“But, I Love It!”

 

“Do not love the world or anything in the world.”

—1 John 2:15a

When I was a small boy, while we were not dirt poor, we did live in very modest circumstances. My father worked as a salesman for a hotel and restaurant supply business. He earned his pay on commission and, as anyone who has ever worked on commission knows, some weeks you might make out okay, while other weeks you would barely make “your draw.”

I never realized how little we had until in the summer after third grade one of my classmates invited me to swim with his family at the Valley Hunt Club. I had never seen such “wealth.” I asked my dad why we couldn’t join the Club and he could hardly contain his laughter.

Every November the Sears Christmas catalog would arrive in the mail. I would pour over the wonders contained on that slick, glossy paper. I did so knowing that I would very likely be unable to have even one of those gifts.

One year, I saw a motorized car with a spaceman sitting on top. You could tip his helmet forward and program some switches that would determine the route the car would drive. I knew it was expensive. I knew there was little chance my parents could ever afford such a luxury. Nevertheless, rather sheepishly, I circled the picture and, without saying anything to them about my wish, I secretly hoped that somehow it would appear under the tree. I then promptly put it out of my mind. You see, I had learned not to wish too hard for something.

On Christmas morning, to my utter and great surprise, there was the motorized car in a big box. I eagerly unpacked it, but immediately discovered a major problem. Our house was so small that there was no space large enough to actually operate the vehicle.

Our living room and dining room were tiny and filled with a few pieces of furniture that occupied most of the tiny space. So, on Christmas Day, I could not actually use the toy I had wanted so much. I felt dismayed and very, very ashamed that I had asked for something that was actually quite useless in my circumstances.

Night came and I took the car up to my bedroom, crawled into bed, and hauled the car in with me. It was about 14 inches long, seven inches wide, and ten inches tall. So, it was hardly an appropriate item for a bed. And, it wasn’t at all cuddly like a teddy bear or other stuffed animal might be.

When my mom saw I had taken the car with me to bed, she said, “Dean, that car is too big. You can’t possibly sleep with that.”

I replied, “But, I love it!”

“You can’t ‘love’ a car,” she replied. But, seeing that I wasn’t going to give in, she allowed the car to stay.

I tried to cuddle with the car, but it had sharp edges that poked me in the chest. I tried to lay the car on its side, so I could at least look at the man who sat on top of the car, but it was counter balanced so that it really didn’t want to stay on its side. I finally fell asleep and spent a bit of a restless night. Every time I would turn over, the car would bump into me and wake me from my sleep.

Let’s fast forward 63 years and return to the present.

Think about some “thing” in your life that you love. Would you want to cuddle with it as you fall asleep? Would you sell everything you had to buy the object of your affection? Would you devote yourself—all your time and all your money—to keeping that thing you love in the best possible condition, all the days of your life?

The Apostle John wrote these words, as recorded in 1 John 2:15-16:

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

I’ve written in this blog several times about the elegance of the New Testament Greek language that very conveniently has four words for “love” instead of our single English word. None of those four words apply to “things.” They all, every one of them, apply to people and relationships. Perhaps the Greeks in ancient times, at least in some ways, were much smarter than we are today.

The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor in the same way that you love yourself. (Mark 12:30-31)

As we begin another day of life, let us keep in mind that our love needs to be channeled first toward God and secondly toward those who cross the pathway of our lives.

We have every reason to love God because He first loved us. We have every reason to love those who cross the pathway of our lives because God has instructed us to do so.

Need I say more?

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Beyond our Understanding

 

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;”

—Job 37:5a

Anyone who declares that he or she completely understands God has actually completely misunderstood the breathtaking majesty of God.

Our loving Father has revealed Himself to His chosen children through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The more we learn about Jesus and the more we try to follow in His footsteps, the more we will understand God. But, that understanding will always be imperfect until we stand in His Presence. And, even then, truly knowing God is an endeavor that will take eternity.

The great churchman, J. I. Packer, has written an absolutely marvelous book entitled Knowing God. In 2006, Christianity Today magazine named this book one of the top 50 volumes that have shaped Evangelicals. I strongly—yes, strongly—encourage you to get this book at your favorite bookseller. If you carefully and prayerfully read this book, your life will surely change.

Packer concludes that we will only “become known, even as also we are known”—to quote 1 Corinthians 13:12—when we come into the Presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the meantime, we must content ourselves by taking full advantage of the revelation God the Father has given us in His Son, in His written Word, and in the Holy Spirit’s indwelling Presence.

