October 2, 2026

I Kings 18: 21 (NIV)

Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.

Too many of us go through life like passengers on a bus.*

When my boys were little, one of them called his brother a name that I had warned them against using. I gave him his choice of punishment: spanking or washing his mouth out with soap. He spent so much time trying to decide that I finally (foolishly) told him that if he didn’t make up his mind, he would get both. He still couldn’t choose one – he actually said, “I guess I’ll take both.” One of the worst moments ever in my life as a mom!

In most circumstances, failure to choose is the same as making one of your choices. Elijah wanted the people of Israel to pick a god: Baal or God. By saying nothing, they weren’t choosing both like my son did; they couldn’t worship God and Baal. Choosing to worship neither was still the same as rejecting God. When Joshua challenged the tribes of Israel to choose whom they would serve (Joshua 24: 15), their options were God or gods. Indecision was a vote for the gods of their forefathers.

Every day we are faced with choices of faith and denial. It is not God’s way to allow himself to be the default position. If we don’t proactively choose him, we have passively rejected him. If the Lord is God, follow him. If you don’t choose to follow him, you have chosen to deny him. Choose today whom you will serve.

It is possible to deny the faith by conduct as well as by words; and that a neglect of doing our duty is as real a denial of Christianity as it would be openly to renounce it.*

October 1, 2026

I Samuel 14: 52 (NIV)

All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.

No combination of natural abilities can compensate for a lack of personal holiness in the leader’s life.*

Being the boss has its good points but it can also be very frustrating. I remember saying (often) that if I could do it all by myself, I would. But I couldn’t. So I tried to surround myself with talented and trustworthy people who could do what I couldn’t do myself. Saul, too, seemed to understand that a good leader needs good followers. He was looking ahead and preparing for the days that he would need a strong army.

Saul may have displayed some good leadership skills but as time went on his actions began to reveal his character flaws. Follow his career from I Samuel chapter 9, when Samuel anointed the new king, to his suicide in chapter 31. You will see examples of his disobedience, his misuse of power, his lies, and his jealousy. Finally, we read the sad news in 16: 14 that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul.

The Kingdom of God needs dynamic leaders; we should use caution, however, in putting our faith in another human. Leadership skills can be accompanied by destructive characteristics such as arrogance, abuse of power, and narcissism. It is good to have someone wiser, stronger, and more charismatic to look up to in our Christian walk, but be careful about joining his army. Read the training manual for the Lord’s army. Only follow leaders who follow Jesus Christ. 

Humans are the only species that follows unstable pack leaders.*