Born of God

 

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

—John 1:12-13

In order to get to know people, we often ask them about their heritage: their nationality, what their parents did for a living, where they grew up, where they’ve lived, and so forth. That kind of information helps us find ways of connecting to each other and share common experiences.

For the one who believes in eternal life through the power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ and has determined to become His disciple, He gives us a whole new way of looking at our heritage. While our earthly parentage still has great importance, and while where we’ve lived and the experiences we’ve gone through in this life have definitely shaped who we are, it is all the more important to understand that we have a spiritual heritage that trumps everything else.

The Apostle John explained it this way in John 1:12-13:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

We who believe in Jesus have been born of God. Wow! I don’t know how that reality strikes you, but it makes shivers of joy jump up and down my spine. For while I realize that in and of myself I am not worthy of the least of God’s favor, the fact that He chose me to belong to Himself before the foundation of the earth brings great comfort and overwhelming joy.

Let us determine to live this day in the security we have in knowing that we are born of God. We belong to Him. He has given us new birth through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus, on that cruel Roman cross. As a result, what a joy is ours!

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Shining the Light

 

“You are the light of the world.”

—Matthew 5:14a

One of the scariest experiences occurs when the electricity fails at night and the clouds cover any light from the sky. While our eyes try to adjust to the loss of light, we really can’t see where we intend to go. Many a stubbed toe has resulted from stumbling around in the dark when the power goes out.

In the spiritual world, the only genuine and sustaining Light comes from God through His Son, Jesus. He is the Light of the world. As His dearly loved children, we become Light Bearers, carrying the Light of Christ into the sin-darkened and needy world.

I imagine that is exactly why Jesus told His disciples, in Matthew 5:14 and 16, exactly how He wanted them (and us) to live:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Any goodness in our lives comes from our relationship with God through Christ. Therefore, when we do good and show God’s love to someone, we bear the Light of Christ into the darkness that would completely consume everything around it. We must not purposely hide the Light that we have received because of our relationship with God.

Daily, including today, the Holy Spirit nudges us when we should cheerfully shine the Light of Christ into the darkness. Let’s determine to become every increasingly aware of those nudgings and bravely do exactly what Jesus wants us to do: boldly shine His Light.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Follow Directions

 

“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.”

—Psalm 119:93

Years ago I heard a story about a man who traveled to New York City by train in order to meet with a potential client. He had never visited the Big Apple, so it was quite an eye-opening experience for him. When the time came for him to return to Grand Central Station to catch his train ride home, he suddenly seemed lost in the midst of the crowded sidewalks. Seeing a police officer on horseback, he caught the officer’s attention and asked him for directions to the train station.

“Do you see that intersection about three blocks ahead? When you reach that point, go to the left and you’ll be right.”

“Are you sure,” asked the puzzled visitor. “I would have sworn that I should turn to the right.”

“Okay,” replied the policeman. “It’s up to you. When you reach that intersection three blocks ahead, go to the right and you’ll be left.”

Proper directions always guide our pathway, if we will only listen, remember, and obey. That seems like a reasonable assumption to make. And, it is exactly the point the Psalmist wants to impress on those who would sing the Psalm he wrote, as recorded in Psalm 119:93:

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.

When we read God’s Word, the Bible, and learn about those things that God expects us to do in obedience to His perfect will for our lives, we should pay close attention, remember what God has said, and then obey His instructions. If we do that, we will certainly find that following those directions has preserved our lives. Through good times and bad times, obeying God’s instructions will ultimately bring us to the place God wants us to be.

As we begin a new day, let’s make this a day of obedience in our walk with God. We will please Him and we will greatly benefit ourselves.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

His Ear Is Tuned

 

“Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

—Psalm 116:2

Have you ever known someone who can hear a tune, sit down at the piano, or pick up a guitar, and play that tune? We say such a person has “a good ear.” It’s really a way of saying that person has been gifted with musical intelligence.

Other musicians have to practice very, very hard to learn complicated pieces of music. They, too, may have musical intelligence. But, that musical intelligence expresses itself in a different way than the person who can “play by ear.”

Have a good, listening ear is certainly an admirable quality. Everyone likes to talk with someone who clearly is intent on listening carefully to what we have to say. Such a person gives us a sense of well-being because we realize that one cares enough to really concentrate on what we’re saying. It would not be inappropriate to say that such an intent listener also has a “good ear.”

The Psalmist gives special praise to God with the words recorded in Psalm 116:1-2:

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

God is a truly great listener. His ear is tuned to the voices of His dearly loved children. When we come to him in prayer, we can be assured that He hears us. He listens very attentively to all that we say to Him. His love is expressed in many ways—but it is very clearly expressed through His listening ear. Yes, God has a really “good ear.”

As we begin this day, we need to remember that God always waits patiently to listen to us. We should take every opportunity to set aside time to speak with Him. We should share with God our innermost thoughts, needs, desires, triumphs, joys, as well as our sorrows. His “good ear” waits to be filled with the sound of our voices. In fact, He’s waiting to hear from us right now.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Connecting to “The Cloud”

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”

—Hebrews 12:1

Millions upon millions of “Christ’s-ones” (Christians) have crossed over from this world into the arms of Jesus in the last nearly 2,000 years since His death and resurrection. Each one of these dear ones has a testimony of a life transformed by the power of the living Lord Jesus Christ.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews liked to think of these now departed ones as a “great cloud of witnesses.” Notice what he writes in Hebrews 12:1:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…

Likening our Christian walk to a race that takes place before a large crowd of onlookers, this author urges us to get rid of anything that hinders our progress. He accurately portrays our besetting sins—those sins we refuse to put aside—as entangling vines. Imagine how difficult it would be to run a race with vines wrapped around our legs.

