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.*

February 15, 2026

Numbers 13: 31-33 (NIV)

The men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” . . . They said, “. . . We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

Assured victory empowers the army.*

It’s interesting that twelve people can witness the same thing and ten of them bring back a negative report while two of them saw only the bright side. Were these ten men already predisposed to bringing back bad news? Was there some reason why they would rather mill around in the wilderness for awhile longer rather than to move forward into the Promised Land? It makes you wonder about the validity of eye-witness testimony in court if our memory can be so tainted by our outlook.

It is understandable that the Israelite spies were intimidated by the large people and their fortified cities – they probably weren't soldiers. But after all they had experienced, all through their journey, God had marched along with them, providing for them every day and every night - so why didn’t they trust him now? Perhaps they were a bit like Abraham who believed that it was possible for God to fulfill his promise but doubted the probability of it.

Are you seeing any parallels to your own life? Do you see giants instead of opportunities? Do you see obstacles instead of God’s power? Are you counting on your own natural ability rather than relying on God’s supernatural ability?* Christians, like these Israelites, are on a mission from God. If we move forward, he will prepare the way, protect us from harm, and march at our side.

When you overcome giants, God gets the glory!

Christianity is not a passive religion. It is an invasion of a Kingdom.*

February 14, 2026

I Peter 1: 1 (NIV)

To God’s elect, strangers in the world . . .

The church will always be counter-cultural.*

After my husband’s retirement, we traveled a lot. We loved to explore new places, hike in God’s creation, and eat at Triple-D restaurants (as featured on the Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives), taking lots of pictures along the way. Strangely, I hate feeling and looking like a tourist, even though that’s what I am and even though I love doing what tourists do.

Even though a Christian is what I am and I love doing what Christians do, I am often uncomfortable when my Christianity causes me to feel like a stranger in the world . . . But why would I want to feel at home here?

Peter’s letter may be addressed to literal strangers – Christians who were scattered throughout the regions listed in his opening remarks – but Christians are by definition temporary residents in a strange land. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 3: 20, our citizenship is in heaven. When I start to feel like I want to fit in among the locals, I need to remind myself that I’m just passing through.

I can handle being a pilgrim as long as I know that I can call home whenever I want.*

February 13, 2026

II Timothy 4: 9, 10 (NIV)

Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.

Pilgrims with no vision of the promised land become proprietors of their own land. They set up camp. They exchange hiking boots for loafers and trade in their staff for a new recliner.*

Demas had been one of Paul’s ministry companions but now, when Paul is at a critical and vulnerable stage in his life, Demas has decided to leave him. Paul’s characterization of Demas’ actions as “desertion” tells how Paul feels about it. But Paul isn’t mad at Demas just because he is leaving. It isn’t what Demas did or where he went that caused Paul’s disappointment – it was because of what he loved.

We must be careful not to make judgments about a person’s decisions based on just what we can observe. The only way Paul could know why Demas was abandoning ship was if Demas had told him or if his behavior spoke eloquently about his priorities.

Leaving the ministry or the mission-field is not a sure sign that someone has abandoned God’s purpose for his life. I know a young couple who had committed their lives to Bible translation in an African country only to “abandon” their mission after his illness prevented him from performing the duties for which they had trained and prepared. Another missionary couple returned home from the field, feeling like failures because they were there only two years. They needed to be reminded of two particular lives they touched while serving there – and that those lives may have been their sole purpose for being in that place at that time.

We don’t understand the hows and whys of God’s work in our own lives so we certainly can’t speak with authority on how he is working in another’s life. Read the story about Philip in Acts chapter 8. He was involved in a successful ministry where his miraculous signs were witnessed by crowds of people. Then God sent him to a lonely desert road where he preached to an audience of one. That doesn’t make sense to us, does it?

If you have surrendered your will to God’s, you may be led to preach to someone on a lonely stretch of highway; you may find yourself too sick to preach to anyone; you may question how your present circumstances fit into God’s plan at all. Stay faithful and make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of loving the world like Demas did.

Ultimately, our concern should be for the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom by whatever means he deems best.*

February 12, 2026

Matthew 26: 69, 70 (NIV)

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Human limitations need not only be sources of shame; they can also be avenues for grace.*

Perhaps you have never denied Jesus in such a blatant manner as Peter did that night. You have probably never come right out and said the words, “I’m not with him.” We know, though, that our actions speak for themselves. I am sure that there have been times when each of us has felt shame, repented, and prayed for strength to avoid a repeat performance.

There is another way that we can proactively proclaim that we are with Jesus. In I Corinthians chapter 11, Paul tells us that when we partake of the emblems of the Lord’s Supper, we are proclaiming the Lord’s death. In other words, we are announcing our allegiance to him. We are with him - the opposite of Peter’s actions.

In my church, we offer the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Some churches offer it less often, claiming concern that it could become routine; they wish to keep it fresh and special. And it should always be treated with respect – as Paul goes on to say: if we aren’t recognizing it as the body and blood of the Lord, we are bringing judgment on ourselves. It is a private matter between me and God as to whether I participate each week, but I am thankful that I am presented with the weekly opportunity to show that I am with Jesus. Even if in the past six days I have not been so obviously with him, on Sunday I can take a moment to reflect and repent before refreshing my commitment to live for him in the week ahead.

As someone has observed about Peter’s failure that night: he “went out and wept bitterly, but then he came back and lived differently.”* That’s not a bad example for his fellow deniers to follow. 

Some people say it’s possible to have the Lord’s Supper too often. They say it will become meaningless and ritualistic if we overdo it. Doesn’t that sound suspiciously like something the one who hates Communion would want us to believe?*