We must recognize the power and glory of God when we look at all of life around us. We must see with the eyes of Elihu. Consider, for a moment, these words of Job’s “friend” Elihu, as recorded in Job 37:5-6:

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’”

Whether you watch your new born baby asleep and take note of each breath; whether you hike through the woods and see the manifold artistry of the Creator; whether you listen to music at a concert and see the way God has gifted the composer and artist; whatever you do and wherever you go you must immerse yourself in the overwhelming reality that God’s many splendored Presence is incomprehensible.

It is as if, in response to our desire to know Him, God has placed us in the hollow of a rock and shielded us with His hand as He passes by. We can only see His back, even as Moses did. But, we cannot see God full in the face and live. We cannot apprehend the fullness of His glory.

As we begin this new day, we should revel in as much of Himself as God has chosen to reveal to us. And, we should allow our praise to spill out into our conversation with each individual God nudges us to touch during our daily encounters with the ones we pass along our journey.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Dramatic Change of Color

 

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

—Isaiah 1:18

As a parent, have you ever had one or more of your children come inside after playing outdoors in the mud. When they walk through the door, you catch your breath. They stand before you, covered from head to toe, dripping mud onto your clean floor. It takes you just an extra second to identify which of your offspring is underneath all that mud.

Twenty minutes later, freshly bathed and in clean clothes, their color has changed from dark mud to the sparkling fresh natural skin tones that you are used to seeing. In your mind you say to yourself, “Yes! This is my child—my sweet, adorable child!”

It is really quite amazing what a change of color can do.

In our spiritual lives, we are blackened by sin. When God looks at us, He can’t help but see the stains that sin has left on our minds, hearts, and souls. But when He washes us in the blood of His Son, Jesus, we become instantly clean—totally, absolutely, completely clean. The sin is gone. Our true spiritual color has been restored.

The Prophet Isaiah reported God’s own declaration, when Isaiah recorded these words in Isaiah 1:18:

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

A dramatic change in color makes all the difference in the world. We whom God has called to belong to Himself have been restored. The sin is gone. We have been rescued from the garbage heap of sin and washed thoroughly.

As we being another day, let’s remember that the cleansing flood of Jesus’ precious blood has redeemed us, restored us, and given us our natural color back. Then, let’s be willing to share this good news with everyone who crosses our pathway, even as God prompts us to do so by that nudging of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Choosing Rightly

 

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…”

—Joshua 24:15

Life is full of choices. From the time we wake up until the time we lay our head on the pillow again, we make dozens upon dozens of choices every day. In the vast majority of the cases, we make those choices without much thought. Yes, I know that occasionally we may labor over a choice. But, most of the time, we make choices just as easily as we can.

But, when it comes to how we intend to live out our lives in allegiance to something greater than ourselves, that choice is worth some serious consideration. That’s why the man who replaced Moses as leader of the people of Israel wrote these words, as recorded in Joshua 24:15:

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Moses had led the children of Israel out of Egypt. After wandering for 40 years in the desert, God had led them to cross the Jordan River and enter the land He had prepared for them. As they came to this point of decision in their lives, it was important to know if they would wholeheartedly bow their knees in fealty to the God who loved them, who had saved them from slavery in Egypt, and who now had opened up a new land especially for them.

This question remains relevant for us today. As ones who declare our love for God through His Son, Jesus, we must decide if our love will be a weak and lukewarm love, or a love bolstered by every ounce of our being. Will we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or, will we become part-time servants of the Most High?

“Choose this day whom you will serve.” This is a command for us every day of our lives. Will we serve God or serve another. How shall we answer?

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Power for Good

 

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people…”

—1 Timothy 2:1-4

When we receive great power it always comes with great responsibility. And, there is no greater power than prayer.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy and instructed him how to use this great power, as recorded in 1 Timothy 2:1-4:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

This verse emphasizes the power of prayer. As believers in the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ, we “Christ’s-ones” need to fervently pray for those in need.

Let’s begin this day by praying for those we know who need a touch from God in their lives. Whether that need is for healing from injury or disease, restoration for a broken relationship, protection from making bad choices, or any other issue in someone’s life—prayer truly has the power to move the hand of God to meet that need.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Mystery Revealed

 

“With all wisdom and understanding, he (God) made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure…”

—Ephesians 1:8b-9a

I’ve mentioned before how very much I enjoy mystery novels. I have read hundreds of them over the years. When I was traveling 39 weeks out of 52, I wiled away my time in airports and on airplanes reading mystery novels.

I don’t try to figure out the mystery. Rather, I let the mystery unfold and immerse myself in the storytelling of the author. That gives me much more pleasure than trying to out-guess the author’s plot points.

I find myself reacting that same way to the Christian life. As a young boy, I grew up hearing the stories of Jesus. I literally cannot remember a time when I did not know that Jesus was the Son of God who became a man and who then died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. Even when I did not begin to understand the full import of those words, I knew the story of redemption.

