Joy in the Lord
Recently, I applied to be a moderator on christianforums.com and started training to do this. As a moderator, you talk to other people a lot about the faith. I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to share what I know with others. The forum is something I have been a part of for the last seven years.
The moderators have a number of steps that they take to let a person know that they have broken the rules, warnings and infractions can be imposed. Of course, if someone does something really horrible then they can be immediately banned. So far, I've actually banned two people while I've been in training. Both of them were advertising web sites on the forum which is prohibited.
One thing I have noticed about many christians is that they are harsh. People are willing to argue and call each other names and really act ugly towards each other because someone doesn't agree with their position. I've noticed this in the church also. It's a shame that some churches are actually more well known for what they are against and their legalistic viewpoints than their love for others.
I don't think it is a mistake that when Paul mentions joy right after love in Galatians 5:22-23. It says,
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law." Let's be totaly honest for a second and ask yourself if the church you go to, the churches that you know about are they known for these qualities? Are these qualities you see growing in your own life?
I think about Paul and the fact that when he was in prison with Silas they were heard singing around midnight Acts 16:25. Having been beaten with rods that day, fastened their feet with stocks and left to bleed in the inner prison, Paul found the joy in the Lord to sing. I honestly don't think I would be singing. I think I would be complaining at the top of my lungs. Paul wasn't singing abou this circumstances though because his circumstances were pretty horrible. He was rejoicing in the Lord which he tells us to do also Phil 3:1.
The great thing is that I can rejoice in the Lord regardless of my circumstances because he doesn't change. I can always rejoice in the fact that he sent his son to die for me and had the power and ability to raise Jesus from the dead. I can rejoice that one day he is coming back and will right the wrongs in our society. I can rejoice that he has overcome sin and death and one day death will be no more. I can rejoice that he is never too busy to hear me when I call out to him. I can rejoice that he loves me and that he cares. There is plenty to rejoice about despite the temporary problems and afflictions of this life.
The moderators have a number of steps that they take to let a person know that they have broken the rules, warnings and infractions can be imposed. Of course, if someone does something really horrible then they can be immediately banned. So far, I've actually banned two people while I've been in training. Both of them were advertising web sites on the forum which is prohibited.
One thing I have noticed about many christians is that they are harsh. People are willing to argue and call each other names and really act ugly towards each other because someone doesn't agree with their position. I've noticed this in the church also. It's a shame that some churches are actually more well known for what they are against and their legalistic viewpoints than their love for others.
I don't think it is a mistake that when Paul mentions joy right after love in Galatians 5:22-23. It says,
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law." Let's be totaly honest for a second and ask yourself if the church you go to, the churches that you know about are they known for these qualities? Are these qualities you see growing in your own life?
I think about Paul and the fact that when he was in prison with Silas they were heard singing around midnight Acts 16:25. Having been beaten with rods that day, fastened their feet with stocks and left to bleed in the inner prison, Paul found the joy in the Lord to sing. I honestly don't think I would be singing. I think I would be complaining at the top of my lungs. Paul wasn't singing abou this circumstances though because his circumstances were pretty horrible. He was rejoicing in the Lord which he tells us to do also Phil 3:1.
The great thing is that I can rejoice in the Lord regardless of my circumstances because he doesn't change. I can always rejoice in the fact that he sent his son to die for me and had the power and ability to raise Jesus from the dead. I can rejoice that one day he is coming back and will right the wrongs in our society. I can rejoice that he has overcome sin and death and one day death will be no more. I can rejoice that he is never too busy to hear me when I call out to him. I can rejoice that he loves me and that he cares. There is plenty to rejoice about despite the temporary problems and afflictions of this life.
