Then the Spirit of the LORD

      came upon Jephthah...

                     Judges 11. 29

(Inviting God's Presence

      into this situation

is the prelude to the extraordinary,

preparation for the supernatural

       even on the most ordinary days,

awareness of new strength,

   and a deeper vision that is not my own.

"I never thought of it that way,

      I never saw that before.")

While they were talking

       and discussing together,

Jesus Himself drew near

             and went with them.

                        Luke 24. 15

(Jesus draws near

        and walks with us

in our comings and goings.

           Even in this.

Am I aware of His Presence?

Do I invite Jesus

    into my conversations?

God works through relationships,

       even the most unlikely.

God weaves His extraordinary

     into the most ordinary moments).

The LORD said to Gideon,

"The people with you are too many

for Me to give

the Midianites into their hand,

lest Israel vaunt themselves 

                  against Me,

saying, "My own hand

               has delivered me."

                 Judges 7. 2

(This situation is 

    impossible for a reason

and for His glory.

Watch what

     only God can do.

Fear is only a reminder

          to trust Him more).

And he said to Him,

"Pray, Lord, how can I deliver Israel?

Behold my clan 

     is the weakest in Manasseh,

and I am least in my family."

And the LORD said to him,

    "But I will be with you..."

                  Judges 6. 15-16

(God always chooses the unlikely 

     that His strength is manifested.

"But I will be with you..."

         Even here.

         Even in this impossible situation.

For His glory

      in unexpected ways).

Does not the LORD 

     go out before you?

                 Judges 4. 14

(You are not alone in this.

Not a time to fear,

      but a time to trust Him more.

What if

    there was nothing 

              to be afraid of?)

Do this

  in remembrance of Me.

                   Luke 22. 19

(Whatever 

    He places before me today,

wherever I am,

even in this.

Bring the love of Jesus there.

Would you do this for Me?)

...inquired of the LORD,

   "Who shall go up first...?"

                     Judges 1. 1

(Did it even occur to me

     to ask God about this?

First response,

           not last resort).

This will be a time for you
     to bear testimony.

                      Luke 21. 13

(An opportunity to
             practice grace in this)

...given a possession...

                 Joshua 22.7

(Where has God placed me today

       to be faithful--

to love Him and love people,

to walk in His ways of grace,

to occupy fully,

to sow His Word,

to bear fruit,

and to allow God

    to transform the landscape?)

If anyone asks you,

  "Why are you untying it?"

you shall say this,

"The Lord has need of it."

                  Luke 19. 31

(Live in such a way

that others are compelled to ask

                    why.

"There is something different 

                     about you."

And that would be

     the love of Jesus,

His grace in impossible situations).

...into the wilderness...

                   Joshua 16. 1

(Just unexplored territory,

not a place to fear,

      but of deeper trust,

that which is incredible

    God waits to unfold).

In the day of my trouble

           I call on You,

for You answer me.

                   Psalm 86. 7

(God always answers,

   mostly in unexpected ways

and in more dimensions

          I even know about.

God never works

     in singular outcomes).

And He told them a parable,

to the effect that they

ought always to pray

     and not lose heart.

                   Luke 18. 1

(How do I approach this 

         impossible situation,

       this desperation,

       this difficult relationship 

                            differently 

because I come before Him

      and marinate it in prayer?

His fresh vision and a new heart.

God does not just answer.

He gives an outpouring 

    of His goodness not even on my radar

and profound purposes 

               I am too short to see).

And as they went

        they were cleansed.

                     Luke 17. 14

(In the act of responding to God,

in the comings and goings of following Him,

God heals,

God redeems,

God restores,

God completely transforms you).

      

      

...and did not ask direction

         from the LORD.

                  Joshua 9. 14

(Seek the LORD in this.

How should I navigate 

    this differently?

Did I even ask?)

...but hold yourselves

            all in readiness.

                Joshua 8. 4

(Waiting on the LORD 

          is never passive,

but a time of preparation.

Not getting ahead of God,

      but getting ready,

learning everything I can,

fulfilling this assignment,

tying on my shoes.

"I can't do everything,

    but I can do something."

What is the one step

   God has given me today?

God's appointments

             are seamlessly woven).

And the commander of the LORD's army

said to Joshua,

"Put off your shoes from your feet,

for the place where you stand

                 is holy."

And Joshua did so.

  

                         Joshua 5. 15

(Wherever God appoints you today,

where He strategically places you,

even today,

even in the most unlikely places,

even in what appears most ordinary,

            sacred before Him).

For the LORD your God

dried up the waters of the Jordan

for you until you passed over,

as the LORD your God did

                 to the Red Sea,

which He dried up for us

       until we passed over,

so that

all the peoples of the earth 

                            may know

that the hand of the LORD 

             is mighty;

that you may fear

        the LORD your God for ever.

                           Joshua 4. 23-24

(God has given you a story

           of His faithfulness 

for purposes that extend

        far beyond you.

A single act of trusting Him

always impacts others

more than you can know,

and those you may not even know

                                 yet).

...as I was with Moses,

        so I will be with you;

I will not fail you

           or forsake you.

...Be strong and of good courage,

be not frightened,

neither be dismayed;

for the LORD your God

                  is with you,

wherever you go.

                      Joshua 1. 5, 9

(His promise still prevails.

No exclusions.

Even today.

Even in this).

...so they followed in Your steps,

       receiving direction from You.

    

                       Deuteronomy 33. 3

(One step at a time).

Lay to heart

all the words which

      I enjoin upon you this day,

that you may command them

to your children,

that they may be careful 

    to do all the words of this law.

For it is not a trifle for you,

         but it is your life,

and thereby you shall live long

in the land which you are

           going over to possess.

                    Deuteronomy 32. 46-47

(God's Word changes the trajectory of my life

            ....and theirs.

Responding to God impacts me

                  and every one around me.

When I do not obey God,

       we all miss out).

Be strong and of good courage,

do not fear

        or be in dread of them:

for it is the LORD your God

     Who goes with you;

He will not fail you

               or forsake you.

  

                  Deuteronomy 31. 6

(Live in that reality.

      You are not on your own.

"Trust Me in this."

  Anxiety just blocks the panoramic view.

There is nothing 

      that He does not redeem).

I have led you forty years 

         in the wilderness;

your clothes have not worn out upon you,

  and your sandals 

  have not worn off your feet;

you have not eaten bread,

and you have not drunk wine

                    or strong drink;

that you may know

    that I am the LORD your God.

                       Deuteronomy 29. 5-6

(Things do not randomly "happen,"

but are seamlessly and intricately designed

       for the deepening of His life in you,

that we may not just believe

              but know.

He is not about to abandon you now.

Even in this).

...you have become the people 

of the LORD your God...

                  Deuteronomy 27. 9

(How does that look differently 

     in how I live?

In how I navigate through 

      this situation before me?

In how I respond even in this?)

...the work of a man's hand
comes back to him.

            Proverbs 12. 14

(Layer upon layer,
faithfulness upon faithfulness,
nothing but nothing
   is insignificant
in God's eyes and hands.
God redeems all
            that you do).

...into every town and place

where He himself

     was about to come.

                Luke 10. 1

(In every situation,

among the difficult people,

even in the unexpected,

bring the love of Jesus there.

Prepare the way of the Lord

      by sowing grace.

Even here.

Even in this).

He is not here;

for He is risen,

     as He said.

           Matthew 28. 6

(The tomb is empty,

the huge rock of our despair 

       is rolled away.

               Jesus is alive.

Practice resurrection).

He is risen.

He is risen indeed.

Life can never remain the same.

      Because He lives.