Today’s Verse – Proverbs 17:9
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. —Proverbs 17:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… You’ve probably heard this poisonous statement many times: “It’s just a little harmless gossip.” The Wise Teacher reminds us that gossip is neither little nor harmless. Sharing someone else’s stumble, offense, failure, or flaws separates friends and causes horrible damage. The consequences of such gossip are severe, and its damage is often lasting and devastating, especially to relationships. Instead, it is much better to be a peacemaker and an offense-mender, someone who covers over an offense with grace, forgiveness, and love. As Jesus said: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). A peacemaker is one who covers over an offense and promotes love and peace. Let that be said of us! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father of Glory, I confess that I am often more a peace lover than a peacemaker. Being a peacemaker seems to be a lot harder for me. Covering over offenses feels a lot more difficult than passing on the gossip about an offense. So, please give me the character not to repeat gossip, but instead to have the wisdom and strength to be an offense-mender and an offense-coverer. Through the Prince of Peace, himself, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
20 Feb 2026
We are fortunate to live in the dispensation of grace. Christ came, lived here and died for our sins. That dies not give us the license to lead lawless lives. May His life model how we ought to live, in this world but not according to its values. We cannot do this without His help. Philippians 1:3-11.
Today’s Verse – 1 John 4:11-12
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. —1 John 4:11-12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Can you imagine what an honor it is to have the Creator of the universe, the LORD God Almighty, living inside of you? Yet when we love each other, that is exactly what happens. When our hearts are full of love, there is room for God, a great deal of room for God, because God is love. When they are not full of love, we leave little room for God to take up residence and produce his character in us. Let God complete his love in you: commit to doing loving things for others today, and each day that follows, until you can express your love for your Father, face-to-face in glory! My Prayer… Abba Father, I find it so comforting to know that you are not far away – that I live in you and you live in me (Colossians 3:1-4). Please help me see others with your eyes and respond to their needs with your heart so that your love may be complete in me and demonstrated in my actions. In the name of Jesus, the Servant and Savior of all, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
19 Feb 2026
God is holy. He maintains His standards. We are the ones to make adjustments to suit His will for us. When He punishes us, it is out of love. As a father, He desires a relationship with His children. Even after allowing His children to be banished into exile, He restored them as He had promised. Punishment was meted for their sin, but He still restored them. Jeremiah 30:1-24.
Storm Peace
Can you rest securely when the storm winds blow? Years ago I heard the story of the farmhand employed by a man who lived in the city. Every evening before nightfall, the farmhand would secure all the gates and close down all the sheds and outhouses. Nothing was left to chance. There were no open doors left to bang around in the wind and no loose gates to accidentally swing open and cause trouble. He did his work thoroughly and made everything under his control as secure as he possibly could. If storms blew in during the night, they would not do any damage due to the faithful farmhand’s oversight, diligence, and faithfulness. Late one evening, the owner visited the farm and heard a weather report of an unusually severe storm approaching. The wind gusts were frightening and such a storm had never been experienced in the area before. In the dark, alarmed at the report, he sought out the old farmhand down at the cottage. “There’s a terrible storm coming,” he said, banging on the door. “Why aren’t you out there making everything secure? What needs to be done?” he asked in a panic. The old farmhand opened the door and held his lantern high. He looked at the owner and replied in a measured and dismissive tone as he turned away, “I sleep well on windy nights.” The Old Testament tells of a man who did not wait until the storms raged. Like the farmhand securing the farm, it was his custom to secure his family every day. Early every morning, as was his “regular custom,” Job took each one of his grown up sons and daughters to a safe place with God and secured pardon for any sins they might accidentally have committed. (Job 1:5) Have we done everything in our power during the good times to secure our loved ones against whatever tragedies and difficulties might threaten them? We, too, can sleep well on windy nights when destructive storms and gales threaten our families after we have placed them in the Lord’s keeping. Make it a “regular custom” so that we have peace even in the midst of storms. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Jesus in John 14:27 NKJV) About the author: Elizabeth is a team writer for “Just a Minute” e-zine.
One-way Missionaries
They took a coffin, which they packed with their belongings, along with a one-way ticket. Yesterday, a friend of mine told me about “One-way Missionaries.” In the early 1900s, there was a group of missionaries who, when they were about to embark on a mission to a foreign land, would not pack a suitcase as most people would. Instead, they took a coffin, which they packed with their belongings, along with a one-way ticket. By so doing, they demonstrated their intention to die sooner or later in the new land they were adopting. A good example of this sort of commitment and intentionality was a missionary named “Peter Milne.” Milne selected as his mission a tribe of headhunters in the New Hebrides islands, in the south Pacific, off Australia’s coast. Every other missionary that attempted sharing Jesus with this group had been killed. Milne had no guarantee that would not be true for himself, as well. Still, he was not deterred, so off he went with his coffin. He spent more than fifty years in the islands, witnessing to the tribesmen about Jesus Christ. When he died of natural causes, the tribe buried him in a grave noted with this tombstone: “When he came, there was no light. When he left, there was no darkness.” These one-way missionaries understood the full implications of Jesus’ call to “take up your cross and follow me.” This was and is a call to give up fear, comfort, certainty, and security to follow in the way that the cross leads. This principle remains true. Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels” (Mk 8:34-38). About the author: Bruce Logue has ministered successfully as a church planter in Merced, California, offices at Starbucks, and loves people in the name of Jesus. He is also a spot on target writer!
