This post is Day 20 in a series of studies about “Joy”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Joy – Day 20

There are many people who are ignored, ridiculed or beaten because of their insistence in attending church or prayer meetings. None, that I have met, have managed to do what this verse suggests and leap for joy because of their rejection. Although many manage to put on a brave face.

Luke 6:22-23

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in Heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

The Thought

In many countries of the world there are people who have been imprisoned for their faith. There are many others who are rejected, lonely and/or discriminated against because they have chosen to follow Jesus. Many of those people have more joy in their hearts than others who are free to attend church on every possible occasion, and have a relatively easy life.

Christianity is accepted in so much of the developed world. But even there, we can find many who suffer because of their faith. There are many people, quite often wives, who are ignored, ridiculed or beaten because of their insistence in attending church services or prayer meetings. None, that I have met, have managed to do what this verse suggests and leap for joy because of their rejection. Although many manage to put on a brave face some of the time.

Please note, Jesus is not talking about all rejection here, but about those victims of abuse who suffer because they believe in Him. The One Son of The One true God.

Action

Today pray for any you know who fall into this category of rejection. Pray for God’s gift of joy for them. Pray for the non-believers in their families that they would have a Holy Spirit revelation of who Jesus really is, and come to know Him for themselves.

As we get near to Christmas and the celebrations involved, pray for those who cannot celebrate as they would like to because of unbelieving family members.

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