Armor On!

 

“…put on the full armor of God…”

—Ephesians 6:13a

The Scout Motto—“Be Prepared”—which means, you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your duty—is something worthy to remember as we begin each new day. As ambassadors of God in this needy world, we must be prepared for the opposition that will try to derail our testimony.

That’s why we need to begin our day by reading our Bibles and spending time in prayer. We need to examine our minds and hearts, confess our sins, and be reminded that the blood of Jesus has covered our sins. We also must heed the words of the Apostle Paul, as recorded in Ephesians 6:12-13:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

We have no excuse. We must be prepared. As we ready ourselves to go out into the world today to share God’s love with everyone we meet, we need to listen to Paul’s instruction. Knowing that Satan will try to attack us, we need to heed the call: “Armor on!”

Prepared to meet our spiritual foe, we can become effective vessels of God’s mercy, love, and grace. And, we can praise God that He has given us all we need to protect us in battle.

May God grant us a full measure of His abiding presence this day through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us, then, tell others boldly about what God has done for us. But, in considering the needs of those we meet, remember in sincere humility that, as long as we live on this earth, we remain as they are: a sinner in need of a Savior. Fortunately, God has given us His Son to save us from our sins.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Humble Spirit

 

“Humble yourselves before the Lord…”

—James 4:10a

We live in a very self-aggrandizing world. All day long we are bombarded by the opinions of “experts” who often do their best to prove how smart they are, how much knowledge they have accrued, and how their opinion trumps all others.

In such a social climate, it’s easy to fall into a trap whereby we do and say things to prove how important we are. Even non-verbal people often sit on the sidelines, smugly convinced that they are really the ones—the only ones—who know the truth.

In my insecurity, over the years, I have found myself falling into a dangerous trap. Far too often, I say things that intend to convince people how smart I am and what great insight I have. This tactic never works. In fact, it tends to turn people against me. As I have gotten older, I have come to realize what a foolish waste of time this is on my part.

Even in writing blog posts like this one, instead of lovingly and humbly trying to share what I believe God has laid on my heart, more often than not, I have come across as too strident, too self-assured, too arrogant, or too pompous. This is not the way of the Lord.

The Apostle James offers this keen advice in James 4:10:

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

This day can become a new beginning. In this world where a haughty self-assurance and a know-it-all attitude seems to rule the day, we “Christ’s-ones” can humble ourselves before the Lord. We can know for certain that whatever talents we possess, whatever gifts we may have, whatever knowledge we may have acquired has actually come to us as precious gifts from God. In sincere humility, we can learn to share the talents and knowledge that God has given us with respectful humility.

Even though we have the privilege of adoption by the King of All Creation, we can share our knowledge of Him and His ways in a loving and careful manner. By so doing, we allow the love He has given us to shine through and touch the lives of others in a positive way.

Let us examine our own hearts to see if we have become too focused on convincing others how much more we know than they do. If we find that we have become guilty of this offense, let us humble ourselves before the Lord. Then, let us put that humility to good use in sharing God's love with those we meet.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, November 23, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Divine Wisdom

 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God…”

—James 1:5

People make particular choices for a variety of reasons:

• Some people are led by their feelings. If it feels right—if it satisfies some desire or longing they have—they choose to do whatever they want to do.
  
  
• Others strive to gather as much detailed information as possible and then, somewhat hesitatingly, they make a choice.
  
  
• Still others apply logic and reason to weigh the upside and downside before they make their decision. They let facts and logic lead the way.
  
  
• And, even others make choices driven by a quest for something new and exciting. They’ve hardly begun to enjoy the fruit from their most recent previous decision before they’ve moved on looking for some new experience.
  
  

The Apostle James urges us to ask God to grant us divine wisdom. With the leading of the Holy Spirit, our choices become instruments of God’s grace in our lives. Notice what the Apostle writes in James 1:5-8:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

As we greet a new day, let’s determine to ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom. Armed with that divine wisdom, this day let’s make wise choices in everything we do and everything we say.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, November 20, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Reason for Thanksgiving

 

“You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”

—Daniel 5:27

I have a very odd message for this Thanksgiving Day. Or, at least it will likely seem quite odd unless you persist all the way to the end.

