Tag Archives: Philippians 3:13-14

Keeping Our Eyes On The Prize??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #640

03 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, Confidence, Courage, Praise God Today!, Trials, Trust God, Trusting Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #640 Keeping Our Eyes On The Prize???

 

I would like to share a word of encouragement today for all of us as we continue to watch the world caught up in this pandemic.  Those of us who know Jesus, should have a confidence and peace that will cause others to see our Lord Jesus in us, rather than the worldly chaos that is all around us.  May you take heart in these reminders.

“Brethren, I count not myself

to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling

of God

in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 3:13-14

When we recognize our calling to follow Jesus, rather than the call of the world, we will find that we have to “forget” something, and set our sights, if you would, “on things above”!  Remembering that we have a great testimony of the faithful to encourage us!  Not a cheering squad in heaven, but rather, testifiers to the faithfulness of our God.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside

every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy

that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand

of the throne of God.”   Hebrews 12:1-2

I encourage you to read through Hebrews chapter 11 for a boost to your faith, hope and confidence in The God Almighty of the universe, and His Son Jesus! Isaiah gave us a picture of God’s faithfulness even when we have great trials surrounding us!  God never said we wouldn’t have trials, or that simply speaking “His Name” would make us immune to the realities of life in a broken world, but  He did promise that He would be there with us, and He would accomplish His purpose in, with, and through us, if we will but trust to HIS perfect will and provision!

“But now thus saith the LORD

that created thee, O Jacob,

and he that formed thee, O Israel,

Fear not:

for I have redeemed thee,

I have called thee by thy name;

thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters,

I will be with thee;

and through the rivers,

they shall not overflow thee:

when thou walkest through the fire,

thou shalt not be burned;

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the LORD thy God,

the Holy One of Israel,

thy Saviour… ”   Isaiah 43:1-3a

God never said we’d never have difficulties—but He did say we’d never walk through them alone (and Isaiah implies here that these are not things of our own making or presumption).  May these words ring in your heart and mind as you face a broken, sick world that is going crazy around us.

“Let your conversation

be without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do

unto me.”   Hebrews 13:5-6

May God bless and comfort your heart; and may He also grant you wisdom in your decisions in this difficult time.

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

 

Pray On To Press On??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #597

23 Wednesday Oct 2019

Posted by in A Father's Love, Encouragement, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Prayer

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #597       Pray On To Press On???

 

I want to share a simple and brief call to each of us who belong to Jesus!  Our lives, our families, our schools, our cities, and states, as well as our nation need a touch—a touch that only God can extend.  May we intercede while there is still time!  Our only hope, as I see it, is personal repentance and revival, which can lead to revived churches, which can lead to communities transformed, which can lead to a true and powerful heart of righteousness all around us.  God Himself gave Solomon the key!

“If my people,

which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.”   2 Chronicles 7:14

The principle, If:

We are called HIS—

We humble ourselves (the one I can humble)-

We PRAY—

We seek GOD’s face—

We REPENT of OUR sin—

GOD will:

Hear from heaven—

Forgive OUR sin—

Heal OUR land!

It all begins with MY willingness to seek God’s face, asking Him to reveal my own failures, short-comings and sins, that I may know the conviction of The Holy Spirit, mourn and repent before MY God, ask HIS forgiveness for MY sin, and receive His “Balm of Gilead”—the grace to heal and restore “my soul”, that I can be a catalyst of revival in my realm of influence!  Will you join me in seeking HIM?

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be

any wicked way

in me,

and lead

me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

Accept whatever HE reveals—and deal with it!  Agree with God!

“If we confess

our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us

our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.”    1 John 1:9

Then we can join Paul in pressing on to victory.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize of the high calling of God

in Christ Jesus.”    Philippians 3:13-14

Amen and Amen!

Recognizing Lies That Defeat??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 24

28 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Liars, Lies That Defeat Us

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 24.  Recognizing Lies That Defeat???

 

We talked last week about the regeneration that Jesus imparts on us when we are born again; and while many of us came to Jesus after falling for the lies of the enemy for years, there are still lies that the enemy uses to make us impotent in our service to our Lord.  That’s what I want us to talk about today—the lies that catch us off guard, the lies that get us distracted from our focus on Jesus, the lies that challenge God’s Word, and the lies that our culture is constantly bombarding us with; yet the power, truth, and love that is the bedrock of our faith still stands—even when our eyes have been diverted by the lies!  Our God reigns, and you can count on HIS faithfulness!