Let us take to heart these words and determine to set aside anything that stands in the way of our forward spiritual progress. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to reveal which sins we cling to and to give us the will to let them go.

It will be a grand and new day when we push forward to the cheers of that great cloud of witnesses. Yes, it truly will.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Leap of Faith

 

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

—Hebrews 11:1

The novel began this way:

He looked across the room and saw her. For the first time in his life, his heart skipped a beat. He got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Every part of her intrigued him. He could see her talking with her friends. The way the corner of her mouth twinkled when she smiled. That casual way she nervously touched the back of her neck as she talked. He was smitten.

He was at first afraid to approach her. He never really knew what to say to girls. They always seemed to react so negatively to him. But, he was in love. His heart propelled him across the room. He took a leap of faith and spoke to her.

“Hi!” he said. “My name is Jimmy.”

A lot of romance novels begin this way. The glance across the room, the quickening of the pulse, and finally, the protagonist takes the leap of faith. We talk a lot about faith in our normal conversation. Sometimes we interchange the word “faith” with the word “hope.” But faith is the more powerful word. There is an assurance that drives the word “faith” that the word “hope” just doesn’t quite possess.

In our lives as Christian believers, faith plays a very important part in our spiritual formation. The writer of the Book of Hebrews expresses this quite well when he writes in Hebrews 11:1:

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

Faith has a confidence behind it. It is a confidence in the Christian borne out of the urgings of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Spirit prompts us to place confidence in what our soul longs to see come to pass. Even though we cannot physically see that for which we earnestly desire, the Holy Spirit gives us calm assurance that what God has promised He will do.

Let’s dedicate ourselves this day to resting fully in the faith we have in the God who loves us with His everlasting love. He has given us an enormously precious investment when He sent His one and only Son to die in our place. He will accomplish in our lives exactly what He has promised. We can count on Him.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

How High?

 

“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”

—Psalm 119:60

I once asked my dad—who served in the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II—what was the most important thing he learned in the service. He chuckled and told me, “When a superior officer says, ‘Jump!’ you ask ‘How high?’ on the way up.” That seems so antithetical to the way we live today.

In the late 1960s the mantra was, “Question authority! Do not necessarily obey the rules! If it feels good, do it!” That kind of thinking hardly goes along with the necessary discipline it takes in battle.

Similarly, in the realm of fire protection, we often refer to the fire service as a quasi-military organization. When a firefighter responds to a fire, he or she does not have the luxury of making decisions alone. The officer in charge of the fire ground issues orders and the firefighters carry out those orders. That helps the firefighters remain safe and enables them to accomplish the task to which they’ve been assigned.

In the realm of “Christ’s-ones,” where we serve as ambassadors of our Great King Jesus, we need to know and understand what God expects of us. He has outlined His instructions in His Word, the Bible. That’s why we need to read, study, and meditate on His Word. We must learn His “orders for the day” and respond accordingly.

The Psalmist sets a good pattern for us to follow when he writes these words in Psalm 119:60:

I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

That’s how we should respond when we read a particular instruction in the Bible. We should hasten and not delay to do what God asks us to do. In effect, we are asking “How high?” on the way up.

As we begin this day, let’s keep in mind that “Quickly responding to God’s commands helps us become obedient servants.” And, after all, we surely want to be obedient to the God who loves us with His everlasting love and sent His one and only Son to die in our place.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

What Goes Around…

 

“Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.”

—Psalm 112:5

Lots of people talk about “karma” and superstitiously expect that “What goes around comes around.” While I don’t at all believe in the Eastern religions of Hinduism and Buddhism on which “karma” is based, I do observe that when people treat others with kindness and generosity, that kindness and generosity seems to flow back in their direction, as well.

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, Lord, and King, we “Christ’s-ones” are enjoined by Scripture to act toward others in the same way that Jesus would act. Because His life on this earth was marked by kindness, generosity, goodness, and holiness, as we are empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we should live in that same way toward those who cross the pathway of our lives.

When given the opportunity each day, we should show kindness, generosity, goodness, and holiness to those around us. In so doing, we act in a way that pleases the One to whom we belong.

The Psalmist wrote about this very subject in Psalm 112:5:

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.

While we should not act towards others expecting a reward to come back in our direction, we should not be surprised that when we act in a Christ-like way we will sense how pleased our Lord is with our representation of Him. As we show His unfailing love toward others, I have no doubt that we will receive blessing upon blessing. Not because we worship at a false altar of the so-called “Prosperity Gospel”—but because in acting as Jesus would act, we will please Him.

Let’s energize this day with kindness, generosity, goodness, and holiness wrapped in the exquisite cloth of God’s eternal love. If we do, we will surely sense our King saying, “Well done, faithful steward.”

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Welcome the Children

 

“Let the little children come to me…”

—Matthew 19:14a

Genuine hospitality is listed as one of the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. A person to whom God has given this gift has an open heart and an open home. In fact, my dear friend, Karen Burton Mains, wrote a book by that very title dedicated to this subject: Open Heart, Open Home. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend it.

