Poisonous Root

"Make sure there is no man or woman,

clan or tribe among you today

whose heart turns away from the LORD our God

to go and worship the gods of those nations;

make sure there is no root among you that produces

such bitter poison.

When such a person hears the words of this oath

and they invoke a blessing on themselves,

thinking, 'I will be safe,

even though I persist in going my own way,'

they will bring disaster on the watered land

as well as the dry."

It seems harsh.  The heart of God is relationship, so when sin damages a bond between members of the body of Christ, I am to lovingly pursue reconciliation.  The process laid out in Matthew 18:15-20 requires community involvement.  There is always the risk that my thinking is selfish so if I seek the godly counsel of others and they agree, I avoid the risk of pursuing my own agenda.  There is also the risk that I form a mob to come against my brother or sister so my heart must be bent on reconciliation, not retribution or revenge. 

If all the required steps have been taken and still there is no agreement, then the offending child of God must be treated as an outsider, removed from the fellowship of His people.  Why would God require such action when He is a God who goes after the lost sheep?

The answer is found in today's passage.  While God is merciful and gracious, He is also holy.  His concern is for the sanctity of His people and He knows how easy it is for us to go astray.  We, like sheep, tend to wander, especially if those around us are compromising  (Isaiah 53:6).  Consequently, God warned His people in today's passage of the prideful heart that thinks he's safe even in his disobedience and defiance.  This line of thinking pollutes the holiness of God's people and puts the whole Body at risk of turning away from the Lord and His ways.

What poisonous root do I tolerate in my life?

Sin

A mistake.

A misstep.

A blunder.

An error.

It's easy to minimize sin, labeling it as something other than what it is: defiance toward holy God and His holy ways.  I often do this when I don't want to face the facts.  Sin is destructive and dangerous.  When I allow an area of sin to remain in my life, I am putting my own desires above God's.  I am placing my own pleasure higher than God's plan for my life.  I am making a mockery of the sacrifice Jesus became on the cross.

When I downplay the sin of which God has convicted my heart, it is as if I am spitting in the face of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He bore the wrath of His Father, an unimaginable nightmare of the worst kind, to conquer sin for His people.  Why should I then invite it in, growing comfortable with the very thing that requires death as a punishment?

If I am to remove such a poisonous root in my own life, I must be careful to not tolerate sin.  When God opens my eyes to my tendency to gossip, for example, and I sense His gentle nudge as I begin to share with a friend a tasty morsel disguised as a prayer update, I would be wise to stop the flow of words immediately.  

Or if God reveals my issue with fudging the truth to avoid conflict and I'm on the verge of using the destructive tactic once again, I would be wise to instead speak the truth in love, pointing all involved in the disagreement to the common ground of the Gospel (Ephesians 4:15).

Or for the time when God makes clear my inclination to indulge in worldly entertainment that dishonors His holy name and desensitizes my heart, I would be wise to take every step necessary to avoid such temptations.

I am at risk of cultivating a poisonous root that could infect the Body of Christ when I become comfortable with sin in my life.

Self-Sufficiency

When my daughters were young, my goal for them was that they would become self-sufficient and independent.  I envisioned them going out into the world and earning success in whatever field they pursued.  As they grew, however, my relationship with God matured and I learned more about Him and His ways.  

Soon I discovered that He doesn't want me to rely on my own strength at all, nor does He care for me to go after selfish pursuits.  Instead, His desire is for me to be dependent upon Him for all my needs and to pursue righteousness and His kingdom. Boy, did I have it backwards (Matthew 6:33, 2 Timothy 2:22, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)!

I live in a world that preaches self-sufficiency.  I am bombarded with messages that tell me to overcome, that I can do whatever I put my mind to, and that I can pull myself up by my own bootstraps.  Basically, I'm told that I have what it takes inside of me to reach the stars.

In reality, there is nothing good within me and relying on myself is kind of like the blind leading the blind.  If I really want to succeed in life, then, I will need to seek God with all of my heart, waiting on Him and His provision (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Isaiah 40:31). He holds the key to unlock the blueprint for my life, so I will never find a sense of purpose until I come into a relationship with Him, letting Him take the lead.

That means I will need to diligently turn away from my own desire to be the master of my own destiny and turn toward my true Master. I will need to fight the urge to make things happen and instead wait on His perfect timing. I will need to stop looking for escape routes and solutions and start fixing my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).