The Bible contains many interesting and fascinating stories. One of the most gripping is found in Daniel 5. In this passage Daniel narrates an encounter with King Belshazzar. Once you read this passage below, you will likely remember this story, perhaps from a long-ago Sunday School class.

Here’s Daniel 5:

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.

The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.

“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

“This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin.

“Here is what these words mean:

“Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

“Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

“Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.

Quite a fascinating story, isn’t it? I can still remember as a fifth grader sitting in Sunday School and listening to the teacher recount this story. When she got to the part where Daniel interprets the dream, one particular phrase really caught my attention: “Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”

“Wow!” you may say. “What a downer! What does all this have to do with Thanksgiving.”

Here’s my point: on this day of Thanksgiving, I am most thankful that before the foundation of the earth God chose me to belong to Himself. In that statement, of course, I reveal my Reformed theology. God chose me. I didn’t choose Him. He chose me. And, He did so before the foundation of the earth. Long before I was born into this world and became the person I have become, God decided, in His mercy and grace, to choose me to be one of His dearly loved children.

What happened next? We Reformed people use the phrase: “In due season…” Yes! In due season, God sent His Holy Spirit to open my spiritual eyes—the eyes of my heart—to know and understand that He loved me enough to send His Son Jesus to die in my place on Calvary’s cruel cross. God loved me enough to raise Jesus from the dead and place Jesus at His own right hand to make intercession for me, thus guaranteeing my place in heaven.

Even before I was born, you see, God weighed me in His scales and, through no merit of my own, found me acceptable. And, if you are one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God who died for you and was raised from the dead for you, then you, too, have been weighed in those scales and found acceptable—not because of anything you have done, but according solely to God’s mercy, grace, and love.

The most important truth—the one that governs my life—is that God loves me with His everlasting love. He has tipped the scales in my favor. He has taken what to many is “unacceptable” and made me “truly acceptable.”

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, I give God my praise, adoration, glory, and worship. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Almighty, the King of Creation.

And, I am also thankful for you! Yes, you, my dear ones, mean more to me that my poor words can express. I thank God for you. And, more importantly, I pray for you every day.

May God grant you, each one of you, a most blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Henry Alford wrote these words to a powerful hymn:

Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come
raise the glorious harvest home.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, November 26, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Ask, Seek, Knock

 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

—Matthew 7:7

As “Christ’s-ones,” certain passages of Scripture become ingrained into our minds and hearts. Many of those verses lie within Matthew 5, 6, and 7—the “Sermon on the Mount.” Here is one of those familiar set of verses from Matthew 7:7-8:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

As usual, Jesus speaks somewhat mystically in these verses, yet very practically at the same time. Our Savior is speaking about spiritual “asking, seeking, and knocking.” But, He is also speaking very practically about temporal matters, too.

In our walk with God, when we have a need to refresh our spirit—or need to receive a special outpouring of God’s mercy, grace, and love—we only need to ask, seek, and knock. God delights in giving a great outpouring of His most precious gifts to His dearly loved children.

In our day-to-day temporal lives, when a need arises, God invites us to ask Him for help. He always graciously responds in accordance with His perfect will for us.

As we move through this day, with humility and with great joy, let us bask in the goodness of God’s urging us to ask, seek, and knock. Our Loving Father takes great delight in giving, in being found, and in opening doors to us, especially the door of our hearts.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, November 19, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Sowing the Good

 

“Let us not become weary in doing good…”

—Galatians 6:9a

Whenever I watch a police procedural drama on television, I am always pleased when the perpetrator is caught and punished. In contrast, I have acquaintances who always root for the perpetrator of the crime. Not me. I want to see the perp get what he or she deserves.

As a result of my strong desire for justice, there are certain television shows I will not watch. I will not watch any show where an evil person does bad things for a so-called “good” purpose. Nor will I watch any television program that glorifies evil or wrongdoing.

