This morning, July 22, my son Mark came over at 8:00a to install some overhead shelves in the garage. I had ordered them from Costco and two boxes had arrived on schedule. However, after we opened them, we discovered we were missing some vital parts so I called the number in the instructions. Turns out there are three boxes, and the third one had just shipped. An aborted project. We put everything back, and at 8:45a, Mark prepared to leave.

“Wait! While you’re here can you change the A/C filters?” (Our house has high ceilings, and all three A/C filters require a tall ladder. I don’t do ladders at my advanced age.) The last filter was in our bedroom where June was getting ready to take a friend to a retreat house for the day.

Except… June was in the bathroom struggling with a piece of scrambled egg that had gotten stuck halfway down. Mark has had advanced first aid training, and I called him in to help. Around 9:15a, he texted:

ER at 9:20 if no progress by then. Get ready.

I was out in the living room talking with the lady June was taking to the retreat house. We figured out there would be no retreat house that day, but as she was leaving, she and I prayed that June would be OK. And at 9:20, the piece of food became unstuck. Praise the Lord. But, of course, June was worn out from the ordeal.

A little while later, Mark texted:

You understand why God kept Costco from sending the install brackets. Otherwise we would have been working in the garage while mom was in the bathroom alone.

A good observation. I think it’s called “providence.” Thank you, Lord.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. (Psalm 34.7, ESV)

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34.19, ESV)

PS Mark said the same thing happened to him 10 or more years ago. He had fixed breakfast for his two children, one of whom was in his late teens. Mark got a piece of bacon stuck in his throat. He told the kids something like, “I’ll be out in a minute.” Then he went to the bathroom…just as June had done. He got the bacon piece turned appropriately, BUT, he said that if it had turned the other way, he could have died alone in the bathroom. Lesson: if you’re choking on food, tell someone!

Ezekiel 18 opens with a well-known verse about sin and punishment:

The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18.1 – 4, ESV)

He then goes into detail on several fronts. First, what is righteousness?

If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—

• if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
• does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity,
• does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge,
• commits no robbery,
• gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,
• does not lend at interest or take any profit,
• withholds his hand from injustice,
• executes true justice between man and man,

walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 18.5 – 9, ESV)

That is, righteousness is not defined by personal piety but by right actions toward others.

Another theme reminds me of a sign in the office of Fisher DeBerry, former football coach at the Air Force Academy:

You’re only as good as your last play.

Or, as Ezekial reports:

“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. (Ezekiel 18.21 – 24, ESV)

The message of Ezekiel 18 is simple:

Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” (Ezekiel 18.31, 32, ESV)

“Turn and live.” It’s a message for all and for all time. Jesus said it:

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13.3 and 5, ESV)

It’s National Moon Day, the remembrance of the first moon landing, July 20, 1969. But I’m glad that this year, it’s more than a “remembrance.”

Just as President John Kennedy proclaimed in 1962,

We choose to go to the moon!

We’re saying it again. We just sent four astronauts around the moon back in April in the Artemis II mission, and the 2027 crew of Artemis III has already been named. We’re moving toward another moon landing. We’re on the offensive, not resting on an accomplishment of nearly 60 years ago. It’s a mindset England could have used when they lost to Argentina last week.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on… (Philippians 3.12, ESV)

I’ve written about this before, but it was nearly five years ago. It’s worth a reminder: The Cobra Effect. Sahil Bloom reminded me on July 15. Here’s the short version, summarized nicely in a comic:

“A policy designed to reduce the cobra population had done just the opposite.” Sahil applies the story:

The Cobra Effect is an example of Goodhart’s Law, which says that when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.

In other words, if a measure of performance becomes a stated goal, humans will tend to optimize for it, regardless of any associated consequences.

Unfortunately, most churches illustrate this in spades: the “measure of performance” most often used is church attendance. Go to any conference where there are a lot of pastors and listen in on their conversations. True, some denominations focus on baptisms, but my friend Dan Holcomb observed in a church in which he served:

I was on staff of a church which had weekly attendance of 2,000. In the two years I was there, we baptized 800 people/year, 1,600 people in two years. And what was our weekly attendance after two years? 2,000. When 2,000 + 1,600 = 2,000, something is wrong.

