Joy and Loyalty

Psalm 5:11 (NET) - But may all who take shelter in you be happy. May they continually shout for joy. Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice.

The Psalmist mentions elation three times in this verse.

He does this in various ways.

He uses the words “happy”, “joy” and “rejoice”.

There are however requirements for true elation.

First, we should take shelter in the Lord.

We should also remain loyal to Him.

Those who followed Jesus understood this as well.

Paul and Barnabas were moved by the Holy Spirit to preach at Pisidian Antioch.

On the Sabbath, they went into the synagogue.

The leaders there spoke of the law and the prophets.

They then invited Paul and Barnabas to speak.

Paul, in loyalty to Jesus, spoke extensively about Him.

Many were moved and they were invited to speak again the following Sabbath.

On that day, “almost the whole city assembled”.

But when some saw the size of the crowd, they were filled with jealousy.

When Paul spoke this time, he was interrupted, contradicted, and reviled.

Paul and Barnabas boldly stated that they were appointed to be a light to the Gentiles.

The Gentiles then began to rejoice.

The word of the Lord was spreading,

But those opposed to their message persecuted them.

Paul and Barnabas were thrown out of the region.

Despite this, Paul and Barnabas traveled on to Iconium.

They were also filled with joy.

Acts 13:52 (NET) - And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Despite persecution, Paul and Barnabas remained happy because of their loyalty to the Lord.

Today, it is easy for us to become discouraged.

But this does not have to be.

We can be happy.

We can find joy.

We can rejoice.

As the Psalmist said, all we need do is to take shelter in the Lord and remain loyal to Him.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 23, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, May 7, 2021

 

Expressions of Love

Matthew 3:16-17 (NET) - After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight.”

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, God expressed His love for His Son.

God loved His Son, but it was not just for this singular act of baptism.

God loved His Son for who He was,

God also loved His Son for what He came into the world to do and how He would go about it.

Jesus did everything God expected of Him.

That included the one thing He did which we could not do for ourselves.

For God not only loved Jesus, but He also loved us as well.

God loved us so much that He willingly sent Jesus to die in our place (John 3:16).

When the time approached Jesus struggled with this.

He prayed to God about it.

Luke 22:42 (NET) - “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”

Jesus did what God willed of Him.

Jesus submitted Himself to abandonment, scorn, tremendous pain, and death by crucifixion.

He did God’s will by enduring it all.

He endured it all to benefit us.

When Jesus was baptized, God expressed His love for Him.

But this was not the only time God expressed that love for all to hear.

God also expressed it at the Transfiguration of Jesus.

With it, God also expressed a command for us.

We are to “Listen to Him!”

Matthew 17:5 (NET) - While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!”

As we read scripture, we hear the words of Jesus.

But we must do more than hear them.

We must really listen to them.

Jesus also teaches us by example.

We must therefore strive to become more like Jesus every day.

We too can turn to God in trying circumstances.

We too must accept God’s will as opposed to our own.

We must always remember that God loves us.

He proved that through what Jesus endured for us.

He also expressed this in the form of an empty tomb.

Jesus has risen and we now have true hope, and our lives will never be the same again!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 9, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, April 16, 2021