Getting what one deserves and focusing on “good” is the theme that the Apostle Paul takes up in Galatians 6:7-10:

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

This passage of Scripture seems quite clear to me. We dare not mock God by our behavior. Simply, God will not be mocked. Likewise, we will reap whatever we sow. Therefore, it makes sense to do our best to behave in a way that honors God and that focuses on doing good.

At the same time, we must always remember that doing good is not a means of salvation. We do not earn our way to forgiveness. God has given us forgiveness as a gift through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Doing good is our way of showing obedience and gratitude to our God who loves us with His everlasting love.

As we launch off into this new day, it seems quite clear that we must ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to do good toward those who cross our pathway. And, we must particularly do good for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Imagine how blessed we will be if we do, indeed, respond, in obedience, to this admonition from the Apostle Paul.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, November 18, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Passing the Test

 

“…the testing of your faith produces perseverance…”

—James 1:3

Most people do not like academic tests. It is the rare individual who looks forward to an examination. That one seems eager to prove what she or he has learned. For most of the rest of us, the time of testing is not a pleasant time. There is more than a little dread involved. The prospect of taking a test raises most individual’s anxiety level.

Nevertheless, the Apostle James describes how we believers are supposed to feel when our “Schoolmaster” puts us to the test, as recorded in James 1:2-3:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance…

On such occasions as the one James describes, we can learn how to push our way through the time of testing—how to persevere—by facing that test directly. We know we can rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. Sometimes the trial lasts just a little while. Sometimes the time of testing seems endless.

If you are in the midst of a testing today, ask God to empower you to seize joy. As God allows more and more joy to fill your mind and heart, you will experience the time of testing with a renewed sense of God’s divine Presence.

You have come to the time of testing because God felt you were ready to face this trial. Prove God right. Let joy flood the totality of your being this day and press on through the testing.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Balanced Life

 

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you”

—Matthew 7:12a

Living a balanced life presents quite a challenge to most of us. It’s easy to find ourselves obsessing in one direction or another. We see this in every area of life. On the one hand we want to be treated quite fairly by others. On the other hand most of us want any available advantage to flow in our direction.

Our natural bent is to expect kindness without being willing to first extend kindness. So, our expectation becomes unbalanced. In fact, the very nature of the culture that has overtaken the United States of America has bred a selfish, dissatisfied, and disaffected attitude in most people.

To our peril, we judge each other by the color of our skin, by the political party we support, by the clothes we wear, by the television programs we watch, by the patterns of our speech, by the kind of food we prefer, by our like or dislike of firearms, and onward to infinity. Every distinction in our individual lives becomes a point of contention with the people around us.

But, this way of selfishly living our lives is destructive to our very existence. Jesus gave wise instructions to His disciples when He told them in Matthew 7:9-12:

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

This passage is part of the Scripture that Bible students call the “Sermon on the Mount.” This sermon is found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. It offers some of the most comprehensive, yet most difficult, teachings of our Savior and Lord.

We frankly do not want to show kindness to many people in our lives. Some people annoy us. Others treat us badly. Still others voice beliefs that we find offensive, or attitudes with which we do not agree. We find ourselves emphasizing our differences, rather than celebrating the ways we are the same.

Maintaining a balance in our lives is very difficult. But, it’s possible if we surrender our selfish wills to God’s perfect will.

Relying on the help from the Holy Spirit, we can learn how to bring our lives into balance. We can reject the patterns of our current culture. We can treat others with kindness and with a generosity of spirit. We can greet the cruelty of this world with a godly spirit of kindness that shows concern and compassion without surrendering or hiding the truth.

Let us determine to live our lives in a way that pushes back against our destructive culture. Let us seek God’s help this day, so that we may follow Jesus' teaching and bring honor to His precious and holy name.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, November 16, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Really Knowing the King

 

“ I want to know Christ…”

—Philippians 3:10a

Have you ever had the privilege of knowing someone famous? I’m not talking about a casual acquaintanceship. I’m talking about a deep, even intimate, friendship where you know every aspect of the famous person and can understand who that one really is in the depth of his or her being, beneath his or her outward appearance.