I am at risk of cultivating a poisonous root that could infect the Body of Christ when I rely on my own strength and understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Sense

I ignored the advice offered by several godly people because it didn't make sense to me.  After a couple of years, a friend spoke the same wisdom but this time I paid attention because she also provided additional enlightenment.  I never recognized the value of the advice until it made sense to me.

I struggle with obeying without understanding.  If something doesn't make sense to me, I tend to balk.  This is a problem when it comes to my relationship with God.  I'm kind of like the African impala who has an innate ability to jump great heights, but only if it can see where his feet will land.  If I only do what makes sense to me, I miss out on many of the blessings that come with obeying a God whose ways are unfathomable (Isaiah 55:8-9).

It takes faith to blindly go where God is leading.  In fact, I would even say this is the definition of faith; stepping forward without knowing where the path will lead me. Hebrews 11:1 gives a great description of faith.  "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (NLT).

To boldly follow God's lead when He calls me to take a risk means I must believe He knows what He's doing even when I can't see a foot in front of me.  Other times He may inspire me to go beyond my own natural abilities, volunteering for a job that is outside my normal parameters. Then there are the times when He sends a hailstorm of trials and tribulations, challenging me to trust Him to guide me through the onslaught.

I am at risk of cultivating a poisonous root that could infect the Body of Christ when I limit my faith to only what I understand.

Poison is deadly and ruthless, infecting all who come in contact.  When I become comfortable with sin, take on an attitude of self-sufficiency and rely on my own common sense, I am allowing a poisonous root to take hold in my heart.  When I do so, I am placing the Body of Christ at risk.  Therefore, it is in my own best interest as well as that of my brothers and sisters that I guard against such corruption.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my heart open to God, allowing Him to examine every nook and cranny.

When do I stubbornly refuse to turn away from sin?

How am I relying on my own common sense instead of trusting in God's higher ways?



Originally published on February 12, 2014

God. . .or not?

"There the Danites set up for themselves the idol,

and Jonathan son of Gershom,

the son of Moses,

and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan

until the time of the captivity of the land.

They continued to use the idol Micah had made,

all the time the house of God was in Shiloh."

Judges 18:30-31

It seemed like a good idea at the time.  After all, I didn't know any better.  My husband and I put together the pieces in the way we thought the bookshelf should go.  Without the instructions, we relied on our own experience of assembling kits, our background in using bookshelves and our opinion of how the finished product should look.  After we completed the product we discovered several "extra" pieces.  Obviously, our idea of how the shelves should be put together was different than what the creator of the furniture had intended.

This is similar to what happened to the tribe of Dan.  Without a godly leader to teach them the ways of God, they relied on what seemed right to them.  They ended up, then, with something that was different from what God intended.  They had a form of godliness but it wasn't of God (2 Timothy 3:5). It looked like a legitimate religion and made them feel good, but they failed to seek God Himself, nor did they desire to know Him personally.

Not surprisingly, I often make this same mistake.

My Wisdom

I used my own rationale, reasoning to myself that if I followed the game trail I would be able to more easily negotiate the wooded terrain.  What I didn't take into account, however, was the direction of travel.  Deer don't mind if they wander through a neighbor's pasture or trespass onto land that belongs to someone else.  Their only focus is to get from point A to point B.  I, however, had a different goal; to explore the 10 acres of wooded land my family was considering purchasing.  As a result, I got lost.

While it made sense to my way of thinking to follow this meandering path as a way to find my way through the dense forest, it didn't turn out very well in the end.  I suddenly found myself in a cow pasture I didn't even know existed and I had to trek through a herd of cattle before making my way to the road and circle back around to where I started.  Doing things my way was unsuccessful.

This is similar to what happens when I rely on my own insight, using my past experiences, background and reasoning to determine what I should do.  The path I choose takes me far away from God.  Consequently, if I want to do things God's way, I had better let Him lead.  

This means placing my confidence in the Lord's wisdom, believing that He has a way through my present circumstances that I know nothing about.  When I turn to Him, placing all my trust in His way, He will show me what I need to know when I need to know it (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It reminds me of the markers that indicate the borders of our property.  In order to find the boundaries, I would only need to locate those markers buried a few inches under the ground.  Without them, I don't know where my yard stops and my neighbor's begins.  All that it takes for me to discover the property line is to locate those markers that have already been positioned.

