The Gospel in a Nutshell

 

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you…”

—1 Corinthians 15:1a

Did you ever ask someone a question and instead of receiving a direct and succinct answer, the person you were asking gave you a long and involved explanation? My wife and friends tell me that I do this very thing all the time. Apparently, I am so enamored of the details that I feel I must share every last one whenever I answer a question.

I recently watched a video on YouTube of someone trying to explain the gospel of life-transforming redemption through the blood of Jesus. The speaker was someone who tended to follow that pattern that I am all-to-often guilty of myself: too many details shared in a very involved manner.

In contrast to this well-intentioned teacher, the Apostle Paul had a unique perspective that gave him the ability to share the gospel in a very clear and concise manner. For example, notice what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8:

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Wow! What a powerful presentation! That Paul—he really knew how to make things clear. If only I could take a lesson from him.

Dear ones, the gospel really is just that easy to understand. We are all sinners. God loved us enough to send His one and only Son, Jesus, to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sin. Then God raised Jesus from the dead. He appeared, not as a ghostly apparition, but as a glorified human with the ability to eat and drink, but also with the ability to pass through walls and to quickly move from one place to another. Then, Jesus ascended to heaven where “He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty making intercession for us”—to borrow words from Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25.

This day, let us not shy away from sharing this good news with those the Holy Spirit may prompt us to engage. This gospel, this precious gospel, is truly the greatest news mankind has ever received. And, God wants those of us who believe to share it with the world.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Sinners All

 

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

—Romans 3:23-24

I always cringe when I hear someone cavalierly say the words, “Well, I know I’m going to Hell!” Such a one talks about the place of eternal damnation like it might be a specially chosen location at the most beautiful sandy beach on earth. Such, of course, is not the case.

Hell is someplace to fear—literally fear. “Well, I know I’ll have lots of company,” that same person opines. But, he or she doesn’t realize that as best as we can learn from Scripture, Hell is a place of eternal separation from God and from others. There will be no camaraderie in Hell. It will only be a place of torment so severe that our human minds cannot conceive how truly awful it will be.

And, lest someone think that he or she has lived a “good” life and surely will be spared this awful place of eternal death, one only needs to take note of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the new Christians gathered at Rome, as recorded in Romans 3:23-24:

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

We are all sinners. Every last one of us has inherited the sin stain of Adam through our parents. And, we have continued to sin from the moment we began to disobey the will of our parents.

Sin is completely pervasive. Even when we look at a beautiful, new baby boy or girl, we must recognize that, from a spiritual standpoint, this little one is also a sinner. How we wish this were not true. But, wishes do not make it so. Paul’s words ring down through the ages to us today.

But, notice that Paul also states the wonderful truth that though we are sinners, we are also saved by God’s grace through the death of His Son, Jesus. We are reconciled to God through the shed blood of Christ on the cross. We are vouchsafed for heaven through Jesus’ resurrection. We have an advocate in heaven, as our Savior sits on the very right hand of God the Father.

Every day, including this new day, we must not lose sight of the truth that we are sinners. But, we are also sinners saved by God’s grace. Those two truths, taken together, form the very foundation of our spiritual formation. And, that is a marvelously sure foundation upon which we may build our lives filled with abiding peace and great joy.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Carrying Our Cross

 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

—Luke 9:23-24

Life can certainly be glorious, wonderful, exciting, and so much more. Life can also be hard work, difficult, and a real drag.

Some motivational speakers would have us believe that the kind of life we lead is really up to us. If we would only think positively, our lives would bristle with delight. That may be so. But, many people do not experience daily life in that way.

Recognizing that almost every life has some burdens to bear, one relevant question: What is the source of that burden? Jesus recognized that life does have burdens. As a result, he gave His disciples these wise words, found in Luke 9:23-24:

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “Think positively.” Although, it’s quite possible that thinking positively represents good advice. No, Jesus said, “…deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me.”

When we take up our “cross,” we’re picking up our heavy burdens, setting aside our selfish desires, and following in the footsteps of Jesus. In so doing, we will become vessels of His love, as well as of His mercy and grace. We will extend kindness and gentleness to everyone we meet. We will offer words of hope and help promote joy in people’s lives.

Somehow, through this process of obedience, I believe our burdens—our “cross”—will seem a bit lighter. And, that would certainly be a good thing. So, this new day, let’s follow Jesus’ advice and see if it works the way He knows it will.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Dying to Sins

 

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

—1 Peter 2:24

Our sin nature that we inherited from Adam, plus our propensity to sin gained over years of practice since we began to sin on our own, makes it very difficult to stop all sinning.