At nine years old, in 1956, an evangelist, Rev. Oral Bradford, came to my church for a week of special meetings. He was a chalk artist. One night he preached on the horrors of eternal damnation. When he finished his sermon and gave an invitation, I could not get to the altar fast enough. Then and there I acknowledged the gift God had given me of salvation through His Son, Jesus.

As the years passed, I became more and more aware of the great mystery of salvation—not the full understanding or “solution” to that mystery, but that the mystery existed. And, at 69 years old, that’s where I am today. I know salvation is a great mystery. I understand a bit more about it than I did 60 years ago. But, I do not yet have the full solution. Nor should I, because it is a holy mystery, a spiritual mystery.

The Apostle Paul recognized that the new Christians gathered in Ephesus needed to obtain a clearer view of what God had done for them through Christ. So, Paul penned these words recorded in Ephesians 1:7-10:

In him (God) we have redemption through his (Jesus’) blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he (God) made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

And, that’s the explanation we will receive. Does it solve the mystery of God’s mercy, grace, and love? No, of course not. Does it give us a glimpse at the process of redemption? Yes, yes it does. Will we learn more when we move from this life to the next? I believe we will.

So, what do we get from these verses? We gain a realization that this mystery of salvation is completely a gift of God to us through Christ. The gift is a lavishing of God’s grace that we do not deserve. God, who knows everything, has given us a peek at His will revealed in what He has done for us through His Son—paid the penalty for our sin and united us to Himself as dearly loved children.

At the start of a new day, as we think about this magnificent gift, we should feel gratitude and unsurpassed humility that God would choose us to belong to Himself and redeem us through the shedding of His Son’s precious blood. It is this act of God’s mercy, grace, and abiding love that brings unity to all things in heaven and on earth.

Christ is our monarch. He is the Great King. And, He is our brother. It is an amazing mystery, but one we should be glad that we’re a part of the plot.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Rubbing Salt

 

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…”

—Romans 13:1a

Have you ever felt strongly about something and then had someone point out that your viewpoint may not exactly coincide with your Christian faith?

A couple of days ago, I shared a verse from Romans 13 regarding respect for authorities. As some readers may know, I obtain the verse on which I base each daily blog post from the Biblegateway website. Imagine my chagrin when today’s verse popped up and it was a continuation of the chapter from which I shared previously.

Instead of simply feature the one disconnected verse, I thought I would get this entire section out of the way. So, here’s the whole passage from the pen of the Apostle Paul from Romans 13:1-7:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.

For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Reading this passage with my current state of mind is very much like rubbing salt in a wound. I don’t know if you’ve ever actually had that excruciating experience. I have had a super-saturated saline solution accidentally poured into a large open wound on my foot when a nurse thought she was using a lesser percentage of saline. It hurts quite a lot.

Why do I feel this way? Because all of my presuppositions and natural political inclinations strongly create in me the belief that the less government intrudes into our lives the better. I believe that the government should provide a very well-trained and well-equipped military to protect our freedoms. I believe the government should keep our food safe and make certain pharmaceuticals are safe and effective.

But, I believe that welfare and social services belong in the private sector, particularly a responsibility of the church. Beyond these few things, I want the government to stay out of my life.

And, yet... The Apostle Paul instructs me to give respect to the civil authorities and to pay my taxes and to do all this because God has empowered these authorities—no matter how much I may not like them.

Is it possible that this is a lesson I need to learn with greater clarity? Is that why Biblegateway posted a second verse from this passage?

Well, I hope to not have to write about this subject again for quite some time. And, just maybe you can identify with how I feel.

Even if you come from the other side of the political spectrum, just hearken back to how you felt when the opposite party was in power.

In any case, God expects us to obey those in authority over us. I will try to do this. How about you?

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Competent Ministers

 

“He (God) has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant…”

—2 Corinthians 3:6

If you’re like most churchgoers, you do not consider yourself on the same spiritual level as your minister. That’s because we harbor within us a sense that ministers surely are more educated about spiritual things and because we believe they have devoted themselves to following Christ more closely.

But, the truth remains that everyone who belongs to God through Christ is, indeed, on the same spiritual track. In fact, the longer you attend church, the more you will come to realize that ministers are just as much jerks as we are. They are subject to the same sin nature. They have the same temptations. They have the same ego problems dogging them that we do. And, because people generally expect much more from ministers, they live under a cloud of unmet expectations.

I’m not diminishing ministers at all. In fact, to borrow a time-worn phrase, some of my best friends are ministers. But, I also know that ministers should not hold the special place that they seem to hold in many people’s minds. Rather, the Scripture enjoins us to give double honor to those who teach us spiritual truths. But, it also holds them to a strict level of accountability. (See 1 Timothy 5:17-21.)

