The Only Thing That Counts

 

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

—Galatians 5:6b

Way back in 1964, when I was a junior in high school, Psychiatrist Eric Berne wrote a landmark book entitled Games People Play. In this book, Berne introduced the popular culture of that day to a tool of psychotherapy called “Transactional Analysis.” Throughout my private consulting practice with churches, non-profit Christian organizations, and commercial businesses during the 1970s and 1980s, I often used Transactional Analysis as a tool to help people understand what was happening in their day-to-day exchanges with their co-workers.

One of the “games” that most often disrupts a smoothly functioning workplace is called “Let’s You and Him (or Her) Fight!” In this transaction, a third party creates a situation that will divide two co-workers into separate emotionally charged camps. Then, the third party will initiate some critical event that will start an emotionally charged conflict between the two innocent parties that will soon escalate into an anger-filled exchange.

I am fairly well convinced that this is exactly what our arch-enemy, Satan, has done to the Church over the issue of the acceptance of a wide variety of personal behaviors. These behaviors involve people in our society at large. And, these behaviors also involve individuals who identify as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

While there are many specific behaviors that I could cite as an example, purely for the purpose of illustrating what I believe Satan has done to try to confound the church, I will choose to use the issue of sexuality in all its permutations and, particularly the acceptance of sexual practices outside the bond of marriage between one man and one woman. This is an issue that has received so much publicity that it serves as an excellent example.

Secular society has so radically changed its public approach to this topic, that the Christian church has become a source of ridicule and great fodder for those who want to deny the existence of God, or to deny that He has any real power or interest in what humans do in their lives. In response, some Christians and their churches have begun to accept sexual practices that they heretofore would have labeled as “sin,” while other Christians and their churches continue to maintain a more traditional view of these practices. Please let me illustrate this assertion:

One side of this divide within the Christian church sees people who they believe, through absolutely no fault of their own, were born with a particular predetermined sexual drives over which they have no choice, or more so, no need to control. Such individuals, in living out their sexuality, are simply acting very naturally in accordance with their own sense of “being.”

The other side of this divide within the Christian church sees what appears to them to be very clear instruction in God’s written Word—the Bible—that forbids all forms of sexual activity outside of the bond of marriage between one man and one woman. These folks—and for purposes of full disclosure, I happen to be one of them—sincerely believe that to sanction as “normal” within the Church sexual behaviors—that they believe the Bible clearly indicates as sin—will impair the ability of the Church to function as God intends it to function.

It is critically important to understand that the Christian people holding this latter viewpoint make a very clear distinction between the temptation to engage in any sexual activity outside the bond of marriage between one man and one woman and the actual performance of such sexual acts. Furthermore, these Christian people do not single out any particular sexual practice, but hold this strong belief toward all forms of sexual activity outside of that which takes place between one man and one woman within the bond of marriage.

To these more conservative Christian people, God’s written Word is the only acceptable source for describing sin. Christians who desire to live in a way that is faithful to God’s written Word must follow what God has revealed therein. At the same time, believers should not—and, in fact, dare not—think that a secular society will accept their beliefs. So, push back from the secular society against biblical values is always expected.

While the example I have cited may seem extreme, it is—that’s what makes it an excellent example. The real problem, whenever sincere Christian believers come down on the differing sides of any issue, is how they will treat each other, and in fact all other humans, as a result of holding different opinions that might place them in conflict with one another and divide the Body of Christ, the Church, into angry and disagreeable camps of people. They waste energy fighting with each other and, thus, allow Satan to gleefully watch what he has created in the “game” of “Let’s You and Him (or Her) Fight.”

What is happening in this and so many other instances is that secular society is trying to pit Christians against each other in the game of “Let’s You and Him (or Her) Fight.” Instead, it is my sincere and earnest prayer that whenever such disagreements occur, eventually cooler heads on both sides will prevail and efforts will be made to conform to the Psalmist’s declaration found in Psalm 133:

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Or, all the more so, the instructions of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:1-6:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

As we begin this day, I humbly ask you, my fellow believers in the life-transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to pray that the current “game” of “Let’s You and Him (or Her) Fight,” which Satan has set into motion, will not divide us. While valid theological disagreements about very serious matters are quite likely to continue for many years to come, we certainly can learn to treat each other with respect, humbly granting each other’s point of view—even when we feel very strongly that our viewpoint is the right one—without becoming rancorous and accusatory. We do not need to call each other names.