Jesus told us to make disciples, not see how many folks we could get into the building. And it’s fairly clear that Jesus did not optimize for numbers:

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. (John 6.66, ESV)

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 9.25 – 27, ESV)

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19.21, 22, ESV)

Seth Godin’s blog of July 13, 2026, is too good not to share. It’s a biblically sound reminder of how we should live. He calls it “The Hedonic Treadmill.” I reproduce it in its entirety:

When we upgrade something in our lives, the thing we used to be satisfied with is no longer satisfying.

That’s the nature of an upgrade.

After a certain point, the only thing we’re buying is the way the upgrade makes us feel in the moment, not our satisfaction going forward.

Stereos, salt, art on the wall. It’s easy to get hooked on the climb, not the altitude.

Luxury goods are a special set of upgrades. These are purchases that aren’t actually an upgrade, they simply feel that way because of their cost (and the status that goes with it).

At some point, the best upgrade is the realization that we have enough. – Seth Godin, July 13, 2026, emphasis mine

“…the best upgrade is the realization that we have enough.” That will preach.

…be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13.5, ESV)

Sin is ugly and ought not to be excused. Seems simple enough, but not in today’s culture…

Have you seen the case of Brendan Sorsby, the Texas Tech quarterback who placed bets over years, some on his own team? The NCAA ruled him ineligible. Then a judge said he could play. Other universities said they wouldn’t play Texas Tech if he were on the team. Then the quarterback dropped his case and said he would go to the NFL. An editorial in World Magazine has identified a real problem with lack of punishment:

First, his behavior was excused for being caused by his mental health issues. Jeffrey Kessler, Sorsby’s attorney, argued that Sorsby’s gambling history was “a mental health issue that the NCAA is obligated to support and not punish.” Holding him accountable for behavior for which he was not responsible isn’t fair, so the argument goes.

Second, the argument was made that Sorsby receiving consequences would harm his mental health. The Hill reported that “Sorsby’s legal team argued that keeping him off the field would have a negative impact on his mental health and hurt his recovery.” Punishment would hurt, therefore it shouldn’t happen, so the second layer of the argument goes.

Unbelievable. As the writer went on to point out, it’s as old as Adam: “The woman you gave me.” Therefore, “I’m not responsible.”

But you are. We are. The editorial continues:

This is the philosophy of “Gentle Parenting” bleeding onto adults and organizations. If something hurts, then it’s wrong; if someone was hurting, then their subsequent behavior is excused. Consequences shouldn’t be leveraged as teachers because creating bad feelings is bad, so the argument goes.

Now I’m reading Ezekiel 16, a graphic metaphor of prostitution. The nation Israel scorned the God who adopted her, actually, married her, clothed her, enriched her, etc., and became a prostitute. It’s ugly. For example,

Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whorings with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them, therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. (Ezekiel 16.35 – 38, ESV)

In the middle of it, this intriguing section:

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. (Ezekiel 16.49, 50, ESV)

Some have argued that the chief sin of Sodom was not illicit sex, but failure to care for the poor. That’s not quite right. “They were haughty AND did an abomination…” So it’s all the above:

• pride
• excess of food
• prosperous ease
• did not aid the poor and needy
• haughty
• did an abomination

You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD. (Ezekiel 16.58, ESV)

Unlike the way our society is dealing with sin, absolving people of responsibility for “mental health” issues, God holds people responsible. The whole theme of all the prophets is, “Don’t do that!“

And yet the chapter ends in hope:

…yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you. I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 16.60 – 63, ESV)

The World Cup of Soccer (Football everywhere else!) is winding down. Just the consolation game for third place Saturday, and the championship Sunday between reigning champion Argentina and Spain. Missing? England. England hasn’t won the World Cup since 1966, and their goal this year was to fix that. They failed, eliminated in the semi-final by Argentina. You can read about the game here.