Now, here’s my point: we “Christ’s-ones” are ALL ministers! That’s right—we are all ministers of the gospel of God’s mercy, grace, and love. We are called by God to minister to the needs of a troubled and dying world. The Apostle Paul reminds the church gathered in Corinth of this reality, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 3:6:

He (God) has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Here Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about his own qualifications for ministry. But, he ties his own commendation to the calling of all believers. God empowers us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to minister on behalf of Christ.

So, the challenge for this new day consists of us casting off the idea that the professional clergy—whom we pay—will do ministry in our place. No! While we need well-educated and competent teachers of Scripture, and those with time to devote to caring for the flock God has given them, we cannot escape the reality that we, too, are called to minister.

Just as God calls us to partner with the Holy Spirit in sharing the gifts of God’s love and grace, so we must partner with those whom God has set apart for full time Christian service.

We honor those who have devoted their entire lives to the ministry. But, we join with them and use the gifts God has given us to multiply the effectiveness of our witness for Christ and His Kingdom. That’s what God has called us to do. And that, my dear ones, is exactly what we should do throughout this new day.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Obeying the Government

 

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…”

—Romans 13:1a

Must we always obey the government? That’s a tough question. It seems particularly tough for me over the last eight years where I agreed with virtually nothing that the previous government did. But, as a Christian, what is my responsibility when it comes to obeying the government?

The Apostle Paul gives a truthful, but very difficult to swallow, answer in Romans 13:1:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

I want to shout, “But, Paul, you don’t live under the kind of anti-Christian, increasingly liberal government that we have had in recent years!” And then, I realize that the government under which Paul lived was a far more repressive and evil government than the one under which we live. So, what gives? How can Paul make this statement?

I really don’t have an easy answer. But, I do know that Scripture tells us to pray for those in authority over us and to subject ourselves to those in authority because God has placed them in that position.

This is a question that cannot be solved in a simple blog post. But, at the very least, we can probably agree that we must pray for our leaders. We must ask God to overtake their minds and hearts and point them toward His righteousness.

Only then can we breathe a sigh of relief that we have done what’s right in God’s eyes with respect to the governing authorities. Frankly, at least at the moment, I don’t like it. But, I know it’s the right thing to do!

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Special Possession

 

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…”

—1 Peter 2:9

“You don’t own me!” she screamed, as she ran from the kitchen and slammed the door to her room.

This scene plays out in a variety of settings every day. Sometimes, it’s a teenager reacting to some statement of guidance from a parent. Other times, it’s a spouse responding to a suggestion or command from his or her partner. In either case, the idea put forth disclaims that one person can own another.

Part of our revulsion toward the idea of slavery is based on the realization that it is cruel and inhuman for one person to presume to own another person. Of course, the rationale at the time was that the slaves were not really “persons.” No matter how absurd, even revolting, that may seem to us today, nevertheless it was the reason that many of our forefathers relied on slave labor.

It’s horrifying for us to think about one human believing another human was not a person. Yet, that’s how our culture justifies abortion on demand: that the infants in the womb are not really persons. But, that’s an issue for another blog post.

The underlying concept is clear: no one wants to be treated by another person as if that other person owns that one. It’s a thoroughly despicable idea.

But, what if that one claiming ownership was not another person, but the very Creator of the universe—the One who had brought the owned person into this world? If God has chosen us to belong to Himself before the foundation of the world, does He not have the right to claim ownership over us?

Of course He does. And, do we benefit enormously from the fact that God owns us as His very deeply loved and very deliberately chosen possessions? Yes! Yes, we do!

This is exactly what the Apostle Peter was trying to convey to the early Christians when he wrote these words to them—and to us, as well—that we find recorded in 1 Peter 2:9:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

We who belong to God through His precious Son, Jesus—we “Christ’s-ones”—have been chosen by God to belong to him as a royal priesthood. We form the Kingdom of God here on earth as a holy nation of ambassadors. We show forth, to a needy world, the very essence of God’s mercy, grace, and overwhelming love. We are His special possession.

In response, we do not run from His Presence, slam the door of our hearts, and yell back at Him, “You don’t own me!” No! Instead, we fall to our knees before Him and proclaim with great praise that we are of all people most blessed.

For He has called us out of the darkness of the sin that gripped our lives and brought us into His wonderful Light. He has imbued us with His Holy Spirit. He has covered us with the blood of His Son. He has cleansed us thoroughly from our sin. He has washed us white as snow. He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.

As we begin another day, we should feel literally overwhelmed by the realization that we belong to God. He has chosen us. He has blessed us in ways so beyond our understanding that it can only boggle our minds and fill our hearts with the greatest possible joy.