Instead of joining with those in the secular society who seem to take delight in name-calling, discrediting, and cancelling, let us determine to defend our brothers and sisters. Let us acknowledge that we Christians can hold differing points of view on certain matters and still remain committed to the purpose for which the Lord Jesus, Himself, established His Church.

If we do this, Satan will be defeated once again and the love of Christ will break through the fog this matter has created. After all, the most important thing remains what the Apostle Paul declared in Galatians 5:6b:

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Indeed, nothing matters more than this. As fellow believers, let us lock our minds and hearts together and become absolutely filled with the love of our Savior, let us prayerfully learn from each other, and—when our disagreements cut to the very foundations of our theology—let us move forward with the purpose of introducing a needy and dying world to the life-giving reality of God’s everlasting mercy, grace, and unfailing love.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 29, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

He Will Never Let Go of Us

 

“…it is from the Lord that one gets justice.”

—Proverbs 29:26b

Society has changed much in my nearly 74 years. I grew up in the safe bubble of a small town. I was insulated from violence and drugs. Most people were hard-working, driven by their memory of the Great Depression and World War II, and motivated to take advantage of every opportunity to improve their lot in life.

The vast majority of people attended a church, or synagogue, often enough to maintain a respectful appreciation for religion. I never heard the word “Islam” except in the context of a school history lesson.

I was taught to be proud of my country, trustful of authority, and grateful for our representative democracy. The United States of America was presented as a great experiment in a representative democracy, where the formation of a Republic had enabled its people to have a wide-range of freedoms to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

While we learned that the leaders of our nation had made some very serious mistakes, especially the enslavement of people from Africa and the mis-treatment of native Americans, efforts continued to be made to acknowledge and correct those past grievous errors. Our great nation remained the best one of all the countries on the earth.

Yes, in my own personal life, I was bullied in school, beginning in junior high school. But, the positive things in my life tipped the balance in a favorable direction: loving parents, a deepening faith and personal relationship with a God who loved me, along with many extremely positive opportunities to work with role-model adults who made me feel valued.

Considering all that I observe in our present society, I would not want to be a child starting out in our world today. Everything seems to have flipped upside down. Unfairness abounds. Greed drives most business decisions. Those who have committed the worst sins try to atone for their actions by creating lop-sided solutions to social ills. Teachers, driven by philosophies that are fundamentality flawed and wholeheartedly opposed to the foundational principles upon which our society was built, instruct impressionable young people, filling their minds with falsehoods that will damage them forever.

It seems to me that we need a King Solomon today—someone to declare God’s truth with such a forceful voice that everyone will feel compelled to listen. King Solomon, in spite of great wealth and a royal heritage, had tuned into many subtle truths, such as the ones found in Proverbs 29:25-27:

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.

The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.

In a world turned 180 degrees, we can truly cling to the God who loves us with a deep and abiding love. He will never let go of us and He will never turn His back on us. Let’s face the world today knowing that He will keep us safe in the hollow of His mighty hand.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 26, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Shaky Union

 

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

—Psalm 133:1

Back in the year 1965, as I was completing high school, forces were moving swiftly toward the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church.

I had grown up in one of the most conservative conferences of the EUB—Erie Conference, which contained the EUB churches in western New York state and northwestern Pennsylvania. In fact, this conference was strongly Fundamentalist and was still reeling in 1965 from the great Christian Liberal/Fundamentalist conflict of the 1930s.

Not surprisingly, many of the Erie Conference EUB ministers were seriously opposed to merging with the generally much more liberal Methodist Church. Of course, the merger was destined to happen. The power brokers within both denominations, who were, to a person, leaning definitely toward the more liberal side of the conflict, wanted to gain even more power by diluting the Fundamentalist influence within portions of both denominations. That they succeeded has become self-evident over the last 56 years.

I remember one pastor telling me:

“You know, you can tie the tails of two cats together and throw them over a clothesline. You will have union, but you certainly won’t have unity.”

His observation was quite accurate. Immediately following the merger, several congregations within the former Erie Conference of the EUB left the now-created United Methodist Church. An even greater number of pastors sought identification with a diverse group of other Fundamentalist denominations.

