Just thinking Out Loud

Hello Beloved,

I just finished my morning prayer and it made me start thinking about things.
Things like,,, the vastness of the universe, and how far Jesus had to come to live among us. Why He did what He did for us, you know, dying on the cross... How it must have felt for Him here. Being down here and doing all the miracles He did and STILL people turned away from Him.. I can not image why?
I heard a preacher talk about Paul last weekend and how when Paul was in prison and chained 24 hours a day to a prison guard and not knowing when he would be taken to be killed, how he remained calm and in touch with Christ.
I don't know about you, but I have read and read and heard many time the words of Paul but for some reason when I heard them this last time, it clicked.
The scripture this preacher talked about was in Philippians 4: 4. You know it I am sure...
" Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say again: Rejoice!"
Now, you have, like me heard that and read that many times... but have you ever thought about what that means? I apparently had not, until I heard it last week... Do you want to know a secret? I think the secret is 'in the Lord always".
Doesn't matter what your going through ,, good or bad. If we will just remember that "IN THE LORD " is where rejoicing is suppose to be, not in the trouble we have or the good things , but "IN THE LORD"..
I know how hard it is to do this... I have had troubles where I forgot and also I have forgotten in my good times... But , after listening to this preacher and how it was said I won't forget anymore..... Just remember that in your times of trouble, to just step outside of them and remember that to have peace you have to " Rejoice , in the Lord always, again , Rejoice" .
I know that most people already knew this so today I am really just speaking to
myself, sometimes I am pretty slow at catching on... It is about having a close personal relationship with our Savior, our Lord, our Father, our Friend, Jesus Christ.. I am so working on this relationship....
I pray that today you will have that closeness too... Dear Lord, for everyone who would read this, I pray that eyes will be open, hearts will heal, and that whomever it is that they would know , no matter where they go in this earthly body that You are truly standing with them... and they CAN rejoice because You
are there with them... Thank you for my revelation in this ... I love you , Lord.
I pray for your will to be done.. In Jesus name Amen.
Remember : Smile , it is a free gift from God to you to share with others...
Tenderly with arms wrapped about you... your sister in Christ Jesus.. vickie