“The LORD reigneth,

he is clothed with majesty;

the LORD is clothed with strength,

wherewith he hath girded himself:

the world also is stablished,

that it cannot be moved.

2 Thy throne is established of old:

thou art from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their waves.

4 The LORD on high is mightier

than the noise of many waters,

yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Thy testimonies are very sure:

holiness becometh thine house, O LORD,

for ever.”   Psalm 93:1-5

I love the picture that the Psalmist paints here of the wondrous might, sovereignty and faithfulness of our God; and because HE is faithful in all, ruling over all, and in HIS majesty is our total confidence, we don’t have to settle for lies—we belong to the true God of all—Father, Son and Holy Spirit!  As Jesus said:

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

Our God is God, and He is in charge—HE reigns, He doesn’t lie!!!

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters,

and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,

Alleluia:

for the Lord God omnipotent

reigneth.”   Revelation 19:6

We can have confidence because our Lord Jesus IS “the way, the truth, and the life”, and we don’t have to settle for lies!  But by the same token, we also need to remind ourselves over and over again that our enemy is subtle, deceitful, tricky and ever seeking our destruction.  But Jesus our LORD, IS LORD!

“The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come

that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:10-11

Jesus gave His life for us—the enemy always wants to destroy—for he is the great imitator and perverter, while our Lord gives abundant LIFE!  You can rely upon the “truth” of God’s Word, His person, and His character—you and I don’t have to stay in “the pits”, we simply have to run to our God!

“The name of the LORD

       is a strong tower:

the righteous

 runneth into it,

and is safe.”  Proverbs 18:10

That’s for we who have placed our faith and trust in God to receive the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice that Jesus made for all who will believe; and we can count on HIM, we don’t have to be tricked by the lies of the devil.  We can be victorious by keeping our eyes on Jesus.

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:

7 Casting all your care

upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober,

be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast

in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished in your brethren

that are in the world.”  1 Peter 5:6-9

We can have victory in Jesus, but we must pay attention—we must take Peter’s advice, being “humble….careful….sober(right focused)…vigilent” as we “resist stedfast in the faith” the enemy of our souls! I want to help us focus (myself included) on the security that we have IN Jesus—to know Him and His truth more and more as our life-line at every turn.

“And ye shall know

the truth,

and the truth

shall make you free.”  John 8:32

We are made free because of His sacrifice and by the power of His Holy Spirit who births us into HIS kingdom, as His children—sons and daughters of God!

“And now I am no more in the world,

but these are in the world,

 and I come to thee.

 Holy Father,

keep through thine own name

those whom thou hast given me,

that they may be one,

as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world,

I kept them in thy name:

those that thou gavest me

I have kept,

and none of them is lost,

but the son of perdition;

that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee;

and these things I speak in the world,

that they might have my joy

fulfilled in themselves…

….21 That they all may be one;

as thou, Father,

art in me,

and I in thee,

that they also may be one

in us:

that the world may believe

that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me

I have given them;

that they may be one,

even as we are one:

23 I in them,

and thou in me,

that they may be made perfect

in one;

and that the world may know

that thou hast sent me,

and hast loved them,

 as thou hast loved me.”    Portions of John 17:11-23

All by the power of The Holy Spirit “translating” us into God’s kingdom, out of the power of darkness.

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe

on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:12-13

As Paul said so powerfully:

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints

in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14

Redemption is ours, bringing with it the power to live a victorious life in HIM, Jesus; forgiveness of our sins, meaning we don’t have to be intimidated or put down by the accusations of the enemy of our life, our work and our effectiveness. We can have victory because Jesus bought the victory at Calvary, giving us liberty, power, deliverance and confidence—all through HIS blood!

“There is therefore now no condemnation

to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life

in Christ Jesus

hath made me free

from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do,

in that it was weak

through the flesh,

God sending his own Son

in the likeness of sinful flesh,

and for sin,

condemned sin

in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness

of the law

might be fulfilled in us,

who walk not

after the flesh,

but

after the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1-4

Victory for all who will receive Him and walk in HIS Spirit!  We don’t have to live and walk in light of our past, but in the victory that God has provided in Jesus!  We do NOT have to “order our steps” in light of the accusations of the devil, but according to God’s Word!  Amen and Amen. We don’t have to accept the lies that Satan throws at us–for we are God’s, delivered and paid for- but we must recognize and resist the enemy’s lies, as we walk in Jesus’ Spirit, not our flesh!  My past is forgiven!  My future is HIS!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh……

25 If we live in the Spirit,

 let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:16- & 25

And just a few reminders of the enemy that we face—remembering that he is a defeated foe, and a liar of the first order!