Similarly, God has laid out a race for me to run, a way for me to go, a path for me to take (Hebrews 12:1).  There is no need for me to figure out by myself what I should do with my life.  Instead, I need only seek out the Lord and, according to His timetable, He will unveil the markers that make His way clear (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

I follow my own form of religion when I rely on my own understanding instead of seeking God's plan.

My Power

In my own strength I could only get the seat out to the van from where it was temporarily stored in our garage.  Without my husband's help, though, I couldn't lift it into the vehicle and maneuver it back into place.  I possessed the will to do so and I could see how the latches on the bottom of the seat were designed to clamp into the anchors mounted on the floor of the van.  Without an outside source of power, however, I didn't have the strength to accomplish the task.

This is similar to my walk with the Lord.  I may think I know what needs to be done, or I have an idea of how things should go according to what I can handle, but I limit myself to what I can naturally do.  For instance, I may reject the idea that I could speak to a group of people because I get too nervous.  Instead of relying on the God who made my mouth and can enable me to deliver His message, I only go by what I think I am capable of doing.  In this way I limit God by my own weaknesses (Exodus 4:10-11).

Other times, I think that this is not the time to start the ministry God has placed on my heart.  After all, I reason, my life is too busy right now; I don't want to spread myself too thin.  Unfortunately, what I am failing to realize is that if God gave me a job to do, it is His strength that will accomplish the work, not my own.  Therefore, it doesn't matter if I'm poured out until I'm empty because God's power never runs out (Isaiah 40:28-29).

Then there are the times when I limit God to what I think I'm able to do.  Instead, God has amazing things to show me where He will prove that His arm is not too short (Numbers 11:23).

I follow my own form of religion when I limit God to what I can do instead of remembering that His power within me is able to accomplish far more (Ephesians 3:20).

My Love

Despite my efforts, the duck pond I excavated as a child drained quickly.  No matter how much water I added to the hole, it promptly drained out, leaving my ducks nowhere to swim.  This reminds me of my own ability to love; it is shallow and easily exhausted.  God's love, on the other hand, never runs out (1 Corinthians 13:7, 13, Psalm 136).

If I attempt only the acts of kindness that are within my own shallow ability to love, then, I am refusing to give God free reign to love.  Instead of letting His perfect love flow through me uninhibited, I kink the hose, cutting off the stream.  I manufacture a counterfeit religion based on my own ideas of love.

This happens when I put pressure on myself to respond to the cranky clerk with a soft answer, knowing it will turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). If she keeps pushing my buttons, however, my own well of love will soon grow dry and I'll snap, giving her a piece of my mind.  Instead, a genuine ability to love will only come forth when I surrender my desire to be treated with respect and let God show me the hurt that lies beneath her harsh words.  Then, as I take on the Lord Jesus Christ, He will respond through me with a level of compassion and understanding she has never before experienced (Romans 13:14).

Sometimes I attempt to love those who have been forgotten.  As I distribute the meals to the homeless, I smile warmly, attempting to show them how much I care.  Soon, however, I tire of the exercise and want to get back to my side of town. Instead, if I were to let God have His way, letting go of my own agenda, I'd soon find a genuine desire to personally get to know each person passing through the line, discovering a new-found acceptance of them as His image bearers.

I also make up my own form of religion when I try to reach out to my neighbors by a sense of obligation, knowing I am to be salt and light in a dark world.  Every time I hear the foul language spring forth from their mouths, however, and see the way they neglect their children, my efforts to show kindness draws to a close.  If I were to give up my tendency to point out their flaws, however, and simply let God remind me how much they need Jesus just like I do, I would not be able to fathom the compassion that flows out to them.  

I follow my own form of religion when I attempt to love others in the way I think I should instead of letting God perfectly love them through me (1 John 4:7-8).

While I may think it ridiculous that the tribe of Dan worshiped an image and thought they were doing right, I often set up my own form of religion and think it honors God.  Unfortunately, when I rely on my own wisdom, power and love, my attempts are proved a fraud.  If I want to follow God, I must do it His way.  Otherwise, I will find myself following a god that is not at all the One I seek.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay true to what God teaches in His Word.

When do I rely on my own understanding to try to negotiate the potholes of life instead of depending on God?

