Happy To Be A Christian

Acts 26:2

Paul said that “I think myself happy!” I find this to be on one hand astonishing and on the other very encouraging. Paul has been put on trial and is standing before King Agrippa not for committing any crime but for being a Christian. And he is guilty as charged! If there was ever a time for him to be discouraged it would be now, because if Agrippa doesn’t set him free then he will have to stand before Caesar. But yet he is happy! He considers himself to be fortunate. Why? Because he is representing not himself in the court of law, but Christ!

What a wonderful time it is to be a Christian in our world today! God has blessed his people to be his witnesses in a time when it is not very popular to be one. With the increase of Secularization, Atheism, and political correctness, the Christian life and Biblical language is becoming more noticeable and increasingly offensive. It is as if Christians today are being tried in the court of public opinion and my question to you and I is, Would we be found guilty? Paul would eventually have to appeal to the highest court in the world at that time which meant he had to give his defense before Caesar. It was there too that he would be found guilty of being loyal to the Lordship of Christ by not bowing to Caesar and recognizing him as lord.

What was the basis of Paul conviction? He knew that he would stand before the judgement seat of Christ one day and give an account of how he live his life before a watching world. In doing so, not only did he do it with conviction, but also with joy!

It was Paul’s joy that gave him the strength and power of his conviction. The Bible tells us that “Joy of the Lord is your strength.” When you and I as Christians have joy down in our hearts we can endure any trial set before us and come out of it found guilty of being a faithful follower of Christ.

Jesus told his disciples that they would experience much sorrow and tribulation in the world, but he also said “I tell you these things that your joy may be full” and “To be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:24;33)

So let’s consider ourselves as Christians to be happy today that God as chosen us for such a time as this to be his witnesses. Don’t be discouraged or fearful, but pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen your conviction and courage and pray for the opportunity to give a reason for why you believe. (1 Peter 3:15)

Read and pray Psalms 144 today and focus on the last verse in that Psalm that ends with “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.” (15)

Pastor Robby