Now, if that’s not the way to begin another day, well then, I don’t know what would be.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Eyes Wide Open

 

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he (God) has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…”

—Ephesians 1:18

Have you ever walked outside from a dimly lit building into the full light of day and suddenly you cannot see? I often experience this more and more since I had cataract surgery a half-dozen years ago. With a fixed lens implanted in each eye, I’ve become much more sensitive to glare.

But, you may have had a similar experience if you leave a movie theater by an emergency exit that leads quite quickly to the outside of the building. Leaving the dim light of the theater and walking into the bright sunshine will often momentarily blind you.

The Apostle Paul expressed a similar concern with respect to our ability to fully perceive the depth of truth contained in the gospel account of the great outpouring of God’s mercy, grace, and love to us through His Son, Jesus. Paul wanted to make certain we fully perceived what God had done for us. Notice Paul’s words, as recorded in Ephesians 1:18:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he (God) has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…

It would be very sad if for some reason we could not clearly see what God has done for us. We would miss the excitement and glory of His great gift in and through His Son. Certainly, we would want to be able to apprehend what God has done for us. That’s why we can fully agree with Paul’s prayer.

As we move out into this new day, let’s join with Paul and ask God to give us the clearest possible vision of what He has done in our behalf. We will be all the better for clearly seeing what He has done for us.

And, may our clearer vision create a joyful and thankful heart in us that we might share our great blessings with everyone who comes across our pathway.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Prowling Lion

 

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

—1 Peter 5:8-9

Nearly 40 years ago, I visited “Lion Country Safari” in West Palm Beach, Florida. We drove around in our vehicle with a cassette tape recorder that narrated each portion of the park. At one point, we entered an area with a 14-foot heavy chain link fence with barbed wire on the top. An electrically operated gate closed behind us. From the narration on the tape we realized we had entered the area of the park devoted to the lions.

These big cats are even more ferocious when you see them free to roam in the open ground than they are when you see them inside cages at a zoo. Their powerfully muscled bodies ripple with energy.

We watched as they lazed in the sun. Then, one lion suddenly jumped up and quickly ran into the bush. The lion moved so fast that her form appeared as a blur. It was then that I realized how totally fearsome these beasts really are.

It is no accident that the Apostle Peter likens our enemy, Satan, to a prowling lion. Take note of what Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:8-9:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Not many years after my visit to “Lion Country,” I listened to my spiritual mentor, Dr. David R. Mains, preach a sermon on this passage of Scripture. In three successive days on his radio broadcast, The Chapel of the Air, Dr. Mains shared a detailed look at these verses.

Over the course of the three messages, he developed a key sentence from the three ideas in these two verses of Scripture: “Satan’s desire is to destroy, our opportunity is to overcome, and God’s endeavor is to equip.”

In actuality, this key sentence does, indeed, provide great insight into our daily plight as believers in the life-transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan does want to utterly destroy us. But, with the temptations that Satan brings into our pathway, God has given us an opportunity to overcome those temptations through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

How? We take the opportunity to overcome by making the choice to activate that third phrase in the key sentence. We purposefully allow the Holy Spirit to equip us to bypass the temptation and give our wills completely to God. By bending our selfish desires to His perfect desire for us, we overcome temptation, close the mouth of the prowling lion, and experience victory.

Here at the start of a new day, let’s recognize the Evil One for what he is—a destroyer, a deceiver, and a roadblock to our spiritual formation. Then, let’s rely on the Holy Spirit to give us power to overcome the temptations that Satan brings our way.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

By Grace Through Faith

 

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

—Ephesians 2:8-9

Years ago I heard a sermon illustration that went something like this:

A man faltered on the sidewalk in midtown Manhattan and fell to the ground. People gathered around him. One bystander went to the nearby pay phone and dialed for help. Soon sirens sounded in the distance and an ambulance arrived. The attendants tried to revive the man, but he had died.

At the moment of his death, the man awoke, as if he had somehow fallen asleep. Looking around he saw the most beautiful gates he had ever seen. High at the top of the gate were the words “Whosoever Will May Come.” He pushed against the gate, but it was locked. He looked around to see if he could either find a key or locate someone to help him unlock the gate.

After he searched, he found a small sign mounted on the right side of the gate. The sign read “Enter by grace through faith.” He shook his head, puzzled as to what the sign meant.

He thought about all the good things he had done in his life and tried to weigh those good things against the bad things he had done. On balance, he felt quite confident that his good deeds outweighed the bad. So, he pushed on the gate again.

As he pushed, he noticed the sign glowed for an instant. He pushed again and again the sign glowed briefly. Every time he pushed on the gate the sign glowed for an instant.