“Ye are of your father the devil,

and the lusts of your father ye will do.

He was a murderer

from the beginning,

and abode not

in the truth,

because there is no truth in him.

When he speaketh a lie,

he speaketh of his own:

for he is a liar,

and the father of it.”  John 8:44

And his first schemes and lies were the same as they are today—challenging the Word of God, the heart of God, the goodness of God, and calling men, women, boys and girls, to doubt God and the truth of HIS Word/Words!

“Now the serpent was more subtil

than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

And he said unto the woman,

Yea, hath God said,

Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent,

We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree

which is in the midst of the garden,

God hath said,

Ye shall not eat of it,

neither shall ye touch it,

lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman,

Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know

that in the day ye eat thereof,

then your eyes shall be opened,

 and ye shall be as gods,

 knowing good and evil.”    Genesis 3:1-5

Satan is still challenging God and His Word.  Will you be as gullible as Eve, or will you “stand fast in the evil day”?  We must know the Word of God, in order to “resist stedfast in the faith”!  Satan doesn’t play by the rules—his rules change according to the situation (remember situational ethics), who do you think promotes that ideology?  Here are some truths that you need to know!

“For such are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

transforming themselves

into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel;

for Satan himself is transformed

 into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing

if his ministers also be

transformed as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end shall be

according to their works.”    2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Remember—we win.  Don’t let the liars, deceivers, the perverters of God’s Word lead you astray, discourage your journey, or stop your growth in HIM, but continue to keep your eyes on the prize, knowing that your sins have been forgiven and covered in His blood, so press on in power, confidence, and truth—for our God IS truth and HE is coming soon.  Ready or not HE is coming!

“Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come,

that ye shall be scattered,

every man to his own,

and shall leave me alone:

and yet I am not alone,

because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”   John 16:32-33

May we ever press on IN Jesus and His promise of an eternal future with HIM!  Amen and Amen!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth

unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling of God

 in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 3:13-14

Look UP—not around!  Press on dear ones!  Press on!  Amen!!!

Mothers And Crosses??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 13

12 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Cross, Moms

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.13      Mothers And The Cross???

A Repost Edited from 2013.

A happy Mother’s Day to all-whether you be the mother or the child!!!  What a beautiful day to celebrate our mothers—and to celebrate The God who created us all-mother and child!!

“In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”    Isaiah 4:2

And Isaiah also wrote:

“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,     

which shall stand for an ensign of the people;

to It shall the Gentiles seek:                             

and his rest shall be glorious.”   Isaiah 11:10

These verses have a double reference, referring to the future time of the Lord’s return, and also to His “ensign” of the cross. We can take comfort and delight in the joy of the Lord today.  Our Lord who is beautiful and glorious and, I am convinced, soon returning, He who blesses us day by day in more ways than we are aware of!!!

I pray that you took some time to spend with your mother today, or at least spent some time in reflection of her if she is no longer with you; and whether you have/had the “perfect” mother or if you have less pleasant memories—God gave each of us the mother He planned and we can trust Him.  Psalm 139:13-17 reminds us that God knew everything about us—everything!

 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I    will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and  curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members   were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of    them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”

Consider the commonality of God and Mothers.   Both made sacrifices for us!!!  Consider and know that God IS—Jesus the Son IS—and God the Holy Spirit IS!!!!!  They are and always were, and without the sovereign, eternal, omniscient God of the universe we wouldn’t even exist.

 “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by he word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of        the Majesty on high”.   Hebrews 1:2-3  

God IS the creator who brought us into existence, and we know that although we sinned, HE had already planned for our redemption before the world was founded!!!  I find that amazing and am reminded that not only did our mothers give us birth, care for and provide for us, but I am also reminded of the GOD who “created” us, provided for our salvation and cares for us continually, through Calvary, and HE is the same God who gave us mothers!  So, whatever your childhood experience, whether good or difficult, God has always been, and continues to be there for you!!!! (see Hebrews. 13:5). He gave HIS own Son for our salvation, and Jesus came, lived and died that we might spend eternity with Him!

