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The Bible Speaks

    by Gino Geraci

Word-Picture Warnings (Jude 12-13)
Date Posted: June 21, 2007

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever (Jude 1:12-13 NKJV).

A few years ago an intelligence officer gathering information in London traced two terrorist cells back to Denver and Kansas City. The information listed a P.O. box, and the name of an individual who received billing through a local cell phone company. In the days that followed, a few people contracted the deadly anthrax virus through the mail system.

Bad news. Threat levels are still high. Threat levels include the probability, inevitability, and gravity of threat. How much damage can we anticipate? We received warnings that there may be terrorists among us.

Americans continue to ask themselves, “Do we still face a threat from terrorism? Why do the terrorists hate us so much? Why would they target and kill innocent men, women and children? How could someone hate me so much, they could kill me for no good reason?”

In the news, our government officials and leaders have issued warnings: Be prepared for further terrorist acts. Be suspicious of people who fly crop dusters with an Arab accent. We are at war. We are in a fight for our lives.

Be suspicious of strange suitcases with unknown contents left behind in crowded areas for no good reason.

Jude's letter served to alert believers in Christ of a different kind of war: unbiblical teachings and practices impacting the church.

Jude has used the language of creation to warn us about the dangers of false teachers. He has spoken of beautiful angels and brute beasts. Now with poetic insight Jude uses the following five metaphors or word pictures from nature to describe more characteristics of false teachers and their selfish, satanic agenda:

False teachers are destructive and dangerous. Part of the purpose of the book of Jude is to give Christians a warning of what to look for when the false prophets come knocking at their doors. False teachers corrupt themselves and others, despise dignitaries, reject authority, promote error and prey on God's people.

Jude warned us that apostates are angry, greedy and envy others (v.11). Now Jude adds to the profile selfishness, helplessness, fruitlessness, shamefulness and hopelessness. These characteristics will be covered in the next five articles.

© 2007 by Gino Geraci

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Biography Information:
Gino Geraci is the founding Pastor of Calvary South Denver.

He has served as a police chaplain for several police departments and currently serves as a Police Chaplain for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Department. Gino has provided emergency service support in many national tragedies. He was a first responder at Columbine High School, Ground Zero in New York, and Platte Canyon High School.

Gino has appeared on scores of national and local radio programs as a guest, including television appearances with Lee Stroebel's Faith Under Fire. He currently hosts a daily radio program with Salem Media in Denver, Colorado area.

Gino is a much sought after conference speaker. He has conducted leadership conferences, Bible conferences, and emergency service support conferences with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritans' Purse, Gospel for Asia in India and Sri Lanka, the Bible League in Africa, Food For The Poor in Jamaica, Mike McIntosh Crusades in Mexico, Somebody Loves You Bible Conferences with Raul Ries in Chile, Columbia and Peru, and pastor's conferences in much of the continental United States.

Gino is currently the pastor of Calvary South Denver where he continues to minister, preach, teach, and serve.