No Worries

 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

—Philippians 4:6-7

I am blessed to have a couple of friends who live and work for a Christian radio network in Australia. A husband and wife, these two fine individuals continually make effective efforts to share the love of the Lord Jesus Christ with tens of thousands of listeners.

As a result of sharing their lives with me via frequent Facebook posts, I have developed a new appreciation for the way the Lord is at work in this unique continent. I have also learned a little bit about the Australian culture.

I am particularly taken by the Australian way of responding to the words, “Thank You!” Their expression, “No worries!” embodies the kind of laid back, easy going, yet purposeful life style that marks many of their countrymen.

In thinking about that phrase, “No worries!” I am reminded of the words the Apostle Paul shared with the Christians gathered in the church at Philippi, as recorded in Philippians 4:6-7:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul urges the Philippian Christians to set aside any anxiety they might have. Instead, Paul instructs them to rely on prayers, along with thanksgiving, to ask God for His help in meeting the challenges they face in their lives.

“Do this,” Paul insists, “and you will find that God will give you a peace that exceeds your ability to understand it. Furthermore, God will guard your hearts and your minds against the ravages that anxiety often brings. He will do all this because you belong to His precious Son, Jesus.”

Now, dear ones, if we ever needed a special word from the Lord at the beginning of another new day, certainly these words of the Apostle should warm our hearts and set us on the right pathway for the day that stretches out before us.

Let’s put aside our anxiety, go to prayer, and allow God to give us His peace at the same time He will guard our hearts and minds.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Conditional Statement

 

“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

—2 Chronicles 7:14

As most anyone knows who has come to an English-speaking country from another land and tried to learn how to speak coherently in the English language, the language that we Americans take for granted is very difficult. You can see post after post on Facebook and in blogs pointing to some of the follies of our language.

Just last evening, I saw a post on Facebook that contrasted certain English words, emphasizing how seriously wrong many Americans use them: not “supposably,” but “supposedly”; not “for all intensive purposes,” but “for all intents and purposes”; not “irregardless,” but “regardless”; not “I could care less,” but “I couldn’t care less”; not “expresso,” but “espresso”; not “I seen it,” but “I saw it”; and on and on and on it goes.

In learning English, we learn about different kinds of statements. One that has great importance is the “conditional statement.” This kind of statement is propositional—yes, “propositional,” not “prepositional,” which is something entirely different. It states a proposition, beginning with the word “if.” If you do this, I will do this.

One of the great conditional statements in the Bible is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14:

…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Spoken first to King Solomon on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple that Solomon built for God, this conditional statement is preceded by actions God might take to bring His people into line or to call them to repentance. In other words, when God does something to get His people’s attention, the proper response for them to make is to humble themselves and pray.

I have long observed, over the course of my nearly 71 years of life, that our nation is in an ever accelerating downward spiral. Sin is pulling us deeper into an abyss from which I sometimes wonder if we can recover. I also wonder if some of the truly horrific things that have happened to our morals and our common way of life have been allowed by God in order to call the people of our nation to repentance.

If that is so—if God is allowing this downward spiral to get our attention—then the obvious thing for us to do is to heed God’s conditional statement above and humble ourselves and pray.

Perhaps, even this very day, we should begin the day by asking God to heal our land. I don’t know about you, but that is exactly what I intend to do.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Three-Pronged Approach

 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

—Romans 12:12

It is quite common in the self-help, motivational speaker community, to develop three-pronged plans for solving very real problems. This is based on the idea that most people can easily remember three points. Thus, if a speaker can devise three memorable points, there is a greater chance that the listeners will remember and apply the suggested problem-solving recommendations.

In our spiritual formation, the Apostle Paul complies with this adult learning concept by offering a three-pronged approach to successful living, as recorded in Romans 12:12:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

These three succinct, but very serious, recommendations offer very good advice for those who wish to accelerate their own spiritual formation. No matter what happens in our lives, we should be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” This tried-and-true pathway for living really works.

Let’s keep this three-pronged approach fully in mind, as we begin another day. By so doing, we can see our own spiritual formation grow exponentially.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

According to His Will

 

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us— whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

—1 John 5:14-15

Did you ever ask someone a question when you knew that they would very likely not answer in the way you had hoped? If so, why did you ask?

“Well, I thought the boss would likely refuse to give me an extra three weeks of vacation time with pay, but it never hurts to ask, does it?”

