July 11, 2026

I Corinthians 16: 17, 18 (NIV)

I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

Sourpusses don’t attract a following.*

I used to think I was an extrovert. Or maybe I should say, I think I used to be an extrovert. In high school, when they were administering aptitude tests to help us determine our career path, I distinctly remember saying, “I want to work with people.” Well, that was before I had much experience with people.  After decades of dealing with the public, I find that people tend to drain me. I can still be a good team player but I really prefer to work independently.

Surprisingly, there are people out there who have the ability to boost my energy level. People like Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who supplied Paul with what he needed and refreshed his spirit. How delightful it is to be in the presence of someone like them. And what would it be like to be one of them?

Each of us has the ability to be a Stephanas, a Fortunatus, or an Achaicus under the right circumstances. Let’s face it, we can’t be all things to all people all the time – but we can be something to some of them some of the time. Cultivate a generous spirit and concentrate on doing what you do well. Ask God to make you aware of needs that you can meet. Reflect on behaviors that refresh you and see if you can develop skills that don’t come naturally to you. Brighten the corner where you are!

And, when someone has supplied a need for you or has refreshed your spirit, follow Paul’s example and give them the recognition they deserve. Take another tip from Paul and tell them: “I always thank God for you, mentioning you in my prayers.” (I Thessalonians 1: 2, paraphrased.)

Sensitivity to need is an authentic sign of God-imaged humanity.*

July 10, 2026

Luke 8: 25 (NIV)
“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

God’s strength is perfected in man’s weakness. That is a lesson our eyes will never learn.*

The part of Jesus that was human surely had moments of discouragement when he looked at the raw material he had to work with. Would it have been worse if his disciples were deliberately obtuse than if they were just dense? What about his followers today? How often do we go along on our merry, misinformed way?

I have always pictured God shaking his head in despair as we stumble around in our attempts to fulfill his commission to go into all the world. But just maybe that’s not his attitude at all. When he left the world in our human hands, he knew that we were weak and shallow and sinful. Yes, we are all he has to work with but that was his plan – not just something he has resigned himself to live with. His plan.

I don’t claim to know God’s actual attitude. Maybe he doesn’t have one. But he is love so perhaps that’s all he sees when he looks at us. Not failure. Not indifference. Does that make him an indulgent Father? Perhaps. Patient? Yes, the Old Testament abounds with examples of his patience. But not limitless patience.

In his sermon in Athens, Paul said, “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.” (Acts 17: 31) For us who are his followers, made righteous through the blood of this man God has appointed, justice is nothing to fear. God will not see that we are inept, inadequate, faithless, and defiant. He will see nothing but love.

The reasons why God created the world and placed human beings in its midst lie deep within the mystery of God’s being and are beyond human comprehension.*

July 9, 2026

Matthew 5: 6 (NIV)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

A passionate pursuit of godliness is the natural result of true conversion.*

I do not hunger for bananas and I do not thirst for coffee so I will not be ingesting them and therefore will never be filled by them. I do hunger for pepperoni pizza with extra cheese, and I thirst for Dr. Pepper, so I will do what I must to be filled with them. Jesus wasn’t telling his listeners that they would mysteriously be filled with righteousness. He was saying that if they hungered and thirsted for it, they would make the effort to seek it out and consume it. As with food, one does not become filled with righteousness by thinking about it. Imagining that we are satisfied is not satisfying.

So what is this righteousness that Jesus tells us to crave? According to about.com, righteousness is the state of moral perfection required by God to enter heaven. While we can never achieve righteousness through our own efforts, it must be an attainable goal or Jesus wouldn’t have promised that we could have it. According to Romans 3: 22, this guaranteed righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. It is a promise he can keep because it is fulfilled in him.

Are you starving for some righteousness?

We are not saved by faith in faith; we are saved by faith in Christ as revealed in His Word.*

July 8, 2026

Luke 9: 58 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

The Bible does not glorify poverty, nor uphold it as a superior way of life.*

I have some friends who suffered a severe financial setback a few years ago. Their faith in God’s provision never wavered but as I observed their struggles, I also learned something about our society: we have a distorted view of the essentials – the things we think we can’t live without. It seems safe to say that food, clothing, and shelter are necessities. My friends, for all their troubles, were never hungry, naked, or homeless. And yet, I was moved to pray for them as they juggled expenses for transportation (vehicles, fuel); electricity; cell phones; school and sports activities; cable TV; insurance; maintaining a standard of living.

