The Simple Way to Never Stumble

To stand out we may just need to stand!

During my career I spent some time consulting. I started a company I called impact dynamic, wrote a couple of books and developed trainings for sales organizations in and outside of the financial services industry.

One of the trainings that I put together, and continued to use even after I returned to the corporate world (2010 was a rough time to be a training consultant to banks and insurance companies) was what I referred to as E³. It was focused on the progression, when building or revitalizing a sales organization, that would enable success. I promoted the first phase as being centered on effectiveness – the ability to meet goals; second phase was centered on efficiency – meeting goals with optimal resource management; and the final phase was on excellence – the efficient accomplishment of goals with the greatest possible profitability.

Excellence is something that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, should be endeavoring to attain. Peter, in his second letter, gives us this progression:

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. 2Peter 1:5-11

The word for excellence is “aretē” and though of uncertain origin, it is defined as “moral goodness, i.e. virtue”. The word virtue is itself a relative term, the formal definition being a combination of “conformity to a standard of rightness; beneficial quality or power of a thing; commendable quality; valor; a capacity to act; chastity” and was originally drawn from the Latin for “man” – “vir”.

Here we have a process that we are told will end with an extremely desirable outcome: “as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance to the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” Seems like a process worth giving ourselves to!

The steps are as follows.

To our Faith (the confidence in God and in His unchanging Nature)we are to supply:

• Moral Excellence

• Knowledge = coming to know, recognize, perceive

• Self-control = mastery of oneself

• Perseverance = to remain behind so that others might advance, patient endurance

• Godliness = worshipping God well

• Brotherly Kindness = the word is philadelphia – brotherly love

• Love = Agapē – God-like love

We are also told that without these things we will be blind or at least short-sighted because we will soon forget the cleansing we received when we accepted the ransom price of His sinless blood, which delivered us from our sins. So, we were told, we need to reinforce His calling and choosing, by being diligent to follow this process.

This got me thinking about some examples of excellence that we can find in the Bible – all of which might be the same ones that you would think of. If so, this review may be just that – more of a review than a revelation – my hope is that it will be an encouragement, in either setting. (I do not intend for this to be a series, so my focus will be on those specific passages that describe the characteristics and/or proclamations of excellence.)

Joseph’s Circumstances

As the first born of his father’s chosen wife, but the 11^th son of Jacob, the span of years between his age and that of his oldest brother was likely only seven years (as deciphered within the details described in Genesis by Martin Anstey). Jacob built significant wealth while their primarily because Jacob’s hard work and cunning were honored by the Lord, who blessed Jacob.

We know that Jacob leaves for Canaan after spending about 20 years in Padan-Aram (when Joseph is about 6 years old) and that his youngest son, Benjamin, is born during that journey. Rachel, his beloved, dies in childbirth, so Joseph and Benjamin were likely raised by Bilhah, her maid.

Jacob, in response to his sorrow over Rachel’s death, appears to have favored his first-born from her. This created strife for the older ten boys, all of whom were no more than seven years older than Joseph.

We are told, after Jacob settled in the land of his father’s, when Joseph was seventeen (making Benjamin about 11 and their oldest half-brother Reuben, about 24) that he and the sons of the two maid (so Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher) were pasturing the flocks. When they returned Joseph brought “a bad report” about them to his father – though we are not told any details. We are also told straight out that Israel “loved Joseph more than all his sons” and that the favoritism resulted in them hating Joseph and not speaking to him.

Joseph is then given two dreams from the Lord. For brevity’s sake, suffice to say that though the dreams come true, they added to the separation between the half-brothers and even resulted in a sharp rebuke from his father. (I remind us of all these details because they lay the foundation of the character building that God is doing in the young man’s life.)

As the story goes: Joseph is sent once again by his father to check up on the other young men who are tending the flock some 40 plus miles north (though he actually finds them another 20 miles from where they had originally gone). When they saw him from a distance they plotted against him, willing to go so far as to slay him (though they settled for selling him as a slave).

And so, through various plot twists, Joseph ends up in the hands of Midianite traders who sell him to Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver (which was a very high price – and indicates his marketability as a slave) who in turn take him to Egypt – clearly intending to make a profit off of him there.

Joseph’s Character

From here we will jump into the character, the moral excellence, that Joseph displays in the three venues that he must abide in over the next thirteen years: Potiphar’s estate, prison (though still on Potiphar’s estate – since as the captain of the guards, he also supervised the political prisoners) and Pharoah’s palace. It is helpful to remember that the price the Ishmaelites paid was probably between 25% and 50% of the price they expected to receive for him; and that the average “price” of a hired man was around 5 shekels – so clearly Joseph presented himself well enough o only be offered to the very wealthy.

As Joseph settles in to his bondage, we are told – first and foremost: “The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful (or profitable) man.”