Yes, sometimes it does hurt to ask a question when, if you put yourself in the place of the person you were asking, you realize that the appropriate and reasonable answer would be either, “No!”, or to give no answer at all.

Years ago, I had an acquaintance that began to entertain asking a woman out on a date. The problem was that she was married to someone else.

He stewed about this for days and days. In fact, he drove those of us around him crazy while he debated whether to ask her to have dinner with him after work.

I told him several times that she was married and would likely deny his request, or not answer him at all. But, he finally talked himself into asking. And, what do you suppose she said? She responded in an emphatic and angry way.

“Don’t you realize I’m happily married?” she asked him with fire in her voice.

He slunk away with a wounded ego and eventually asked for a transfer to another territory so that he would not have to see or deal with this woman whom he had so greatly offended.

I was, frankly, puzzled. I had told him she would not respond the way he had hoped. Others had told him the same. But, he insisted on making a fool of himself—and he succeeded marvelously.

When we come before God and lay our requests at His feet, we must do so knowing that what we ask is reasonable and appropriate. We can’t ask Him to bless some sinful endeavor we intend to undertake. We can’t ask Him to do something that is so outlandish that no reasonable person, let alone the God of the Universe, would grant such a request.

The Apostle John clearly states the nature of our requests to God, when he writes these words found in 1 John 5:14-15:

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

God hears and answers those requests we make of Him in prayer when we ask according to His will. So, naturally, when we pray, we should always examine our request to determine if it is the kind of request that would, indeed, be in accordance with His divine will.

Frankly, that opens up a very long list of appropriate items. Does God want to heal us from our affliction? Of course He does. Does He want to bring us out of despair and into the light of new life in Him? Yes! Yes, He does!

It’s really not all that hard. Simply consider the request we intend to make in light of what we know about God, His holiness, His righteousness, His perfection, His great love for us, His reasonableness—and if our request passes the test, we can then make it in confidence.

Let us this day determine to bring every request that is according to His will quickly to His attention. We will find that He longs to show His love by answering every request that is made in accordance with His will for us.

Yes, He may ask us to wait for a more perfect time, or even say, “No!”. But, He will always give us an answer—one way or another—that is wrapped in His great love for us and has our very best interests in mind.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

We Must Believe

 

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

—Hebrews 11:6

I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not believe in God. I was raised in a Christian home. My adoptive parents were devoted to Christ and His Kingdom. They taught me to follow Jesus.

I was fortunate that my family attended a Bible-believing church where the gospel was taught and Biblical truth was honored. Over the years of my childhood and youth, I had many fine Christians pour themselves into my life.

I was blessed to attend a Christian college where I learned even more about the Bible and about how God connects with every aspect of my life. I even studied New Testament Greek for two years, so that I could have the privilege of reading the New Testament in its original language.

But, none of this background would matter if I did not truly believe that God exists, that He loves me, that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in my place, that He has forgiven my sins, and that He has a place for me with Him for all eternity.

Over the last twenty years when I have struggled with numerous health problems, I have had many moments of deep discouragement. But, I have never doubted that God is working out His plan for my life. Even when I don’t understand the things that have occurred, I have never stopped believing.

Those words may sound to some like an arrogant and boastful, even prideful, statement. But, I know that the only reason my faith has remained strong is that the Holy Spirit has lovingly ministered to me in my darkest hours. It is not at all a testimony about me and the strength of my faith. Quite to the contrary, it is only and always a testimony to God’s faithfulness in preserving the strong sense of His Presence in my life.

Therefore, when the writer to the Hebrews pens these following words, he, too, is giving a testimony of the power of the Holy Spirit to enable believers to hold on to their faith. Note what the writer declares in Hebrews 11:6:

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

God gives us the gift of faith. He enables us to believe. He fosters and strengthens that faith. He alone is worthy to receive praise for what He has done in and through us.

As a new day begins, let us celebrate the gift of faith and God’s sustaining power through the loving Presence of the Holy Spirit. We do well to realize that He is the beginning, middle, and ending of the timeline of our faith. All praise, honor, and glory goes to God alone.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Stable and Growing

 

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching…”

—Ephesians 4:14-15

Many years ago in a science class, to illustrate the need for stability in order for growth to take place, the teacher placed a young plant in a transparent pot of soil and placed the pot on a constantly vibrating platform. She then placed a similar young plant in another transparent pot of soil and placed this pot on a stable, level desktop.

Over the next few weeks, she pointed out that the plant attempting to grow while under the influence of constant vibration had a difficult time putting down roots. In contrast, the plant growing on the stability of the desktop nearly tripled the root growth in the same period of time.