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”  John 17:24

Jesus confirms His own pre-existence before the world was made (also see Col 1:16 & John 1:3 which clearly reveal Jesus as “Creator”) and scripture tells us in several other places that our salvation was planned before we needed it!!!

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”                        Ephesians 1:4

And Peter wrote:

“But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without        spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the  dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”   1 Peter 1:19-21 

As the Dennis Jernigan song says, “I belong to Jesus”!!!  He loved us and gave Himself FOR us.  Do we truly understand that Christ Jesus gave His all for us at Calvary?  When we do, I think we will be able to say with Paul,

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”     1 Corinthians   2:2

Depending on the Cross for our life, breath and being, helps us to live our lives with HIM in mind, as we find in Galatians 2:20:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  

When we are born into a family, we take on the “name” of our family!  When we are “Born Again” we take on more than the “name” of our heavenly family, we actually receive the Holy Spirit of God who continually conforms us into Jesus’ likeness.

 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the        righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,  and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”   Philippians 3:8-10 

Always reminded that “I am crucified with Christ”, knowing that God is ever working in me. And much like our mothers were teaching us when we weren’t even aware of it, God is always at work in HIS own!

“And we know that all things work together for    good to them that love God, to them who are the        called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he   did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be    conformed to the image of his Son, that he     might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  Romans 8:28-29

God is ever at work, by His Spirit within us (Remember Romans 8:9b, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”), and we can trust His work– ever conforming us into the image of The Lord Jesus!!!

As we think today of our Moms, may we also spend each day appreciating The Lord who created them and us!!!

 “…… this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those  things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

May we commit ourselves anew and afresh to “press toward the mark”; taking our confidence from Colossians 1:27

 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” 

Christ is our eternal hope, His Spirit our total supply, and God the Father our complete confidence.  Praise HIM for giving us “Mothers”; but even more that HE GAVE US HIS OWN SON, for our salvation on the cross!!  May God bless you with joy and grace for this coming week’s work for His kingdom. Thank YOU, Lord, for mothers!

Building On Ashes!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #496

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #496 Building On Ashes!!!

 

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me;

because the LORD hath anointed me

to preach good tidings

unto the meek;

he hath sent me to bind up

the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty

to the captives,

and the opening of the prison

to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim

the acceptable year of the LORD,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort

all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them

that mourn in Zion,

to give unto them beauty

for ashes,

the oil of joy

for mourning,

the garment of praise

for the spirit of heaviness;

that they might be called trees of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD,

that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3

A bit of a lengthy passage this morning, but God laid it on my heart this morning, and it is one of my favorite passages; as we talked last time about the “marginalization” of our God, I wanted to remind us all that no matter how broken hearted we may be, our God knows how to forgive, heal and restore! And I praise Him for that, for I have experienced that very forgiveness, healing and restoration because the “blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin”, and when HE forgives, HE forgets!(1 Jn. 1:7)

But God doesn’t stop at forgiveness and leave us to live with regrets from the past, but He gives us “beauty for ashes”, and a confidence that Paul mentions in his letter to the Philippians.

“Brethren,

I count not myself

to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth

unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling

of God

in Christ Jesus.”    Philippians 3:13-14

Can I get an Amen? Paul reminds us, as well as the Philippian Christians, that our “ashes” of the past can be trusted to God, who will exchange them for HIS “beauty” in us! But there’s something that you may not have considered; we must let go of the ashes and let God have them. We cannot, no, we must not, go digging up those ashes and dwelling on what was “burned up”, rather we must keep our eyes, our heart and our longings set on HIM not our lost past! God has something better for us ahead.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run

with patience

the race

that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy

that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand

of the throne of God.”    Hebrews 12:1-2

We must embrace the “beauty” that God is working in us, and let go of the ashes! God’s beauty working itself out as His Holy Spirit works within us through His Word!!! What a joy and a delight to know that God does have the power to make “something beautiful of my life” (From an old song of the Gaithers, “Something Beautiful”.) I pray that you will find comfort, encouragement and hope from this reminder that God is ever at work in the lives of His own—you and me! Always! He doesn’t waste any encounter or experience—you can trust everything to His grace, love and perfect provision. Amen and Amen!

“And we know that

all things work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn   

among many brethren.”  Romans 8:28-29