Frankly, I wish I had been old enough and in a position to point those power brokers who wanted to diminish the influence of Bible-believing and Bible-obeying Conservative Christians to the text found in Psalm 133:1-3:

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

I obviously believe that there is not only great value, but a strong imperative, to live in a definitively spiritually Conservative way that honors the Lord Jesus Christ through obedience to God’s written Word. Instead of pretending that sin is something that no longer affects humankind, I believe it is important to acknowledge that we have all inherited the sin-stain of Adam and that we continue to sin every day of our lives. Only through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary can we receive God’s precious gift of salvation from the penalty of our sins and the promise of eternal life with Him.

At the same time, we need to act with charity toward all of our fellow Christians—even those who despise us for our Conservative viewpoint. In fact, we need to act with charity, kindness, and God-breathed love toward all our fellow humans. But, we especially need to follow the advice of the Psalmist and make certain that we erect no barriers between us and our fellow believers.

Therefore, even when we have justified disagreements, let’s live and act in true unity, forged by the Holy Spirit, bonded in God’s love—not like tail-tied cats thrown over a clothesline.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 25, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Vessels of Blessing

 

“Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.”

—Psalm 112:1b

We who belong to God through His Son, Jesus, live best when we live as vessels of His mercy, grace, and love. Even as we begin each new day, our hearts should be prepared to go out into a sin-darkened world and, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, shine the light of God’s joy into every bleak corner.

Where unrest prevails, we can become instruments of God’s peace. Where strife tears apart friends and families, we can become bonds of God’s healing power. Where so many words we hear are lies, we can become those who bring God’s truth to light. Where evil takes hold and ruins lives, we can become vessels of God’s mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love. In some many circumestances, and in so many ways, we can be vessels of God’s presence in the midst of a world that has determined to rid itself of God’s influence.

We do this ministry in God’s precious name for no selfish reasons of our own. Rather, we cheerfully serve our God because of our gratitude for what He has done for us. He has given us new life, through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of His precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our thankfulness for this new life permeates the totality of our beings.

After all, the Scripture tells us that while we yet were sinners Christ died for us, Christ rose from the dead for us, and Christ now sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us. The Psalmist captured the true spirit of the kind of blessed subjects of the Great King that we are in Psalm 112:1-9:

Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

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

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.

This day and every day, let us rejoice in God our Savior. Let us purpose to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Let us be prepared to reach out to others in Jesus’ name. Let us determine to be vessels of blessing. And, let’s not be at all surprised when God continues to pour His choice blessings into our lives, until they overflow with His good and perfect gifts.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 24, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Blessed Life

 

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked…”

—Psalm 1:1a

Every once in a while, it’s good to pause for a few moments and look back over one’s life. Unless your life is vastly different than mine, in our lives:

• We’ve experienced some joys, but also some sorrows.
  
  
• We’ve made some really good decisions. And, we’ve also made some terrible ones.
  
  
• We’ve sometimes trusted people we should not have trusted. We’ve probably failed to trust some people that we should have trusted.
  
  
• We’ve been especially kind to some people. And, we’ve selfishly withheld kindness from some people who really needed us to be kind.
  
  

No matter what conclusions we may come to when we pause to examine our lives, because God has chosen us to belong to Him, we are of all people truly blessed. The Psalmist captured this reality in Psalm 1:1-6:

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Let’s make certain we express our gratitude to God who has showered us with His unfailing, undying love. We must praise Him, for our lives truly are blessed!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Tired of Waiting?

 

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”

—Psalm 40:1a

I have two very dear and special friends who have now waited a number of years for God to answer their prayers for a new job. Each of them have highly specialized training and skills along with world-class credentials. They are also each more than 60 years old and would be considered by many employers as a risk not worth taking. Each also lost a perfectly good job through no fault of his or her own and because of horribly sinful actions on the part of others.

For a long time, even as I have prayed with them and for them, I have thought that they needed to surrender any idea of using their skills and training in a way they might normally expect and open themselves up to some totally new task that God might have for them. I’ve even felt that God is waiting to bring that new task to light until they completely let go of any preconceived ideas and surrender into His perfect will.

Of course it’s easy for me to coach from the sidelines where the overwhelming intensity of their personal pain is dulled by distance. Yet, I can’t shake the idea that God is waiting for each of them to completely let go of their past successes and look to God for a new venture that will complete their working careers in a fresh, exciting, and very different way than they might expect.

I’m sensing God wants to place a “new song” in their hearts—because that’s what He did for me when disability ended my career as a fire protection engineer. God gave me a totally new task to do for Him. This new task has proven more fulfilling than anything I did previously during my 45-year-long career in fire protection.