It is a great blessing to have such a deep relationship with someone so important. Now imagine if that person is the Son of God—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Apostle Paul clearly expresses his fondest wish when he declares in Philippians 3:10:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…

Can we truly say with Paul that we want to know Christ? Do we want to know Jesus in all the fullness of His glory, majesty, and power? Do we want to know Jesus in a way that who He is overwhelms us and becomes infused within the core of our very beings?

If so, from what Paul goes on to say, it appears that a very difficult pathway of obedience stretches out before us. We must learn to yield our selfish human wills to God’s perfect will. We must learn to trust the leading of the Holy Spirit to show us the direction we need to go in every situation of life.

Truly knowing Jesus is not a simple journey. But, the rewards will overwhelmingly exceed our fondest dream.

Let me suggest that we seek to know our Savior, Lord, and King in the fullest way possible. As we do, we can ask the Holy Spirit to make us more and more like Jesus. Then, let us bask in the glory of this powerful relationship with the One who knows us best and loves us the most, knowing that as He becomes preeminent in our lives, we will become able to servie Him well.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, November 13, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Grumbling-free Day

 

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing”

—Philippians 2:14

A wise older man once told me:

“The easiest thing a person can do is to grumble or complain.”

I soon realized that he was right. It is very easy to greet each day of life with a negative attitude, wondering what will go wrong next. In fact, I have long held on tightly to a very negative way of looking at the world. I have often described myself as someone who not only sees the glass half empty, I see that the water is dirty and the glass is cracked.

In contrast, as recorded in Philippians 2:14-16, the Apostle Paul urged the Christians at Philippi to set aside their negativity:

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Paul wanted the behavior of the Philippians to reflect well on the truths that he had taught them. He didn’t want their negative attitude to become attributed to him. Paul also knew it was very much in the best interests of these beloved “Christ’s-ones” to face each day with a positive-leaning heart and mind.

Let today become a “grumbling-free day” for each of us. As we move forward through this day with a positive attitude, we are bound to bring joy wherever we go. Our positive attitudes will reflect well the love of God that dwells within us. That will certainly make us very different from our argument-filled culture.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, November 12, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

On the Right Path

 

“So I say, walk by the Spirit…”

—Galatians 5:16a

In his wonderful book, The Saving Life of Christ, the late Col. W. Ian Thomas, the founder of the Torchbearers in the United Kingdom, talks about flying using instrument landing systems during World War II. Thomas explains that after turning from the downwind leg, the pilot would hear a tone in either his left or right headphone if he strayed off the proper landing approach. The presence or absence of those tones kept him on the straight path. Thomas likened this technology to the way the Holy Spirit will guide our lives as Christians if we will allow Him to do so.

Thomas explains:

“I pray each day, if I’m off to the left, nudge me to the right. If I’m off to the right, nudge me to the left. If I commit a boo, pick me up and nudge me to keep going forward.”

I really like that image of how we can have that kind of intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul shared these words, as recorded in Galatians 5:16-17:

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.

They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

This day, let us walk in the center of God’s perfect will by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us. He will surely keep us on the right path.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, November 11, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Holding On

 

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.”

—John 8:31b

How do you react when you learn something quite remarkable? Life-changing information is hard for us to ignore. When someone offers insight that can revolutionize our entire lives, we tend to grab onto that information and hold on to it tightly. Please let me illustrate this reality:

When I began working at a radio station back in 1959, one of my first jobs was to edit safe driving public service announcements. Various state and local police officers would come to the studio and record short scripts provided by the American Automobile Association (AAA). I would then add an opening and closing that had been prerecorded by one of our announcers.

To complete this task, I would take the reel-to-reel tape, place it on an aluminum splicing block, cut the tape with a razor blade, and splice the sections together with special splicing tape. It was very tedious and time-consuming work.

