Are You Happy To Be a Christian?

      Are you happy to be a Christian? This is a question that I am sure all Christians would say “yes” to, however, do the actions of all Christians show that they are happy to perform the responsibilities that come with being a child of God?  As Christians, we are to be happy!  Not only do we possess the ability to have forgiveness of sins, but we also have the hope of a home in heaven.  With all that God has given us, we should be more than happy to do His Will, however, how many Christians find joy in doing what God commands them to do? Do you delight in serving the Lord, or do you go “through the motions?”
     As Christians, we should love serving God! We should wake up each morning thinking of ways to be a better Christian and servant to God and others. We should embody the feelings expressed by King David in Psalm 40:8 when he says, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Serving God should come before any other activity in our lives, and we should perform God’s Work with delight, rather than with a sense of burden.
      How many Christians really participate in the worship services of the church? Just by a casual observation, one might find that some members of the congregation will participate in all of the acts of worship, while others just sit there in silence during the singing of praises, and act as if they are not listening to the sermon. How many Christians do you know try to find any excuse available in order to not attend worship services or to not participate in church works?  Are you like one of these people? Hopefully not! We should not be like those people. Rather, we should be as excited as a little child about attending and participating in the worship services of the church of Christ! We should always be focused on God during the acts of worship, and we should always be willing to participate in church works when we are physically able to do so. When I see how excited my own children are about attending worship services, it is a wonderful reminder of how I am supposed to feel as well. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).
    Attending worship services of the church of Christ and participating in other church works is just part of what we are commanded to do as Christians. We are to pray “without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17).  Do you pray during the day?  We often see examples of others praying at bedtime, but a prayer once a day is not enough! We are to pray before every meal and at other times during the day as well. If you woke up one morning with only the things that you  gave thanks to God for on the previous day, what would you have left? Our Heavenly Father always wants to hear from His children, so we should make it a point to pray many times throughout the day, no matter how we are feeling and no matter how our day is going. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).
      Also, are you willing to give of your time and finances to help others and to help the church? We are commanded to give generously to the Lord so that the church can finance good works (2 Corinthians 9:7). If you work a part-time or full-time job, just putting a dollar bill in the plate is not being a cheerful giver. We should be willing to give generously in the collection plate as our local congregation, as well as be generous with our time in helping others.  Attending door knockings, Ladies’ Day events, Gospel Meetings, Vacation Bible Schools, etc. are all great ways  of promoting the spread of the Gospel, which should be our primary focus in life. How many Christians today choose secular activities to participate in instead of helping with a door knocking activity, a Ladies’ Day event, a Vacation Bible School, or some other church work? How many parents are teaching their children to do the same? “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). We should also give of our time and means in order to help others with their physical need for food, clothing and shelter as well. By helping others with their physical needs, we can have the opportunity to teach them about Christ.
       Finally, do you study the Word of God every day? I saw a post on Facebook one time that said something to the effect of if we studied our Bibles as much as we study our phones today, then everyone would be studying as they should. This is true. If you can find time to look at Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, you have time to read and study your Bible. If you have time to watch T.V. or read a secular book, magazine, or newspaper, you have time to read and study your Bible. If you have time to participate in any other secular activity, you have time to read and study your Bible. People are all the same in that they will always make time to do what they want to do in this life. Studying God’s Word should be at the top of the list of things to do each and every day. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
        It is important to remember that Christ was delighted and happy to leave Heaven and come to a world where He would suffer on the cross and die for our sins. We should be just as happy to do His Will and to serve God each and every day of our lives. We should not leave our First Love, which is God, as is described in Revelation 2:4. but rather we should appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus gave for us, and to continue to keep Him as our First Love. If we do this, we have a home in Heaven awaiting us, and that is why we should be the happiest people on the planet!
           
 

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