Nevertheless, as we strive to live in obedience to Christ, it is our desire to minimize our intentional sins. It’s very hard to do this. But, we have an advocate, helper, and sponsor who will point us toward righteousness. Who is, of course, the blessed Holy Spirit.

It is this present reality of striving against sin that prompted the Apostle Peter, quoting from the Book of Isaiah, to write these words found in 1 Peter 2:24:

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

The fact that the penalty for our sin has been paid by Christ’s death on the cross is not a license to continue to sin. Rather, it is a motivation to honor Him by doing our best to put aside the sins that have us trapped. By allowing the Holy Spirit to have full sway over our selfish wills, we can see victory.

At the same time, almost inevitably, we will continue to sin. Fortunately, Christ has paid the penalty for all our sins. We can pick ourselves up from falling and continue our forward march toward righteousness.

You see, it is the march that’s really important. Instead of bemoaning our failures, we need to strive ever forward. That is what pleases God the most.

So, today, let’s keep on marching forward toward righteousness. Okay?

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

At Just the Right Moment in Time

 

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

—Romans 5:6-8

Have you ever heard someone say, “Timing is everything.” People usually make this statement when something happens at just the right time in their lives.

Years ago, a friend of mine came back from a trip and told his colleagues that he had met the most wonderful woman. The odd part of the story was that they met because she had arrived at the airport just one minute too late to board her scheduled flight. And, he had arrived at the airport several hours early for his flight because his business meeting had ended earlier than he expected and there were no earlier flights.

They met in the now-abandoned gate area. She, dealing with the frustration of having missed her flight and he, dealing with several hours to kill before his flight took off.

He noticed she seemed very upset. He asked if he could help her. At first she said, “No, but thank you.” He could see how upset she was so he pressed her a bit. She finally explained what had happened. It turned out that this would have been her very first flight, ever.

He, being a very seasoned and experienced traveler, offered to help her. He opened his laptop and logged into his premium account with the particular airline. Soon, he had re-booked her on a flight that would leave from the gate just across the aisle and at almost the same time as his flight would leave from the very gate in which they were sitting.

Since they had more than two hours before boarding, he offered to treat her to lunch. So, off they went to the little cafe just a few feet away from their respective gates.

And yes, the story has an even happier ending. From those two hours together and from many subsequent days and weeks of long-distance communication, they became good friends, and then sweethearts, and finally husband and wife.

Yes, I know it sounds like the plot for a Hallmark Movie Channel story. But, real life is often even more glorious than life on the screen.

Recently, they celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary. They now have three lovely children and from all appearances are blissfully happy.

You see, timing is everything!

The Apostle Paul surely understood this when he wrote these words, recorded in Romans 5:6-8:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Timing is everything! For us, it means salvation through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in our behalf. And, this wonderful salvation came at just the right time.

At the beginning of this new day, let’s be very thankful to God for His mercy, grace, and abundant love for us. And, let’s praise God that His timing is always perfect—a reality we can observe, if we look for it, every single day of our lives.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Radiance of God’s Glory

 

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

—Hebrews 1:3

When you were a child, did anyone ever say of you, “He looks just like his father.” Or, “She looks just like her mother.” Or, “Your kids look just like their Grandma.”

If someone says something like that, they intend to indicate that the child they’re talking about is the image of the person they have named. It’s intended as a compliment. It’s intended to reflect glory on the child and on the older person, as well.

When we look at Jesus, Scripture tells us we are looking at God the Father. The image of the Father is reflected in the Son. If we want to know what God looks like, we only need to look at Jesus.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrew Christians uses these words in Hebrews 1:3:

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Jesus is the “radiance of God’s glory.” Imagine if someone were to say to us, “You folks gathered here for worship and prayer look just like Jesus.” What a compliment that would be to us.

But, that is exactly what people should say about us. When they look at us, they should see Jesus.

So, as we begin a new day, let’s keep in mind that because Jesus is the reflection of God the Father, so we are a reflection of Jesus. That’s an awesome truth—but a wonderful one, too.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Do Not Hesitate to Ask

 

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

—Luke 11:9-10

“Daddy, may I ask you a question?” If I had a nickel for every time I asked my dad that question, well, I would have lots and lots of nickels.