But even Christians who have not received this spiritual gift are enjoined by Scripture to practice hospitality within the framework of the open-hearted love that God has given everyone who belongs to Him. So, when we’re faced with an opportunity to show God’s love by reaching out to someone who needs the warmth of human kindness wrapped in God-breathed love, we should cheerfully respond as Christ would respond.

We need to be particularly sensitive to such needs when they come from children. In our current age, children do not always receive the kind of love that we received when we were growing up. I can remember the church where I attended as a child as a warm and inviting place. We talked often about the “Family of God” and actually lived that way. I certainly felt that the adults in that church cared about me in a very inviting and nurturing way.

We should be mindful of the very words of our Savior, as recorded in Matthew 19:14:

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

We need to be aware of the children who cross the pathway of our lives and also remain very open and welcoming to them. They represent precious lives to whom we can extend hospitality. One never knows how a kind word and a smile can make a child feel good about himself or herself.

After all, we are Christ’s ambassadors to people of every age. And, we do well when we share God’s love, especially with children.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Taking Joy in Obedience

 

“I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.”

—Psalm 119:7

Most of us have experienced the satisfaction of doing a job well. Whether anyone noticed or not, we can have a strong sense of our own value and worth when we complete a task knowing that we did our best.

One of the phrases my mother said to me over and over as I was growing up was “Always do your best.” She drilled into my mind and heart that no matter what I did, I should always strive to do it to the very best of my ability. Those words had a profound influence on my life.

Sometimes, in order to do the very best we can, we need to find out what is expected of us. We need to know the rules and regulations.

When we first begin to learn any task, a part of that learning involves finding out any rules, regulations, standardized procedures, recommended practices, and so forth that might apply to that task. Oh, I know that some people like to just jump in and seize the opportunity to learn as they go. And, there is no doubt that works for some people. Others, like me, want to determine the pitfalls others may have experienced so that I can avoid their mistakes.

I particularly like instruction manuals, rule books, codes and standards, standard operating procedures—anything that will help me do my very best at whatever task I’m working on at the moment.

I suppose you might properly say that I, and people like me, delight in knowing the rules. I actually think that the “jump right in” people also eventually come to delight in the rules. They just prefer to pick up that vital information after they’ve had some time to experiment a bit.

In our walk with God, it helps to know what He expects of us. That is one of the reasons we read the Bible every day. His Word discloses the information we need in order to become His obedient servants.

The Psalmist clearly understood this when he wrote these words in Psalm 119:7:

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

Here the Psalmist was expressing praise because he had learned how to live by studying and obeying the laws God had given the people of Israel. The Psalmist knew that, in order to do his very best, he had to understand what God expected of him.

Let us begin this day by delighting in God’s Word. Let’s seek to know more about this God who loves us so much. And, let’s determine how He wants us to live by studying His precepts. If we do, we will be able to join the Psalmist in giving praise to God as we learn His righteous laws.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Need to Fear

 

“So do not fear, for I am with you…”

—Isaiah 41:10a

I read a news story recently about a man whose decomposing body was found in his car parked just a short distance from his home. Upon entering his house, the police found over 27,000 guns and a couple of tons of ammunition. While the authorities did not find any evidence of foul play that might have led to his death, this man was obviously afraid of something. He had collected enough weapons to outfit a significant army.

Fear is a very powerful force. Our enemy, Satan, uses fear to drive a wedge between us and God. Satan whispers his lies into our inner ear and tells us that God cannot be trusted to protect us from the problems that may come into our lives. He tells us that when we encounter a problem, God will abandon us. When injury or disease strikes at us, God will not lift His hand to help us.

But these lies are overcome by the history of God’s actions on behalf of His dearly loved people, as recorded in His Word, the Bible. Time and time again, God not only lifted His hand to protect His people, but He did so in an extraordinary way. We can be certain of God’s protection.

Yes, we will likely encounter problems in our lives. We may become sick. We may experience injury or even death. But, in every situation God will reach out and lovingly protect us because He has chosen us to be His children. He loves us and He always cares for us.

The Prophet Isaiah made this declaration to the people of Israel, reporting to them the very words of God Himself. And, this declaration applies to us, as well—for, through the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been grafted in to the bloodline of God’s chosen people. Notice what God says, as recorded in Isaiah 41:10:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

As we begin a new day, we can go out into the world in the full confidence that God will care for us in an extraordinary way. He will protect us. He will keep us safe. He will hold us in the hollow of His mighty hand.

“God’s children can move about freely and without fear, knowing that He is always with them.” That’s my key sentence for today. “God’s children can move about freely and without fear, know that He is always with them.”

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Choosing Faithfulness

 

“I have chosen the way of faithfulness…”

—Psalm 119:30a

The pathway of life seems to have many twists and turns. At almost any point along the road of our lives we may come to a fork. One branch in the road leads off to the left. The other branch leads off to the right. Sometimes another branch leads straight ahead. Occasionally, the road may seem to end with a “U-Turn” sign blocking our way and forcing us to turn around and retrace our steps.

Unless we’ve decided to just skip merrily along the pathway of our lives unconcerned about taking the correct turn, we must frequently ask ourselves which fork in the road we should take. Such decisions aren’t always easy. Sometimes it seems as if any one of several forks might lead us along a profitable or, at least, interesting adventure. This is particularly true if we have multiple interests that tug at us.

In my own life, I had three distinct interests tugging at me that arose in my life almost at the same time: radio broadcasting, fire protection, and Christian ministry. Through a series of circumstances too complicated to simply describe in this blog post, I eventually chose to pursure fire protection engineering as my career.