In this age of digitized audio, I can perform such a task by electronically cutting and splicing on a computer screen that shows the waveform of the audio, in much the same way that someone cuts and pastes paragraphs using a word processor.

Once someone taught me this new way of doing an old task, it revolutionized that small part of my life. I now “hold on” to a new way of living—at least as far as editing audio files is concerned.

Now, imagine what we might do if someone offered us a total makeover for every aspect of our lives. If this was attractive to us, we surely would hold on to this new way of living.

The Lord Jesus Christ has offered each of us a new way of living, in fact, a whole new life. Through his birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, our sins have been forgiven and by way of God’s amazing love for us, we have become transformed. A whole new way of living has opened up before us.

The only thing Jesus asks of us is obedience to His will and to His written Word. Notice what Jesus says in John 8:31-32:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Holding on to Jesus’ teaching, resting in the life-transforming reality of His mercy, grace, and love—with the help of the Holy Spirit —seems like a very wise way to live our totally new life.

Let’s launch off into this new day with a mindset of obedience. Let’s hold on tightly to Jesus’ teaching and watch our transformed lives unfold before our very eyes. We will surely experience lives set free by God’s truth.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Brotherly and Sisterly Love

 

“We love because he first loved us.”

—1 John 4:19

Because I grew up as an an only adopted child of much older parents, I really don’t have any idea what it’s like to have brothers and sisters.

My wife of 53 years comes from a family of three girls and a boy. So, watching her family, I have observed over the years some familial interaction.

One time my wife opined that having a brother and two sisters meant there were at least three people in her life that would always be linked to her with a bond that was unchangeable. “No matter what might happen,” she said. “They will always be my brother and sisters.”

That is exactly the unbroken kind of bond God expects us to have with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We’re family. And, God expects us to love our family of “Christ’s-ones.”

The Apostle John addresses this very subject in 1 John 4:19-21:

We love because he first loved us.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

You see, we don’t really have a choice. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We may not always approve of what they say or what they do. But, we must always love them—always.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, November 9, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

He Took the Rap for Me

 

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…”

—2 Corinthians 5:21a

A lifetime ago, when I was a student at Houghton College in the winter of 1967, we performed Helen Kromer’s and Fredrick Silver’s musical review For Heaven’s Sake.

Among Kromer’s unique lyrics was a soliloquy spoken by the narrator as an interlude between songs:

He took the rap for me.

But I don't know what
I ever did to deserve
the rap He says He
took for me.

Or, maybe that is
the rap pinned on me.

That I don't know what
I ever did to deserve
the rap He says He
took for me.

Blissfully unaware of our need for a Savior, we cruise through life until that moment when the Holy Spirit suddenly reveals what wretched sinners we really are. At that same moment, thankfully, the Holy Spirit also reveals the great gift God has given us: salvation through the suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of His one and only Son, Jesus.

Writing to the Christians gathered in Corinth, the Apostle Paul reminds them in 2 Corinthians 5:21:

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What a glorious reminder! Jesus took our place on a Roman cross of torture. The spotless Lamb of God has covered our sins with His precious blood. We can begin this new day with joy. Our sins are forgiven. We have been washed clean. And, we have this good news to share with others.

Yes, He took the rap for me and for you. Praise God we’re clean from our sins, truly clean.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, November 6, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Grafted In

 

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

—Galatians 3:26-27

“I don’t understand why you Evangelicals are so pro-Israel? Don’t you see how awful it is for the Palestinians who have lost their homeland?”

This great mystery that seems to confound many—including the majority of the mainline Protestant denominations and most left-leaning non-Evangelicals—stems from an ignorance of both history and Scripture.

To understand our position, one must carefully study the events surrounding the people of Israel becoming an independent nation back after World War II. Please let me explain.

In the Old Testament times, God gave His chosen people far more of the land, a portion of which they have now re-occupied. The land is theirs. God gave it to them forever.

Furthermore, with permission of the United Nations, the United States, Great Britain, France, and most of the post-World War II leading nations of the world, a treat was drafted creating the state of Israel. The Israelites were willing to live peacefully with the Palestinians who surrounded them.

