August 21, 2026

Mark 4: 35-40 (NIV)

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along . . . in the boat. . . . A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The God who brings storms is also the God who calms storms.*

This story reveals much about Jesus as God and human. Let’s take a look:

1. His humanity: he had been preaching, and dealing with people all day. The human was tired and needed to get away. So tired that he fell asleep among a boatload of people. 
2. His attitude: would perplexed aptly describe how he felt? How could his disciples have witnessed all that he had done so far and still ask themselves, “Who is this?” 
3. His plan: how could they doubt that they would cross over safely when the trip was Jesus’ idea in the first place? 
4. His power: he controlled the weather! If you were a witness to his mastery over the elements, wouldn’t you believe he was God? 

Knowing that Jesus was God inside a human body, how can we doubt that he has the power to overcome anything that we might face? As a man, he understands – he can relate; as God, he conquers. Trusting in him allows us to rest peacefully as our boat is tossed about on the waves. We know that we will cross over safely because this trip is part of his plan.

God became a man so we could trust him. He became a sacrifice so we could know him.*

August 20, 2026

Isaiah 28: 24-28 (NIV)

When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? . . . When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cummin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? . . . Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over cummin . . . Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. . .

Never make a principle out of your experience; let God be as original with other people as He is with you.*

I make no claims to farming expertise but I did grow up on a farm – a part-time farm, that is, since my dad had another full-time job. So, I had enough exposure to agriculture to get the gist of Isaiah’s illustration here. 

1. Stop plowing when you’re done.
2. Planting techniques vary according to the crop: preparation of the soil; where and when to plant; which bugs, weeds, and weather the crop is most susceptible to. 
3. Harvest procedures vary according to the crop: proper equipment; when to start – and when to stop and move on to the next step (storage, preservation, etc.). 

Isaiah’s farming analogy is specifically referring to how God varies his treatment of nations, depending on conditions,* but can we not apply it to God’s dealing with individuals? If a farmer can figure out that a good harvest is the result of more than just plowing, and that everything has to be done according to proper procedure, then of course God has figured out the special handling each of us requires. 

The same is true for us in our presentation of the gospel. Each person we witness to is a different field, a different crop, requiring specialized equipment and attention to seasons. As stated by another, “So carefully, so wisely, so tenderly, does God deal with us.”*

Convinced that what we must do is speak to people’s real needs, we ask: what are the concerns of people in our society, and what do we say to meet them?*

August 19, 2026

Matthew 5: 39 (NIV)

“But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

Even after generations of people had spit in his face, he still loved them.*

In middle school, one of my sons had a problem with an older boy who waited around for him after school one day. I don’t remember the details of the story but at one point the other boy walloped my son in the back with a bike helmet. Rather than retaliate and escalate, my son walked away - and the situation was diffused. I was very proud of him but I also told him that I never expected him to let someone beat him up if walking away didn’t work. Was I wrong? 

I think we misunderstand what Jesus meant about turning the other cheek. Here are some points to consider before assuming your position on the matter:

1.  We only have two cheeks. If someone strikes the right one and you turn the left one, then you’re out of cheeks to turn. 
2. In the culture of Jesus’ time and place, a slap on the cheek was more insult than physical attack. Turning the other cheek was a symbolic gesture rather than an invitation to be hit again. 
3. We know that Jesus never promoted retaliation – quite the opposite. But for an example of how Jesus responded to being struck in the face, read John 18: 22 and 23. No, he didn’t hit the guy back, but he did speak up for himself. 
4. Jesus was a victim of violence because he chose to allow it for the sake of others. 
5. Jesus advocated obedience to civil laws. If you have been assaulted, you have legal recourse. Revenge is not a legal option. 

What Jesus says goes. But sometimes he is making a point, not establishing step-by-step procedures. Turning the other cheek is about attitude more than it is about insult or attack. Christians should be known for their meekness, their kindness, their willingness to forgive, not for their thirst for revenge.

Jesus died, not as a victim, but as a victor.*

August 18, 2026

Jonah 3: 10 (NIV)

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

We are living in the time of God’s patience.*

We don’t know exactly what Jonah said to Nineveh except that it was the message God had given him. The gist of his sermon was: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” (3: 4) When the king heard the news, he made repentance a royal law. And God took note.

It is doubtful that every single person in Nineveh turned from their wickedness to follow God’s way. Of those who did repent, how many of them eventually returned to their former way of life? God knew what everyone of them would do as soon as the crisis was past; and he knew the state of each person’s heart as they fasted in sackcloth and ashes. But what they did was enough for God to have compassion on everyone – including those who were just going through the motions in order to comply with the law.

Could nationwide repentance be the deliverance of our country? Is there a Jonah out there who can come and preach to our nation? Is there a leader in our future who believes we are in as much danger as Nineveh was? “You can’t legislate morality,” you might protest. The king of Nineveh probably knew that. But repentant leaders can set an example, pass laws that uphold godly principles, and avert God’s wrath for the sake of the righteous.

Pray for our nation. Ask God for a messenger to preach repentance. Plead for leaders who understand that his patience has an expiration date. And pray that God will prepare you to carry the message of repentance. Whether to an audience of one or to a multitude, proclaim the message God gives you.

We rescue our great nation not through systems but by systematically changing lives, one at a time.*

August 17, 2026

Galatians 4: 16 (NIV)

Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Nothing is so fickle and uncertain as popularity.*

Years ago, when I was working as a bank teller, the head teller asked if one of us would like to take on some added responsibility. No promotion, no title, and no more money except when the longer hours led to a little overtime. The only interested party was the newest girl on the line - who was not well-liked by her co-workers. When the others started to whine and gripe behind her back about, “who does she think she is,” I, who did not like her either, defended her. I said, “We were all given the same offer but none of us wanted the job. We have nothing to complain about.” I was oblivious to the animosity this provoked in my fellow tellers until one of them came to me and said something along the lines of, “I don’t care what they all say; you were right.”

The Apostle Paul was not one to keep silent when a truth needed to be expressed. We may love his words today but my guess is there was a lot of grumbling among his fellow Christians. Unlike me, Paul seems to be aware of his unpopularity. He, like the young lady in my story, was the new kid – and he came with a bloody past. How many of us could preach and teach with such confidence and authority if we were toting his baggage?  We want people to like us. We know that shooting the messenger never goes out of style. How did Paul overcome his insecurities - and will it work for us?

Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus was dramatic and abrupt but I don’t think the rest of his spiritual development occurred overnight. What we read about him mostly reveals the finished product, but he gives us clues that reveal that his struggles weren’t all that different from ours. This means that we, too, have the potential to be spiritual giants. We just have to be willing to suffer (Acts 9: 16) and surrender (Romans 12: 1) and trust God to supply all our needs (Philippians 4: 19). And to love Jesus more than our own comfort and convenience (II Corinthians 5: 14).

Peace if possible, but truth at any rate.*

August 16, 2026

Lamentations 3: 39 (NIV)

Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?

Complaining may offer relief, but so does acceptance.*

I attended Christian colleges which were strict about things such as dress code and curfews. During my junior year, my roommate got caught breaking curfew to attend a party in town. For her punishment she was “campused” - she was restricted to her dorm room when not in class or in the cafeteria for meals. This meant trouble for her unfortunate, innocent roommate as well because I was the only one she had to talk to most of the time. One night, after listening to her complain – again – about her horrible fate, I reminded her that she knew the rules and she chose to break them. She reluctantly admitted that I was right – and that the party wasn’t even fun!

Whatever other rules she might have violated, my roommate never broke curfew again. It might be a good thing if we got caught and were punished immediately every time we sinned. Instead, when we get away with it we receive positive reinforcement for behavior that wasn’t even fun.

The actual payment for sin is death (Romans 6: 23). Suffering the natural consequences of your sin or paying your debt to society for breaking the law does not mean you have settled your debt with God. You may be alive and complaining now but you are not getting away with it. You sin, you die.

But wait. There’s an offer on the table. Eternal life can be yours. It’s free to you because Jesus Christ paid the price for your sin (Romans 6: 23 – again). He died so you don’t have to. I’m not an attorney but I suggest you accept the offer. And stop complaining!

We cannot justify ourselves before God, or plead Not guilty.*

August 15, 2026

Esther 4: 16 (NIV)

“. . . and if I perish, I perish.”

Whatever the problem, there is a biblical response to it.*

Picture the “Queen of Susa” pageant. All the beauties of the land competing for the crown. Literally. Enter Esther, the contestant representing the Tribe of Benjamin. She sweeps all the categories: congeniality; poise; evening gown . . . probably not swimsuit. No one is surprised when she is handed that big bouquet of roses and the crown is placed on her head for her stroll down the catwalk because Esther is beautiful and smart.

Esther was young (it’s safe to assume) but she was smart enough to listen to her older cousin Mordecai’s wise counsel. When it became clear that the fate of her fellow Jews was in her pampered hands, she considered Mordecai’s advice, weighed her options, and decided to take her chances. “Que sera, sera,” she said. Well, not quite. Same idea. “What will be, will be,” doesn’t sound as risky as, “If I perish, I perish.”

We will probably never be placed in a life-or-death situation like this but we often have tough decisions to make. On those occasions, Esther’s method of assessing the situation and determining her course of action could work for us.

• Seek wise counsel – and listen to it. We would include prayer and consulting Scripture in this step. 
• Weigh your options. Ask yourself, What is the worst that could happen? 
• Decide. Not deciding is a decision so allow yourself a measure of control in the situation.

Esther’s story has a happy ending. There is no guarantee that the same will be true for you, but there is satisfaction in knowing that you have made the right decision. Doing the right thing is always the right thing to do, regardless of the outcome. To God be the glory!

We make decisions throughout each waking moment of the day, but first those decisions must be evaluated and compared with what God has instructed his people to do.*