The Psalmist understood how excruciatingly painful it can be to wait for God to answer a prayer for help. Notice these words from Psalm 40:1-3:

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

In our own walk along the road of life, let us continue to wait for the Lord to respond to our prayers and also look forward to the new song He will put in our mouths. I invite you to pray for anyone in your life who may be waiting for an answer from God. Please pray that God will overwhelm them with something exciting and new, that their waiting will come to a glorious end, and that the Holy Spirit will reward them for each of the long days they have waited while God seemed to remain silent.

And, dear ones, while we—you and I—wait day by day for His answer to our prayers, let’s remember that letting Him work in and through us, following His schedule not ours, is always the best. When God does finally respond, we can gladly say: “Thank You, God, for a new song!”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 22, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Come! Cross over!

 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

—John 5:24

Some time ago, I received an email from one of my Facebook friends who asked me how we’re supposed to share what God has done for us. I told this dear one that we first must spend time in God’s written Word to listen to what He wants to say to us about who He is and what He has done for us. Next, in prayer, we invite the Holy Spirit to nudge us when we’re supposed to share a brief word of testimony. In a very humble and loving way, we should narrate examples of what God has done in our lives.

Then, we simply go about our day listening carefully to what people say to us. In the natural course of our daily lives, the Holy Spirit will prompt us to speak a word in Christ’s behalf.

At some point, normally after forming a personal relationship with an individual whom God has brought across the pathway of our lives, that one will ask about our faith. Then, after we share what God has done for us, we will have an opportunity to ask that one to consider whether Jesus is inviting them—down in the depths of their heart—to “cross over” from where they are in their lives to a new life in Him.

What do I mean by “cross over”? Please note these words from Jesus Himself found in John 5:24:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

When someone, whom God has chosen to belong to His family, is moved by the Holy Spirit to respond to our words of testimony and acknowledge the gift of eternal life that God has given that one through His Son, he or she “crosses over” into new life in Christ. This crossing over is confirmed by the words of the Apostle Paul, found in 1 Corinthians 5:17-18a:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself…

God has chosen to use us as instruments of His grace. He gives us the great privilege of partnering with the Holy Spirit to become salt and light in this sin-scarred world. God gives is the honor and blessing of sharing with others what He has done in, through, and for us. Just as we have “crossed over” from our old lives to our new lives in Christ, so we have the privilege of sharing the truth of God’s mercy, grace, and love with others.

Let’s us accept this opportunity with humility and with great joy. What a wonderful blessing we have to serve our Father in this way.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 19, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Clear Testimony

 

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world…”

—John 3:19

Six years ago, the area where I live was marked by an amazing event: “Rock the Lakes.” Sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and featuring a long list of contemporary Christian musicians, this event brought standing room only crowds to the Erie Insurance Arena, which seats 7,000, with an overflow crowd seated at the historic Warner Theater and watching a video of the event.

Franklin Graham, son of the now late evangelist Billy Graham, offered a clear proclamation of the Gospel. Franklin Graham pulled no punches. He met our current culture head on, calling out sinful behavior and declaring what God has done by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins.

Yet, Franklin Graham did not speak harshly. As he told the truth of God’s written Word, he did so with great clarity but also with obvious godly love and concern for each person present.

Franklin Graham followed a pattern set by Jesus Himself as recorded by the Apostle John in John 3:16-21:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Today, as God brings people across the pathway of our lives and prompts us to share what He has done in our lives, in a very humble and loving way, let us give a very clear testimony of God’s mercy, love, and grace. Such a clear testimony will more likely be used by the Holy Spirit to irresistibly draw the person with whom we share into Christ’s Kingdom.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 18, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Is Your Life Accessible?

 

“He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.”

—Acts 10:42

Most of you who read these blog posts have long ago realized that I am, first and foremost, writing to Christians, or as I prefer to call them “Christ’s-ones”—for that’s what the word “Christian” means: “those who belong to Christ,” or who are “in Christ.” And, when I use the word “Christian,” I’m not talking about any particular denomination, or version of Christianity. I believe that my brothers and sisters in Christ include all who worship Christ as Savior, Lord, and King: Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and any of the many subsets in between.

God intends us, as Christians, to be salt and light in a troubled world. To do this, we have to allow the Holy Spirit to so fill us with God’s love that His love will fairly burst out of us and flood those around us.