If we each examine our lives we will no doubt find similar stories to share. God gave us choices. And, we had to choose to follow a particular branch in the road. Hopefully, we did not experience too many times when we had to backtrack.

In fact, in the matter of the most important of choices, we should all continue to strive to be able to agree with the Psalmist when he wrote these words found in Psalm 119:30:

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.

The pathway of obedience to God, no matter where He may lead us, offers the very best of life that we can experience. This day, let’s recommit our lives to following God’s leading. Why? Because: “Following God’s leading allows us to honor Him with our obedience.” That’s my key sentence for this blog post. “Following God’s leading allows us to honor Him with our obedience.”

And, after all God has done for us, honoring Him with our obedience should be something we really want to do every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Giving the Right Answer

 

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

—Matthew 16:16

When you were growing up and a teacher asked your class a question, did you ever hesitate to raise your hand because you weren’t sure you knew the right answer? And, did you ever find one or more of your classmates irritating because no matter what question the teacher asked they always raised their hand to answer?

One aspect of the character development of Hermione Granger, the female supporting protagonist in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories is her persistent hand raising. Hermione always knew the answer to every question one of her professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry might ask the class. The other students sometimes find Hermione quite annoying, but they also realize that she is very smart, even if she had Muggle parents.

Knowing the right answer and being able and willing to give that answer can become important in life, as well as in school. That’s why one of the key turning points in the Gospels occurs when our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, asks His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”

The Apostle Peter blurts out an answer that changes the course of history for the followers of Jesus. Peter’s answer is recorded in Matthew 16:15-16:

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God is as important today as it was 2,000 years ago. God sent His Son to die in our place. God cleansed us from the stain of our sins by covering us with the shed blood of Jesus. God wants to make us His children. An important part of that process occurs when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God.

As we move out into another day, let’s remember that the One who loved us enough to die for us is the very Son of God. He is the One who longs to live and rule in our hearts by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

As we go through this day, let us always be quick to give an answer when someone asks us about Jesus. He is our Savior, Lord, and King. He is the Son of God. He is our Brother and the Lover of our souls.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Shame

 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

—Romans 1:16

A favorite pastime of Millennials—at least as judged by observation—is to respond to information with which they do not agree by attempting to shame the individual who has expressed the unacceptable opinion. Some adults have picked up this behavior, as well. You can observe this shaming by watching any of the popular political pundits’ TV shows.

Once someone says something or does something, prompting an individual or group of individuals to feel that such an opinion or decision is offensive or incorrect, the individual or group turns on the person offering the unacceptable opinion and attempts to make statements intended to shame that person into retracting or significantly modifying the expressed opinion. And, the emphasis here is clearly on feelings, since facts and factual information appear to play no part in these transactions.

If, for example, someone advances his or her carefully reasoned and scientifically based belief that human activity in no way affects climate, that one quickly becomes a target for shaming. How can that one possibly disagree with such a popularly held opinion—an opinion that has become so very important as a means to redistribute the higher income of the more prosperous nations on earth to those nations less prosperous? Doesn’t that one realize the harm we prosperous humans have done to the pristine mother earth?

Or, if someone expresses his or her carefully reasoned opinion that people have broken the law by either entering the United States without the proper documentation, or by overstaying the terms of their visas in order to continue to live here, again without the proper documentation, that one might as well gear up for a major shaming. Doesn’t that one realize that we should welcome all those less fortunate than ourselves? Doesn’t that one understand that the immigration laws are wrong and should be disobeyed?

The point is that we have become a place where shame rules so much of what we think, say, and do. We cringe that we might become an object of shame. How very sad.

As a teenager, I was goofy enough with regard to my joy at belonging to Jesus that I carried my bright-red Youth for Christ Bible on the top of my school books. I am keenly aware that carrying that Bible did not make me a better Christian. But it did help remind me, when I was tempted to be more of a jerk than I usually am, that I was Christ’s representative. I think that Bible helped me refrain from trying to fit in with people with whom I would never ever have fit in anyway.

I also learned an important lesson by carrying that Bible every day of high school. I learned that I need not be ashamed of my strong Christian beliefs. By the time I became an adult, I had lost all concern I might have had about whether anyone knew that I was a follower of Jesus. Thus, when asked, I openly gave God credit for every bit of the success I enjoyed in my professional career.

There were times when being that open about my faith—but never pushy—made others turn away from me. But, my openness also encouraged some other individuals to become more serious about their faith.

We should never be ashamed of what God has so graciously done for us by saving us from our sins through the death and resurrection of His precious Son, Jesus. We should join with the Apostle Paul in declaring, as he did, in Romans 1:16:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

“Believers will strengthen their faith when they decide to have no shame regarding what God has done in their lives.” That’s my key sentence for this blog post.

As we step out into a new day, let’s remember whose we are. Let’s determine to never be ashamed of our Christian faith. We don’t need to act obnoxiously. But, we do well when we acknowledge what God has done without any shame. With great joy and full confidence, we can follow in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul.

“Believers will strengthen their faith when they decide to have no shame regarding what God has done in their lives.”

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Complete in Jesus

 

“…in Christ you have been brought to fullness…”

—Colossians 2:9b

One of the more interesting periods of my life occurred when I moved from Hartford, Connecticut, to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in September of 1976. The move occurred because, well frankly, I have a big mouth. In a meeting at the insurance company where I worked, several executives were trying to decide whether we needed to open an office in Florida.

