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Philippians 2:13 - PROVIDENCE.

Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) for it is God who 
works in you both to will and to do for His good 
pleasure. 

Philippians 2:13 (AMP) [Not in your own 
strength] for it is God Who is all the while 
effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in 
you the power and desire], both to will and to 
work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and 
delight. 

COMMENTARY PEARL

Vessels Of the Greatest Gift
   God offers you the same gift he gave 
Mary, mother of Jesus - the indwelling Christ. 
Christ grew in her until the miracle of gestation 
became the moment of delivery. Likewise, Christ 
will grow in you until he comes out in your 
speech, your actions, your decisions. 
   God promised, "I will give you a new 
heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take 
the heart of stone out of your flesh and give 
you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV). Who 
does the work? Who removes the heart of stone? 
God. 
   We do not work; we trust the finished 
work of Christ. Like a growing child, we learn to 
walk... with God. We learn to talk... with God. We 
nourish ourselves on his bread and trust in his 
Word. Temper tantrums diminish. Prayer time 
increases. We seek our will less and God's will more, 
and he changes us from the inside out. And, in 
time, the most wonderful thing occurs ... we 
become vessels for the greatest gift of all - Jesus 
Christ. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado] 

COMMENTARY

Providence
   Whoever reads the writings of Christians 
from earlier centuries is struck with the 
frequent references to God's providence. Why don't we 
hear more about it today? What imp sneaked in and 
stole this good word from our twenty-first-century 
vocabulary? The spirit of naturalism that views all 
events in nature as ruled by independent natural 
forces has left its mark on our generation. Too 
bad. We would do well to reintroduce this grand 
word to our tongues as well as to our young. 
   While Paul was addressing those 
sophisticated eggheads on Mars Hill, he spoke of 
providence when he stated "in Him we live and move and 
exist" (Acts 17:28). Our God not only struck the 
spark that gave you and me life, He continues to 
prompt each heartbeat in every chest every second 
of every minute. And what He does for us as 
individuals He does for the vast universe about us. 
Furthermore, what God creates, God sustains. Not only 
does He number the hairs on our heads, He 
determines the days of our lives. In doing so, He 
weaves everything together into His design. 
Ultimately, the tapestry of His handiwork will be 
something to behold! 
   Let me urge you to remove three words 
from your vocabulary as you add providence. They 
are chance, fate, and luck. Those shallow terms 
suggest that there are blind, impersonal, and 
spontaneous forces at work in the ranks of humanity. 
Not! Only One is at work, as the apostle has 
written: 
   Dear friends, you always followed my 
instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, 
it is even more important. Work hard to show 
the results of your salvation, obeying God with 
deep reverence and fear. For God is working in 
you, giving you the desire and the power to do 
what pleases him. Philippians 2:12-13 
   So, take heart. God is in full control. 
Nothing is happening on earth that brings a surprise 
to heaven. Nothing touches us that has not 
first passed through the fingers of His hands. 
Nothing is outside the scope of His divine radar 
screen, as He guides us safely home. [Chuck Swindoll 
www.insight.org.] 

ILLUSTRATION

   I love flowers. During the dark winter 
months, my husband, Dave, sometimes brings home 
bouquets. Nothing fancy, just a mixed batch to 
brighten my day. My husband knows those blooms give 
me hope for the future. So does Jesus. 
   One day, my mood was anything but cheery. 
A dream for which I'd been saving money for 
years had fallen through, and I couldn't stop 
crying. Unsettled thoughts left me shaken, wishing 
for a sign - for some way to know Jesus was 
watching and listening. As afternoon turned to 
evening, I busied myself with preparing dinner while 
awaiting Dave's return home from his work at a nearby 
store. 
   He entered the kitchen, two dozen 
long-stemmed roses overflowing in his arms. I paused 
before accepting them. How could we justify buying 
expensive flowers, especially now? Dave sensed my 
hesitation and explained the flowers had been about to 
be discarded. They'd cost nothing. 
   I held the delicate buds close. These 
were much more than simple castoffs. Yes, my 
caring husband had spotted the roses and rescued 
them from the trash, acting on Jesus's 
prompting. 
   But Jesus had picked them out for me. 
He'd heard my cry and stepped in to wipe away the 
tears, as He does for all of us. Some days He sends 
a friend to visit. Other mornings we might 
suspect the words of a devotion were written 
specifically for our needs. And sometimes He shares a 
loved one's heart and hands to present us with two 
dozen roses. Heidi Gaul 
   Faith Step: Find ways to be the hands of 
Jesus for others. A call, a card, or even a smile 
can be enough to share His much-needed love with 
others. [Mornings With Jesus 2022 Devotional by 
Guideposts and Zondervan] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

Our bodies tend to regress if we do not 
exercise on a regular basis. The same can be said for 
growing spiritually healthy. A spiritual workout is 
not just beneficial but a necessity. As a 
believer, God is your workout partner encouraging you 
to be persistent in working through the 
problems and trials and difficulties presented in 
ordinary daily Life. Just as we benefit from a 
healthy body during our time on earth, staying 
spiritually fit offers benefits both now and for 
eternity. [The Practice of the Presence of God: 40 Day 
Devotional by Brother Lawrence/Alan Vermilye] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC

Philippians 2:12, 13 - Cooperating with 
Divinity. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210125-1103.html 

Philippians 1:6 - Its His Work, Not Ours.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211128-0955.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs