...for this thing
           is from Me.

              1 Kings 12. 24

(God is deeply  
               entrenched,
His purposes
     seamlessly woven,
even in what we see as annoying          
           situations
or impossible people,
      an interruption,
          a disruption
      a dead end,
     or overwhelming.
God does not expect me
               to understand,
but to be
 faithful to Him
        knee deep in it).

...by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

                          Acts 9. 22

(Not by argument

or a carefully crafted speech,

not by perfection

    but by faithfulness to God

         and deep grace to all.

There is nothing more powerful

    than a transformed life.

Others are always watching you

not to see if you are perfect,

but to see if this God of yours

                       is real.

Even in this.)

But an angel of the Lord said to Philip,

"Rise and go toward the south to the road

that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."

This is a desert road. 

And he rose and went.

And behold...

                           Acts 8. 26-27

(Obedience and faithfulness

     do not hinge on

knowing the reason why,

just knowing God has

            incredible purpose in it.

Even on a desert road.

Divine appointments

     always arrive unexpected

   and are rooted in the eternal.

And we are surrounded by them.

"And behold...").

Now those who were scattered

went about preaching the Word.

                  Acts 8. 4

(There is deep purpose

           and divine design

where you are right now

   "that My name might be there."

Even in what I cannot understand

   even in what appears as chaos,

        God does not just bring order to it

   but uses you for His glory.

Don't be distracted

           from His divine appointments.

   You are surrounded by them.

Bring the name of Jesus there.

                  In word and deed).

And on the tops of the pillars

          was lily-work.

                  1 Kings 7. 22

(That's what kindness and gentleness

          look like.

Bring beauty to the ordinary,

    grace as a token of our King.

In what our world would deem

       unnecessary and insignificant,

that which is profound 

                           and unexpected).

Unless the LORD

          builds the house,

those who build it

                labor in vain.

Unless the LORD

     watches over the city,

the watchman

          stays awake in vain.

             Psalm 127. 1

(Unless the LORD.....

Do not live as if

            God does not.

Accomplishment is not the point,

  but faithfulness to Him in it.

Even in what appears

   to make no sense at all,

        God's purposes run deep).

And God said to him,

"Because you have asked this,

and have not asked for yourself

long life or riches

   or the life of your enemies,

but have asked for yourself

understanding to discern

              what is right,

behold, I now do

            according to your word.

Behold, I give you

    a wise and discerning mind...

I give you also

         what you have not asked....

                           1 Kings 3. 11-13

(And God says to each one of us today

        "Ask what I shall give you."

Live for His glory).