This phenomenon is true of our spiritual lives, as well. We need stability in order to put our spiritual roots deep into the soil of God’s Word, as we are nourished by the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul put it this way, as recorded in Ephesians 4:14-15:

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Stability is something that we can justifiably pray for and also seek to find in our own lives. It starts with daily Bible reading and prayer. It continues when we join the fellowship of a Bible-believing church where the relationships we form with other spiritually healthy believers can nourish our own spiritual growth and development.

Let us determine this day to seek stability for our spiritual lives. Let us also do our best to provide that stability for those with whom we come into contact. We do well to heed the Apostle’s words.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Living Redeemer

 

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.”

—Job 19:25

I’ve mentioned several times, in various posts on this blog, how certain songs have stayed with me throughout my life. Usually, the memory stems from a catchy tune or the earnestness of the words. It’s this latter quality that has embedded a song written by J. Wilbur Chapman, a Presbyterian evangelist of the 19th century, in the depths of my memory. He titled this song simply “One Day.”

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He!

Refrain: Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!

Refrain: Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!

Refrain: Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

Refrain: Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved One bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Refrain: Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

The awareness of His redemptive grace is palpable in the consciousness of all who believe in the life-transforming power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. It fuels our daily existence. It encourages us to live with determination and also with great joy. And, we are not alone in feeling so strongly His divine Presence.

The Patriarch Job, though he lived thousands of years ago—and long before Jesus came to earth in human form—understood the majesty of God’s Son. Notice what Job declares, as recorded in Job 19:25:

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

Only through the revelation by the Holy Spirit could Job utter such words. And, it is by this same Holy Spirit that we, on this new day, can declare the very same reality: we know that our redeemer lives!

May God remind us of this great truth all through this day, and every day.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Treat Each Other This Way

 

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…”

—Philippians 2:5a

Most people look for a good example to follow in their lives. And, most people have observed someone whom they would truly like to emulate, insofar as the way that person relates to other people.

I have a dear friend and professional colleague whom I have long admired. He is very intelligent, quick thinking, perceptive, and a genuine joy to have as a partner in any work endeavor. He is also personable.

But, the quality I admire most in him is his ability to listen carefully to what people are saying around him without ever becoming provoked enough to speak out. As a result, when he does speak, people really listen carefully to what he says.

I am not cut from that cloth. I am a very opinionated person. I have a fairly wide range of interests and often will feel compelled to offer my opinion, whether anyone wants it or not. I well remember how my father-in-law felt about me when I first began dating his daughter. He remarked, “He thinks he knows everything. That’s very annoying!”

I understand why he felt that way. I’m glad that, over the many years of our marriage before he went home to be with the Lord, my father-in-law grew to respect and appreciate me, in spite of my failure to keep my mouth shut.

If we are to serve as effective ambassadors of Christ and His Kingdom, the Apostle Paul knew we “Christ’s-ones” would need a good example. So, Paul offered these words, found in Philippians 2:5-8:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Especially in our relationships with fellow believers, but also in our relationships with all people, we need to follow Christ’s example.

Let me be so bold as to suggest that we do just that this new day. I’m fairly certain that, if we follow Jesus’ pattern in this regard, we will bless others and become blessed ourselves.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Come On Down!

 

“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

—Luke 19:5

Do you ever remember singing this song in your childhood Sunday School?

Zacchaeus was a wee, little man,
And a wee, little man was he.
He climbed up in a sycamore tree,
For the Lord he wanted to see.

And as the Savior came that way,
He looked up in the tree.

(Spoken:) And he said, “Zacchaeus, you come down from there,”

For I’m going to your house today.
For I’m going to your house today.

 

It’s amazing how certain childhood songs just stick with you. This one certainly stuck with me. It is, of course, based on a real life adventure that Jesus had when He was here on earth.

Dr. Luke narrates the event in Luke 19:1-10:

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

As I’ve shared in this blog before, tax collectors were hated by their fellow Jews. The tax collectors, also known as “publicans,” had given in to Roman rule and had purchased the right to collect taxes for Rome.

The occupation of most of the then known world by the Romans was really all about collecting enough money to continue to build the magnificent city of Rome. So, the taxes were oppressive.

The tax collectors could also add a surcharge, really any amount they wished to add to the taxes demanded by Rome. By these surcharges, the tax collectors became very wealthy men.