At the time, Florida was under the oversight of our Atlanta Office. The distance from Miami to Atlanta was a healthy 662 miles. Even in the significantly large territory of Texas, it was only 634 miles from our Dallas Office to El Paso. So, if Florida was growing as fast as it appeared to be growing back in 1976, perhaps we really did need to open an office—most likely in the Orlando area.

In this meeting, I made the mistake of suggesting that we send an experienced engineer from Hartford to spend some time in the Florida territory and, while there, to evaluate the effectiveness of the long-distance supervision. The next thing I knew, I was watching all my belongings being loaded onto a moving van and I was on my way to Florida!

Ironically, close friends from Hartford had just been transferred by United Technologies Corporation’s Pratt Whitney Aircraft Division to the plant in Palm Beach County, Florida. They had begun to worship at a Plymouth Brethren Assembly, so we joined them. While there, we were introduced to an organization called the “Bible Memory Association” (BMA—now known as Scripture Memory Fellowship). These folks had developed a whole series of Bible memory booklets that would allow children and adults to competitively memorize Scripture verses. The children could earn points to attend a summer Bible camp. The adults could have fun competing with each other while learning key passages from the Bible.

My wife, Shirley, and I jumped into this new challenge. One of the first set of verses I learned was from Colossians 2:9-10. BMA materials all used the Authorized Version (also known as the King James Version) of the Bible. I can still hear the flow of that 17th century English:

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power…”

Suddenly, I was struck by these words of the Apostle Paul: “…ye are complete in him…” Think of that—“complete in him”! That’s amazing!

Not only has Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, but He has made us complete. Before we walked with Jesus we were incomplete. We didn’t know it, but a part of us was missing. We were not our true selves. We were not the people God created us to be. We were unfinished, lacking, not whole, incomplete.

“In Jesus, believers find genuine completeness.” That’s my thought for us today. “In Jesus, believers find completeness.”

There’s a famous line from the movie Jerry Maguire where Jerry, played by Tom Cruise, in a stark moment of tenderness professes his love for his wife, played by Renee Zellweger, with the words, “You complete me.”

 

(Note: Your browser must support Adobe Flash in order to view this video)

 

That kind of romantic vulnerability may seem maudlin to many people. But it is exactly that kind of intense emotional drama that takes place in the hearts and minds of believers when they finally realize that the new life they have in Christ far surpasses anything they may have heretofore experienced. Jesus completes us. We are complete in Him.

The New International Version, which I more often than not prefer for my Scripture reading, states these same verses from Colossians 2:9-10 as follows:

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Jesus completes us. He has brought us to fullness. We did not realize it, perhaps, but we had a vacant place in our hearts and minds. Jesus has filled that vacant space and, in so doing, He has brought us to fullness.

As we begin this day, let us banish all sense of lack in our lives. Let us recognize that in Christ we have been brought to fullness. We are, indeed, complete in Him.

“In Jesus, believers find completeness.”

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Don’t Merely Listen

 

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

—ames 1:21-22

In the last few decades of my professional career, I oversaw the education and training of hundreds of fire protection engineers. As Director of Loss Prevention Training at Industrial Risk Insurers—one of the largest Highly Protected Risk (HPR) insurance companies—I had the distinct privilege of watching our team of instructors teach a wide variety of types of individuals who moved through our fire protection engineering and loss prevention certification programs. In addition to teaching our own 400+ field engineers, we also offered a one-week course twenty times each year to non-employees. Over the years I was in charge, several thousands of individuals, who came from a wide range of businesses and government, attended those classes.

In observing the differences in the way individuals receive information and apply it to the tasks at hand, I noticed that some people not only listened to what the instructors told them, they readily applied that information during the practical exercises we offered. Since we taught at the largest fire protection training laboratory in the world (at that time), we saw first-hand how people processed the instructions they received.

Sometimes, it was quite frustrating to observe someone attentively listening in the classroom, taking notes, even asking thoughtful questions, but who went out into the laboratory and either totally forgot or purposely ignored the instruction they had just received.

One instructor, who had a unique sense of humor, tried an experiment with one such individual. The instructor spoke one-on-one to this person and told him exactly the opposite of what the instructions would normally suggest. Sure enough, when that person went out into the lab, he performed the task very close to the way we would have wanted him to do it. In other words, he ignored the faulty instructions and did it his way—which just happened to be nearly the right way.

I imagine that God watches how we respond to His instruction that we receive through His Word, the Bible, in much the same way as we did at our training center. He feels pleasure when He sees His dearly loved children responding to His instruction and following the pathway He has provided. He may also look with dismay at those whom He has carefully taught through the indwelling Holy Spirit, but who discard or ignore His teachings.

The Apostle James summed up this kind of behavior in a warning he gave to the people of Israel when he wrote these words in James 1:21-22:

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

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

Listening alone is not enough. Reading God’s Word is not enough. God expects us to be both hearers of His Word and doers of His Word. God wants us to actively pursue His righteousness by following His instructions. He gives these teachings to us for our benefit. The more that our spiritual formation inculcates God’s righteousness as a natural part of our lives, the more we will rest confidently in the fullness of His mercy, grace, and love.

“Obedient children not only listen to God’s instructions, they do what He says.” That’s my thought for you and for me, too, as we begin another day. “Obedient children not only listen to God’s instructions, they do what He says.” That’s a good idea to plant deep within our hearts, not only for this day, but for every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Reason We Obey God

 

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

—John 15:10

Recently, I overheard a conversation at the drive-thru at McDonald’s (of course). One crew member said to another crew member, “I really couldn’t ever see myself becoming a Christian. Imagine having to obey all those rules? I think God is a really hard task master. He’s even tougher than Roberta!”

I can only assume that Roberta was the “stroke-oar” on that particular shift at my favorite eating establishment. I don’t know Roberta, but she sounds like my kind of woman.

The idea that God is a “really hard task master” makes me smile a bit. You see, in the course of my life, I’ve found God to be a loving, caring, and forgiving “Lover of My Soul.” But, I realize that many people see Christianity through a veil of what they suppose to be insurmountable rules and regulations that no one in his or her right mind would want to try to follow.

The truth is that once a person realizes the great gift that God has given him or her through the death and resurrection of His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the great love that God places in the heart of a believer prompts that one to eagerly and obediently follow the pathway God lays out before him or her.

God wants those He loves to bend their wills to His perfect will. That does take some effort on our part, particularly since we retain the sin nature that we inherited from our parents—all the way back to Adam. But, it is possible to begin to learn, more and more, how to obediently follow God’s direction.

“It is not onerous to obediently follow the leading of a loving God.” That’s my thought for this day. In fact, it is a joy to follow the One whom we know is perfect in all He is and all that He does.

Jesus summed up “obedience” in these few words spoken to His disciples—and to us—shortly before His death. Notice these words of Jesus recorded in John 15:10:

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

The entire thrust of John 15 centers on the Greek word “meno.” This word is translated, in both the New Testament and in contemporaneous Greek literature, as “abide,” “remain,” “tarry,” “dwell,” “continue,” “endure,” “stand”—to name just a few. The idea is for we who believe to place our full trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and to believe that He will lead us along the right pathway, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In all humility, I can report that I have walked with God since I was nine years old. I have not always done so in complete obedience because I am a horrible, awful, terrible sinner. But, I am a sinner saved by God’s mercy and grace. So, He has often had to nudge me—sometimes rather sharply—back onto the correct path. But, in following that pathway for 60 years, I have learned to experience the joy of obedience—for that very obedience keeps me in abiding fellowship with the God who loves me with His everlasting love.

Let me be so bold as to suggest that instead of a difficult and bone-chilling life, the walk of obedience bears so many exciting and wonderful benefits that I could not possibly commend it to anyone with anything other than the maximum enthusiasm.

Let’s determine this day to abide in Christ, to obey Him, and, thus, to remain in His love. And, let’s remember: “It is not onerous to obediently follow the leading of a loving God.”

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

To Bow or Not To Bow?

 

“…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…”

—Philippians 2:10

Just when I think I’ve heard everything, or read everything, I am astonished anew at the folly of some writers on the Internet. I realize that the bloggers that may seem crazy to me represent but a microcosm of individuals who would likely read my blog and consider me a nutcase, as well.

Fortunately, I have reached an age where I really don’t care very much what people I don’t know think about me. And, I am increasingly unconcerned about what anyone thinks about me. Why? Because, looking back over my life—something I’ve done a lot of lately, perhaps too much—I have concluded that people either seem to love me or despise me—no middle ground. Sadly, there are far more who despise me than love me. Frankly, I’m used to that. I comfort myself by insisting to myself that I’m really a kind and compassionate person who the people who despise me largely misunderstand.

Nevertheless, as crazy as I may appear to most, I am at least consistently crazy. But, back to my latest “surprise” discovery on the Internet.

In researching how I might approach today’s passage of Scripture, I searched for the term “I will not bow my knee.” I did so believing that this phrase was a quote I had heard from one of the many plays I’ve seen or read. While I did not find such a reference within a play, I did stumble across a blog post entitled “This Knee Won’t Bow.”

I do not intend to give any detailed publicity, and especially no honor, to what is clearly an utterly ridiculous misinterpretation of Scripture with regard to the source of the name for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The author thinks that Joseph and Mary came up with the name “Jesus” on their own. This, of course, completely ignores the fact recorded in Scripture that Joseph was told what to name the Son of God by the angel who visited him.

The blogger also completely misunderstands the roll that various heroes of the faith played in the conquering of the land that God gave to His chosen people, Israel. Much of this misunderstanding comes from the common belief that all humans are “God’s children.” I have discussed this very subject many times over the years on this blog. While God indeed did create all humans and, thus, all humans bear the stamp of His image—what theologians call the “Imago Dei”—not all humans are children of God. Read John 1:12 and you will likely understand that only those who believe on God’s Son, Jesus, can be called the children of God.

That is not to say that God doesn’t care for all humans. 2 Peter 3:9 clearly indicates that God wishes all to come to Him. And yet, the Scripture also makes clear in Romans 8:29-30 that before the foundation of the earth God has chosen those that He will claim as His own. If you are reading this and you respond positively to what I am writing, this is a pretty good indication that you are one whom God has chosen to belong to Himself. It doesn’t matter what church you attend, nor what denomination of which you may be a part. That gentle, loving tug on your heart is the Holy Spirit sent by God to claim you as His own.

Okay. But, what about this knee bending business and why does it matter?

Scripture makes it clear that at the end of time on this earth, Jesus will return. The Apostle Paul sheds light on this signal event on in several of Paul’s letters. For example, Paul records these words, speaking of Jesus, in Philippians 2:9-11:

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So, the blogger I discovered by accident during my Internet search may actually believe that he won’t bow his knee to Jesus. But, let me assure you and him that at the return of Jesus to this earth, no one will remain standing. All people on earth will fall to their knees. They will have no control over their minds and bodies.