Finally, quite frustrated, he sat down in front of the gate and wondered what he was missing. What did he need to do to open the gates of heaven?

“You see,” the preacher concluded the illustration, “the man made the same mistake that countless people make. He thought his good deeds would get him into heaven. What he failed to realize was that the entrance fee to heaven had already been paid by Jesus on the cross. There was nothing he could do to gain entry through those beautiful gates.

“And, dear friends, there is nothing you can do to enter those gates when you pass from this life to the next. Jesus paid it all. He and He alone is the One who enables us to push on through those gates. It is by God’s grace, through faith in His Son, Jesus, that we come into His Presence for all eternity.”

The Apostle Paul stated this truth so clearly in Ephesians 2:8-9:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Our entrance into the Kingdom of God—the Kingdom to come in eternity and the Kingdom of God here and now on earth—is by grace through faith in Jesus. The more we understand this, the more we can stop trying to do good and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us how to be good.

As we begin another day, let’s ask God to keep this fact ever in the forefront of our minds and hearts. He has chosen us to belong to Himself. He has made provision for our salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son. He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us into holiness, as we follow the pathway He has opened before us.

It’s really not all that complicated. But, for people who want to be “kings in their own kingdom” it’s hard to accept the fact that no good works will get us into heaven. It is by grace alone through faith alone. And, when we really grasp this important truth, we will come to realize what really good news this is.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Offering Our Bodies

 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

—Romans 12:1

In one of the intriguing mystery movies of the last decade, Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, and Christopher Plummer, bank robbers enter a bank, corral the customers, make them change clothes into painter’s overhauls. One of the robbers hides behind a false wall they construct in the basement. Just as the police become ready to storm the bank, the similarly dressed hostages come out. Of course, the robbers have slipped into the same costumes and escape.

I won’t ruin the story, in case you haven’t seen this movie yet. But, in a sense, the robbers offered their bodies to become like the hostages and, thus, were able to escape. They willingly became like someone else in order to achieve victory.

In the Christian life, the Apostle Paul urges believers to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice. Note his words recorded in Romans 12:1:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

In view of God’s mercy, we willingly offer our bodies to become like Christ: to speak truth, possibly suffer and even die for our beliefs, that the world will know their only means of escape from sin and spiritual death.

As we begin another day, it’s worth considering whether or not we daily lay our bodies at the feet of our Savior and pursue the pathway He opens before us of service and holiness for the advancement of the Kingdom of God here on this earth.

I’ve written before in previous blog posts about the prayer of Walter Wilson—first shared with me by my long time spiritual mentor (and now boss), Dr. David R. Mains way back in October of 1978 in a sermon—on his radio program The Chapel of the Air—he titled “The Exchanged Life.” It seems appropriate to share it once again:

My Lord, I have mistreated You all my Christian life. I have treated You as a servant. When I wanted You, I called for You; when I was about to engage in some work, I beckoned You to come and help me perform my task. I have kept You in the place of a servant. I have sought to use You only as a willing servant to help me in my self-appointed and chosen work. I shall do so no more.

Just now I give you this body of mine; from my head to my feet, I give it to You. I give You my hands, my limbs, my eyes and lips, my brain; all that I am within and without, I hand over to You for You to live in it the life that You please. You may send this body to Africa, or lay it on a bed with cancer. You may blind the eyes, or send me with Your message to Tibet. You may take this body to the Eskimos, or send it to a hospital with pneumonia. It is Your body from this moment on. Help Yourself to it.

Thank You, my Lord, I believe you have accepted it, for in Romans twelve and one You said, “acceptable unto God.” Thank You again, my Lord, for taking me. We now belong to each other.

I end with a question at the beginning of this new day: Can you honestly pray this prayer? Can I?

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Enduring Forever

 

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

—1 Peter 1:24-25

A phenomenon has risen to the forefront over the last few years that has caught many people by surprise. Someone posts a hurtful photograph, or a hurtful paragraph, on the Internet and no matter what the hurt person does, that photograph, or paragraph, persists. It takes on a life of its own. Once it is deleted from one location, it pops up at some other location. Some photos and paragraphs even “go viral” and thousands of people re-post them until thousands of instances exist.

If the entire Internet crashed, and every server failed, and every storage device catastrophically failed, only then would the photo, or paragraph, cease to exist. And then, that would depend on whether or not someone had downloaded and archived the content to a private storage device from which it could be resurrected. Still, under the right conditions, the photo, or paragraph, could eventually be eradicated.

But, God’s Word has a permanence that exceeds our ability to comprehend. Nothing can stop God’s Word from persisting. Many have tried over the last 2,000 years to destroy God’s written Word, the Bible. But, God will always preserve His Word. He will guard His truth. He gave it to humankind for their benefit. He will not allow anyone or anything to prevent men, women, boys, and girls from hearing His Word.