But, the Palestinians—a people who lived as outcasts in the rest of the Arab world—objected. They were not willing to go along with the decision made by the leaders of the world. So, it was the Palestinians who would not sign the treaty and, instead, the Palestinians chose to declare a war against the newly created state of Israel back in 1947 and 1948.

In addition to all of that well-documented history—which, sadly, far too few people are willing to learn about or remember—we who follow the Lord Jesus Christ clearly recognize that we have been grafted into the people of Israel and have become brothers and sisters with God’s chosen people. This is a complicated theological issue that would take far more pages to fully explore. But, let me make a more simplistic attempt to explain.

There are many passages in the New Testament that declare this truth. For example, here’s Galatians 3:26-29:

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Of course, we must look on all people through God’s eyes of love and join with God in acknowledging that He has chosen some people from every tribe and nation to belong to Himself.

We must pray for peace in the Middle East. We must show compassion for those Palestinians who have become children of God through Christ. We must recognize that the government of Israel may not have always made the right decision in every situation.

But, when it comes to choosing to whom our first loyalty belongs, we must choose those to whom we have been joined by God.

Many will likely strongly disagree with what I have written. Nevertheless, when someone asks me why so many Evangelicals show favor to Israel, I have now explained why.

But, above all else, we must not let any political matter ever interfere with our most important role. We are, first and foremost, Christ’s ambassadors. We must show forth His love to all people. Even people who hold vastly different political views than we do.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, November 5, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Come, Let Us Worship

 

“…live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.”

—1 Peter 1:17b

Do you ever wonder why we take time out of our week to worship God? The dictionary defines the word “worship” as “attributing worth to God.”

When we worship, we in effect tell God that we value Him. We value God not because of what He has done for us. Rather, we value God for who He is—the God of the universe, the God of all creation, the One who is above all others.

Yes, we praise and thank God for what He has done for us. But, we worship Him because of who He is. He deserves our praise, our thanks, our devotion, and our love. But, above all else, He is most certainly worthy of our worship.

The Apostle Peter understood full well the importance of worship. Notice this instruction from 1 Peter 1:17-21:

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

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.

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

As we gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ in church this coming weekend, let us come reverently before God and worship Him. Let’s make certain that He knows we value Him above all others because of who He is. Then, let’s raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for what He has done for us.

Remember, all across the world this week, “Christ’s-ones”—Christians, that is, those who belong to Christ—are joining with us in worship, praise, and prayer. And, isn’t that a glorious realization?

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, November 4, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Choose Holiness

 

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.”

—1 Peter 1:14

The way we live our lives is a series of choices. We actually make many choices each day. Most of those choices are relatively routine. And, almost all of those choices don’t really have serious consequences.

But certain choices we make reveal whether we intend to follow our own selfish human will, or whether we have consciously and purposefully decided to allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to surrender our individual wills to God’s perfect will.

The Apostle Peter offered this counsel found in 1 Peter 1:13-16:

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

The pathway of obedience—bending our selfish human will to God’s perfect will, as enabled by the Holy Spirit—reaps great rewards. In fact, this kind of obedience is the only thing God requires us to do, in order to show our love for Him and our gratitude for all of the gracious gifts He has chosen to give us.

Let’s choose holiness this day. It’s a much better pathway than the one we might naturally choose on our own.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, November 3, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Heavenly Deposits

 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…”

—Matthew 6:19

Where is your heart? I don’t mean your physical heart. I’m really asking, “What has the most importance to you of all the things in your life?”

Whatever matters most to you will become that which grips your heart and mind. Jesus understood this so very well when He spoke these words as recorded in Matthew 6:19-21:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

So, how do we store up treasures in heaven? We do so through humble, self-sacrificing obedience to God’s will and to God’s written Word. That’s why it’s so important to study the Bible, to pray, and to remain fully open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In everything we do each day, we represent the Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason our every activity should become an opportunity to do our very best. Excellence should become a natural part of who we are. We should pour ourselves wholeheartedly into loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We should love our neighbors to the same degree we love ourselves.