St. Matthew was a tax collector. The man in this account, Zacchaeus was also a tax collector. Both were hated by their fellow Jews. Yet, both were chosen by Jesus to become part of His Kingdom. Choosing them would be like Jesus today choosing the most vile individual we could possible think of to belong to Himself.

Verse 10 sums up who Jesus was and is: “He came to save the lost.”

This day, let’s rejoice that among those who were lost, Jesus saved us, too. It’s something for which we truly should daily praise God.

Please click here to watch a very cute video of the children’s song to which I referred in this blog post.

 

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Saved to the Uttermost

 

“Therefore he is able to save completely [or, in the KJV: “to the uttermost”] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

—Hebrews 7:25

The word “uttermost” seldom appears in print today. It means “to the maximum degree” or “to the farthest extent.” So, “uttermost” means, in today’s parlance, “to the max!”

As a youngster, I encountered the word in the King James Version (or Authorized Version, as it is sometimes called) of the Bible. It appears nineteen times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. In each case, the word “uttermost” is used to describe something to the maximum, either in dimension or extent.

I mention this word “uttermost” because, as a child, I often wondered to what extent did the salvation—that God has given us through His Son, Jesus—reach. If I chose to continue to sin over and over and over again, would God’s salvation still apply? Or, what if I had already reached my “quota” of sinning? Would God still forgive me the next time I sinned?

The answer to my question—perhaps a silly, childish question—is found in the words of the writer to the early Hebrew Christians, speaking of Jesus, as recorded in Hebrews 7:25:

Therefore he is able to save completely [or, in the KJV: “to the uttermost”] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

At the beginning of this new day, it is very comforting to me—and I hope to you, too—that no matter how many times we slip and fall into sin, God’s salvation reaches to the farthest possible extent and covers the maximum dimension. He has saved us to the uttermost—to the max.

When we consider what being saved to the uttermost means in our daily walk with God, I can’t help but remember that back in 1960, The Rodeheaver Company obtained a copyright for a song written by Gloria Roe. The song was published in at least one hymnal in 1966.

Even before that, Word Publishing Company had issued several versions of the song. And, Thurlow Spurr recorded the song as part of his album “Yours and His.”

The “Anchored in Christ” gospel singing group that I sang with in high school often used this song to close our concerts. It became one of the most requested songs that we performed.

I wish I could share a recorded version of this song with you. But, alas, I cannot find any version of it that’s been dubbed from vinyl to an electronic medium.

The song is entitled “So Great Salvation.” It is certainly one of Gloria Roe’s most memorable compositions. The tune is written in the style of a ballad. But, the melody has a very soft, dreamy quality to it that serves to enhance the earnestness of the words.

So great salvation has won my heart,
From the Creator, it had its start;
First He made man to live a life complete,
He then the choice did give His will to meet.
Since that sad moment when man did fail,
God in His mercy still does prevail;
For our redemption a plan He gave—
So great salvation, our souls to save.

So great salvation has changed my heart,
My life’s ambition He did impart;
A new desire to live, His will, not mine,
His righteousness He gives, He is divine.
Now all around I see sin’s poverty,
God in His goodness can make us free;
For our redemption a plan He gave—
So great salvation, our souls to save.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Second in Line

 

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”

—Colossians 1:27-28

Did you ever think of the fact that sometimes there is a distinct advantage to be the person second in line?

As I’ve shared several times before on this blog, when I was in junior high and high school, the one class I absolutely dreaded was physical education class. As a very fat, uncoordinated, non-sports-oriented kid, I loathed what we called in those days, “Gym Class.” I hated those 50 minutes very much.

To add to my displeasure, I entered junior high at a time when, by my ninth grade year, President John F. Kennedy had begun his initiative called “The President’s Council on Physical Fitness.” We went from having physical education twice a week to having this dreaded class every single day.

Thereafter, my pain increased greatly. To add to my misery, instead of seeing me as a challenge to gently help move toward fitness, my gym class teachers hated me and saw me as someone to ridicule.

Because I didn’t know how to do any of the things that “normal, sports-oriented” boys knew how to do, I would avoid at all costs being first in line. I would hang back and watch others go first in order to get the idea of what was expected of me. Most of the time, that worked pretty well—even when I could seldom properly complete the assigned task.

In our relationship with God, we Gentile “Christ’s-ones” often forget that we are second in line. Yes, God did choose us before the foundation of the world. But, He revealed His chosen people first when He called out Abraham and named the people of Israel His chosen people.