An important question we must ask ourselves, if we want to become effective in sharing what God has done for us with the people who cross our pathway: “Is Your Life Accessible?” Said another say: “Do we live in such a way that we allow people to see who we really are, namely, sinners saved by God’s grace?”

Notice how the Apostle Peter shared, in a very accessible way. And, as you read, please remember that Peter was a Jew who heretofore was forbidden by Jewish Law to have anything to do with so-called “unclean” people, especially non-Jews, or we would say, “Gentiles.” Here’s Acts 10:34-48:

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

“You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

“He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Peter made his life accessible to these Gentiles. There’s a lesson in this for you and me.

The Gospel—the good news that, through Jesus, God has made provision for the penalty of our sins to be paid in full—becomes accessible when we allow our lives to become accessible to those who need our Savior. Let’s determine to become accessible to those who cross our pathway this week. Let’s listen to the words they choose say, but let’s also listen carefully to what they are really saying—that is the thoughts and intentions of their hearts and minds that rest behind the words the choose to say.

Then, after we have been the very best listeners that we can be, let’s humbly and gently share the love of Christ from deep within our now-transformed beings. As the love of Christ flows out of us and touches the lives of those we encounter, we will be amazed at what happens.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Discerning through the Mind of Christ

 

“But we have the mind of Christ.”

—1 Corinthians 2:16b

We were born already stained by sin. Every action was controlled by the sin nature we inherited from Adam. As we grew older, we began to choose to sin, adding our very own sins to the sin nature that we had inherited. But then, God reached out to us in love through the Holy Spirit and transformed our lives. Though still bent toward sin, we now were given supernatural power to choose God’s way.

Whereas we once were enslaved to evil, God has set us free and He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead us along a new pathway in our lives. The Apostle Paul takes note of this in 1 Corinthians 2:12-16:

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

As this new day begins, let us surrender to the Holy Spirit and allow the mind of Christ to guide our actions throughout this day. As we greet the world with God’s love flowing out of us, He will touch the lives of others in a startling and amazing way. We will become vessels of His goodness and His righteousness. We will shine the Light of His love into a dark and needy world.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 16, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Not Judges, Fruit Inspectors

 

“By their fruit you will recognize them. ”

—Matthew 7:16

Our current culture loathes judgment and judgmental people. The culture desires absolute freedom for each person to do whatever he or she may want to do, without any other person objecting to either his or her actions, or to the consequences of those actions.

When it comes to how we treat fellow “Christ’s-ones,” Jesus instructed His followers in Matthew 7:1-5:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Therefore, we must not judge our brothers and sisters in Christ with harsh and condemning words. But, Jesus didn’t stop there. He continued His instruction in Matthew 7:15-20:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

“By their fruit you will recognize them.

“Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

“Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

So, as believers, we are not to judge. But, we are to choose carefully those from whom we will receive instruction. In other words, we are not to act as judges. But, we are to carefully inspect fruit. We should do so from a viewpoint of Christ-honoring love—never harshly, always with gentleness and humility.

Yes, as believers, we must remove our “judicial robes,” but don our “inspection jackets.” And, that’s exactly what we should do.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 15, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Best Path

 

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

— Proverbs 14:12

Have you ever hiked into a dense woods, stopped in the center of it, turned around and thought, “How easy it would be to get lost.” The light softens, as it filters through the trees. Sometimes, the sounds of animals and birds stop suddenly and a sense of danger rises in our thoughts. We look around, but we see nothing except the trees. Our ears focus intently on the silence. Our breathing slows.

Please, may I share a true story with you?

Not far from where I grew up on one of the main streets in the little city of Bradford, Pennsylvania, there was a patch of woods that occupied probably no more than half-an-acre. As an elementary school-age kid, I used to go there and pretend I was lost and no one could find me.

I would stand very still, taking slow shallow breaths. The sounds around me seemed to increase in volume the more quiet I became. I could hear the skittering of small creatures, as they moved through the underbrush. I could hear birds calling and answering. I could hear leaves rustling in the soft breeze.

Once, I heard voices as two older children took a shortcut through the woods. I stood very still. Even though they passed within a few feet of me, they never saw me. It was if I had blended into the forest shadows and had become invisible.

There was an eerie and spooky feeling in those woods, and also something “cool” about standing very still in even a very small patch of trees. I felt both invisible and invincible. I felt fully in command of my surroundings. I was the king of the forest.

