Entertaining Angels

 

Do not forget to entertain strangers …

—from Hebrews 13:2

Hospitality, that is to say “Christian hospitality,” is both a spiritual gift that God bestows on certain individuals, and it is also a duty that all Christians are called upon to provide. Followers of Christ should be the most welcoming individuals, always ready to lend a helping hand to make others feel valued and appreciated. That’s why the writer of the Book of Hebrews writes this statement, found in Hebrews 13:2:

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

We practice Christian hospitality, not only by opening our homes to others for a meal or a time of refreshment, but we practice Christian hospitality in the attitude with which we greet others along the pathway of life. A ready smile, a kind word of encouragement, a helping hand, a generous heart are all ways we extend the hospitality of Jesus to others.

This new day should be one wherein we extend Christ-like hospitality wherever we may go along the road of life. Let’s make certain we take every opportunity to live in this world the way Jesus would live. After all, we are, indeed, his representatives.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Essence of Faith

 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for …

—from Hebrews 11:1

The word “faith” gets tossed around quite a bit in our current culture.

“I have faith that every time I turn the key in my vehicle it will start—particularly because I always take good care of it.”

“I have faith in taking this test because I have studied very diligently.”

“I have faith that, when I reach into my wallet, I will have enough money to pay for lunch.”

“I have faith that next time my political party will win the election.”

Or, “I have faith that in the next election my political party will retain control of the government.”

These simple statements may all represent one idea of what the word “faith” means. But, for followers of Jesus, the word “faith” has a very special significance. The writer of the Book of Hebrews well understood the importance of this key word. Notice what he writes in Hebrews 11:1:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

As we begin a new day, let’s remember that our faith is based on the reality of Christ’s presence within us by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. That same Holy Spirit gives testimony that we are the children of God. The Apostle Paul stated in Romans 8:16:

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Yes! God has chosen us to belong to Himself. Our faith has that solid foundation.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Much More Than Simply Listening

 

Do not merely listen to the word …

—from James 1:22

I once worked with a man who would often ask for help in completing a task. He seemed to have particular difficulty when the task involved the use of a personal computer. Many of you may relate to his dilemma.

He was a relatively smart man. He had served as a career sailor in the U. S. Navy. In fact, he worked on submarines. He had good mechanical ability, was articulate, and contributed significantly to the success of the department where he worked. But, when it came to using a personal computer, he seemed lost.

Whenever he would come to me with a question, I would suggest that he take some notes while I carefully explained what he should do. As his supervisor, I felt it was important that I take the time to help him develop the skills he needed in order to progress in his job responsibilities. Dutifully, he would take notes, thank me, and proceed to return to his workstation. Sadly, quite often he would return fairly soon and still not be able to complete the task.

One day, I asked to see his notes, hoping that I could tweak them a little and set him on the right pathway. To my amazement, I found that his notes were nearly incomprehensible. He was writing words down on paper. But, those words appeared to have no relationship to what I had tried to explain. You see, he was listening to me without really understanding and then doing what I had said. The Apostle James expresses this same advice to his fellow Christians, as recorded in James 1:22:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

As we begin another new day, it’s important that we not only listen to what God’s written Word says to us, as we read it, we must do what it says. God has given us a great gift by inspiring authors to write down exactly what He wants us to know and do. If we merely read God’s written Word without putting what it says into practice, what good does it do for us and others?

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

True Faithfulness

 

“Well done, good and faithful servant! …”

—from Matthew 25:21

When I was a teenager working at Radio Station WESB in my hometown, I had the great privilege of engineering an early Sunday morning radio broadcast created by a local pastor, Rev. John F. Olexa. On his radio program, he billed himself with this tagline: “A Prophet of Doom with a Message of Hope.” He was one of the finest men in ministry, with whom I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and working.

Rev. Olexa’s tagline may sound a bit corny. But, John Olexa was anything but corny. He was a loving, caring, devoted servant of God, who overcame the debilitating illness, polio, that had left him with a very awkward gait. He was quite short in stature. However, God had given him a booming voice and a very articulate way of opening God’s written Word and unpacking the truth of Scripture.

I greatly enjoyed working with “Pastor Johnny,” as many people called him. He taught me a great deal about preaching effective sermons. And, he taught me even more about genuine humility, in service to Christ and His Kingdom.

