PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER III

FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. 
To write the same things to you, to me indeed
is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil-workers, beware 
of the concision. 
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship 
God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and 
have no confidence in the flesh. 
4 Though I might also have confidence in the 
flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath 
whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of 
Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of 
the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching 
the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 
7 But what things were gain to me, those I 
counted loss for Christ. 
8 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;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the 
resurrection of the dead. 
12 Not as though I had already attained, either 
were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I 
may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended 
of Christ Jesus.
13 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. 
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be 
thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise 
minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,
 let us walk by the same rule, let us mind 
the same thing. 
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and 
mark them which walk so as ye have us for an 
ensample. 
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you 
often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are 
the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is  destruction, whose God is 
their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who 
mind earthly things.)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from 
whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord 
Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may 
be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue 
all things unto himself. 

PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER II

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if 
any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the 
Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having 
the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better 
than themselves. 
4 Look not every man on his own things, but 
every man also on the things of others. 
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in 
Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not 
robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took 
upon him the form of a servant, and was made in 
the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled 
himself, and became obedient unto death, even 
the death of the cross. 
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, 
and given him a name which is above every name: 
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should 
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and 
things under earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always 
obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much
more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. 
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to 
will and to do of his good pleasure. 
14 Do all tings without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the 
sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a 
crooked and perverse nation among whom ye 
shine as lights in the world; 
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may 
rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in 
vain, neither laboured in vain. 
17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice 
and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with 
you all. 
18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice 
with me. 
19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus 
shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, 
when I know your state. 
21 For all seek their own, not the things which 
are Jesus Christ's. 
22 But ye know the proof of him, that as a son 
with the father, he hath served with me in the 
gospel. 
23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so 
soon as I shall see how it will go with me. 
24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself
shall come shortly.
25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you 
Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour,
and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that 
ministered to my wants. 
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of 
heaviness, because ye had heard that he had 
been sick. 
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but 
God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but 
on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, 
when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I 
may be the less sorrowful. 
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all 
gladness; and hold such in reputation. 
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh 
unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your 
lack of service toward me. 

There I Stood -Wise Owl Lady 10/12/2014

'I stood there alone in the darkness, 
Watched the bats fly around me in my darkest hour,
No soul, no being from this world could tame 
this broken heart;
She had become as cold as death, 
All emotions and tears no longer could she shed,
The blood from her aching heart no longer bled... 

There I stood as bitter as a could be, 
No remorse, no pity, no sympathy could I give;
Oh how the wrath consumed me, 
A past that I never could fully understand, 
Yet somehow I had to live...

Dreams and visions seemed so far away, 
Running in the fields of my childhood 
seemed to bring me somehow back...
The Lord knew how lost I was, 
but what I had to suffer, 
The consequences for every action, 
The loss of everything I could have ever loved, 
The battles of a troubled, ignorant heart, 
All to find myself in Him.

There I stood with the rain pouring down upon my face,
And did I fall to my knees ashamed with disgrace, 
But what was that? A tear did I feel? 
Did something rip me open and show me what was real?
How did I receive His Mercy?
And was his Law revealed unto to me...
Did I even deserve such a thing? 

There I stood, and suddenly I felt...
Never knowing that I could know true warmth, 
As the Sun shown through my clouds, 
And how He allowed me to see,
He brought me up to stand strong on both feet;
Never in my life had I ever felt so free, 
And there before Him I saw eternity, 
Despite my self humility,
My soul could believe that He foreknew my destiny,
And I knew that I was safe,
All my fears seemed to evaporate... 

There I stood, my fortress strong, 
Who knew His love was the strongest weapon of all?
A mission took the reigns of my life, 
Steered me towards a righteous plight, 
My wings have taken flight, 
How glorious is it to finally have put on 
the armor of Christ!
And with the time of his return nigh, 
Have I marked myself as His daughter,
With his guidance, shall I through all my strife, 
Forever walk in the light. 
-Wise Owl Lady 

The Epistle of Paul, the Apostle, to the PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER ONE

PAUL and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus 
Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which 
are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ:
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance
of you. 
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all 
making request with joy. 
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the 
first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he 
which hath begun a good work in you, will perform 
it until the day of Jesus Christ: 
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you 
all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as 
both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation 
of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my 
grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long 
after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.  
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound 
yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; 
that ye may be sincere and without offence 
till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,
which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and 
praise of God. 
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, 
that the things which happened unto me have fallen 
out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in 
all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing 
confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak 
the word without fear. 
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and 
strife; and some also of good will. 
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set 
for the defence of the gospel. 
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, 
whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; 
and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. 
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation 
through your prayer, and the supply of the 
Spirit of Jesus Christ. 
20 According to my earnest expectation, and my
hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that
with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ 
shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, 
or by death. 
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of 
my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a 
desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24 Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is  more 
needful for you. 
25 And having this confidence, I know that I 
shall abide and continue with you all for your 
furtherance and joy of faith;
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant
in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. 
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh 
the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see 
you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs,
that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind 
striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: 
which is to them an evident token of perdition,
but to you of salvation, and that of God. 
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of 
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer 
for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in 
me, and now hear to be in me.