Of course, I knew I was only a few yards from safety—no matter which direction I would walk. But, to this only child, there was something fascinating and very mysterious about the forest. Already used to living as a “loner,” I fairly soaked in the aloneness of that moment.

The milieu of our lives has deep-forest-like characteristics. If we stray too far off the right pathway, we can become seriously lost. Unlike the fantasy of my childhood small patch of trees, in life our “lost-ness” can become quite terrifying.

King Solomon might well have been thinking about a deep forest path when he wrote these words found in Proverbs 14:12:

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

So, the pathway that winds its way through our lives offers us a choice. We can make a conscious choice as to which direction we will choose to go. We will select the road we will follow.

Robert Frost enshrined this thought in his famous poem “The Road Not Taken” from the collection Mountain Interval, penned in 1920:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Believers who choose to obediently follow Jesus, will find that, in doing so, they will take “the road less traveled.” And, I firmly believe that choice will, indeed, make all the difference.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 12, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Which Pathway?

 

“…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

— Romans 5:3

The difficulty we find along the road of life is not in the pathway we choose to take. The difficulty lies in our attitude as we walk along the way. The Apostle Paul certainly understood that reality when he wrote these words in Romans 5:1-5:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Compared to Christian people in some parts of the world, our “sufferings” seem almost laughable. But, we do have real problems: life-threatening health issues, inability to obtain employment, broken relationships—the list is actually endless.

We truly do need special grace from the Holy Spirit to actually “glory in our sufferings.” So, let’s begin this day by thanking God for all He has done for us. Then, let’s ask Him for that special grace to make the words of the Apostle Paul our words.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 11, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

When Prompted, Act Quickly

 

“Obey me, and I will be your God…”

—Jeremiah 7:23

Do you have a characteristic walk? Can people recognize you by watching your distinctive walk?

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to God’s commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

As recorded in 2 John 1:6, these words come from the pen of the Apostle John, a man who knew much about obedience.

Oddly enough, John was the one disciple of the original twelve disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ who lived the longest on this earth. He saw a great deal in those years. And, at the end of his life, God granted him a glimpse of what was to come, which he dutifully recorded in the last book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation.

Obedience remains a key component of a mature walk of faith. But, we may wonder whether obedience is all that easy? Is it easy to follow Christ’s example? Is it easy to respond to the nudging of the Holy Spirit? Said in a more contemporary way: “Is it hassle-free to obediently follow our Lord and Savior.” The answer is decidedly, “No!” There is a price we must pay for obedience.

Nevertheless, over the years, I have learned that it is far better to respond as quickly as possible when the Holy Spirit nudges me to act in some way. It took me a while to learn this. But eventually, I thought that I had this important truth pretty firmly in the center of my reality.

However, in a situation that occured several years ago, I found that the Holy Spirit had to repeatedly nudge me to take care of something with which I was very reluctant to resolve. Please, let me explain further:

Quite by accident, during the course of a conversation, I lost my balance and inadvertently did something that might well have offended someone whom I care about greatly. Instead of dealing with what happened immediately, I was too embarrassed to take the kind of action that I normally would have taken. Instead, I allowed what I had done to fester within me.

At first, I tried to put what had occurred out of my mind. I tried to pretend that surely the other person would realize that what I had done had been caused by my loss of balance and had happened by accident. Since I never received any indication from that person that even hinted at an awareness of what I had done, surely I could just let it roll off into the dark mist of history.

Apparently, the Holy Spirit didn’t agree with my analysis of the situation. He kept reminding me of what I had done and, more so, He reminded me over and over again of my failure to apologize and to explain how what I had done occurred very much as a result of my clumsiness and the loss of balance brought on by my arthritis-riddled legs and back.

“Surely this is something that now lies very much in the past,” I would counter whenever the Holy Spirit would remind me of this incident.

“You need to apologize and explain,” the Spirit would respond.

And so it went for months and months. The Holy Spirit would nudge. I would try to shake off the nudging and justify my inaction.

Finally, after months of arguing with the Holy Spirit—not at all a recommended pursuit—I did what I should have done many months previously. I yielded to the nudging of the Holy Spirit and contacted the other person in the only way that I could. I wrote an email. I apologized and I explained.

Then, I waited to see what price I may have to pay. Had I lost a friend? Would this person think I’m crazy? Would this person find it easier to erase me from memory than to accept my apology? Or, will God prompt this person to respond with grace and forgiveness?