When it comes to the key people in our lives—our spouses, our children, our other family members, our friends—we should treat each one as a precious jewel of inestimable value. As people cross the pathway of our lives, we should see each one with God’s eyes of love and greet each one as His ambassadors.

Even as we may have already made ample deposits in our heavenly bank account, let us continue today to store up incorruptible treasures to bring glory and honor to the God who loves us with His everlasting love. God is always pleased when we show our commitment to Him through our obedience. As we reflect His love to a needy world, He continues to fill our beings with His unfailing, undying, and overwhelming love.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, November 2, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Seek the Good

 

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live.”

—Amos 5:14a

One of the hallmarks of our culture is that, given a choice between good and evil, more times than not people will choose to step over the line and choose evil. Our sin nature always promotes the wrong choice. Without the thorough cleansing that the shed blood of Jesus provides, and without the Presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we children of God would consistently make the wrong choice.

We actually have to learn to choose good over evil. The Prophet Amos writes these encouraging words in Amos 5:14:

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

By reading, studying, and meditating on God’s written Word, and by listening carefully to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to our inner person, we can more consistently choose good over evil. But, to do our part, we must avoid seeking evil and, instead, seek good. Most of us have a hard time doing that.

Even though we belong to God through Christ, our sin nature still leans toward the allure of evil. We have to actively and consciously and persistently submit our stubborn wills to God and seek the good.

So dear ones, let us begin this new day by praying for each other and supporting each other as we seek the good. In the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Christ, we can learn how to ever more consistently reject evil and, instead, seek good.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, October 30, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Way of Love

 

“…walk in the way of love…”

—Ephesians 5:2

As we begin each morning, we get to choose how we will greet the day. Hopefully, we greet most days with a smile on our faces and a song in our hearts. But sometimes, we may wake up angry or depressed. In our current culture, it’s not at all difficult to understand why anger or depression might arise within us.

Still, we can also choose to wake up grateful—grateful for the love of God; grateful for the salvation He has given us through the shed blood of His one and only Son; grateful for the new life He has given us; and grateful for the promise of heaven through Christ’s resurrection. Such gratitude allows us to receive a new portion of God’s love. We can apprehend His gifts and use them to bring honor to His name.

Each day, the way of love stretches out before us. We can choose to lay aside our disappointment with our circumstances and do what God desires for us. The Apostle Paul gives very clear instructions in Ephesians 5:1-2:

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.

Alas, we now have our marching orders for this day. We must walk in the way of love. As we do, we must stand ready to share God’s love with every person with whom we come in contact. God has filled us full of His love for a reason. Let’s not withhold that love. Instead, let’s gladly share it with a needy world.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, October 29, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Call to Holiness

 

“Be holy, because I am holy.”

—1 Peter 1:16

Living a holy life is simply not cool. Most Christians like to retain some pet sin that they nurture, and think about, and in which they secretly delight.

I grew up in Fundamentalism with all its rules of behavior. I look back in dismay at how some parts of that upbringing stifled my understanding of the fullness of God’s grace. But, at the same time, I am very grateful for the solid foundation of biblical teaching and warm fellowship that Fundamentalism conveyed.

In my early years of adulthood, I became somewhat of a Neo-Evangelical and began to experience the joy that comes from appreciating more fully the Person and work of the Holy Spirit and the amazing wonders of God’s grace. Gradually, as I spent more time studying Scripture, I moved away from the Arminianism of my youth and became deeply committed to a Calvinist-Reformed theological perspective.

In these last 20 years, I have become a Presbyterian. First, for ten years in an Evangelical-leaning PC(USA) church, and more recently in the last ten years, in an Evangelical Presbyterian Church. I appreciate many, many things about the EPC denomination. But, with more than a little sardonic irony, I’m not certain that I really fit in with Presbyterianism—at least to an extent that I’m all that happy about it.