In the big picture of things, does this really matter? It matters only to the extent that in our efforts to faithfully represent the Lord Jesus Christ to a needy and dying world, we will likely encounter many individuals who not only don’t believe, but are hostile to the Good News we long to share. This should not surprise us at all.

And, how should we respond? We should extend every possible mercy, grace, and love that we can to such individuals. We are the living representatives of God’s love in this world. We need to think and act in love, as empowered to do so by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In reading the many people who commented on the above mentioned blogger’s post, I was saddened to see many Christians who responded with a harshness that clearly did not display God’s love. While I understand how frustrating the blog post may seem to those of us who believe, by responding in harshness we reinforce all the negative feelings this blogger has toward Christians.

I have Facebook friends who openly declare they do not believe. I am saddened at what they are missing. But, I feel only the deepest love and boundless compassion for them. I would not want to speak harshly to them. I am sure that if they even read posts like this one—or even the posts I occasionally make on certain political matters, such as so-called “climate change”—they may even feel anger toward me. Nevertheless, I am instructed by God’s Word to respond in gentleness, kindness, and God-breathed love. And, dear ones, that is very hard for me to do. Remember, I am an angry old man.

As we go out into the world this day, let us greet those who cross our pathway with a smile on our face and love in our hearts—love that God has placed there because He has redeemed us with the very precious blood of His one and only Son, Jesus. You know. The Jesus before whom at the end of the age every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord of all.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Nothing is Too Hard for God

 

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you…”

—Jeremiah 32:17

Have you ever faced a task that, no matter how hard you tried, you simply could not overcome the obstacles placed in front of you? Maybe you had to learn a foreign language. But, no matter how many vocabulary words, noun forms, and verb forms you tried to memorize, the most Spanish you could ever seem to learn was “El burro sabe mas que Jorge.”

Or, maybe the task was a physical one. I could stand and watch countless young men in high school gym class easily vault over the pommel horse. I would mentally prepare myself, run down the lane of mats, grab the pommels, and slam my body full force into the horse. I never came even close to getting over the top of my leather nemesis, let alone clear it with grace and style.

I can still hear a small child wailing in the preschool classroom while the teacher patiently tried to help this little one learn how to read. “It’s just too hard!” the child sobbed. “It’s just too hard.”

It’s good to know that we believers have a loving Father for whom nothing is too hard. He is, after all, God. Nothing is too hard for Him.

The Prophet Jeremiah was instructed by God to buy a piece of land. It seemed to Jeremiah that this was one of the silliest things that God had ever asked him to do. After all, war was afoot. In hours the enemy would overrun the land. What possible difference would it make who owned this particular piece of land.

Nevertheless, Jeremiah was obedient and did exactly as God asked him to do. Then, Jeremiah took a moment to pray. Here’s how Jeremiah’s prayer began, as recorded in Jeremiah 32:17:

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you…”

Jeremiah was nobody’s fool. He knew that as silly as God’s request seemed to him, he was not God. God alone was God. And, Jeremiah knew that God was all powerful. There was nothing that God could not do. Nothing was too hard for God.

This is something we should remember as we begin another day. No matter what task may pop up in front of us this day, no matter what problem, or difficulty, or hardship, or heartache may intrude on our lives, nothing is too hard for the God who loves us. He will empower us to will and to do of His good pleasure. The Holy Spirit will help us. And, nothing will be too hard for us, as well.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Partners in the Good News

 

“I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel…”

—Philippians 1:4b-5

One of the joys of belonging to God through the sacrificial death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, comes from the relationship that God has forged between those He loves. God has constructed His Body, the Church, as an instrument of His mercy, grace, and love in the world.

As believers, we work in partnership with the Holy Spirit to accomplish the work that God has given us to do. This partnership is absolutely essential. Why? Because God has given each of us at least one spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit to enable us to do our part in proclaiming the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ—the Gospel.

The Body of Christ can only work effectively when every person yields to God’s perfect will and allows the gift that He has given to work in concert with the gifts He has given all the other believers in a given setting. Thus, without a spirit of cooperation between believers, the Church cannot work as effectively as God desires it to do so.

Not only is the mutual submission to one another in employing the amalgam of our spiritual gifts to function together important for the good of the Kingdom of God, it is also of inestimable value for us, as well. In fact, working together and allowing God to use our gifts to support, encourage, facilitate, and activate one another actually brings us great joy.

Please take note of what the Apostle Paul wrote to his brothers and sisters in Christ gathered in the church at Philippi, as recorded in Philippians 1:3-6:

I thank my God every time I remember you.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

“God enables His people to serve the will of His Kingdom by giving them spiritual gifts that He wants them to use in concert with each other.” That’s my key sentence for this blog post.

The next time you gather with your fellow believers, take a moment to look around the room. Can you identify the spiritual gifts God has given at least some of these dear ones? If so, think about how the gifts God has given them might engage with the spiritual gift He has given you in order to advance the Good News of salvation through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you have not yet identified your spiritual gift(s), I urge you to make every effort to do so. One very helpful resource that I use in my consulting practice with churches is a little paperback book entitled Discover Your Spiritual Gifts the Network Way written by Bruce L. Bugbee. A graduate of Westmont College and Fuller Theological Seminary, Rev. Bugbee is a former staff member at Willow Creek Community Church. He now works as a consultant to churches in helping to improve leadership.

