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P's That Prevail


“Lift up a signal against the walls of Babylon; post a strong guard, station sentries,
place men in ambush!  For the Lord has both purposed and performed what He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.”  (Jer 51:12).

Purpose - something set up as an end to be attained

Perform - to carry out an action

God both purposes and performs and they always come to pass and they always prevail.  Butt not so with us!

We can come up with things we want to attain or accomplish and some might be realistic and some might not be.  But even with the realistic, where we often don’t succeed is in the area of performance.  Sometimes we don’t even get started or, we start but don’t finish.   

I’m intrigued by Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” 

Is it a type of reality check?  That is, we have lots of plans but don’t always get them done or see them through.

Is it a type of fall back?  That is, we can plan and perform and the Lord will get things done even if we don’t?

I’m wondering if it is actually far beyond either.

The Psalmist wrote:  “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Ps 33:11). 

In Ephesians, we find:  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”.  (Eph 2:10). 

God has plans and purposes that stand through all time and He always performs them and they always prevail.  And for reasons I can’t entirely grasp, He actually has us join with Him in attaining them!


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