Always Give a Wise Answer

 

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

—from Matthew 4:3

When someone asks you a serious question, or tries to persuade you to do something out of character, it’s best if you give a wise and thoughtful answer. We enter into possible danger, whenever we listen to someone and either respond or do what that one asks without giving careful heed to the wisdom that God willingly supplies. A case in point is offered in the exchange found in Matthew 4:3-4:

The tempter came to him [Jesus] and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

At the beginning of this new day, we do well if we pattern our consideration of requests, our careful answers, and our responsive actions in the same way that Jesus did. Jesus answered the enemy, Satan, by quoting Scripture. If we base our answers on God’s written Word, how can we possibly go wrong?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Heed Instruction

 

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers …

—from Proverbs 16:20

When beginning a task or starting a journey, do you carefully follow verbal or written instructions? Or, do you launch off on your own and do what seems to make sense without even listening carefully to the verbal instructions, or even opening to read and follow the written instructions?

Once I began my career as a fire protection engineer inspecting very large industrial facilities, I learned that God had given me a somewhat unusual gift. I can look at a piece of machinery and instantly know how it works. Now, I could not design that machine, nor build it, nor repair it. But, I can tell you exactly how it does what it’s supposed to do.

However, this gift definitely does not translate into putting things together without reading the instructions. I’ve tried to do that and failed miserably. There is something very important about carefully and clearly written instructions. Someone has taken the time to write down the very best way to do something. It’s a good idea to follow those instructions to the letter.

In life, as followers of Jesus, God has given us His instructions in His written Word, the Bible. We would do very well to heed His instructions and recognize that, as the Creator and the Sustainer of All, He knows the very best way for us to live our lives. King Solomon wrote this testimony in Proverbs 16:20:

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Let’s begin this new day with a determination to follow God’s instructions. Let’s take time to read His written Word and follow whatever clear pathway that God opens up before us. He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us. We do very well when we follow God’s instructions—all of them.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Balanced Life

 

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

—from Philippians 4:11

“Walking along the road of the Christian Life is very much like walking across a high span on a tightly stretched wire. The key to a successful crossing is balance.”

That quote exists on one of the originally blank pages at the front of my Bible. Presumably, it came from some sermon that I heard many, many years ago. Unfortunately, I did not write down the name of the pastor who preached that sermon. But, that thought has remained in the forefront of my mind for lo these many years.

I believe the statement is absolutely true. As followers of Jesus, we cannot successfully walk the pathway God lays out before us unless we maintain our “balance” in all four of our human modalities: heart, soul, mind, and stregth—or in our emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical modalities. Walking the God-given pathway of life, we dare not lean too far to the left, nor too far to the right, or we will fall off the “spiritual high wire.”

I have friends on both sides of the political, cultural, societal, and even spiritual spectrum, who have more than once in their lives leaned too far in one direction and lost their spiritual footing. In fact, I have a very dear friend who has gone from one extreme to the other throughout most of the course of his life. But, my point is that we dare not fling ourselves from one extreme to another, back and forth across the spectrum of faith. If we do so, we will find that the one quality missing from our lives is genuine balance. The Apostle Paul summarized this well in Philippians 4:10-13:

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

As we begin a new day, let’s embrace “spiritual balance” as a key element in our walk with God. Let’s not be blown this way or that by every new wind of doctrine that might arise (see Ephesians 4:11-16). Instead, let’s hold firmly to the truth of God’s written Word. And, let’s recognize the fact that consistency, represented by spiritual balance, can chart the smoothest and most productive pathway for the sake of the Kingdom, as we strive to keep all four of our human modalities in balance.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

More Valuable Than Rubies

 

A wife of noble character … she is worth far more than rubies.

—from Proverbs 31:10

Almost every person has something that he or she values in this life. For some, the value comes from a large sum of money, or from other possessions, or from the warmth of a close family, or from the challenge and success of a good job, or from many other tangible items. But for a married man, God has given such a man a most valued gift. What has value beyond all other things? King Solomon offers this suggestion from Proverbs 31:10:

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

You may remember that, in his sin, Solomon had many wives and many concubines. You would think that he would regale the value of multiple wives and lovers. Yet, the construction of the Hebrew makes it clear that he is writing here about a singular woman—just one wife.

A woman of noble character is truly a gift from God to a married man. He should cherish her in the same way he might cherish the finest rubies, the best job, the greatest amount of money, or even the warmth of a large family. As a helpmeet and partner in life, such a woman has value beyond description to her husband.

As married men, let’s remember, at the beginning of this new day, the value that God gives us in the relationships with have with others, particularly those yoked with us in marriage. Our service to our Great King is heightened when we recognize the enormous value to us of the partner He has given us for the sake of His Kingdom.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Confess and Pray

 

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other …

—from James 5:16

As followers of the Great King Jesus, we Christians have a significant responsibility to show our love and concern for our fellow believers. God has called us to Himself and made us brothers and sisters. There are many concerns we share with each other. Among them is the concern that the Apostle James offers in this advice for believers, as recorded in part from James 5:16:

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

That seems like very good advice to me. Of course, the person to whom we choose to confess must be someone trustworthy, who will keep our confession in confidence.

Even so, as we begin this new day, let’s decide to follow this advice and do what the Apostle suggests. If we do, we will gain a significant benefit. Okay?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

We Will Know His Greatness

 

“And so I will show my greatness and my holiness …”

—Ezekiel 38:23a

God has a way of making Himself known at the most appropriate times. In fact, it’s a really good idea for those of us who follow His Son, Jesus, to keep our eyes peeled for those times when God reveals Himself in our daily lives. Jeremiah 29:13 declares:

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

I’ve written many times before about a little exercise first brought to my attention by my long-time spiritual mentor, Rev. Dr. David R. Mains, more than 47 years ago. That exercise is called the “God Hunt.” In fact, David and his wife, Karen, have written at least two books on this subject—one for adults and one for children. The key elements of this daily conscious-awareness of God at work in our lives includes looking for and taking note of the following:

• Any obvious answer to prayer, or …
  
  
• Any special evidence of God’s care, or …
  
  
• Any help to do God’s work in the world, or …
  
  
• Any unusual linkage or timing.
  
  

If we keep our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts on alert, we will see God’s hand at work in our lives every day. After all, God has promised He will make Himself known. Notice what God said through the Prophet Ezekiel, as recorded in Ezekiel 38:23:

“And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

As we start another new day, let’s be aware that God is always at work in our lives. It’s high time we acknowledged His presence by keeping ourselves looking for the way He interacts to bless us all through each day.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Resist! Resist! Resist!

 

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

—James 4:7

The term “Resist!” has currently inflamed our culture. One political ideology in our nation has decided that it’s better to resist than to find common ground. This stance frankly disappoints me greatly. A hallmark of our form of government has routinely been built on wise individuals, who have vastly different political philosophies and intentions, and yet work together to find points where they can agree. When one side determines that they will resist without any hope of compromise, we all suffer in the end.

But, resistance is not always a bad thing. Take note of what the Apostle James wrote, as recorded in James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Now, here’s a time when resistance pays great benefit. Resisting the enemy of our soul, Satan, and fleeing from his devious and destructive ways is a very good thing. Submission to God is also an excellent choice to make.

Therefore, at the start of this new day we can take these two marching orders to heart. As we begin to walk into our world this day, we can determine to resist Satan and all his clever wiles. And, we can determine to submit our faulty and selfish human wills to God’s perfect and divine will. What better ways can we possibly choose to act as children of the Great King Jesus?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}