How am I making up things as I go instead of following the path God has marked out for me?


Originally published on April 2, 2014

God is God. . . and I am not

Originally published on February 28, 2012

"Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon;

serve him and his people,

and you will live."

Jeremiah 27:12

Common sense is defined as, "normal, native intelligence," or "sound practical judgement that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like."  I make decisions everyday based upon my common sense.  I think, If it doesn't sound logical and make sense, it must not be the right choice. 

Even Guatama Siddharta, founder of Buddhism agrees with me. He said to, "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

The problem is, God calls me to, "Trust in the Lord with all (my) heart and lean not on (my) own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)  Following God sometimes means I will do things out of obedience to God that do not make sense to me, that goes against every piece of sound logic and which looks downright irresponsible.  But God is God and I am not.  

Trusting God many times means I will go against my common sense.

Zedekiah, King of Judah

God sent a message to the King of Judah that went against Zedekiah's good judgement.  The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah that when the Babylonian army came in to conquer and destroy his land, he was to roll over and surrender willingly.  If he did so, he would be allowed to live.  In fact, all the nations in the region were sent a similar message, saying that if they did not resist, they would be able to stay in their own land.  

What king worth his salt is going to passively stand by while a foreign army invades his land?  Even a puppet king placed in power by a foreign ruler cannot easily surrender to an invading army.  King Zedekiah did what came naturally instead of obeying God and he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar.   Consequently, he was forced to watch his sons' violent deaths before suffering the gouging of his eyes and exile to Babylon.

Trusting God many times means I will be asked to go against my common sense.

Jim Elliot

God used the life and death of missionaries Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, Roger Youderin and Peter Fleming to open up a door for the Gospel to enter the lives of the mysterious Auca tribe in Ecuador, as well as to other people groups in the region.  

These men acted recklessly, going against all standards of good judgement in making contact with such a violent and primitive tribe who regularly killed six out of every ten of their fellow tribesmen.  Not surprisingly, the five men were brutally killed upon making their first contact with the people with whom they had come to share the gospel.   But, as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the video he shot in the same Amazon Basin jungle with descendants of Nate Saint and his killer along with other tribe members who are now followers of Jesus Christ, God is God and I am not. 

Please take a moment to watch this powerful video.

Trusting God many times means I will do things that go against my common sense.

Youcef Nadarkhani

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been held under charges of apostasy in Iran since 2009 when he spoke out against Islamic indoctrination in his childrens' school. (He was released in January 2013 but since has been arrested and persecuted numerous times.) His actions go against every bit of common sense in my being.  When living in an Islamic state who is violently opposed to the message of the gospel, it is a matter of self-preservation to keep quiet about one's beliefs.  

But God inspired this young man to speak up and take a stand for Christ at risk of his life and the lives of his young family.  God is God and I am not.  Who knows what fruit will come from this act of obedience?

Trusting God many times means I will take a stand that goes against my common sense.

What is God calling me to do this very day that goes against all sound judgement?  Give away my savings?  Show love to someone who hurt me deeply?  Sell everything and go to a hostile land?  Quit my job?  Take a pay cut and a demotion?  

Whatever it is that God is calling me to do, I can rest in the knowledge that God is God and I am not.  He has a plan. . . and that plan is far in scope beyond all I can ever imagine!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will be challenged by these stories to obey God at all costs.

When do I rely on my common sense instead of listening to and obeying God?

How does knowing that God's ways are higher than my ways inspire me to obey even when it doesn't make sense for me to do so?

Worldly Wisdom

"He immediately consulted with his wise advisers,

who knew all the Persian laws and customs,

for he always asked their advice.

The names of these men were

Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,

Marsena, and Memucan--seven nobels of Persia and Media.

They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire."

Esther 1:13-14 NLT

Who is my go-to person?  From where do I gain wisdom for living?  How do I acquire understanding in tricky situations?  King Xerxes had a whole group of men who were well-versed in the laws of the land but also the ways of their culture.  They knew how certain actions might affect the people and thus the king's ability to reign, but they also possessed good insight into the mindset of the average person.  It's no wonder that the king met with them often.

The problem with such advice, however, is that it is based on faulty human reasoning.  When I follow suit and make man my source of wisdom, I will soon discover the difference between insight from God and that of man.

