Wednesday, August 19^th, 2009 But, how Lord?Luke 6:23

“Rejoice ” and “leap for Joy”. 1,976 years ago, Jesus said, and I quote “Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” Luke 6:21-23

I read this over and over and find myself lacking, seriously lacking, for I find it harder and harder to rejoice and have joy. The Lord says that we are to “Rejoice” when we are reviled, hated, reproached and called names, I oft times ask Him how? The Lord says that we are to “leap for Joy” when we are reviled, hated, reproached and called names, I oft times ask Him how?

I guess what has made it so hard for me to “Rejoice” and “leap for Joy” is the sudden realization that I, as Born Again Christian washed in the Blood of the Lamb Christian preacher, have nowhere to go. If I stay in the USA and continue to preach the way I do, I can very well find myself being visited in prison instead of doing prison visits. Yet there is no safe haven for me, there is no country I can go to and still preach Christ, salvation, and hell’s fire and brimstone.

I know Christ to be my Lord, my Master, my God and my only King, yet I find myself disobeying His order to “Rejoice ” and “leap for Joy” when I am persecuted for I am not even being persecuted and I find myself unable to “Rejoice” and “leap for Joy”.

As I see man after man, community after community, state after state, nation after nation, family after family turn from trusting in Christ and hanging on His every word to putting their faith in doctors, the news media, politicians and other prostitutes for money, I find it less and less easy to obey and “Rejoice” and “leap for Joy”.

So today’s thought is not so much a thought as it is a plea. It is a plea for prayer, a plea that you will go to the Lord asking Him to bring rejoicing and joy back into my life. Pray that He will guide me back to a firm understanding that this planet is not now my home, that I am but a visitor here and that my joy should be in Him and that my rejoicing should be in the leading of even one to Him in my life.

But even lacking all that, I have much to “Rejoice” and “leap for Joy” over. I have a son who is not only a Born Again Washed in the Blood of the Lamb Christian but so is his wife and daughter, and he and his family are active participants in their church. I have a wonderful Christian wife who has dedicated her life first to Christ and second to me. The Lord has given me a large and wonderful Christian family, with many Christian friends, brothers and sisters throughout this country and even beyond her shores. Yet I am lacking and I know not why. I am lacking in my ability to obey my Lord and Master, my dear older brother, My Lord Jesus by not being able to “Rejoice” and “leap for Joy”.

Thank you.

*All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, is from the ACP/KJV

This thought is copyrighted and protected by US Copyright laws and may not be used in any way, shape or form, in whole or in part without express written permission, dated and referencing the specific thought or thoughts, by Rev. Robert M. Celeste. Note Only Dr. Allen Gilpatrick 116900 of KSR LaGrange is exempt from this.