In addition to pastoring two of the local Evangelical United Brethren Churches, John served as the head of the Bradford District Youth Fellowship, as well as overseeing the Youth Fellowship for the entire Erie Conference of the EUB Church. He asked me to serve as Treasurer of the District Youth Fellowship—partly, I’m fairly certain, because he knew that my dad served as Treasurer of our local EUB church, which was the largest EUB Church in the District. No doubt Pastor Johnny felt that my dad would help me keep the books straight, and he was right.

Pastor Johnny would often say:

“Use the talent God has given you to the best of your ability. Then, rely on the Holy Spirit to multiply the effectiveness of your God-given talent.”

I felt that those words set a definite course for my life. I owe a great debt of gratitude to the Rev. John F. Olexa. And, I look forward to seeing him again in heaven.

Jesus would certainly agree with Pastor Johnny’s statement regarding the use of one’s talents and abilities. Notice these words of Jesus, as He tells His followers the “Parable of the Talents (or Bags of Gold),” as found in Matthew 25:20-21:

“The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

In the “sweet by-and-by,” we all long to hear Jesus say those precious words to us:

“Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Our devotion to serving our Great King begins today. Yes, at the start of this new day, we can, and should, determine to use whatever gifts God has given us to the best of our ability, and then rely on the Holy Spirit to multiply the effectiveness of those God-given talents.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

"You Are Mine"

 

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you …

—from Isaiah 43:1

God’s dealing with His chosen people, the children of Israel, is a foretaste of His dealings with those of us Gentiles, who have been grafted in to the line of David. As the Apostle Paul explains in Romans 11:17:

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root …

So, we can learn great lessons from observing God’s relationship with, and His actions towards, His chosen people. For just as God chose Abraham’s offspring to belong to Himself, so He has chosen us, as well.

That makes the words of God recorded by the Prophet Isaiah particularly important to us. Notice these words of God, as found in Isaiah 43:1:

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

God says to those of us He has called to Himself that we belong to Him. “You are mine,” He says. And, based on this declaration, we have confidence to determine this day, and every day, to honor and serve Him with all four of our human modalities: our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Paybacks

 

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” …

—from Proverbs 20:22

An old adage insists:

“Don’t get mad, get even!”

It’s actually a horrible piece of advice. In dealing with others, we should neither get mad, nor get even. Instead, we should follow the way of the cross, that is, living our lives in the pathway forged by the footsteps of Jesus.

It’s interesting that the word “mad” can mean both angry and mentally ill. In some sense, when we lose control of our emotions and become angry, we do—at least momentarily—act as if mental illness has overcome us. That fact alone should help us steer clear from allowing ourselves to become angry with another person. King Solomon offered these words of advice, found in Proverbs 20:22:

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

In every situation that we face, especially when we are mistreated by someone else, we should allow God room to deal with the situation in our behalf. God’s protection is worth more than any momentary satisfaction we may receive by getting angry about something. And certainly, getting even with someone who has harmed us is a sin that we should definitely avoid committing.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Lord Upholds the Righteous

 

“Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; …”

—from Psalm 37:16

“By what measure do we determine our worth?”

A social studies teacher, in the autumn of my ninth grade school year way back in 1961, asked my class that question. Amazingly, or perhaps not so amazingly, no one wanted to volunteer an answer. No one wanted to talk about himself or herself. Even so, I overheard several students talking about the question during the time between classes. Everyone seemed to have an opinion about how other students might measure their worth.

• “Cheryl measures her worth by her good looks,” offered one student.
  
  
• “Bill thinks he’s important because he’s the star of the football team.”
  
  
• “Linda always dates older guys, so she thinks she’s better than the other girls.”
  
  
• “John’s family is so very rich. That’s what makes him valuable.”
  
  

As usual, I was lurking on the very edges of the outside of the group. I found it most interesting when I considered what my fellow students thought measured the worth of their peers. I knew that I secretly harbored a distorted sense that I was smarter than most other people—what a foolish notion! But, I also knew that virtually no one liked me because I was too quick to voice my opinions and, generally speaking, lacked even the most basic social skills that seemed so natural to others.

The truth is that such measures of our value and worth are truly meaningless, in terms of the biggest picture—the picture that includes not only our current time, but eternity. For our true value and worth comes solely from our relationship with God. King David understood this fact from his own experience. Notice these words David wrote, as recorded in Psalm 37:16-17:

Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

Temporal means of judging value and worth pale when faced with eternal measures. No matter what the circumstances in which we may find ourselves this new day, it is our relationship with God that truly gives us meaning and worth.

Our value comes from God: not from what we look like, or how much money we have, or how smart we think we are, or any other quality that we may have previously relied upon. That’s something we need to keep in mind all through this day and every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}