Reputation-focused.  How will this make me look?  People will talk.  They'll think I'm weak. . .or foolish. . .or just plain dumb.  Wisdom from the world is based on the influence my actions may have on others and their perception of me.  Since no one can predict perfectly how people will respond to certain news, this kind of advice is based on conjecture and assumption.  I'm guessing how my decisions will influence others and responding in a way that is most favorable to my reputation.

Politicians do this all the time.  Many base their professional decisions on the latest opinion poll instead of acting on convictions and beliefs.  When I live my life in such a way, I'll find myself like a wave, tossed around this way and that, pushed wherever the judgments of others dictate. 

Instead, I can ask God for wisdom, believing He is the true Source of good advice (James 1:5-8).  When I do so, I will find an Adviser who guides me in the way that is most excellent for me.  He has my best interests at heart so I can trust Him to lead me right.

God's wisdom is concerned with what is best for me while man's considers only how it looks to others.

Fear-based.  King Xerxes knew he had to do something in response to his wife's public display of disrespect.  If he let it go, he believed every wife would follow suit and they would have a revolt on their hands!  Therefore, he decided to send a strong message to the women of the land.  Your husband is king of your home and you should respect him always, or else!

Wisdom based on man's way of thinking often uses such tactics to obtain the desired results.  It's manipulative, influencing the behavior of others by holding something over their head.  If I don't do "this", then I will receive "that."  And the "that" is always something I want to avoid.  In this kind of advice, I don't willingly comply out of respect for the law or law-giver, but out of fear of the consequences for disobedience.  This kind of tactic is often found in countries ruled by dictators, or organizations led by the power-hungry, or families headed by the insecure.  

In contrast, God gives me free will to decide which path to take.  I will experience the natural consequences for my actions, but He does not strong-arm me into doing things His way.  He desires for me to obey Him because He knows it is what is best for me, but the choice is always mine to make.

God's wisdom is freely given while man's depends on coercion and intimidation.

Comfort-aimed.  The solution was simple:  Get rid of the problem.  Since Queen Vashti was rocking the boat, the king's advisers recommended that he dispose of the queen and find a new one.  Problem solved.

This is often the case with worldly advice.  It follows the path of least-resistance, that which causes the smallest fallout, or whatever gives a minimal amount of trouble.  In short, it's all about what is the easiest and least troublesome.

God does not avoid pain, and neither does He expect me to take such an easy way out. He does what is right, looking for the outcome that will bring about permanent healing, beauty out of ashes, and joy from the darkest night (Isaiah 61:1-3).  While man's brand of wisdom doesn't usually solve anything, God's brings about surprising goodness from the rubble.

It reminds me of an injury our cat Blacky sustained one day as he roamed the woods behind our house.  He sustained a puncture wound that required lancing for proper healing.  Any kind of similar injury must be healed from the inside out.  This meant that all the pus and putrid fluid had to be drained from the wound, a painful process.  In order for our cat to experience complete recovery, however, he had to go through this treatment.  Similarly, my healing may require that I face painful realities as I purge the ugly hurts from my heart.  

God's wisdom brings about health and wellness while man's is most focused on comfort and avoiding pain.

Advice is everywhere, free for the taking.  Trouble is, the kind of counsel I receive from the world is focused on preserving my reputation, manipulation using fear, and aims for my comfort as it's highest goal.  If I want true wisdom, I'll need to ask God who will give me His best, let me choose to follow or not, and results in wholeness.  When it comes to advice, I'll take God's over worldly wisdom any time!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can make God my go-to source for wisdom and advice.

When do I rely on what makes sense to me instead of following God's advice?

How do I prefer comfort over true wisdom?    

Expect the Unexpected

"When (Jesus) had finished speaking, 

he said to Simon,

'Put out into deep water, 

and let down the nets for a catch.'  

Simon answered, 'Master, we've worked hard all night 

and haven't caught anything.  

But because you say so, 

I will let down the nets.'  

When they had done so, 

they caught such a large number of fish 

that their nets began to break."

Expect the unexpected when following Jesus.  He doesn't work in ways I anticipate.  He doesn't do things the way they've always been done.  Jesus is unpredictable.

I live in a physical world created to behave in a predictable way.  Every morning the sun rises and every evening it sets.  The cycle of the moon phases can be used to tell time and fishermen know the tide schedule like they know the back of their hand.  