And then, that somehow, his master: “saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

What we are told next is narrative (not fiction) with details of the ways of the LORD without giving us much insight on His means.

Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge. It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. Gen.39:3-6

I have pondered before about these stories. Whether Job or Abram or Joseph or Esther and Ruth were actually significantly different than those around them – or on those who came before or come after. I wonder if we know of them because they were given some special favor, some extraordinary gift or talent that no one else has ever received. Or is it maybe that they are not alone in the blessing of excellence or the talents and gifts, but that these are some of those who fully accepted the challenge and lived up to their potential.

I am sure it will come as no surprise, but I hold fast to the second probability for two reasons. The first being that I believe, that unlike Jacob, God does not have favorites. Though the “what” and “how” will differ for each of us, “why” does not: God loves each of us equally – He cannot do otherwise, because He is God!

The second reason: as differing members of His body our role, function, calling varies from the other members. So your being exceptional will look different than my being exceptional. And embracing that is both very challenging and very freeing!

Things come to an abrupt change when Joseph’s excellence makes him the target of his master’s wife’s lusts – but Joseph’s honor and integrity and virtue are unyielding, so in her anger and shame she falsely accuses him and he is imprisoned in the very prison his master oversees.

The change of venue does not change the man, his nature remains steadfast and the results are consistent: “but the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.” Because the LORD was with Joseph, he was put in charge of the entire operation AND the LORD made it profitable! His gifts were also functioning in this new role – the LORD gave him the ability to interpret dreams.

As time passes (two years from when the LORD gives him the true interpretations, some thirteen years in total since he had shared his own dreams) Pharoah has a disturbing dream that he is seeking insight into. None of his counselors can bring understanding, but the one whose dream Joseph had interpreted, Pharoah’s cupbearer, recalled Joseph’s gift. Joseph provides the interpretation, is released from prison, and is promoted to second in command under Pharoah. Because: “God has informed him of all this, there is no one more discerning and wise.”

I know we are skipping over the story, but then again, my focus is on “excellence”. And so, I will highlight one more example.

The seven years of plenty have passed. The first two years of severe famine have occurred and already Pharoah is no longer just a ruler, he is the becoming primary landowner of Egypt. It is at this time that Joseph family comes before him seeking grain; and it is this encounter that I believe the truth that resided behind all of what the LORD was able to do through Joseph’s character is expressed.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Gen.45:4-8

If there is a secret to excellence, that secret would be faith – the confidence one has in the Righteousness, Holiness, Graciousness, and Love of God, no matter what the circumstances (and those around us) might suggest. If we recall, in the instructions from Peter, it was upon faith that we are to apply all diligence in adding the other qualities. And we see here in the life of Joseph, that all that he was and became was anchored in his confidence in God!

Ruth’s Circumstances

The story of Ruth is one of my favorites. As one of four women named in the line of Jesus Christ, she is likely a familiar character to most of us. And yet the depth of her story is so wonderful that it is a central part of the book I am in the final stages of publishing, which is titled “Redemption”. Once again, I will try to remain brief in laying out her background which highlights those circumstances that I believe helped form her character.

As a Moabitess, she was of a people whose beginnings were founded on the incestuous event between Lot and his eldest daughter. And though that is difficult to even type, it was not even the reason why the Moabites were held in derision by the sons of Israel. It was Balak, king of Moab, who hired Balaam, the prophet from Aram, to curse Israel as they desired to cross his kingdom on their way into the land of promise. And it was Balak who, after Balaam, not allowed by God to curse the people, takes Balaam’s counsel and lures the men into idolatry and harlotry.

And, in an interesting twist, it was Eglon, king of Moab, that the LORD allowed to judge Israel for their disobedience after only 28 years of living in the land. That judgment last for 40 years and ended when Ehud of Gilgal defeated Moab – the result of which was 80 years of peace for the people of the covenant.

During this time, a localized famine smites the land of Judah and specifically the town of Bethlehem. In response to this, a man named Elimelech takes his wife and two sons down to the fields of Moab, where the famine had not struck. Elimelech dies shortly after their arrival, his two sons (Mahlon and Chilion) and their mother (Naomi) continue on despite the tragedy. The two men find wives but then, they too die. This leaves the women in a tough place.

Naomi learns that the famine has ended and so determines to return home; her daughters-in-law would be expected to go with her, but Naomi releases them from the obligation and encourages them to return to their families. Orpah (the wife of the younger son) accepts the release and returns; Ruth, however, does not.

Ruth’s Character

In what has become (or at least was when we got married) a declaration of loyalty that is so deep and rich that it has been used to describe the commitment between a bride and groom, Ruth tells Naomi:

“Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17

From this commitment develops a mother-daughter relationship that we are told, at the end of the story, was more blessed than having the perfect son (the statement is “seven sons” but it was likely a euphemism).