I was always asking questions. I had—and still have—an almost unquenchable curiosity. This desire to know more and more and more has served me well throughout my career as a fire protection engineer. I will keep digging until I have exhausted the available information.

Whenever I would ask that question of my dad, he would always chuckle and respond, “Pally, you can ask me anything.” That was a real comfort to me. The fact that I could ask my dad anything gave me a sense of well-being. If there was something I didn’t quite understand, I could ask my dad and he would help me understand.

In our spiritual lives, none other than Jesus Himself has given us carte blanche (literally a white card or blank card) to ask anything we wish to ask of Him. Note His words, recorded in Luke 11:9-10:

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

As we begin another day of life under the watchful care of the Holy Spirit, we can step out with confidence into the world knowing that Jesus has given us permission to ask, to seek, and to knock. He will always answer, help us find, and open that door on which we knock.

I have shared this song from Scott Smith before. But, it is a particularly relevant to today’s Scripture passage:

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Thoroughly Cleansed

 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

—1 John 1:9

Have you ever driven your car or truck into an automated car wash and sat there while the machinery washed your vehicle? Once the wash, rinse, and dry cycles are complete, have you then driven your vehicle out of the car wash, stopped, and carefully examined the results?

Sometimes, upon close inspection, you will discover that the automated system did not get every last bit of dirt and grime off your car or truck. Why? Because the system is only designed to do a “good enough” job. But, it is not necessarily designed to do a completely thorough job of washing your vehicle. As is often the case, “good” is the enemy of “great.”

When it comes to cleansing our hearts and minds from the ravages of sin, the blood of Jesus always does a perfect job of removing the sin stain. His washing is thorough. He leaves no part of us unwashed.

The Apostle John put it this way in 1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

The word “purify” means thoroughly clean, all the way through. That is very good news for us, as we begin a new day.

Through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, God has provided a means of thoroughly cleansing us from sin. Because of His mercy, grace, and love, we are clean clear through.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Other Gods

 

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”

—Exodus 20:2-3

Today’s verse comes from the portion of the Old Testament Scriptures that we frequently refer to as “The Ten Commandments.” These ten principles came as a gift from God to His chosen people, Israel, through God’s servant Moses. They were so important that God engraved them on two stone tablets. These ten absolute rules were to guard and guide His people along the pathway of their lives.

Of primary importance was the commandment to have no other gods in one’s life. And, while we often think about the secular gods of other religions, this commandment indicates that, in our lives as followers of God, we should have nothing that gets in between us and God. That means no human being, no possession, no desire, no achievement, nothing—absolutely nothing—must come between us and the God who loves us and sacrificed His Son, Jesus, in our behalf.

Here’s the verse from Exodus 20:2-3:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.

God declares that He is the “I am.” He is the One who has accomplished anything and everything in our lives that merits any attention. He has brought us out of the slavery to sin and death and placed us before His throne as redeemed, covered with the cleansing blood of His Son. Surely, He merits our undivided hearts and undistracted minds.

As we begin a new day, let’s determine to remember that we can allow nothing to come between us and God. He will not permit any other “god” in our life, but Himself. And, that, my dear ones, is a marvelous truth.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Everything is Possible

 

“Everything is possible for him who believes.”

—Mark 9:23b

Have you ever faced something in your life that you felt you could not possibly achieve or accomplish? Maybe it was an assignment at work. Or, perhaps you had a family situation that you could not possibly see how you would handle it.

Most of us have situations that arise in our lives that cause us to doubt if we have what it takes to move forward. That’s part of Satan’s attempts to discourage us and turn us away from God.

Fortunately, we have the perfect antidote in these trying situations. It comes to us in the very words of Jesus, spoken to the father who had brought his son to Jesus. The boy was afflicted with an impure spirit. This child had suffered much throughout his life because of the torment this evil spirit caused. The father tentatively approached Jesus and asked Him to heal the son. In response, Jesus offered these encouraging words, found in Mark 9:23b:

“Everything is possible for him who believes.”

That is as true for us today as it was for that long-ago dad. If we believe wholeheartedly, we will find that God responds to our belief. When our faith wavers, God will bolster our faith to enable us to believe in an otherwise impossible situation.

Evangelist and Pastor, Daniel Paul Rader, former pastor of Moody Memorial Church in downtown Chicago, wrote a very sweet little gospel hymn back in 1921 that captures the essence of Jesus’ words to the despairing father:

Fear not, little flock, from the cross to the throne,
From death into life He went for His own;
All power in earth, all power above,
Is given to Him for the flock of His love.