Why did England lose? There’s no shortage of articles you can read, but they all say the same thing: England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, chose to defend rather than attack when they went up 1 – 0 with more than 30 minutes left to play. Here are some snippets from Tuchel’s retreat set up England’s World Cup exit as Argentina smelled blood by Tom Hamilton, published by ESPN, July 16.

“The changes we made didn’t help us. Devastated,” was former England striker-turned pundit Wayne Rooney’s assessment. Ex-defender Micah Richards said “tactically, we all thought he got it wrong today.”

Just 10 days ago, the England boss was being hailed as a tactical genius for the manner in which his side held out against Mexico, playing with a back five, down to 10 men, repelling any and everything thrown at them to win their quarterfinal 3-2 at the Azteca. But in the semifinal, the same defensive switch coincided with Argentina finding another level to grab two late goals and win 2-1.

“There was blood in the water, and we went for it,” Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said said afterward.

… the damning statistics from the Argentina match are hard to ignore. Tuchel was hired to deliver England their second World Cup star. It’s the message he gave the players in his first team talk back in March 2025: It’s time to end 60 years of hurt and bring the trophy home. Except it isn’t coming home, because England lost all control of the match in that final half-hour.

From the 55th minute when Gordon scored through to Argentina’s winner in the 92nd minute, England had just 12% possession. They allowed Argentina 37 minutes with 88% possession — a team who at that point had four forwards on the pitch, stretching England’s defense and offering midfielders …time on the edge of the box.

…Tuchel’s substitutions were too negative. When England were winning 1-0, Tuchel brought on three defenders…With the benefit of hindsight, critics said Tuchel should have used attacking replacements for those flagging legs to chase the second goal, rather than protect the slender 1-0 lead.

I think you get the idea.

Scripture is clear. The Apostle Paul did not try “to protect a lead.” He pressed on and expected us to do the same:

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind… (Philippians 3.12 – 15, ESV)

“I press on…I press toward the goal…”

Jesus said it first in an often misunderstood promise:

…I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16.18, ESV)

Often people picture the church under attack, but that’s not what Jesus said. It’s not, “The gates of the church shall not prevail against Hades.” It’s, “The gates of Hades shall not prevail against the (attacking) church.”

Michael Zarling, whom I don’t know, captures the idea well, closing his blog on Matthew 16.18:

One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Princess Bride.” One of the great lines from the movie is when Miracle Max says to Inigo and Fezzik, “Have fun storming the castle.” Storming Satan’s castle may not seem like much fun – not with all the mistreatments, persecutions, imprisonments, and deaths. But winning is always fun. And Christ has already assured us of the victory. St. Paul proclaimed: “He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57) The devil is defeated. Death is dead. Sin has been struck down. The gates of Hades will not overcome.

Go on the offensive. Have fun storming the gates of Hades.

We’re still fighting fires in Colorado. The major one that I wrote about on July 2 grew to be the 7th largest in Colorado history, and it’s not nearly out yet. But in the middle of all that, there’s a feel good story on a minor fire on Cheyenne Mountain on July 8.

Turns out the crews were led to and from the fire by Goldie, the Goat. Here’s the short version:

Fire crews working to contain the Rock Creek Canyon fire west of Cheyenne Mountain State Park on Wednesday encountered a goat who led them up and down the mountain, often stopping to bleat to make sure they were following. The Southern Colorado Interagency Wildland Fire Team wrote on Facebook that fire crews wanted to “give a huge shout out to this cute little path finder who indeed was the GOAT of the Rock Creek Canyon Fire today ensuring all Crews got off the mountain safely.” (Photo courtesy of Southern Colorado Interagency Wildland Fire Team)

The story opens:

Give Goldie the goat a gold badge.

She deserves it after escorting firefighters up and down a mountain on Wednesday as they worked to contain a wildfire sparked by a lightning strike near Cheyenne Mountain State Park just south of Colorado Springs.

The goat showed firefighters the best path, often stopping to bleat and encourage them to follow her route, said Shayne Coyne, superintendent of the Southern Colorado Interagency Wildland Fire Team.