Country Chicken
A Texas city slicker? I have just spent the last few days at a friend’s ranch in the Hill Country. It’s about 450 acres of gorgeous land, fabulous trees and about 30 longhorn cattle. The cattle, not unlike many of us Texans, boast quite an attitude. They are a handsome yet prideful lot. As usual, I was accompanied by my faithful Labrador, Valentine. She had a temporary identity crisis and attempted to be a herding dog instead of a retriever. Fortunately, the sound of a one ton bawling animal with horns the size of a compact car was enough to rattle her back to reality and she retreated. I am a native born Texan – third generation on both sides of my family raised in the Lone Star State. I like to think of myself as fairly well balanced and flexible, able to manage effectively both in high heels and boots. I was raised in Fort Worth, a good sized city that’s also called “Cowtown,” well in touch with my state’s ranching, cattle-raising and horse-loving roots. Fact is though, I can saddle a horse, but only if you give me enough time, and I can ride as long as the animal stays in low gear. Push it to a trot though and I stiffen up like a mesquite branch in a hard freeze. I confess that I am truly a city girl. No escaping that fact. I do own a pair of boots but they are five years old. Unless I have some mid-life growth spurt, they will last me until I face the grave. I am strong enough to heft a bale of hay, but not because I’ve ever done so. Those back muscles come from a pristinely clean fitness facility with gym rats wearing fancy workout clothes. My nails and cuticles are in much too nice shape to ever convince anyone that I might have scrubbed out a stock tank or helped deliver a foal. Yet, I love to escape the hectic pace of my urban life and pretend I am a rural cattle queen or high falutin’ horse rancher. As the old song goes, “The stars at night Are big and bright, Deep in the Heart of Texas” and I thrill to see them glitter in the black night sky. I love standing on the edge of a mountain (not a mountain by Colorado standards, but by, let’s say, Dallas standards) where I can see for miles – nothing but hills and trees and patches of pasture dotted with cattle or goats or horses. The verses from Psalm 50:10-12 seems to sum up that view: For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine … for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Honestly, I jump at the sound of deer tromping through the trees at night when I let the dog out. I rush back in the warm cabin when I hear coyotes yapping in the not too distant woods. I stay on the trails and rutted roads so as to not get lost when I go for a mid-day hike. I’m a city slicker and a country chicken. But the God I serve and worship from this hilltop sanctuary reminds me that this world – His earth – is in the palm of his hand. The 30 some-odd ornery longhorns eyeing me on my morning walk are a drop in the bucket of his creation. The birds flitting from feeder to fence that catch my attention and thrill my heart – he knows every feather of their wing and their chirp by heart. He knows all that and more and yet loves me beyond comprehension. He did not allow his only Son to die or send his Holy Spirit for those lumbering cattle or flighty feathered ones. He did all that and more for me. His hand of protection and his heart of love extend to me whether I’m safe in my seat-belted, security-system-ed city life or way out in the midst of this wide-open wilderness. I will return today to the traffic, the voice mail, a high-speed internet and infomercial life. It will be back to a ringing phone, a hungry washing machine, and the standard demands of family time. But after these few days away, I will take back with me the memory of those cattle on a thousand hills as well as the mind’s eye view of the rugged scenery and pleasant pastures. My citified stroll through the mall and my favorite well stocked grocery store will be tinged for a while with a bit of cowgirl swagger. Most important though, I will carry with me the reminder that God in His infinite creativity and immense love for humanity made this remarkable world for me to enjoy. He set up his system of creation and creature to rattle me from my self-imposed busyness and refresh my heart. There may be oh so many cattle on thousands and thousands of hills, but there is only one you … and only one me. And God’s love for us is as immeasurable as the shades of color in a Texas sunset. About the author: Amy C. Baker is an author and speaker. She’s a former human resources executive at Dell and now a full time wife, mom, author and communications consultant. Her first two books, Slow Dancing on Death’s Door and Seven Lessons for Career Success. She’s also recorded an audio CD of drive time devotionals. For more information on her ministry and the passion that fuels it, see www.amycbaker.com
18 Feb 2026
Jehovah let His children journey through the wilderness for 40 years to train them. Like the rest of us, they were stubborn and often went against His will. But due to His love for them, He showed them mercy over and over again. This Holy God was angered by their sin, but still kept His promise to them. Deuteronomy 1:1-8.
Trust Him!