Ruth begins to work by gleaning the edges of the fields (that whole concept is a study in and of itself!) of a man who we are told is a near kinsman (the actual word means “redeemer” because, in Leviticus 25 we are told that it is a “redeemer” who can restore an Israelite’s sold inheritance – or even his going into bond-servanthood).

Ruth’s dedication to Naomi and her diligence were noted by the foreman, who, when asked, gives Boaz (the redeemer) that very report. There is an interchange between Boaz and Ruth which demonstrates both her humility and her loyalty. So much so that it would appear that Boaz begins to consider taking responsibility as the redeemer to rescue Naomi and fulfill the obligation to assure that the family name is carried on.

May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under Whose wings you have come to seek refuge. Ruth 2:12

After the grain harvest ends and the time for winnowing and grinding begins, Naomi advises Ruth to go and present herself to Boaz, demurely and yet unmistakenly, in order to encourage him to fulfill his role as redeemer. It is in response to this that a declaration of her character and excellence is pronounced.

Then he said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence. Ruth 3:10-11

And so she and Naomi are redeemed, and Boaz becomes the father of Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David, the King of Israel – and of the line of Christ.

Jeremiah’s Circumstances

In some ways, reducing the background of Jeremiah is actually easier than the previous two, primarily because it is so extensive that being reductive is mandatory.

We are told that Jeremiah’s ministry begins when Josiah was in his 13^th year as king, so in the year 548 BC (according to Martin Anstey’s stellar work on Biblical chronology). His ministry continues until the final exile to Babylon in the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign – so until 508 BC or for 40 years, as Ezekiel notes in Ezek.4:5-6.

We are also told that he considered himself a youth (the same word used to describe Joseph when he was interpreting dreams and then brought before Pharoah at 30 years of age), but that when the Lord called him, he was advised to not consider himself too young.

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.”

But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.

Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.” Jer.1:4-10

Throughout his time of ministry he was opposed by those who had access to the kings’ ears and were more interested in advancing their position and renown than in speaking the true words from the Lord. And in saying only the words that the Lord gave him, Jeremiah stood apart; his excellence before the Lord made him a pariah among the clergy.

It is of note, that early in Josiah’s reign, he began to seek after the God of David and purified the nation and the city of Jerusalem, a process that took 6 years. He then began the repairing of the temple (that had been neglected under the previous regimes) during which the copy of the Law was found at the side of the ark. After being smitten with the understanding of how far they had wandered from the Lord, Josiah celebrated a Passover like no king (including David) had before him.

In the 18^th year of Jeremiah’s ministry and the 31^st of Josiah’s reign (so when the king was only 39 years of age), he is killed in a battle in Egypt. And a mere three years later, the first exile to Babylon occurred.

Though this snippet of history is centered on Josiah, it is in this very environment that Jeremiah’s ministry takes place. And despite the revival, what we see in his prophecies is that the underlying corruption was never fixed – the hearts of the princes and priests. It was very telling that though Josiah was able to remove the outward signs of idolatry, he was not able to change the hearts of his people, as the remainder of Jeremiah’s ministry discloses.

Jeremiah’s Character

Through his book we see a creative expression of God’s fulfillment of Jeremiah’s calling over 130 times (a “hayah” declaration). This is noted primarily by the phrase “the word of the LORD came” which is found some 40 times, and where the word “came” is the Hebrew word “hayah” that means “to become, be, come to pass”. The impact of the idea and power behind this word may best be informed by how God Himself uses it in Exodus 3:14 when He tells Moses what name he should use if the people of Israel, in Egypt, ask him for it.

“I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.” This would transliterate as “HAYAH ASHER HAYAH”.

Here are just a few examples of the use of “hayah”:

Jeremiah 7:11 is the verse quoted by Jesus when cleansing the temple: “Has the house, which is called by name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold I, even I have seen,“declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name.”

In Jeremiah’s complaint to God in 20:7- 18 he uses “hayah” 4 times in describing the burden he bears as a prophet.

Through it all, Jeremiah remains faithful to his God and to His calling. God had told him to begin with: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.” Jeremiah’s excellence of character was tested over the years – but even when he was ready and willing to quit, it was the vision of the promises of God that kept him true to the excellence of his calling.

Daniel’s Circumstances

Where Jeremiah’s experience, with the collapse of Judah marked the forty years from Josiah’s cleansing to the final exile, Daniel’s began with the first exile, three years after Josiah’s death and sixteen years after Jeremiah’s inauguration as a prophet (it is even possible that Daniel’s birth was around the same time as Jeremiah’s calling). This happened because the Lord gave King Jehoiakim over to Nebuchadnezzar – even as Jeremiah had prophesied.

