There is Truth

Who said the cross would not be heavy?  Some people have an illusion that when they become a believer, which is to say a born-again believer, everything is going to be great.  When the struggles, trials and tribulation come they are ready to throw in the towel, so to speak, and give up.  That is just what the enemy of your soul wants you to do!!  All you have to do is study the Apostle Paul’s life, or any of the other apostles or anyone else that loved, followed and served the Lord all through the Bible from the Old or New Testament.  There is no one that has ever been a true believer that hasn’t experienced tough times because of their affiliation with Jesus.

Read what Jesus said about the world, meaning non-believers, in John 15:17-25, “These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.”

Now read what it says in John 16:1-4, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.”  

The true church will get plenty of persecution and hatred from the world and many times it will come from family members and even close friends that will turn on them.  In some cultures people are killed for becoming Christians, or Christ followers, and some families hold funeral services for those that have become Christ followers.  Even though they are still alive, as far as the families are concerned, they are dead and they want nothing more to do with them.

Read again what Jesus said in John 15:17, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

Why is this so important?  It is because we need each other and everyone needs to know that they are loved.  I think this is one of the biggest reasons why people commit suicide; because they feel like no one loves them because all they hear is talk but no action.  I know that there are other reasons also, but if a person feels like they aren’t loved and they feel rejected most of the time they can start to feel worthless and start wondering why they are even taking up space on the earth; then they may strike out in rage against others or even themselves, or both, as we have seen in the news many times lately.  

Think about bullying, making people feel horrible and totally condemned and unwanted and worthless, what is their answer many times?  It is suicide, these things happen in and out of the church.  When Jesus commanded us to love one another He knew what He was talking about.  It is so vital that we do this; there are so many hurting people in the church and out of the church that need us to love them and to encourage them and build them up in the faith.

When people came to Jesus when He walked the earth they didn’t go away disappointed, they heard the truth and they experienced love and acceptance also and many were healed and set free.  The only people that walked away disappointed were the self-righteous that would not accept the truth, thinking they knew it all and that they were better than other people, not a good place to be in.  

We need to learn this lesson; we need to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice and be far more sensitive to other people’s feelings.  We need to start treating people the way we would want to be treated, with Jesus as our example!!  Enough said, I hope this has been a help and encouragement to each of you that read it.  I also want you to know that there is genuine love and that it is found in the Lord Jesus and should be found in true believers who have the love of Christ in them.  I hope you will think about this and act on it.  May the Lord bless you and yours and may you all have a super day!!  Plus, don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord, for He is worthy!!