The Christian life is a partnership. We partner with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We partner with each other within the circle of our various church fellowships. We partner with a needy world by being salt and light in sharing the Good News that sets men, women, boys, and girls free from the enslaving sin that traps them and keeps them from realizing all that God wants them to experience—the fullness of life itself.

“God enables His people to serve the will of His Kingdom by giving them spiritual gifts that He wants them to use in concert with each other.”

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Just Call on My Name…

 

“…your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.”

—Psalm 138:8

Among the list of singer James Taylor’s most famous early hits is a song written in 1971 by Carole King entitled “You’ve Got a Friend.”

 

(Note: Your browser must support Adobe Flash in order to view this video)

 

The first time I heard James sing this classic song, I thought he was singing about Jesus. That may strike you as crazy on my part, but the lyrics reminded me of the many times King David called out to God when David was under attack of his enemies.

You must remember, as I’ve shared in various previous blog posts, when I was a kid growing up I was subjected to some very serious physical bullying for a period of five and a half years. There were many times, as I waited to go to sleep, that I prayed to God asking Him to deliver me from my tormentors. Eventually, He answered my prayer in a rather astounding and unpredictable way. But, that’s the subject for another blog post.

Suffice it to say that I identified with King David’s cries for help. Here’s just one example encapsulated in a single verse, as recorded in Psalm 138:8:

The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.

It is very true that in times of trouble and distress we can call on God and He will surely help us. His unfailing love and gracious kindness will lift us up out of the miry clay and set our feet on solid ground.

No matter what trial you may be facing in your life today, just ask God to help you. He is always listening for your request. He will respond with loving joy. He will send the Holy Spirit to comfort you and assure you of His love and care.

And that, dear ones, is just one more reason to start this day with praise and thanksgiving to the God who loves us.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Food for Life

 

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

—Matthew 4:4

I really enjoy eating those foods that I choose to pursue. I say “pursue” because I am basically a pretty picky eater. And yet, when I say that, people often respond, “But, you eat at McDonald’s nearly seven days every week!”

I know. It strains credulity, doesn’t it? But, I like McDonald’s. I prefer it to Burger King and Wendy’s, although I occasionally eat at both those establishments. What can I say, I really like a double cheeseburger, two extra slices of cheese, extra onion, no pickle, and a large Diet Coke. And yes, I know the Diet Coke doesn’t seem to fit. As a diabetic, I feel I must make some concession.

I should also make clear that I love steak, especially filet mignon. My most favorite restaurant in various places where I used to travel was Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. I also did have the opportunity to have lunch one day at Peter Luger’s Steakhouse in New York City. And that experience is a once-in-a-lifetime never-to-be-forgotten delight.

We need food to survive. We also choose to eat certain things because, well, we like them. That’s why it is important what we choose to consume insofar as our four human modalities are concerned: heart, soul, mind, and strength. We need to carefully consume only those things that will properly feed our heart, soul, and mind, as well as will feed our strength.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave those of us who follow Him a very wise example when He responded to Satan’s tempting in the wilderness, as recorded in Matthew 4:1-4:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

The tempter came to him 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.’”

The food we earnestly seek for our heart, mind, and soul should come from the Word of God, the Bible. We will find God’s instruction for holy living. We will learn how God has related to those He loves. We will learn what pleases God and what displeases Him.

Frankly, there is no better food than that—and our response should be praise and thanksgiving to the God who loves us.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

God is Patient and Promise-Keeping

 

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

—2 Peter 3:9

Did you ever try to learn something from someone and, no matter how hard you tried to listen carefully and follow directions, you just could not complete the task properly? Frustrating, wasn’t it? I know exactly how you feel.

My dad was an excellent craftsman. He had trained and became a journeyman carpenter. He could maintain his own vehicle. Of course, this was in the days long before electronic ignition, computer-controlled emissions systems, and the other sophisticated automotive engineering of today. He single-handedly built an addition onto our modest home.

But, to my dad, I was a complete klutz. I did not seem to have the intuitive sense that guided his craftsman’s hands. I understood how a combustion engine worked. But, I could not properly repair even the most simple problem.

For one thing, I really didn’t like the feeling of grease and oil on my hands. I much preferred something that was quite a bit more pristine. I think that’s why I became enamored of electronics. I could work on a piece of electronic equipment and keep relatively clean. In fact, for the sake of the electronic equipment, it’s obvious that “the cleaner the better.”

One thing about my dad, when he made a promise, he kept that promise. He also had a great deal of patience when he was working on a difficult problem. He did not seem to have quite as much patience with me. But, I’m sure my own lack of patience confused and frustrated my dad and made him more impatient than he would normally be.

No matter how much we may try God’s patience, His love always supercedes any frustration He may feel toward us. He always keeps His promises and He always patiently waits for us to respond to His open and outstretched hands.

Of all of our Lord’s disciples, most likely the Apostle Peter understood more keenly how very patient God was and how much of a “promise keeper” Jesus was, as well. Notice what Peter wrote in his second letter, as recorded in 2 Peter 3:9:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Yes, God’s keeps His promises. And, He shows infinite patience with those He has called to belong to Himself.

We can rejoice this day with the full and sure knowledge that God is a patient God. He is a promise-keeping God. He is a holy God. And, He is a loving God. He is, of course, the very best God we could ever possibly have.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}