Knowing what to expect makes me feel like I'm in control, and I like to be in control.  The problem is. . . I'm not in control.  God is.

Trusting Jesus means letting Him work in supernatural ways that push the limits of my common sense.

Implausible Position

Joseph, favored son of Jacob, found himself in an Egyptian prison after a series of unfortunate events.  But God had a plan for good, and after spending several years in prison and some thirteen years after he was first sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph found himself to be placed in a position of second-in-command in all of Egypt. 

How does a foreign slave end up being put in charge of the whole land of Egypt unless it is by the supernatural work of God?  Joseph found himself in this position not for his own glory or comfort, but in order that God could use him to draw His people to Egypt for help during a time of drought and famine.  Ultimately, this would be the mechanism by which God's people would become enslaved in Egypt and would eventually need a savior to rescue them.

What position do I hold that could be used for God's glory and to further His Kingdom?  Community leader?  Mother?  Teacher in a seemingly hopeless situation?  Mail Room Clerk?  CEO of a large corporation?  Mechanic in a dead end job?  Father?  Wherever God has placed me, he has chosen that position for a reason.  He has put me in contact with particular people for His purposes.  He has a plan that will defy common sense. 

If I find myself in a position I never dreamed I'd hold, it's time to look for where God is working and join in.  

Improbable Calling

Flash forward 400 years and witness a middle-aged man, self-exiled from his once lofty position in the Pharoah's palace to Midian, where he lived as a lowly shepherd.  As he was tending the flocks one day, Moses encountered the Lord in the unlikely location of a burning bush on a hillside.  Curiously, the bush burned but was not consumed.

It was there that Moses received his calling from God.  "I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." (Exodus 3:10)  The Lord spent some time reassuring Moses, giving him several signs he could use to show that his message came from the Lord.  

Still, Moses could not get over his logic which told him, "Hey. . . you can't speak worth a lick!" Apparently, Moses had experienced some embarrassing or awkward incidents which left him with the impression that he wasn't any good at talking to people.  Especially large crowds of people.  Or leaders of powerful countries.  

It's easy to get caught up in my past experiences, snagged by my flaws and unable to move forward out of the fear of failure due to my own imperfections and weaknesses.  

But, as God said to Moses, "Who gave man his mouth?  Who makes him deaf or mute?  Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the LORD?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."  (Exodus 4:11-12)

God is well aware of my flaws when He calls me to a certain task.  He made me that way, defects and all.  And He is not calling me because of my impeccable qualifications or my flawless record.  No.  He is calling me so that in my weakness, He will get all the glory.  He will supernaturally work through me to overcome those flaws.  And people will know that only God could do something like that!

Common sense says to pick he best person for the job, but God says the best person for the job is the one He picked.  

Incredible Strategy

Forty years later, the next generation of Israelites now led by Joshua, finds themselves on the cusp of a new adventure.  They finally get to enter the Promised Land they've been hearing so much about!  But there is one problem.  First, they must conquer the might city of Jericho.  This metropolis is surrounded by a lower retaining wall that measured about 12-15 feet high supplemented by a 20-foot wall built on top of that.  Further up the hill stood the inner wall, rising about 46 feet about ground level.  

Leveling this mighty fortress would not be easy.  But God had a plan. . .an incredible strategy. . . for the Israelites to leave the battle in His hands while they simply walked around the walled city, day after day.  On the seventh day, the wall collapsed as they finished their seventh trip around the city and, "every man charged straight in, and they took the city. " (Joshua 6:20)

What impossible feat has God placed before me today?  Waiting for a husband or wife?  Climbing out of debt?  Controlling my tongue?  Loving my enemies?  Healing a sick body?Whatever it is, God is up to the challenge!  

The biggest acts are not the ones accomplished with good strategy and common sense but which are left in God's hands and consequently give rise to spectacular endings.

My expectations can get in the way of God's supernatural work in my life.  If I only expect ordinary things from God, I will miss the implausible positions He places me in, the improbable ways He calls me to action, and the incredible strategies He uses to topple unbreachable foes.       In a nutshell, I should expect the unexpected when following Jesus.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will leave the battle in God's hands and stop limiting the scope of His work in my life.

How do I minimize the power of God in the way I expect Him to work?

When do I show a lack of faith in not giving a problem completely over to God and let Him solve it?