The Apostle Peter makes certain the early Christians knew this when he wrote these words in 1 Peter 1:24-25:

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

We can begin this new day with thanksgiving that God’s Word will endure. We will have it available to us to lead and guide us into the pathway that God has prepared for us. We can hide God’s Word in our hearts and minds and no one can take it from us. That’s certainly a reason to rejoice this day.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Active and Alive

 

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

—Hebrews 4:12

Does God’s written Word, the Bible, have any power? Indeed it does!

When people read God’s Word, the Holy Spirit can so empower the text that by their reading, accepting, and following its teachings, lives can turn to God and receive new life through the Lord Jesus Christ.

For those who already belong to Jesus, the Bible can give comfort, strength, and direction.

The writer of Hebrews declares in Hebrews 4:12:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Let’s make certain we take a few moments this day to immerse ourselves in God’s Word. As we do, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to make God’s truth come alive in our hearts and minds.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Best Textbook

 

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

—2 Timothy 3:16-17

Have you ever noticed when you take a class that focuses on a very complicated subject how helpful a really good textbook can be? And, have you noticed that in the same kind of class, if the textbook is lacking, how much more difficult understanding the subject can become?

Having a really good textbook is an important part of developing a worthwhile course of study. That’s why we who follow Jesus are so very fortunate that God has given and preserved the best possible textbook: the Bible. For, in God’s Word, we have all that we need to apprehend what God wants us to know about Him, about His gift of love through His Son, Jesus, and how we are to bend our selfish human wills to His perfect will.

It’s no wonder then, that the Apostle Paul, in writing to his son in the faith, Timothy, penned these words, as recorded in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God-breathed words of life, useful for teaching and training in righteousness—what a perfect description of this most wonderful book. We should certainly devote time to reading and meditating on God’s Word every day.

By planting the truth of the Bible in our hearts and minds, we begin each new day prepared to face whatever may come our way. Over a lifetime of study, we become aware, more and more, of how God constantly intersects with the pathway He has laid out before us.

I encourage us to make time for the reading and study of God’s Word this day and every day. I know that I need this timely reminder and likely you do, too.

If we listen to God speak to us through His written Word, we will know what He wants us to do. And, nothing could give us clearer direction than that.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Speaking in Song

 

“…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

—Ephesians 5:19-20

Music is a most powerful language. Some have said it is the universal language. No matter what the culture, the music of that culture always holds great power. Even when we may not know a particular language, the music of that distant land speaks volumes to us about the nature and character of the people there.

Many years ago, when personal computers first came on the scene and I purchased my first “real” computer—a Compaq Portable that was about the size and weight of a portable sewing machine; portable, indeed—I was introduced to my first database program: dBase II. I remember how frustrating it was the very first time I executed the program and a lone dot appeared on the screen. I soon learned this was the unique, but oft talked about in those days, “dot prompt.”

Not too long after that, once I read the manual and then purchased some books on dBase II programming, I became quite proficient in writing the plsin-language code necessary to make useful programs with this $750.00 software. In fact, I was hired to write an entire computerized Job Management System for a division of Ford, Bacon, and Davis that repaired utility natural gas pipelines. The project took me many, many hours. But, it was a fascinating learning experience.

During this time, I read about a training program that several Corporate 500 companies had sponsored to find the best code developers in order to implement various software built on dBase II. They found that the most efficient and effective programmers had a strong musical background. These musicians had a familiarity with translating the notes on a page into music. The same intelligence that gave them facility to make music also allowed them to excel at software development and computer code writing.

Music plays an important part in our everyday lives. It plays an important part in our spiritual lives, too. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the “Christ’s-ones” gathered at the church in Ephesus, as found in Ephesians 5:19-20:

…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In our Christian lives, we communicate with our brothers and sisters in Christ through music. Can anyone doubt that music plays an important role in our spiritual formation? Many great hymns have, over the years, communicated foundational truth. And, the more contemporary Christian music of today continues to express Biblical texts in a genre of more “modern” musical form.

Whether you sing only in the shower, whether you sing loudly during the congregational singing at your church, or whether you participate in a choir or vocal group to the glory of God, you are communicating with God and with your spiritual Family using music.

Imagine what heaven will be like when we sit at the feet of Jesus and hear the choirs of angels sing praise to God. Now that will be quite a day!

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

You Haven’t Seen Anything Yet!

 

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him…”

—1 Corinthians 2:9

As a resident of Pennsylvania, I am surrounded by folks whose eyes are glued to the event in Punxsutawney today. You see, it’s “Groundhog Day.” Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of seers, the Prognosticator of prognosticators, will emerge from his den on Gobler’s Knob and if he sees his shadow we will have six more weeks of winter—or so the “legend” says.