“She understood what was going on and what was happening,” Coyne said. “She wanted to make sure she knew all the humans got to the fire. This goat got to be a legend up there.” – Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, July 9, 2026

Shayne summarized the story:

Animals are amazing and they do such special things. It’s been a pretty tough time in Colorado with the fires and this was a good story.

I nearly always finish an animal story with:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you… (Job 12.7, NIV)

Yesterday I wrote about a missionary practicing 2 Timothy 2.2 closing with this principle:

2 Timothy 2:2…

• It’s so easy anyone CAN do it, even lay people.
• It’s so important, everyone MUST do it, even pastors and missionaries!

Right after I scheduled it, I received a nice piece from friends and Navigator colleagues Terry and Leah Green, who now live in New Mexico. The title “You Are a POI” got my attention. When I was developing training programs in the Air Force, “POI” stood for “Plan of Instruction.” But they meant something different, of course. Here’s the article in its entirety:

#1 You are a Person of Interest ~

“For God so loved you that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

#2 You are a Person of Influence ~

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Regardless of how we describe our ministries, this is the eternal purpose we have all been called to:

• to be a witness to our personal trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

• and to help others grow in the faith so they may be an influence for the Kingdom

How this is done varies with personalities, locations, opportunities, age, etc. but it is not a complicated responsibility. As we find ourselves in the “elderly” group now, we reflect on the number of people we have been able to share with and have a peace in knowing that any influence that has happened is only what God has done – maybe in a brief encounter or over time as we have trusted God to make our lives fruitful in the relationships we are blessed to have.

May we not use our earthly measuring stick to determine our value as “influencers” ~ the truth is, we all have influence! Our focus must be on the One who has designed us to make a difference as His image-bearer.

The more time we give to “knowing” Him, the more we have to offer others ~ He decides how He will use us. – Terry and Leah Green

A good word. I especially like “…it is not a complicated responsibility.”

And a reminder that it’s our job “to help others grow in the faith so THEY may be an influence for the kingdom.” I was talking with a fellow a few days ago who, despite YEARS of discipleship training from The Navigators and others, wasn’t actively helping anyone. He was thinking about “What sort of discipleship ministry I might have when I retire two or three years from now.” I challenged him:

You don’t have “two or three years from now.” All you have is NOW.

And when he protested that he was working very hard and was very tired, I responded: “I get that you need to take care of yourself. However…”

Can you give one guy one hour once/week?

Thankfully, he took the challenge and before the day was out had invited a guy to do bible study with him on Saturdays.

We are people of interest. God loves us. We are also people of influence. God wants to use us where we are.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)

Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. (1 Corinthians 7.17, MSG)

I sent out a ministry update the other day and received a response from a missionary lady serving in an African country. At first, I was really pleased that she was having success using discipleship materials from my organization The Navigators. She wrote:

I was assigned to mentor a single gal serving here for one year, and in recent weeks she’s asked to transition more into discipleship and learning of spiritual disciplines. We’re beginning with “Compact Discipleship” a small project put together by a [Navigator] staff member at Colorado College in the mid-2000s and introduced to me through campus Navs at Texas A&M. We’ll then start through the 2:7 series (using a workbook I happened to find in the one Christian bookshop here in town) for as long as we can until she heads back home to Germany. I’m grateful for the many, many Nav tools that I’ve been exposed to (either through my parents, through college ministry, or from other mentors who use Navigator material), and for the opportunity to pass things on to faithful [wo]men who will teach others also.

As I say, good for The Navigators! But as I was crafting my response, I remembered something that I had written 20 years ago about 2 Timothy 2.2 which reads:

What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. (ESV)

I wrote to the missionary:

Thanks for taking time to write. I’m excited that you have the opportunity to practice 2 Timothy 2.2! Some missionaries don’t, thinking their primary missionary work is sufficient ministry. I was once teaching this concept in a mission compound in Haiti. There were missionaries there as well as volunteers on a short-term mission. I said something like:

2 Timothy 2:2…

• It’s so easy anyone CAN do it, even lay people.
• It’s so important, everyone MUST do it, even pastors and missionaries!

Thanks for leading the way.