Refrain: Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe,
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.

Fear not, little flock, He goes on ahead,
Your Shepherd selects the path you must tread;
The waters of Marah He’ll sweeten for thee,
He drank all the bitter in Gethsemane.

Refrain: Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe,
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.

Fear not, little flock, whatever your lot,
He enters all rooms, “the doors being shut,”
He never forsakes; He never is gone,
So count on His presence in darkness and dawn.

Refrain: Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe,
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.

As we begin a new day, let’s cling to the reality that our faith in God through His Son, Jesus, will enable us to receive a great bounty of God’s richest blessings. In the most difficult of circumstances, the Holy Spirit will increase our faith and enable us to move forward with peace in our hearts and joy at what God will accomplish through our faith.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The First Step A Tribute to Fathers on “Father’s Day”

 

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy.”

—Ephesians 5:25-26

Today we give special recognition to fathers. While some will say this is only a holiday to promote greeting cards and telephone calls, the fact remains that we owe a great deal to our fathers. This is particularly true if our dads were godly men who raised us to love and follow Jesus.

Of course, not all fathers were honorable. Some of you reading this may well have had a dad that was the exception to the rule. Instead of a loving, caring self-sacrificing individual, your dad was harsh, cruel, or even abusive. My heart aches for you. I hope you will remember on this Father’s Day that you have a heavenly Father who loves you with His immense, unfailing, unconditional love. He is your true Father.

For the rest of us who did have decent dads, I want to assert that the first step in becoming a proper father is for that man to love his wife. In fact, the Apostle Paul, who, like me, had never had the privilege of being a dad, gave some very profound and wise advice to the early Christians. Notice what Paul wrote, as recorded in Ephesians 5:25-26:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy.

Paul strongly urges fathers to love their wives with the same kind of devotion that the Lord Jesus Christ showed to His Body, the Church. This is literally a self-sacrificing, compassionate love that always has the best interests of the beloved at the forefront of one’s thinking.

This new day, even as we say a well-deserved “Thank You!” to our dads, let’s remember to follow Paul’s advice.

As husbands, and particularly as fathers, let’s determine to love our wives with the same commitment that our Savior showed to those who belonged to Him. This is the first step toward becoming a proper father.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

He Gives Strength and Protection

 

“The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

—2 Thessalonians 3:3

More than forty years ago, I sat in the studios of Radio Station WIHS in Middletown, Connecticut, near the end of my Saturday morning shift, which had begun at 5:30 in the morning. Soon after I finished delivering the Noon newscast, I had the privilege of pushing a button that started the 15-minute broadcast of “The Chapel of the Air.”

On this particular Saturday, a man who would soon after become my lifelong spiritual mentor, Rev. David R. Mains, began talking about a passage of Scripture found in 1 Peter 5:8-11:

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.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev. Mains illustrated his point, in this first of what would become three messages, by insisting that Satan’s desire is to destroy. The enemy of our soul wants to see Christians crushed under a weight of sin and faithlessness.

I remember sitting in the control room, staring at the audio console, and thinking about how profoundly true this particular point was in my own life and in the lives of countless believers that I knew. As the 15-minute broadcast came to an end with the lovely bass tones of announcer Tedd Seelye, I made a note that I would have to be certain to listen to the next two broadcasts in order to hear the rest of the story.

I did just that. And, in those two follow-ups I learned that while Satan’s desire is to destroy, our opportunity is to resist and overcome, and God’s endeavor is to equip (us to do so). Those three broadcasts gave me the clearest insight I had ever had into the struggle that constantly goes on in the Christian life: We have a real enemy and he is definitely out to get us!

Interestingly, the Apostle Paul shared much this same truth with the Christians gathered at the church in Thessalonica, as written in 2 Thessalonians 3:3:

The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

As we begin a new day, let’s cling to the reality that God waits to protect us from the one who would damage our souls. Satan was defeated by Christ on the cross. It’s as if Satan doesn’t yet realize this truth and continues to wreak havoc among Christians.

Prayerfully, let’s ask God to protect us this day, and every day. We do well to remember that God is faithful. He will give us His strength. He will protect us from the evil one.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Through Many Hardships

 

They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the gospel in that city (Derbe) and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

—Acts 14:21-22

If you are looking for a true adventure story, let me urge you to read the entirety of the Book of Acts. Written by Dr. Luke as a sequel to his gospel, this Book contains the exciting stories that tell of the birth of the Church during the first century A.D.

