Comfort and Joy...

Happy Sunday!

John 17:14 says, "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."(KJV).   We all want to be liked.  But the truth is, we may never be liked, applauded, or accepted in this world.  Jesus said it's because we are not OF this world.  There's no need to feel bad about this, but sometimes we forget.  We are looking to the world expecting better and they don't inherently have better to offer. 

Jesus described it like this, "You are just like your true father, the devil; and you spend your time pursuing the things your father loves. He started out as a killer, and he cannot tolerate truth because he is void of anything true. At the core of his character, he is a liar; everything he speaks originates in these lies because he is the father of lies."(John 8:44, Voice).  Don't miss this!  Just like it is easy to tell who a child's biological father is, it's easy to tell who our spiritual father is.  Don't brag about being a Christian and then live like the devil.

So back to being liked...when we are hated, mistreated, and passed over on the job.  We want to retaliate.  We want revenge.  Romans 12:19 tells us, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."(KJV).   Another translation of this scripture says it like this, "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it. Don’t take the law into your own hands."(Living Bible). 

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Christ In You", with the subtitle, "The Comforter Has Come".   We are familiar with Isaiah 61.  Jesus read this passage in Luke 4:18-19.  Jesus stopped at "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord", but the Holy Spirit has been sent to finish the passage.    It's lengthy, but it's encouraging..."and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.  And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.  And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.  But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.  For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them."(Isaiah 61:2b-7, KJV).

The Holy Spirit has come to comfort all that mourn, and to declare a day of vengeance.  We don't have to worry about getting revenge, it's all being taken care of.  What we need to do is obey.  John 14:12-15 says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.  IF ye LOVE me, KEEP my commandments."(KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia