February 22, 2026

II Chronicles 16: 9 

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

I Peter 5: 8 

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

(NIV)

Each of us is as full of the Spirit as we really want to be.*

Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? Perhaps you aren’t just paranoid. According to these two verses, you are attracting a lot of attention from high places and low places. Spiritual warfare rages around us at all times.

We underestimate both God’s desire to rescue us from Satan’s clutches and Satan’s determination to drag us into the pit with him. The devil is clever, sneaky, and deceitful. Though Satan is often referred to in enticing terms, Peter calls him a roaring lion – a creature to strike fear into our hearts. But a hungry lion doesn’t always roar before it pounces!

We are weak and gullible and we forget that we can choose to be on the winning side. God’s strength is available for hearts fully committed to him. He provides a way of escape when we are faced with temptation: an alternate activity; the recollection of an applicable verse of scripture; or a friend to hold you accountable. His Holy Spirit is our comforter and our counselor when we are troubled.

If the image of a hungry, roaring lion doesn’t alarm you, perhaps this will: God’s promise does not apply to an uncommitted heart. Where does that leave you? As fair game.

Most Christians seem to underestimate their ability to cope with suffering but overestimate their ability to cope with temptation.*

February 21, 2026

I Samuel 15: 24 (NIV)

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I have violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. . .”

Christians are never judged by the confessions they make, or the creed they recite; it is always by their deeds.*

This verse contains Saul’s confession – offered after Samuel had confronted him with his offense. This was not the first time that Saul had demonstrated his weakness under pressure, as well as a willingness to bend the rules.

Often we are sorry we got caught more than we are sorry for what we did. But sometimes getting caught is the first step toward repentance. Isn't it often the case that it's the fear of consequences that causes us to put a halt to our sinful actions?

The proof of the genuineness of our repentance will be found in how we live our lives from that moment on. Saul’s confession sounded good, but as someone has observed, “his direction of life did not correspond with his words.”* As John the Baptist preached, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3: 8) And don’t be sorry you got caught – be glad you got caught in time!

True repentance is not satisfied with resolutions, its sincerity must be proved by actions.*

February 20, 2026

Ephesians 6: 18 (NIV)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

When a man is through with praying, that man is through with any life that matters.*

Anyone who spent time with Jesus knew that he was a “pray-er.” He modeled a life of prayer and taught his disciples a model prayer. Paul’s letters are rich with references to prayer – whether mentioning others in his prayers, begging for prayers on his own behalf, or urging us to pray for each other and even for those in authority over us. This verse in Ephesians is all-encompassing: all occasions; all kinds of prayer requests.

Our Savior believed in the power (and necessity) of prayer, therefore so do I. I believe that the most important purpose of prayer is to get to know God, but scripture spells out some specific things we should pray for. And I wonder: what if I don’t pray for “all the saints”? What if there’s a missionary out there for whom no one has remembered to pray? What happens to him? Will God abandon him because we have? Why does God want us to pray for each other?

My husband and I were far from home (we were in South Dakota – we lived in Florida), when I got word that the marriage of one of my sons was in trouble. He insisted that he didn’t need me to come home and I was managing to hold myself together until, after another offer to return home to be with him, he said that he was fine because his twin brother had made the eight-hour trip from Georgia to be with him. That was when I broke down and cried for my hurting child, and that was when I knew what it must be like for God when his children care enough about each other to pray for one another and to help a hurting brother or sister. He wants us to pray for each other because he wants us to love each other.

Make the Father’s heart swell with emotion and make it your habit to pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

The prayers of one saint are to God melody, but the intercessions of many are harmony.*

February 19, 2026

Revelation 21: 21 (NIV)

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.

We toss around the word awesome pretty freely; but it’s too small a word to describe Heaven.*

We have been programmed to think of heaven in terms of “pearly gates” and “streets of gold” and while that is beautiful imagery I think we might be missing the point. Jewels and precious metals may be valuable on earth, but in eternity they are just building material. In heaven, gold is as common as concrete blocks. 

There is much speculation among Bible scholars as to the symbolism of the gems used to decorate the walls of the heavenly city, but at the least, as one of them points out, “it seems important that the very thing people worship on earth should at last have found its place under foot instead of upon the throne.”*

Remember the question posed by Jesus: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” And if that isn’t thought-provoking enough, he adds, “Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”  (Mark 8: 36, 37) What do you place the highest value on in this life? Can you take it with you when you die? Is it worth holding onto and allowing it to come between you and the Lord?  Looking at life through a heavenly lens helps us to determine what is truly valuable.

What is the real value of a thing, but the price it will bear in eternity?*

February 18, 2026

II Corinthians 2: 15, 16 (NIV)
For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death, to the other, the fragrance of life.

Those who preach the gospel are pleasing to God regardless of the response of those who hear it.*

It is not unusual for people to have different ideas about what tastes good. I can’t stand the taste, smell, or texture of bananas while others find them quite – er – appealing. It is not quite so common for our appreciation of certain odors to differ widely.  I have never met anyone who did not like the smell of vanilla, cinnamon, or freshly baked bread. Who doesn’t love that new car smell or the scent of meat cooking on a grill? Of course, there are differences of opinion when it comes to fragrances – I don’t like the smell of most perfumes or incense, while I have a cousin who claims to like the way skunks smell.

Paul tells us that, to God, we Christians smell like Christ and we can be sure that he is pleased with our fragrance, but whether the world perceives us as a good smell or a bad one is determined by the associations of each individual. To those who are in the process of being saved, we are the fragrance of life. (I’m thinking of a walk in the woods with the scent of evergreens, grass, flowers, and fresh air.) To those who are on the path of death, Christ smells like death - and I doubt if anyone who has ever gotten a whiff of something dead and decaying stopped to sniff some more.

If the sense of smell is so evocative, perhaps we Christians could do more to improve our odor among the lost. We could lead lives that emit more pleasant aromas – the fruit of the Spirit comes to mind: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Don’t those sound like sweet-smelling qualities that could trigger a more positive response when others get a whiff of us?

In spreading the fragrance of Christ the preacher himself becomes fragrant.*

February 17, 2026

Acts 6: 1–4 (NIV)

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn the responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

Regardless of their title, real leaders influence others.*

Independent Christian Church congregations are free to set up their church policies and governance according to their own interpretation of scripture and their specific needs. I have been a member of congregations who were led by a “board,” consisting of elders and deacons who were elected by the other members. The church I belong to now has determined that it is more consistent with the example of the New Testament church to select elders who meet the qualifications as outlined in I Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 6-9, and who serve as the spiritual leaders of the congregation. Deacons are appointed to fulfill the role of servants, thus freeing the elders to give their attention to “prayer and the ministry of the word.” As we are told in these verses in Acts, it wouldn’t be right to neglect the ministry of God in order to wait on tables (or organize ushers, drive the church bus, chair a committee, park cars, etc.).

That having been said, let’s not think less of the role of the deacon than we should. First, let’s keep in mind that all members of the church should be deacons in that we should all be servants. As for the office of deacon, the qualifications as spelled out here in Acts, by the Apostles, and again in First Timothy, by Paul, are just as stringent as those of the elder. “Full of the Spirit and wisdom,” and “worthy of respect, sincere . . . keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.” That’s much more than we would require of a mere waiter!

So, the Apostles’ proposal to appoint deacons was met with approval by the “whole group” (imagine a congregation where decisions are unanimous!) and so they chose Stephen, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas. Remember how I said that we shouldn’t downplay the role of deacon? Are you aware of anywhere in the New Testament that lists the elders of a congregation? And did you take note of the first name on the list? Stephen – the first person to be martyred for his faith in Jesus. Dying for his faith is not a choice most deacons will have to face, but living that kind of life of faith is what is required of every servant of Christ.

Churches are not to be built around superstars but constructed of variously gifted member-priests who offer themselves as spiritual sacrifices.*

February 16, 2026

Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20 (NIV)

It is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor . . . during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Our effort to do good originates from our appreciation for the salvation already provided and our understanding that the parameters Jesus sets for our lives are designed to bring the abundant life.*

We often get caught up in trying so hard to do the right thing - to discover God’s perfect will for our lives - that we don’t recognize that God might just expect us to savor the life we have. If you are reading this, I think it is safe to say that, whatever issues you may be facing, you have not been called to a life of suffering.

So Solomon, in his wisdom, shares his observations with us:

• It is good and proper to eat and drink. Yes, and necessary. And God provides. 
• It is good and proper to find satisfaction in your work. You might find that your satisfaction comes from within yourself rather than from the job itself. 
• God has provided you with stuff and the ability to enjoy it – it is his gift to you. 
• When you are content with the life God has given you, you probably won’t have time to agonize over whether or not you are living up to your potential or meeting God’s expectations. Your life will reflect your gratitude and your stewardship.

Solomon and I are not trying to minimize the need to seek God’s will for our lives. Staying in tune with God is essential to gaining and maintaining abundant life. We are called to be faithful and obedient, but as someone else points out, “If you are a pregnant virgin or an angel wants to wrestle with you, God may have a plan for you. Otherwise, it’s likely you are not a main character in the story he’s writing.”* 

Though we may not be the main characters in his story, everyone’s role is important. Our desire should be less for receiving direction and more for developing wisdom.*

From his caution about trees in the Garden to the mysteries of Revelation, the Bible consistently communicates God’s love, his wisdom – and his apparent unconcern that we figure him out.*