I’m not at all certain how many modern American Jews realize the extremely important role they play in the history of Christian spiritual formation. Likewise, I do not think most so-called Evangelical Christians realize how magnificently important Jewish people are to the heritage of our relationship with God through His precious Son, Jesus.

We tend to forget that Jesus was Jewish. We tend to forget, as the Apostle Paul so elegantly describes in Romans 9, 10, and 11, that we Gentile Christians have been grafted into the line of our Jewish brothers and sisters.

(As a side note, this is why it is so very important for us to have an on-going and powerful relationship with the nation of Israel. These are God’s first-chosen people. They are our brothers and sisters in our relationship with God. We should love them and do all we can to support and care for them, even if they do not themselves acknowledge the love bond that we have with them.)

So, we are second in line. But, praise God, we are in that line. We have much to learn about a relationship with God by reading the Old Testament and observing the challenges that the Jews faced as God’s chosen people.

If we read carefully, we will discover that the one thing God prizes above all else is obedience to His will and to His Word.

Notice what the Apostle Paul writes to the new Christians gathered in the city of Colosse, as recorded in Colossians 1:27-28:

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

This new day, let’s remember we are all learning obedience together. That’s why it is so important that we seek fellowship with other believers. That’s why we are love-bonded as brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are to support one another. We are to help one another. We are to cheer each other on, as we move forward in our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let this be a day wherein we reach out to support a fellow believer. Let us say a kind word, offer a prayer, or, in some other way, show our love and support. We will bless God and bless ourselves if we do so.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Price of Redemption

 

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”

—1 Peter 1:18-19

Many years ago, a pastor of the church I attended back in the 1970s told the story of an old manual typewriter that had been in his family for many years. His father, also a minister, had painstakingly typed his sermons on that typewriter for over 30 years.

But then, the older pastor’s son—my pastor’s elder brother—was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol. The older brother didn’t have any money for bail. So, he languished in the county jail until his trial. During this time, another prisoner beat him severely and he ended up in the hospital.

His father could not stand to see his son spend another day in that jail. So, he pawned the only possession that he had for which he could obtain enough money to pay the son’s bail. The old typewriter ended up in the possession of a pawn broker. The father had two months to redeem it, or it would be sold.

In order to try to earn back his beloved typewriter, the father took a part-time job as a janitor in a nearby bar. It was grueling and very unpleasant work for this man of the cloth. He especially had a difficult time cleaning the filthy toilets in this rather seedy establishment.

But, within 55 days of working very hard each day, including late on Sunday evenings, the pastor earned enough money to go to the pawn shop and redeem his typewriter. He was willing to do anything to pay the price of redemption.

The pastor telling this story about his father made the point that to redeem us from the sins that we had committed against God, God Himself was willing to pay whatever price His eternal justice demanded—and that was the shedding of blood.

The Apostle Peter put it best when he wrote these words to the early Christians, as recorded in 1 Peter 1:18-19:

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

As we begin another new day, let us not forget that we have been bought by a great price.

The God who chose us to belong to Himself before the foundation of the earth has paid the bounty—the price of redemption—for our sins through the blood of His one and only Son, Jesus. He has bailed us out of eternal damnation.

The joy we should feel, when faced with this act of extreme love, should indeed be immeasurable.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Their Voices Will Declare

 

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

—Romans 14:11

In yesterday’s blog post, I wrote about those who arrogantly insist there is no God. I illustrated how God has revealed Himself in His creation. That revelation leaves humankind without any excuse when it comes to acknowledging God’s Divine Presence.

But, what happens at the end of the age to those who have so adamantly voiced their belief that God does not exist? Quoting Isaiah 45:23, the Apostle Paul declares in Romans 14:11:

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

When time as we know it comes to an end, the Bible teaches us that the Lord Jesus Christ will return. A favorite verse of mine found in the Apostle John’s writing, as recorded in Revelation 1:7, tells us that Jesus will return in the clouds and every eye on earth will see Him, including those who have disregarded Him. This verse also states that all nations of the earth will wail in misery at the realization that they have not acknowledged the life-changing power of Jesus.

Certainly what the Apostle Paul has quoted remains clear: a day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that God is the Almighty, the King of Creation. Since that day is coming, I ask, “What sense does it make to put off that acknowledgement?”

I mean, wouldn’t it be better to acknowledge this very day who God is and to receive the gift of eternal salvation through His Son Jesus? That’s something worth considering, as we begin this new day.

