Our scripture reading this morning is from the book of Jude,

verses 17 through 25.

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand

by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that they were saying to you, in the last time there shall be mockers following after their

own ungodly lusts. These are the ones who cause divisions,

worldly-minded, devoid of the spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith,

praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

And have mercy on some who are doubting, save others snatching them out of the fire, and on

some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make

you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless 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.

Father in heaven, I ask for your help now again in this last Sunday of the year 2000 to open

the meaning of praying in the Holy Spirit.

From verse 20, would I long to live there and breathe there and I long for this church, the other churches that are

represented here to breathe, to live in this experience of praying in the spirit.

And so I ask that you come and help me in these two Sundays that we dwell on this.

Give me your heart and your mind, your demeanor, your truth.

And let there be an anointing on these services so that people are awakened

from the slumbers of prayerlessness into vigilance that keeps them in the love of God.

So come and help me now.

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