Will we trust him even if he doesn’t live up to our expectations? For I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT) I don’t know how you expect Jesus to work in your life. There are times I’d like for Jesus to come into my life with ground-breaking revelations and speak audibly to me. I want him to come and make all my hard decisions for me and tell me which way to go. But, I know this is not likely. His role is not to live up to my expectations. He is Savior and Lord. He knows what is best and has bigger things to accomplish – things that I can’t even imagine. Jesus certainly didn’t come close to satisfying the lavish hopes of the people of his day, either. This is especially true of the hopes of many of his fellow Jews – only a few of whom converted to Christianity. He didn’t live up to many of their expectations of what a Messiah should do. Today, this problem still haunts us. People turn their backs on God because Jesus didn’t help them as they thought he should or protect them as they thought he would. He didn’t live up to what they expected for their Messiah. What God does for us is often not what we expect him to do because our expectations are not His. He has something better, richer, higher, fuller, more enduring, and more complete in mind for us. Trust Him … just trust Him! For He cares for you. So be humble under God’s powerful hand. Then he will lift you up when the right time comes. Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7 ERV) About the author: Dr. Faulkner was the very first person of note and influence who shared his content with us at HEARTLIGHT.org beginning in 1996. Paul Faulkner taught on the Abilene Christian University campus full-time for 35 years. He was honored in 1982 as the university’s Teacher of the Year. He wrote several books and was a much sought-after speaker and seminar leader along with his Marriage Enrichment partner, Dr. Carl Brecheen. Dr. Faulkner mentored many ministers and church leaders, shared his loving homespun humor and wisdom through many channels, and endeared himself to thousands. Our dear friend and mentor went to be with the Lord in 2022, but his legacy lives on in the lives of those he touched and made better.
Wildlife Preserve
Have you been to a wildlife office preserve? I write from a small office with a second-story view to the west. Far a field, over the top of the university’s administration building, I can see the American flag wave in the always-breathing West Texas wind. Closer to me, the dome of the small observatory lines the top of the science building. Just nearer is the old gymnasium, home to intramural sports after years of glory as the home of the Wildcats. I have glimpses of cars in a parking lot through the limbs of the trees. With most trees, the picture would be clearer in the winter. However with live oaks, leaves are constantly present. On weekdays, I can see groups of students hurrying to class just beneath my glass to the world. This time of year, I also see the tour groups – loosely bunched newcomers following the lead of a student recruiter. Parents and future collegians walking together a path that only the youngsters will tread next fall. Inside my office, my shelves bulge with books, papers, and bulging binders. Tucked away in cabinets are various supplies; and somewhere, there is a really old granola bar. As I sit at my keyboard and peck out these words, I can see electrical wires and various cables that connect this machine to my printer and my phone and the network that hooks me directly into the world-wide web. And down one of those long, vinyl-coated portals to civilization, I occasionally see a flash of movement and of color. These seeming apparitions used to startle me. Now I know that it’s just one of them. They seem fascinated with the maze of connections behind my computer. Like little wanderers on nature paths, they slowly move through the techno-mess I’ve created. They have no fear of me. During particularly long phone conversations, I sometimes reach over and block their progress with my finger. Patiently, they wait, and if I don’t move, they crawl aboard and I move them to my sleeve or to the edge of my computer screen. I rarely see more than one at any given time. I’ve heard that their life expectancy is two to three months. I have no idea of the age of the one sitting in front of me now. There was a time when I would undertake a rescue mission. Scooping the small creature in the palm of my hand, I would move quickly outside and gently place the small bundle of life on the limb of a tree or among the sheltering vines of the ivy growing in the flowerbeds. But, it’s cold now and I’ve never seen one of them living naturally during the winter – except, of course, in my office. It’s on those mornings that I find their little dried remains that I wonder if I’m doing the right thing by allowing them to stay so long with me. I experience some remorse as I sweep the tiny body into my hand and as I drop it with little ceremony into the trash. A couple of times through the day, I find myself looking for movement among the tangle of wires. A certain loneliness hangs heavily for a while. Ladybugs are the only member of the insect kingdom that evoke such feelings from me. As a boy, I learned early that the orange or red beetles with big black spots are beneficent citizens. They eat aphids. They don’t buzz when they fly or nest. And, amazingly, they seem to like people – never stinging or biting. When other kids were grabbing frogs and prodding snakes with sticks, I was pleased with the good-natured company of the ladybugs. Maybe that’s why I like sharing my office with them. Maybe that’s why I’m always pleased to see the replacement beetle take her place on the credenza there by the window. Maybe that’s why this odd occurrence of wildlife stirs my imagination. Whatever the reason, I’ve found myself thankful that God has provided me with a link back to His creation. For someone stuck in the world of words, numbers, and machines that spread information at close to the speed of light, the presence of a patient and plodding ladybug restores the sense of wonder that I too easily squander among those notations on my busy calendar. Less notations, more ladybugs – now that’s what this world needs. About the author: Joey Cope (Dr. Joe L. Cope) is the executive director of the Center for Conflict Resolution at Abilene Christian University. He teaches graduate courses in advanced conflict management, negotiation and mediation. The work of the Center includes mediation/intervention services and educational offerings through seminars, conferences and special courses designed for businesses, non-profit organizations, and churches. Cope is an attorney and received his certificate in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University School of Law. Cope is an elder of the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas.