The Joy of Being a Christian - part 6

The next several posts will be focusing on joy from the book of Philippians. 

I can have extraordinary joy as a Christian because the Lord is near to help me with my problems. 

Philippians 4:5 – “The Lord is at hand.” 

Philippians 4:9 “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

What did Jesus say at the end of the great commission?  Matthew 28:20 “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Jesus is with us everywhere!

We sing Anywhere with Jesus, I can safely go, anywhere He leads me in this world below – if we cling to Jesus and never let Him go, we can make it through any circumstance.  

Hebrews 13:5&6 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So we may boldly say:  The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?” 

Jesus knows our hurts and heartaches.  Psalm 56 was written when the Philistines had captured David in Gath.  Ps 56:8 “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?”  Have you ever thought about God collecting your tears in a bottle?  Even those we’ve cried when no one knows of.  Rejoice!  The Lord is at hand!  He is nearby. 

Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning, Ps. 30:5

If your joy is in the material possessions and all the goods of the world can that be taken from you?  Yes, in a second!  If your joy is in Christ, THAT is secure.  No one can steal our joy … because if the world can steal our joy, it was the world’s to take.  We don’t sing Blessed Assurance with our fingers crossed!  We can have confidence not because of our own goodness, but because of God’s promises. 

When we are scared, and surrounded by darkness and troubles.  Our Father is there to hold us in the hollow of His hand. 

Christians can rejoice because Jesus is nearby.

Dealing with a Betrayal

Have you ever been betrayed?  Has someone you trusted, believed in, loved, just turn around and behave in a way totally opposite of anything you had ever expected?  Stab you in the back?  Say things to others about you that were untrue?  Lied?  Showed their true colors and show no remorse?

I've had that happen.  Have you? 

How did you react?

I went to my bed and cried.   I talked to my husband, who was ready and willing to jump in and fix things.  I mourned the loss of a friendship, and grew a little thicker skin.  How about you? 

Do we turn the other cheek?  Do we pray for the individual, not just to heap coals of fire upon their heads (Romans 12:20), but to turn their soul back from hell?  (James 5:19-20)

Do we think of Jesus?  Do we remember how Jesus with his 12 closest friends, who traveled for 3 years together must have felt over the betrayal by Judas?  Do we remember how Jesus reacted during the garden scene, His trial, and His crucifixion?  Can we see the love in His eyes towards His friend, who became His betrayer? 

Did you forgive your betrayer? 

Jesus did.

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I've had a comment that perhaps Jesus did not forgive Judas, and I will have to do some more study on this before I can comment any further.  The point I was trying to make is that we need to have a forgiving attitude towards someone even if they betray us.  Perhaps we don't have to forgive them unless they ask us, I'm not sure.
However, I know if we keep anger, disappointment and that betrayal close in our hearts & minds, then we will suffer.  Sometimes that person who betrayed us doesn't even care and isn't suffering at all.