You see, there is always a price that we must pay if we determine to be obedient—even if we unnecessarily lengthen the amount of time before we take the action we knew all along that we should have taken. In this case, because of my own foolishness, I paid a double price: the first one for delaying action and the second one if my original inappropriate action itself results in some negative response from the offended person.

God revealed His intentions for those of us who belong to Him through the Prophet, when Jeremiah recorded God’s words in Jeremiah 7:23:

Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.

I urge you to learn from my mistake. When God nudges you to take action, don’t hesitate. Do what He is leading you to do. Accept the fact that obedience extracts a price. But, also recognize that the reward for obedience greatly outweighs whatever it might cost you.

By the way, this person I had possibly offended very graciously accepted my apology. Even though this person had never given any indication whatsoever that he or she had even perceived my mistake, the record is now fully clear. I have renewed my own trust in myself. If only I hadn’t waited so long to do what I knew was the right thing to do.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 10, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Walk Toward Maturity

 

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love…”

— Ephesians 5:1a

Have you ever noticed how differently people walk? Some people walk at a rapid pace. I can still hear the sharp clicking sound made by the high-heeled shoes of my elementary school principal, as she moved through the tiled-floor hallways at a brisk pace.

Others walk with an exaggerated grace, like fashion models on a New York City garment district runway. Some people walk very deliberately. I have to do so, relying on a walker to keep my balance because the amputation of my right leg below the knee has made walking so difficult, even with a prosthetic leg. Still others walk with a bit of a swagger, like certain famous male actors who display their self-absorbed importance in their gate.

Each day we make a conscious choice as to how we will walk and what path we will follow. In Ephesians 5:1-2, the Apostle Paul offers this advice:

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

When it comes to choosing a way to walk, walking in the way of love seems like the very best choice. By following in the footsteps of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, we may walk in a way that draws peoples’ attention to His mercy, grace, and love. And that seems like a really good thing to do, this day and every day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 9, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Suffering

 

“For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

—1 Peter 3:17

In spite of recent concerted efforts by a secular progressive society to marginalize devoted Christians, we “Christ’s-ones,” who live in the United States, still have more than a reasonable amount of freedom to practice our faith.

From time to time, we may feel just a pinch of suffering. When we do, we need to remember the words of instruction from the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3:17-22:

For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.

It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Compared to many of our brothers and sisters around the world, here in the U.S. we are called upon to suffer very little for our faith. When we do suffer the little bit that we may suffer, we need to remember Peter’s words. More so, we need to greet this day with humility and pray for those who truly do suffer for their faith around the world.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 8, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Sowing Peace to Harvest Righteousness

 

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving…”

—James 3:17a

We’ve all heard the proverb from Galatians 6:7b:

A man reaps what he sows.

But, what do we believers sow? The Apostle James offers this commentary in James 3:13-18:

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

I don’t know about you, but in this “mess” of a world in which we live, sowing peace that will result in a harvest of righteousness sounds like a really good thing to me.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 5, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Taming the Tongue

 

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.”

—James 3:5

In Shakespeare’s great comedic play, “The Taming of the Shrew,” we catch a glimpse into the foibles of humanity. Among the human objects that need taming is the tongue.

Petrucio uses words of contempt and disdain to break the spirit of his new wife, Katherina. For her part, Katherina has perhaps the sharpest tongue known to mankind—a tongue that certainly needs taming.

The Apostle James clearly understood the kind of damage an untamed tongue can do, when he wrote these words in James 3:1-12:

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Today, let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us tame our tongues, so that God may use our words to bless others and proclaim the truth of His unfailing love.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 4, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Uniquely Equipped

 

“…for everyone born of God overcomes the world.”

—1 John 5:4

We celebrate “overcomers”: people who overcome addictive behavior, people who overcome disadvantageous up-bringings, people who overcome early defeat, people who overcome opposition, people who overcome… well, you get the idea—people we might truly call the “overcomers.”

But, what if there was a group of people who had been uniquely equipped by none other than God to overcome the sinful power of this world? These are individuals who have received special gifts from God that allow them to fight the power of sin and emerge victorious.

In 1 John 5:1-5, please take note of what the Apostle John writes:

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

So astonishingly, we who believe in Jesus have in fact received the gift of His life-transforming power. This power enables us to overcome the world. Now that’s really good news.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 3, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Starting Our Days with Prayer

 

“…I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.”