Perhaps this is the day that the Holy Spirit will nudge us to talk to someone in a gentle, loving, and caring way about Jesus and what He means to us. Who knows but that could be the conversation that God uses to draw that person to Himself. And, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Fully Revealed

 

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature— have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

—Romans 1:20

It is quite common, in our society today, to either openly declare that a person does not believe in God, or for people to live as if God simply did not exist. Either declaration is quite dangerous.

Some people say, “Certainly God, if He exists, would understand why people would chose not to believe in Him. Don’t you think He fully understands? Or, better yet, He doesn’t care?”

Frankly, no, I don’t think He understands. And, I think He cares a great deal. The Apostle Paul said it best in Romans 1:20:

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

God has chosen to continually reveal Himself to His human creations through what He has created. He has done this in such a startling way that, historically, very few tribes or nations on earth have not chosen to believe in some kind of supreme power.

Instead, it is only among those who have lived since the Age of Enlightenment that it has become en vogue to declare there is no God.

Fortunately, for those of us who believe, we do so because God has chosen to call us to Himself. He has sent the Holy Spirit to confirm what our souls already knew: that He existed and that He loves us with an infinite and immeasurable love.

When you encounter someone who claims there is no God, ask them to look around. No truly rational mind can believe that all this beauty occurred by chance. Can they?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Once and For All!

 

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

—John 10:28-30

Make no mistake about it, I am extremely grateful for my upbringing.

I grew up in a church with frequent “altar calls.” For those readers unfamiliar with Fundamentalist churches, an altar call comes at the end of the sermon. The pastor invites those who want to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord to come to the front of the church, thus making a public declaration of their desire and intent. In my church, the altar call was accompanied by the congregation singing either “Just As I Am Without One Plea” or “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling.”

There is nothing at all wrong with an altar call. Some pastors avoid them altogether because they do not want to emotionally manipulate those listening to their sermons. Other pastors have an altar call at the end of every service. This latter was the case in the church of my youth.

It wasn’t until I began to study the Bible at Houghton College that I came to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in revealing to a lost sinner the gift that God had already set aside for him or her in salvation through the shed blood of Jesus. I learned that Scripture clearly teaches we are chosen by God to belong to Him before the foundation of the world. (It is more than a little bit ironic that this “Reformed Theology” of John Calvin was not—and is not—the “Arminian Theology” of the denomination that sponsored the college I attended.)

Whereas growing up in Arminianism, where I lived in the fear that I might lose my salvation, I now learned and became convinced that God’s gift to me is never taken away. I may fail to follow the pathway He sets before me, but He will never withdraw His mercy, grace, and abiding love.

Notice these very words of Jesus, as recorded in John 10:28-30:

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Salvation is once and for all given to those God has chosen to belong to Himself. Yes, we can fail to experience the fullness of peace and joy that comes from devoting ourselves as disciples of the One Who Loves Us. But, He does not withdraw His love. Instead of giving us license to go on sinning deliberately, this fact should drive us to greater commitment to God and to His one and only Son, Jesus.

So, today, let us rejoice at the permanence of our salvation. Let us celebrate that permanence by renewing our devotion to the God who loves us.

And, let us pay attention to the prompting of the Holy Spirit when He might nudge us to say a word to someone who needs to hear of God’s great love for them. If we do that, we will surely please God and validate His decision to make us His very own.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No More Sting!

 

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

—1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Have you ever been stung by death? At some point in their lives, most people experience the death of someone they love. Sometimes, this sting attacks quite early in life. Others seem to live a long time before death stings them.

I have a dear friend who has now lost both a brother and a sister to death. The death of his brother came while he was relatively young. They had grown up together. The loss was tragic and extremely hurtful. The death of his sister came when he was much older, but she was still very young. The sting was no less hurtful even though he didn’t have quite the same relationship with his sister that he had with his brother, due to the greater distance between their ages.

Death usually stings someone in the equation very painfully. It hurts a lot.

But, do you realize the eternal sting of death is gone? The Apostle Paul declares this in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, as he quotes the Prophet Hosea:

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through His one and only Son, Jesus, God has given us the victory over sin and death. The sting of eternal death and eternal separation from God is gone—taken away by the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

On this new day, we can celebrate with freedom that, though we may feel heartache for those we love who have gone on before us, the eternal sting of death will never touch us. Jesus has gained the victory in our behalf. Hallelujah!

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

First Fruits of the Resurrection

 

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.-”

—1 Corinthians 15:20-22-

In Old Testament Jewish Law, the first fruits of any crop played an important role in the ceremonies that honored God. Just as the first born lamb represented the pure atoning sacrifice, so the first fruits from the ground were given a place of very special honor.