You will find intrigue, as well as the story of how the gospel begins to penetrate the then-known-world, changing lives, pushing against the culture of the day, and exposing a secular society to the claims of the Son of God.

As just one example, here’s Dr. Luke’s account of part of the work of the Apostle Paul and his sidekick, Barnabas, as found in Acts 14:21-22:

They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the gospel in that city (Derbe) and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Imagine the information packed into this verse. Paul and Barnabas preach in the city of Derbe, where a large number of people are welcomed into God’s Kingdom. Then they return to three key cities in what was then called “Asia Minor” and we now know as the country of Turkey.

A major responsibility that Paul and Barnabas had was to strengthen those followers of Jesus who had already responded to the gospel by encouraging them to remain true to their new-found faith. This was very important because the culture of the society of that day was always trying to lure them back into former evil behaviors.

Even today, as we begin a new day, it is important for us to interact with our fellow believers in a manner that will encourage them to remain true to their faith in Christ. By strengthening each other, we can fulfill a significant responsibility we have toward our fellow believers.

When we go through the hardships that will inevitably come, we can rest assured that, by giving and receiving support to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we can all continue to move forward along the pathway that God has laid out before us.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

We Will Sing

 

“Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.”

—Psalm 21:13

Whenever we read from the Psalms, we can take delight—great delight—from the fact that whatever we’re reading was intended as a song. Those of us who really enjoy singing, can recognize the privilege we have to sing along with the saints from the ages, including the millions of God’s chosen people.

Even if we only sing privately, perhaps while beginning our day in the shower, we can recognize that God delights in the songs of His people. That’s right. God delights in the songs of His people.

As we begin this new day, let’s look at just one verse from Psalm 21:13:

Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.

It’s as if King David, the author of this song, wanted to tell the people, “Now, listen up! This is what we’re going to be singing about today!” Then, he proceeds to tell them, and God as well, that today’s song will focus on exalting God because of His incredible strength and praising His unimaginable might. God is so very strong and so very powerful that we do well to praise Him for His strength and might.

Let’s not lose sight of the great joy that is ours in singing praises to this powerful and mighty God who loves us with His everlasting, unfailing, unending love. And, let’s keep fully in our minds and hearts at all times that God delights in the songs of His people.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Guard Your Behavior

 

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

—1 Peter 2:12

More and more, in the days ahead, Christians will come under criticism and false accusations. Because of Christians taking a biblical stand against evil, those who perpetrate evil will do all in their power to vilify those who follow Christ. This is not a new phenomenon. It has happened over and over down through the pages of history.

What should a Christian’s response be to such a hostile environment? The Apostle Peter offers these words in 1 Peter 2:12:

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

We believers must focus on doing good and being good. We must live our lives above reproach.

Even when we are accused of hatred, we need to keep loving those who accuse us. Even when some people make physical attacks against us and try to destroy us, we must show the gracious love of Jesus, as we respond to their attacks.

While some may think things are getting better and better, this defies what is actually happening in our world. Values held dear by followers of Jesus are under a severe attack.

If we are to remain faithful at the beginning of this new day, and every subsequent day, we must determine to follow Peter’s advice. We must focus on living lives that will honor Christ and show His faithful love in all that we do and say.

Even when we speak against evil—or, perhaps, especially when we speak against evil—we must do so with humility, tenderness, and kindness. It is possible to take a strong stand on behalf of righteousness, but to do so in as loving a way possible.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Doing God’s Will

 

“The world and its desires pass away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

—1 John 2:17

As a young teenager involved in the ministry of Youth for Christ, the number one question that always came up in discussion sessions regarding our Christian faith was: “How can I know the will of God?” That was a legitimate question and one that seemingly troubled many teens.

We understood that the God who loved us expected us to obediently follow His will for our lives. But, we weren’t at all certain how we were to know the will of God. Our leaders secretly wondered this same question themselves.

If I were able to go back more than 50 years and talk to my young teenaged self, I would offer these suggestions as answers to this puzzling question:

1. Make certain that you spend time reading, studying, and meditating on God’s written Word, the Bible.
   
   And, in that regard, become as familiar as you can with the actual words of the text. Study the Old Testament for the context it gives on how God relates to His chosen people, Israel. Learn from these ancient texts the foundational truths about who God is and what He expects of those He has chosen to belong to Himself.
   