—Ephesians 3:14a

Do you begin your day with prayer? I ask because over time most followers of Jesus have come to realize that the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading and prayer remain critical elements of a daily walk with our Savior. It is important that we both listen to God through His written Word and talk with Him in prayer.

Now, I realize that some current believers do not like the concept of “spiritual discipline.” They apparently feel that to do anything with strict rigor smacks of a loss of their “freedom in Christ.” I think I understand their reactionary position.

These individuals may have heard much about the “Liberal vs. Fundamentalist” battles that begin in earnest in the 1930s and continued quite actively up through the end of the 1960s. Instead of leaning on the Holy Spirit for guidance, many Fundamentalist believers tried to follow a strict set of regulations to mark them as followers of Jesus. It appears that what many of these dear ones did was construct a new kind of “Law” to follow, in place of allowing devotion to Christ and following the direction of the Holy Spirit to mark their Christian formation.

In spite of these concerns, there are very positive spiritual disciples that will help believers become more and more like Jesus. Using the language of the Apostle Paul, by making Bible reading and prayer a beginning point of their days, wise believers will become more “in Christ.”

So, if we do determine to start our days with prayer, for whom are we praying? Let me offer an example to answer this question.

Over the years my prayer list has grown quite long. It seems that God has impressed on me the need to pray for those towards whom God has chosen to warm my heart. That last sentence may seem a bit strange to you. But in my case, it’s true that God has attracted my attention toward certain people and motivated me to pray earnestly and fervently for them. I continue to do this each day. I do so at the beginning of the day. And, as God brings one of these dear ones to mind during the course of my day, I pray for them again.

As a result, my list of people for whom I pray has grown quite long. It is quite likely, if you’re reading this as one of my friends on Facebook, that you may well be on that prayer list. This is also true of the individuals who attend the church where I worship. And, that long list has names on it from across the entire span of my nearly 74 years of life.

The Apostle Paul conveyed some of his prayers for those he loved in his letters. Here’s a particularly powerful prayer from Ephesians 3:14-19. In fact, some months back I heard Pastor Rick Crocker, at that time the Executive Director of the Erie City Mission, preach a most excellent sermon on this text.

…I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now that’s a very powerful prayer! And, if I may borrow from this prayer at the beginning of a new day, I will pray that prayer for you, dear one. So, please read Paul’s prayer again and hear my voice pray that very same prayer for you. And perhaps, in turn, you will remember to pray for me, as well.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 2, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Source of Goodness

 

“Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise?”

—Psalm 106:2

I spent most of my adult life working in the field of fire protection, first as a fire fighter and fire marshal, and later as a fire protection engineer. Whenever our investigative team would examine the scene of a fire, we would always strive to identify the source of ignition. Said another way, “What started the fire?”

Likewise, in the course of our lives, whether we look at bad things or good things, there’s always a source. So, we might rightly ask: “What is the source of goodness in our lives?”

In Psalm 106:1-5, the Psalmist talks about this very subject:

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise?

Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.

Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.

It’s really quite clear. God is the sole source of all that is good. No good thing exists apart from God’s mercy, grace, and love.

When we observe goodness, we can see the hand of God’s prevailing goodness. Even when certain things in our daily lives may not seem to be going exactly the way we want them to go, if we carefully examine the rest of our existence, we will likely see plenty of evidence of God graciously at work in our behalf.

It is God’s favor that brings out the very best in those He loves. His kindness is so pervasive that it literally marks His children. Yes, we are marked by God’s love.

Are you a believer? Then look with awe at your life and see the goodness of God making you good. Then, once you realize how fortunate you are, give God praise for who He is—the source of all goodness in your life.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 1, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Promoting Peace

 

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

—2 Corinthians 13:14

The Apostle Paul was very gifted in saying good-bye at the end of his letters. Please note these words that close 2 Corinthians 13:11-14:

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!

Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All God’s people here send their greetings.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Part of our worthy walk of obedience, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, is to live in such peace with one another that we move quickly to restore any breech in our relationships with one another. It is critically important that we strive for full restoration, encourage one another, and be of one mind.

As we gather for worship this coming Sunday, let’s make certain we are at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If relationships need restoring, let’s do everything in our power to bring about restoration. That effort on our part will certainly please God and also bring His continued blessing into our lives.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, May 29, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}