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king's court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. Dan.1:3-4

So among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. All from the courts of Jerusalem and all meeting the qualifications of the kingdom of Shinar – the capital city of Babylon. Their training was to last for three years and the intention was to convert them into Chaldeans. Included in their training was a particular diet – and since we are told that to partake of the king’s food would defile them, we can assume that there was included in it, foods that the Lord had forbade.

And we are told, “God granted favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials” which allowed Daniel to propose a dietary solution that would benefit both parties and included a degree of skill and wisdom that should be noted.

“Please test your servants for ten days and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be seen in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” Dan.1:12-13

Daniel’s Character

We are then told that God gave these four knowledge and intelligence in every writing and wisdom; Daniel even understood all visions and dreams.

The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah… As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the conjuring writers who were in all the realm.

When the king had a dream that he could not recall AND yet troubled him, none of his counselors or magicians could tell him his dream. As they tried to convince him that they could not be expected to know both his dream and its meaning but would be happy to interpret the dream once he told them, he became furious and threaten to have them all killed.

Daniel, who we know was a skilled negotiator asked for time, which the king granted and then Daniel did what is an important template for us even today: he went back to the house he shared with the others, and they gathered together to pray to God for compassion and to reveal the mystery and spare their lives. The Lord heard and the Lord answered!

In receiving the revelation, Daniel begins by setting the frame:

“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and stands up kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to knowers. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power; even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.” Dan.2:20-23

And to the king, Daniel says: even though no man could fulfill your request, “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the end of the days.”

Because Daniel trusted God, He gave to Daniel the mystery and its meaning. In response the King “did homage” to Daniel and, more importantly, was introduced to the “God who is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”

Worth an entire series on its own (as could easily be said of the other three examples of excellence) I will call out two more specific demonstrations of Daniel’s gifts, which were anchored in his dedication to the Lord, and how they reflected God’s greatness and Daniel’s excellence.

History tells us that Belshazzar was the co-regent or “second King” under his father Nabonidus (who was the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar), who was on a campaign of war when the Median-Persian alliance conquered the city. While his father was away, Belshazzar had decided to throw a huge party during which the vessels from the temple in Jerusalem were brought out of the treasury and used to drink wine.

While they are doing this and worshipping the “gods of gold and silver and of bronze, iron, wood and stone” a finger appeared and wrote a massage on the wall. Since no one could interpret the writing, and after the queen had caught wind of the furor, she recommended that Daniel be sent for, since he was renowned.

Keeping in mind that this is after Daniel had been captive for about 67 years – so he is in his 80’s – he shows up and the king offers him gifts, including that he be the “third king” (this would be akin to when Joseph was made second to Pharoah). Daniel, cantankerously, rejects the gifts and the position but interprets the writing. But before he does he takes the opportunity to teach the king a history lesson (I was tempted to reduce this to commentary but decided better of it):

“O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your forefather. Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. Yet you, his descendant, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified. Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

“Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ‘TEKEL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. ‘PERES’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” Dan.5:18-28

We are told that at that very moment Belshazzar fulfills his commitment and names Daniel the third king and that later that night, the king was slain and that Darius of the Medes received the kingdom.

The final demonstration follows shortly after. As Darius set up his reign over Babylon, he decided to choose three commissioners to be over the land, of whom Daniel was one. “Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself” because there was in him an extraordinary spirit. The king was in the process of setting him over the whole kingdom (in part because Darius was suffering ill health) because of Daniel’s excellence.

But the others knew Daniel’s weakness – his absolute faithfulness to the Lord Most High, and so they set a trap for him. Appealing to Darius’ pride, they have him sign a decree commanding that no one in the kingdom could seek advice for any matter from anyone other than the king on punishment of death. And then they wait for Daniel to do what he always did – pray to the Lord for wisdom and strength.

By law Darius was required to execute the judgment of the decree – Daniel most be put into a den of hungry lions at evening time (mealtime) and could not be rescued until morning. As Darius complies with this law he says to Daniel, “Your God Whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” So in that very short time (less than a year) Daniel had so impressed the conquering king that he not only was heart-torn for having to punish Daniel, BUT he was confident in Daniel’s God’s ability and willingness to save Daniel!

When morning came the king cried out as he ran to the opening of the den, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, Whom you constantly serve been able to deliver you from the lions?” And, as we all know, He was and He did. Then, Darius wrote a letter to all of his kingdom; a letter than clearly declares the excellence that Daniel had lived out and the witness that he made of the God Whom he served:

“In all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is a living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion to the end. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” Dan.6:26-27

And so, what we first saw as a process that was intended to help us avoid stumbling in our walk with the Lord, and that we see demonstrated in these four lives, culminates, as it should:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers (and sisters), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is of good report, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, ponder these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9