   Concurrently, study the New Testament to see the God-with-us Jesus. Study how He relates to His Father. Examine carefully how He relates to His friends, enemies, and every other person with whom He comes into contact. Pay very careful attention to the words of Jesus, for He is, after all, God the Son.
   
   Read carefully the instruction given by the Apostle Paul and the other New Testament writers. Learn how they put their faith into practice and take note of the besetting sins about which they warned their fellow believers.
   
   
2. Before and after you spend time studying God’s written Word, pray. As you begin, ask God to illuminate the truth of His Word. And, as you finish, ask Him to seal His truth in your heart and mind.

If you have taken the time to invest in these two rather simple steps, in every situation you encounter in this life, you will know more surely what God wants you to do. By making God’s written Word a deeply woven part of the fabric of your life, and by bathing your study of God’s Word in prayer, you will have such a strong sense of the way God normally leads those He chooses to follow Him that you will make the right choice in your own life.

Why is it important that we follow God’s will for our lives? The Apostle John put it this way in 1 John 2:17:

The world and its desires pass away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

As we begin another new day, let’s make this a day of seeking to know God more through His written Word and following God more completely by allowing His truth to fill our hearts and minds.

As Richard of Chichester wrote:

Day by day, day by day,
O, dear Lord, three things I pray:
to see Thee more clearly,
love Thee more dearly,
follow Thee more nearly,
day by day.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Solid and Unmovable

 

“Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord.”

—Psalm 93:5

Do you like things to mostly stay the same? Said another way, do you prefer things that do not change?

The Gregorc Mind Styles™ Model defines four distinct ways in which people are pre-wired to take in information, process that information, and then order that information out. One of those Mind Styles is called the “Concrete Sequential” or “CS” Mind Style.

The dominant CS individual does not like change. Rather, the more steady, more solid, more unmovable something or someone is, the better. The dominant CS individual likes rules and regulations very much.

In contrast, the “Concrete Random” or “CR” Mind Style is always looking for something new. This quest for newness drives the dominant CR individual to look for ways that change can provide him or her with new energy and excitement. The dominant CR individual believes that rules do not apply to him or her.

While Dr. Anthony Gregorc asserts that every human possesses all four Mind Styles, each individual has a dominant Mind Style from which the person normally interacts with himself or herself and the world around him or her. When circumstances require, each person can pull a non-dominant Mind Style up onto the stage and operate within that Mind Style, at least for a time.

As a dominant CS, I can attest that the more solid and unmovable someone or something is, the more comfortable I am, the more at ease, the more at peace. I really don’t like change.

One of the huge contrasts between Christianity and many of the other world religions is that our God is solid and unmovable. He doesn’t change. He stays steadfast. We don’t have to wonder in any given moment what mood He will be in or what feelings He may have toward us when we approach Him.

The Psalmist puts it this way in Psalm 93:5:

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord.

A significant part of God’s holiness is His unchanging nature. He is always the same. His holiness is often expressed in His rules or statutes. Those rules do not change because God does not change.

As we begin a new day, we can do so with the sure knowledge that God loves us and that He will always love us. He has a plan for us and He will always have a plan for us. He has desires for us to become holy and He will always desire this.

Knowing that God doesn’t change should help us more easily fall into His arms of love and grace. And that, dear ones, is so very, very good.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Defeating the Original Sinner

 

“He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

—1 John 3:8

When we talk about “original sin,” we always think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and their disobedience against God’s one and only command. I’ve written about that encounter frequently on this blog because it is often greatly misunderstood. Nevertheless, the first **human** sinners were Adam and Eve. And, their sin has passed down to each of us upon our birth.

But the real “first sinner,” the one who set disobedience into motion by rebelling against God, was not a human. No, it was an angel named Lucifer—the one we know today as Satan or the Devil. He was the real first sinner.

The Apostle John gives this report in 1 John 3:8:

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

From this passage of Scripture we learn that the work of the devil is to destroy humankind through sin. In fact, it’s to destroy humankind through their own sin—the sin they inherited from Adam and Eve, and the sin they have committed all on their own.

But, the work of Jesus is to destroy the devil’s work. He does this by bearing the price of our sins on the cross. In unwavering obedience to His Father, Jesus pays the penalty for our sins. Then, He rises from the dead to conquer the eternally sealing power of death.

When we sin, we act as if Christ’s work was in vain. We temporarily take the devil’s side in this great spiritual battle. Even though we will be stained by sin until we die and pass on to our eternal life, at which point we will become glorified (Romans 8:29-30), we can obediently work at putting away the besetting sins that plague our lives.

When tempted to lie, we can tell the truth. When tempted to covet, we can rejoice that others have something we do not have. When tempted to gossip, we can hold our tongues. When tempted to react in anger, we can react with kindness. When tempted to lust, we can mentally turn our backs on that lust. When tempted to… Well, we can insert our particular sin here and we can also insert the opposite of that sin because we know what that is, as well.

Struggling against sin takes discipline. It’s hard work. But, it’s good work. It’s worthwhile work. It’s challenging work. It’s work that pleases the God who loves us. It’s work we can determine to tackle, as this new day begins.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

You Can’t Hide Your Sins

 

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”

—Isaiah 29:15

Have you ever watched a young child who did not like peas carefully place them under the far lip of the plate to make it look as if he or she had obediently eaten this dreaded vegetable? Because the child can’t see the hidden peas, he or she firmly believes that no one else can see them either.

That’s how some people view the things they do, in the course of their lives, that they know are questionable, even sinful. They believe that if they hide what they do, if they sneak around and perform their deeds in secret, or in the cover of darkness, no one will know what they have done. But, it just doesn’t work that way.

The Prophet Isaiah conveyed these words, as found in Isaiah 29:15:

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”

It doesn’t matter what lengths to which we may go to keep our sins secret. God always knows what we have done. And, in many cases, our sins will be revealed for everyone to see.

Reportedly, my birth mother—a thirty-year-old single woman left, like so many young women of that time period, without any prospects of a husband with so many young men off fighting World War II—became involved with an older married man. He was the pastor of her church. She was the church organist.

Naturally, he took great steps to hide their affair. They met in secret, all the while believing that no one would ever know. Perhaps he told her that he was in an unhappy marriage, that he loved her, and that he would divorce his wife and marry her. But, their secret was taken out of their control. You see, my birth mother became pregnant with me.

For nine long months she hid her pregnancy from everyone. She was a large woman and was able to totally conceal the additional weight of her pregnancy by wearing bulky clothing.

But, on one fateful day in early August of 1947, she called out in pain from her bedroom. Her mother went to check on her and, upon seeing her condition for the first time, quickly summoned the doctor. He arrived promptly, as doctors did in that time period, and delivered me.

Without any time to plan, I was whisked away to a nearby nurse who sheltered babies being placed for adoption. I joined ten other newborns in her home and stayed there for the state-mandated six weeks until the lovely, older couple who adopted me came to pick me up.

How do I know this story? The nurse in whose house I stayed for the first six weeks of my life became a dear friend of my adoptive mother. When the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania made a mistake and sent my adoptive mother my real birth certificate with my birth mother’s name on it (but with the birth father’s name blank), my mother showed it to the nurse.

Several years later, the nurse felt moved to supply the details to my adoptive mother who shared them with me when I turned 18 years old. (I should hasten to add that I always knew I was adopted. In fact, my parents made a really big deal about the fact that they “chose” me out of many other babies they could have chosen.)

I share this personal story as just one example of the reality: we cannot hide our sin from God and others. Sin will always become revealed. That’s why we who follow Christ should guard ourselves against besetting sins. No matter how hard we try to hide them, they will always step into the light.

Think of all the corruption that our current political climate has revealed. Do you think any of those involved would have ever thought what they had done or said would come to light? In fact, some of them are so cleverly habitual in their bad behavior that they have spent a lifetime honing the skill of concealment. Yet what they have done has stepped out into the light. That’s a lesson for all of us.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Return to Me

 

“Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.

—Malachi 3:7

I have shared on this blog before that, to me, one of the most telling stories in all of Scripture is found in Luke 15:11-32. Editors of the New International Version have titled this “The Parable of the Lost Son.” Most of you probably know this story of Jesus quite well.

A younger brother chaffs at having to stay at home and help his father and older brother. He asks his father for his inheritance—a great insult in a Jewish household, since all of the inheritance would typically go to the oldest son. The father grants this request. The son promptly goes away to a far country and squanders the money. Ending up feeding pigs, the runaway son realizes he has sinned. He repents, determines to return to his father, and plans to offer to live as a servant.

Meanwhile, every day since the son left home, the father has gone to a lookout point that faces the road on which his son left home. There, he scans the horizon, looking for a sight of his returning son.

After months and months, one day the father sees his son in the far distance. While the son was still a long way off, the father rushes to greet the son and welcomes him home. The son acknowledges his sin and asks for forgiveness. The father responds by forgiving his son, treats him like royalty, and hosts a banquet to honor his son.