Possessions weren’t important to Jesus and yet he had abundant life. He didn’t concern himself about shelter and the associated costs. He never preached austerity as a mandatory lifestyle for his followers but he did have a lot to say about priorities. He set an example of how we should view things.

How important are your things? Imagine that your house is on fire and you have time to grab up only your most precious possessions. Assuming that your family has safely evacuated the building, what will you take with you? What if Jesus made a list of all the things you would have to give up in order to follow him – what items would you be hoping he would let you keep? Now picture yourself surrounded by these prized possessions as you spend eternity in hell. Ready to prioritize?

Pilgrims travel light.*

July 7, 2026

Luke 24: 36 (NIV)

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

It would be healthy to become as aware of Christ’s presence in the midst of conflict as we are during times of Communion or corporate worship.*

The two gentlemen who, while on their way to the village of Emmaus, had encountered the resurrected Jesus, made a u-turn back to Jerusalem to report the incident to the disciples. The “Eleven” (although only ten of them were present – Thomas was AWOL) and others, were cowering behind locked doors, fearing what might happen next. (It’s not clear if they were actually hiding from the Jewish authorities since these two fellows didn’t seem to have any trouble locating them.)

It is easy to picture the scene and imagine the electricity in the air as they discussed the events of the past few days. We can hear his name – Jesus! Jesus! – buzzing all around the room. And suddenly, there he was! Right there in the room with them. Such a dramatic entrance should have been accompanied by trumpets or thunder but Jesus merely greets them with, “Peace be with you.” An ordinary Jewish salutation. “Hello. How are you?” We don’t expect a response when we ask how you are doing and the Jews probably didn’t give much thought to peace as they offered their greeting but on this occasion the words have meaning. Peace was theirs because Jesus had purchased it for them. Here he was, fresh from the grave, presenting them with true peace – between God and man; and among men.*

Locked doors, walls, armed guards can’t stop Jesus from being in the room with us. Whether we are freely gathered together for worship and communion, or whether we are huddled alone in fear of persecution, Jesus is in the room with us. When we come together as the church; when we gather around the Lord’s table; when we feel alone with our hurts; when danger lurks outside the door – Jesus is present with us. “Peace be with you” isn’t just something he says. “Peace be with you” is his promise.

 
Unbelief bars the door and keeps out the blessing.*

July 6, 2026

Luke 6: 38 (NIV)

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Christian liberality originates in the grace of God.*

I don’t do much baking (or any type of kitchen activity for that matter!) but I remember that some recipes call for an ingredient to be “firmly packed” when measuring it. Failure to follow the directions would no doubt result in an inferior finished product. Being frugal in the kitchen is not a cost-saving endeavor if everything ends up in the garbage. 

In this verse, Jesus presents us with a recipe for blessings. If we follow his directions for measuring, not only will we be blessed but we increase our ability to bless others. What can you do to develop a generous lifestyle? Perhaps you could volunteer another hour of your time. Do you faithfully give to the Lord 10% of your income – to the penny? Try rounding it up to the next dollar. Start supporting a missionary. Be intentional in improving your outlook - sometimes our stinginess is in our attitude more than in our actions.

Someone has said that Jesus’ words allow us “to decide how much we are going to freely give from what He has given us to manage.”* You could continue to give by the cupful and receive in the same measure. Or you could shake it down and press it down until it overflows for delicious results!

He doesn’t look at just what we give. He also looks at what we keep.*

July 5, 2026

Psalm 105: 4 (NIV)

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Like a gracious father, our God can hardly wait for His children to request what is good.*

There’s a song about “looking for love in all the wrong places,” but we could also sing about looking for hope in all the wrong places. We have been brain-washed into believing that the strength we need to face crisis and heartbreak can be found within ourselves. That belief is only viable if the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Without his presence, our personal resources range from inadequate to useless.

The psalmist in this passage advises us to look to the Lord as our source of strength. He says to seek the Lord’s face always – to which we might add a reminder to do it first. I don’t know why we think we have to figure it all out for ourselves before we give God a chance at it. Do we not want to bother God with our problems? Are we afraid we will take him away from something important if we ask for his help? Do we think he doesn’t care? Perhaps we’re just too impatient to wait for him to come to our rescue.

My spiritual growth spurts always seem to occur while I am waiting for God. I still have a lot to learn about waiting patiently but nothing compares to the comfort of his Spirit throughout the process and the joy of seeking his face and finding it.

God’s true presence requires that we stop working in our strength and rely on His.*