The former interim pastor of the church I attend in Erie, Pennsylvania, was long ago actually named an Official Groundhog Ambassador for the fury little rodent by the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce. With a wink and a smile, he tells anyone who will listen that this event was the highpoint of his life.

Pennsylvanian’s fascination with Groundhog Day stems from German immigrants who sincerely believed that clear skies on Candlemas Day, February 2nd, heralded cold weather in the weeks that followed. They based their belief on a German myth that if the sun shone on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog, casting its shadow, would predict many more weeks of cold weather. When these Germans crossed the ocean to Pennsylvania, they substituted groundhogs for hedgehogs to connect with the local animals.

It should be noted that hedgehogs and groundhogs are actually two very different species. For my money, hedgehogs are far more lovable than groundhogs. But, please don’t tell my former interim pastor how I feel.

Believe it or not, the connection to Candlemas Day has a deep spiritual significance. This is one of the Twelve Great Feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church that celebrates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, as recorded in Luke 2:22-40. It marks the completion of all the elements of the Jewish Law to mark the new born Son of God as a rightful heir to King David’s throne. The emergence of the Christ child into the world as a citizen of God’s chosen people, Israel, designates Him clearly as the Messiah and Savior of all human kind.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, Candlemas Day celebrates the purification of Mary following the mandatory six-week period following the birth of Jesus.

We can enjoy a chuckle over secular celebrations like Groundhog Day. But, we do well to understand the connection of many such events with those from the past which have deep spiritual significance.

But, in terms of events yet to come, we can also agree with Antonio in Wiliiam Shakespeare’s The Tempest when he said, “What is past is prologue.” And, most certainly, as we look off into the future, we can agree with the Apostle Paul who writes in 1 Corinthians 2:9:

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him…

How blessed we are, as children of God’s Kingdom, to know that the most amazing thing we have ever seen will be surpassed many times over by the events we will experience in eternity.

It is a fitting response, as we begin this day, to live in anticipation of what is to come. But, at the same time, we must not lose sight of our role as Christ’s Ambassadors here on earth—proclaiming and demonstrating God’s love to all we meet along the road of life.

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

“Please, let me help you.”

 

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

—Galatians 6:2

Some people always seem to reach out to others and extend a helping hand. It’s just the way they’re wired. Or, perhaps, it’s the way their parents taught them to act. Or, maybe, they have a deeper, more spiritual motivation. The selflessness of these people always warms my heart.

I am someone who has had to deal with the loss of my ability to do many things. Afflicted with profound progressive osteoarthritis of the knees, hips, and back, there are many things that I can no longer do for myself. For example: I cannot climb stairs. I cannot put air in the tires of my vehicle. I cannot walk even moderate distances. I could go on, but you get the point.

My disease, which began in 1998 and became full blown in 2003, has transformed me from someone who was very self-sufficient to someone who constantly has to rely on the help of other people. It’s been very hard for me to get used to asking other people to help me. So, when someone comes along who actually reaches out to me and offers to help without me asking, I am always so very grateful that it often moves me to tears.

Helping others is exactly what God expects we “Christ’s-ones” to do on a regular basis.

Since I cannot do so many things for myself, I do try to do what I can to help others. For example, I am really good with computers, desktop publishing, website development and maintenance, writing, editing, and similar skills that baffle most people. Therefore, when I learn of someone who might need my help in the areas where I have some expertise, I reach out to them. I’m sure that there is likely even much more that I could do to help others in need. I sincerely hope God will prompt me when I don’t clearly see an opportunity to be more helpful.

The Apostle Paul expressed rather succinctly the way we Christians should act toward each other when it comes to being helpful, as recorded in Galatians 6:2:

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Notice the use of the term “the law of Christ.” This verse is not talking about the Law recorded in the Old Testament. It is talking about a new law. A law created by the Son of God Himself. It’s a way of behaving toward our fellow believers. It’s a way of expressing gratitude for the love that God has shown toward us. It’s a way of honoring Christ through obedience to His will for our lives.

Very likely, every Christian reading this blog post is doing exactly what Paul suggests. For those of us who far too often need your help, let me tell you how very grateful I am for your kindness expressed to me in Jesus’ Name.

If for some reason you become one who finds yourself needing help, I hope your brothers and sisters in Christ will literally flock to your aid. And, then, as you have opportunity to help others, I hope you will do so.

Imagine, just for a moment, what a wonderful experience the Family of God would be if we set ourselves to work helping each other, bearing one another’s burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ. Why, it would certainly be a Family of which people would want to become a part. And, wouldn’t that be quite wonderful?

 

_{Copyright © 2017 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}