Whenever the designation “first fruits” is used in Scripture, it indicates that a special place of honor has been given. Thus, we need to take very special note when the Apostle Paul makes this startling reference, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22:

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

The resurrection of Jesus made Him the first fruits of those who would rise from the dead and be transformed to eternal life. You see, others who had been raised from the dead eventually all died again. But, Jesus’ resurrection was a permanent transformation.

The sin of Adam cursed Adam and all his ancestors, including you and me, to eternal spiritual and physical death. The resurrection of Jesus broke that curse through the shedding of His precious blood and the coming into new life three days later.

As we begin a new day, we can look to the resurrection as an assurance of our eternal salvation from sin and a glorious entrance into new eternal life.

Our hope rests solely and completely in Jesus. He is, indeed, the author and finisher of our faith. For those of us who believe in Him, we do, indeed, have everlasting life.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Can’t Keep Silent

 

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

—Romans 10:9-10

I wrote in a recent blog post about how, increasingly, secular-progressives in our society are trying to silence anyone in the public square who talks about his or her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The “S-Ps” do this by outcries on social media, or during interviews on mainstream radio and television, or in articles in certain magazines and newspapers using very nasty rhetoric.

While preaching their own specially formulated brand of “tolerance,” the “S-Ps” intend to silence anyone and everyone who voices an opinion that is different than their own. They claim that talking about Jesus might offend people of other religions. Or, they simply state that it’s stupid to hold such beliefs. In either case, they say the person speaking such “Jesus talk” must be silenced.

I have previously read of such thinking and such actions. But, heretofore, they have always been associated with either communist or fascist dictatorships. To think that in a country founded on the principles of free speech we might soon have to whisper the “Wonderful Words of Life” is simply ludicrous.

It is critically important that we use our voices to share, in the most gentle and loving, yet forthright, manner, what Jesus means to us. Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 10:9-10:

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

As we begin a new day, let’s be respectful of others and be unfailingly kind to others. But, as the Holy Spirit prompts us, let’s not be afraid to share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. After all, He died for us, He rose from the grave for us, and He now lives for us. The very least we can do is speak for Him.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Foolish Power

 

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

—1 Corinthians 1:18

When countless millions of people who have lived across the centuries first heard the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ they immediately labeled it as foolishness.

It seems to absurd to think that a holy God would create mankind, knowing that His creation would commit sin against Him by disobeying His one and only command.

Then, that same God would illustrate His enduring love by choosing a people from among the nations to belong to Him.

Next, after many years of encouraging these disobedient people to become obedient, God would send His own Son in human form to ultimately die on a Roman cross of torture and, by so doing, would pay the penalty for the sins of all humankind.

God would then raise His Son from the dead. His Son would spend forty days fellowshipping with His disciples. And, then, God’s Son would ascend to heaven where He would sit down at the right hand of His Father and make intercession for all who believe on His name.

Yes, it does seem a bit absurd or foolish. But, by the testimony of the Holy Spirit, who comes to live in the hearts of those who believe by faith, it is the truth, nevertheless.

As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

As ambassadors of the Great King Jesus, we continually face this charge of foolishness.

I recently read a report about a female country singer who is a deeply devoted Christian and who does not hesitate to speak about Jesus. She has come under terrible attack for her beliefs. Yet, she has remained lovingly firm in her convictions and continually extends grace to those who speak so ill of her.

To her accusers, her beliefs are foolishness. And, in the behavior patterns of our current culture, if someone speaks about something with which another disagrees, then that first person must be silenced at all costs.

Yes, the Gospel appears “foolish to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Let us praise God that this is so!

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Earnest Prayer for the USA

 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”

—Psalm 33:12

As we celebrate the 242nd anniversary of our Independence, it is most definitely time to pray. More than ever we need to implore God to send a great revival to heal our land. We need a great sweeping movement of God that will turn men, women, boys, and girls back to God in an overwhelming way.

Would you join me in taking at least five minutes today to pray for our nation? Imagine how pleased God will be if He hears His people asking Him for help.

The Psalmist wrote these words in Psalm 33:12:

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

May God answer our fervent prayers with a great outpouring of His mercy, grace, and love. There is nothing that any human leader can do to stem the downward movement of this nation. Only God can turn things around.