That story, told by Jesus to his followers, is exactly how God relates to you and me. He lovingly stands on a hilltop, watching to see if we will return to Him. He calls us to repent of our sin and come back into His protective fold.

The Prophet Malachi put it this way in Malachi 3:7:

“Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.

This is a call for revival. It’s a call to come to life again. It’s a call of returning. It’s a call for you, and for me, to daily repent of our sins and return to God with hearts cleansed by the blood of Christ our Savior.

If you have someone in your life who has strayed far from God, why not spend some time today praying for that one. Ask God to speak into the depths of that one’s heart and mind and call that one to come home.

No greater joy exists for God, and for us, when one of His own returns to Him. May this be a day of that happening for someone we know and love.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Disarming Triumph

 

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

—Colossians 2:15

The significance of the cross on which Jesus died holds so much rich detail that it has prompted thousands of writers to pen volumes about this most significant event in human history. Jesus’ death in our place gave us victory over sin. His resurrection gave us victory over death. His ascension to heaven gave us an advocate who sits at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us.

One of the most daring aspects of the cross is described by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 2:15:

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Jesus was a man of victory. He defeated every attempt that Satan made to trick Him. Unlike Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden where Satan seemingly easily convinced the first humans to disobey God, Jesus held firm to His place of preeminence.

As we begin a new day, we can take comfort in the fact that we belong to a victorious King. He has never lost a battle. He has defeated the most terrible of foes. And, He has done this in our behalf.

So, let’s press onward along the pathway that God has laid out for us. And, let’s more and more become people of victory—victorious over sin in our lives and victorious in representing our Savior well to a world that needs His healing touch.

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Neither Mocked, Nor Led Astray

 

“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”

—Proverbs 20:1

Whenever a verse like today’s verse appears in the list I use as source material, I always have to smile, because I know how unpopular such a verse is in today’s Christian culture, not to mention the culture of the secular world.

As I have shared on this blog previously, my dear grandma, who went home to be with her Lord nearly 40 years ago at the ripe old age of 92, was a long-time leader in an organization that many of you reading this have never heard of, I’m sure: The Women’s Christian Temperance Union or WCTU. She came by that role quite naturally.

You see her husband—a man who was plagued by alcoholism at a time, back in the early part of the twentieth century, when people just called this disease “perpetual drunkenness”—in a fit of remorse over once again having squandered his meager paycheck on booze, committed suicide.

As a result of this incident that took place more than 25 years before I was born, I grew up in a home where alcoholic beverages were absolutely not tolerated. I was taught that the best way to avoid falling into the trap of alcoholism was to never take a single drink. To further reinforce this position, I grew up in a fundamentalist church where we had a long list of forbidden behaviors. Then, I attended and graduated from a Christian college where, at that time, a similar long list of forbidden activities were rigorously enforced.

Then, I entered the business world where drinking alcoholic beverages was not only tolerated, it was strongly, even vehemently, promoted. Still, I quietly, without any fanfare, held my ground. When pressed, I would simply say that my religious beliefs forbade my use of alcohol.

Imagine my chagrin today, in our current Christian culture, where even the most ardent Evangelical Christian will have an occasional glass of wine. Getting a “little buzzed” at the end of a long, hard day, is seen as “wise” and “with it.” I am even more of an “odd man out” than I was fifty years ago.

Let me hasten to add that I do not judge my fellow believers for their use of alcohol, as long as they don’t become drunk, or fall into the pit of alcoholism. They must answer to God for their behaviors, just as I must answer to God for mine. And, I am well aware that I have my own significant list of besetting sins that mark my life and for which I am constantly trying to overcome. I have neither the time nor the inclination to condemn my fellow believers in the matter of what they choose to drink, as long as they do so in moderation.

I do find it rather interesting that King Solomon apparently had observed the effects of indulgence to the point where he was prompted to write the following, as found in Proverbs 20:1:

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

The lesson for all of us from this verse is to make certain we are aware of the effect that our behaviors have on our lives. Have any of the things we do in our lives become a “must do, or else” If so, perhaps we should examine the grip that a particular behavior has on us. Such obsessions are rarely healthy and often are very destructive over the long haul.

Instead, we should choose to promote habits that will feed our spiritual needs. For once our spiritual needs are met, our other needs seem to fall into proper perspective. At least, it’s worth considering. Okay

 

_{Copyright © 2018 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}