Oh, how good the Lord is to us. He meets us at every place in our need, and always gives us joy and satisfaction. We received the final settlement on Judy's car yesterday, and the check was way big. Although we miss that beautiful car, we are pleased with our Lord and his treatment of us.

Paul says that in whatever state he finds himself, he is content (Philippians). That Greek word for content is "independent of the circumstances." So whether Paul was well off or under testing and trial, he found that his inner well-being was never determined by the circumstances around him. Instead, he was able to stay above his good or bad situation, due to the work of Christ in his life. He said that he had been "made to sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus." That's our victory ground, given to us not by any merit of our own. We have to step off of victory ground to be "in a mess." But if we stay where he has "made us" to be, then we can always have victory - no matter what! "Thanks be unto God who ALWAYS (and in all ways) causes us to triumph in Christ."