Today is Monday, October 5th, 2009; Karen's Korner #1666

Something written by Shirley Choat and emailed to me in April (edited by me just a bit). Who doesn't need to be reminded now and then to 'rejoice always'....even when we don't feel like it:
 
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS
 
"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
         And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
."
~ Psalm 51:12
 
     Paul tells us: "Rejoice in the LORD always, and again I say, rejoice." that sounds great. But is it really possible? Always? There are times when we don't feel very joyful. We seem to see so much of that these days.
     True joy is not something that happens on demand or in response to a command. Nor is it simply an emotion which we draw up from within. Real joy is a gift of God, and it springs from the certainty of our salvation.
     Satan is always trying to rob us of joy. He would have us concentrate on problems, weaknesses, failures. And we all have them. But Satan wins only if he succeeds in having us look within ourselves, rather than to our God, for the solution.
     Joy is knowing that we are already more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. It's not a fleeting emotion but the peace of knowing that by Jesus' dying on the cross, all that can rob us of joy is removed. Our sin, suffering, failure, even our death, all have been overcome in His death and resurrection.
 
     Rejoice always! For nothing will separate us from the love of God in Jesus our Savior.
 
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
Show the way that Jesus has trod;
Then I will tell of Your saving grace,
Until the day when I see Your face.
 
"Faith in a creed can go stale, faith in Christ can be fresh every day."

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