50 Commandments of Jesus #4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew 5:12  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Rejoicing in stressful situations is so hard, but with our focus on God, it is possible.

Rejoice Because You Are Blessed When….

• You recognize your need for God.
• You mourn, especially the spiritually lost or for the darkness on earth, God will comfort you. 
• You express a humble attitude, patient endurance, “Gentleness” with frustrating situations/people.
• You pursue righteousness, long to please God in all things= supernatural joy and abundance.
• Show compassionate treatment to the distressed, especially when you could punish or harm.
• You pursue refinement remain “clean, blameless, unstained from guilt.” (blood & repentance)
• Your desires align with His will, “right living”
• You step between two warring parties to initiate reconciliation: Titled “Child of God”
• Persecuted for righteousness,  not fitting into the mold or norms of the world or peers. 
• People insult you, persecute, lie, mock, or say evil because you follow or teach the ways of Jesus.

A lot of this has to be being awesome under pressure, not to worry or be effected by people who judge you for walking with God.  In High School, this could be abstaining from sex and losing a boyfriend or  getting virgin jokes thrown at you. Or maybe you choose not to join the Cheech & Chong or Willie Nelson train at school or even as an adult, knowing that God says ” Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Peter 5: 8.

Your going to get lip and your friends are going to say, “come on try it.” The worst thing I ever did was listen to a girl in high school that had influential power over the group, she peer pressured me to smoke a cigarette. The absolute worst mistake of my life. It was so addictive and hard to shake. Thank God when I had my son the desire for my baby not to ever smell smoke on me outweighed ever picking up a cigarette again. 

This peer pressure does not end when you are an adult. I have been mocked by my Facebook posts. In fact, entire threads of mockery with groups has been made about my  quote “religious” posts. I have been mocked at work, even rumored that I was let go for caring for a homeless woman at a sales conference. I am not invited to parties when others want to get drunk, “be bad.” In fact, a family member once asked me in a judgmental way, ” Do you not drink? ”  I do have an occasional drink but I have many reasons why overconsumption or repetitive drinking is not for me. I believe my allergies to alcohol are divinely inspired. 

At sales conferences even when I was sick, the co-workers would peer pressure me, an adult, to drink despite being on antibiotics. To offset this, I would get cranberry juice, stick a lime in it and throw a cocktail straw in it, just to stop the adult peer pressure. 

Expect to be “uninvited” for righteousness. Nobody wants to sit next to the Pastor at a party.  If you do anything that is out of the norm, that you believe is aligned with God, you will be judged. But wear your Holy Roller or Bible Thumper badge with honor.

Remember, Jesus has some rewards waiting for you in Heaven!  Practice your humility, practice your righteousness, practice your gentleness with those difficult “hard to love” or hard to endure people.

Wonder what the reward could be?  I really want a hot tub. Maybe he has a natural one in the lush gardens of heaven, bubbling up with the love of God. Perhaps, my hot tub in waiting has oversized butterflies flying overhead with unknown sparkling colorful birds singing in the cascading trees that sway over the tub. Don’t worry I just woke up from day dram.

Well, I can only imagine. I am up for rewards from Jesus. I know you are too. Let’s take the abuse and be good in his eyes, to get the prize! 

If you do or endure this is yours:  Rejoice because you have Rewards in Heaven. 

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Other Scriptures about Rejoicing Despite…

2 Corinthians 6:10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians 12:10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

If you are poor, struggling financially yet you are spreading positivity, hope, Jesus: YOU HAVE EVERYTHING. So if everything was taken from you, if you were stripped from all materialism, modern conveniences, you have everything you need! God will provide. Your MINDSET is everything. Don’t worry be happy! When you lack, your need for God is so much stronger, you lean in harder, you connect to your true strength. 

When you have challenges in life is like squeezing a lemon, what comes out? Lemon or Lemonade? Where are you in your spiritual walk? Are you praying, reading your bible. depending on God. Or did you lose it? Did you spin out? Yell, Scream, Drink? Smoke a fat one? Your faith and dependence on God might be being tested, to see what extra course work you might need. 

Reflection:

1. Go through the list above, what areas of that list do you need to work on?
2. Set some goals to be better where you fall short. Practice patience, practice gentleness etc.