This day, this day of celebration, should be the most appropriate day for God’s people to ask Him to visit us with revival. Will you pray with me?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Status of a Nation

 

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

—Proverbs 14:34

On this day before we celebrate the Independence of our great nation, I wonder how many people will stop to consider our plight. Do we find our nation falling under the continual favor of God? Or, in our lifetimes, has the nation plunged ever deeper into a mire of sinful behavior?

If, like me, you think we are on a downward slope that leads to the ultimate destruction of our great nation, then you might want to consider the words of a national leader who understood what makes a nation truly great. King Solomon wrote these words, as recorded in Proverbs 14:34:

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

Do the people of our nation exhibit righteousness as the overwhelming characteristic of who they are? Or, do the vast majority of the people in our country lean in favor of pet sins that significantly mar the nature and character of our Republic?

As we begin a new day, we should bow our hearts before God and plead with Him to send a great revival to our land.

May He graciously respond to our earnest and fervent prayers and send the Holy Spirit to sweep across our land with a movement of God so powerful that it will change the very core of our beings. May this magnificent revival heal our nation and restore it to righteousness.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Debt of Love

 

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

—Romans 13:8

If you are not a part of the Evangelical Christian community, you may not know that there is a struggle within the ranks that has existed for many years, but has risen in its awareness in the last decade.

It is an argument fomented in the 1920s and 1930s when mainline denominational churches began to follow the pathway marked by political progressivism. With an emphasis on social programs and good works, the so-called progressive Christians de-emphasized holiness and ardent discipleship. Instead, they focused on acts of kindness that would, supposedly, show forth the loving nature of Jesus.

In response, Evangelical Christians who were shocked by the seeming abandonment of the core values of the faith with regard to sober and righteous living—and believing that Christians were to be “salt” and “light” to a needy world—reacted by developing a long list of prescribed behaviors that, supposedly, led toward holiness and away from the sinful behaviors of the world. These Fundamentalist Christians, as they were often called, were juxtaposed against the so-called Liberal or Progressive Christians.

The obvious truth, upon close examination, is that both groups nearly missed the “boat” of Christianity entirely.

Yes, God is a holy God. He expects His children to live holy lives. He also knows that this march toward holiness is a life-long endeavor and can only succeed by the intervention of His Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

It is right and proper for God to expect His children to hold fast to the teachings of Scripture regarding righteous living. They should study the pattern of holiness expressed in the life of Jesus and follow His example. They should set a high standard of living based on the teachings of Scripture. They should revere God’s Word. They should stand for righteousness in the face of evil.

But, God is also a God of intense love—love that we cannot even begin to comprehend. We see this love from God played out in the life of His Son, Jesus.

Therefore, it is very important that followers of Jesus show forth this God-breathed love to others. This most certainly takes the form of acts of extreme self-sacrificing kindness toward those in need. It involves being as welcoming to sinners as Jesus was—particularly since we are all sinners. It involves allowing the love of Christ to flow through the believers into a very needy world.

So you see, neither side of the continuing controversy has the Christian life exactly right. We need both holiness and a great outpouring of love. We cannot emphasize one over the other. We cannot allow our desire to express love and acceptance to bypass the clear teaching of Scripture regarding the right way of living—nor vice versa. And that’s where things become very difficult.

For example, should Christians welcome all people to their churches, no matter what those people may believe or how they live? The startling answer is “Yes!”

Should Christians find ways to affirm behavior that they believe the Bible teaches is sinful? The startling answer is “No!”

So, as a Christian I must welcome everyone, but I must be careful that in welcoming them I do not affirm improper behavior. Can it be any more difficult?

I have dear friends, people that I love and for whom I have deep respect, who believe that in every case love must triumph. So, they are willing to overlook behavior that most consider sinful in order to show forth Christ’s love.

I submit that this is not the true example set by Jesus. He was always welcoming, but He also never pulled His punches when confronting sin. He welcomed the woman at the well, but also pointed out her sinful way of life. Yes, He did so in a very loving way. But, He did so, nevertheless.

And that brings us to today’s Scripture found in Romans 13:8:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

The Apostle Paul chooses to emphasize love in the instance of outstanding debts. Instead of focusing on that amount of money that was owed, Paul instructs us to simply repay that debt. He asserts that the only debt we can keep on the books is the debt that causes us to show God-breathed love to each other. That’s good advice in these difficult days.

As we walk a fine line today—showing love but standing for righteousness—let’s rely more and more on the Holy Spirit to prompt our speech and our actions. We will do well if we heed this advice of the Apostle Paul.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}