice pieces, and be the light, be the one who saves with fear, who takes time to pull that brother or sister out of the fire they are in.  They may have started themselves!!!

To finish; Live in the goodness of God and share that goodness with the lost of the world and the straying lambs of His fold.