The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. They dig a pit to trap others and then fall into it themselves. They make trouble, but it backfires on them. They plan violence for others, but it falls on their own heads. I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. (Psa 7:14-17NLT)

Just passing through

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36 NIV)

It just might be you

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:5-6 NIV)

What will a man give in exchange

• Would you think it absurd if I asked you to give me a one hundred dollar bill in exchange for a penny? Sure you would. You know better; you know what each is worth.
  
  Yet, people make more absurd exchanges every day. They abandon Spirit things to obtain flesh things--infinite, eternal value exchanged for insubstantial, temporary value. Every day.

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Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. (John 6:61-63 NIV)

Out of the ordinary

• When facing overwhelming odds, what do you do when the natural, logical thing to do does not work or has no possibility of success?
  
  Jehoshaphat took a huge risk and did what was militarily and strategically illogical: He sent the "praise team" ahead of his soldiers.
  
  Did it make sense? No. Was it right? I would say so! The enemy was defeated and it took three days to carry off the spoil.

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After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (2 Chr 20:21-22 NIV)

God's is always current affair

Bless the LORD, My soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, My soul, and never forget any of his benefits: He continues to forgive all your sins, he continues to heal all your diseases, he continues to redeem your life from the Pit, and he continually surrounds you with gracious love and compassion. He keeps satisfying you with good things, and he keeps renewing your youth like the eagle's. (Psa 103:1-5 ISV)

His ways are not our ways

"But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And we hear that he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus." But the Lord said, "Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for me." (Acts 9:13-16 NLT)