You see, when viewed from the perspective of my own spiritual journey, almost all of my Presbyterian brethren do not seem to have as deep a commitment to the church as my Fundamentalist upbringing has taught me one should have. Nor do they shun certain sins in quite the way I was taught to do so. In fact, with a wink and a nod, they seem to delight in these little pet behaviors—these pet sins—that, from my perspective, are potential slippery slopes that might lead to even more serious sins.

Make no mistake, these dear Evangelical Presbyterians truly love Jesus and want to do what’s right. They just seem a little “loosey-goosey” when it comes to certain sins. In contrast, if I frankly and carefully examine my own life, with shock and surprise I discover that deep down I, too, have been nurturing some pet sins of my own that are every bit as bad, or even far worse, than the pet sins I observe in my Evangelical Presbyterian brethren.

Holiness is just not cool. And, yet we are called to live holy lives. Here’s the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:13-16:

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Fortunately for everyone, I’m not the ultimate judge of my fellow believers’ spiritual behavior. God forbid that my role as a judge would ever be so. For if I was the true judge, I would have to judge myself most harshly of all. Instead of looking at my brothers and sisters in Christ, I would have to fall on my knees before God and tearfully confess my own long list of pet sins. In fact, I would do well to pause in the middle of writing this blog post and do that very thing!

Knowing that God has called His children to holiness, let us humbly ask the Holy Spirit to nurture within us a spirit of obedience to God’s will and to God’s written Word. Let’s throw off the shackles of our pet sins and strive for holiness. Then, as freshly cleaned vessels of God’s mercy, grace, and love, let us share what God has done for us with the people He brings across the pathway of our lives.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, October 28, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

DIY Salvation

 

“Wash and make yourselves clean.”

—Isaiah 1:16

Far too often, across the span of my life, I have heard people say words that are similar to these words:

“If only I can live a good enough life, perhaps I will get to heaven.”

So many people continue to believe that their eternal salvation is a “Do-It-Yourself” endeavor. But, there are some things we humans simply can’t do for ourselves.

As a teen in high school my most dreaded period of the day was sixth period Physical Education class. I hated P. E.! Please let me explain:

As an extremely obese person, I hated Physical Education class because of all the things I could not do. And, of all of those many impossible challenges, I hated the pommel horse the most.

Relatively tall in those long-ago days at 6 ft. 2 in., but weighing over 250 pounds, I could not make it over the pommel horse. No matter how fast I tried to run. No matter how high I tried to jump. No matter how hard I tried to pull myself up and over the pommel horse, I just could not succeed.

The P. E. teacher mocked me and humiliated me and gave me the only failing grade I ever received in high school. He told me once—whispered in my ear, actually—that he hated fat people. He told me I was a source of shame to other humans. He added that I would likely die young and he would celebrate my death.

Even though his harsh words did not motivate me, I did keep trying to mount that pommel horse. But, no matter how hard I tried, I could not make it over that horse.

Looking back, while I don’t agree with all of his methods, nor with the way he treated me, the P. E. Teacher was probably trying to motivate me into making drastic changes in my life. I knew that I was fat. I knew that I was repulsive to many people. I heard people, especially women, snicker whenever they saw me. I felt discouraged and hurt many times. But, none of this motivated me to make changes in my physical condition.

In truth, there were likely many things the P. E. teacher could have done to help me achieve the goal of mounting that pommel horse. He could see that I couldn’t do it by myself. I needed instruction and assistance. There are just too many things in life that we can’t actually do by ourselves.

The prophet Isaiah was faced with a task even more daunting than that of a severly overweight boy mounting a pommel horse. God had chosen Isaiah to speak on God’s behalf to the wayward people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Isaiah was to show the people they needed to change. But, he also gave them hope.

Here’s Isaiah 1:16-18:

“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”says the Lord.“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,they shall be like wool.”

The people of Judah could not wash and make themselves clean, for salvation only comes from God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Though they needed to do everything God told them to do, they could only do it through the power of the Holy Spirit. God had to provide the very salvation that they so desperately needed. There was no DIY salvation.

How fortunate we are that God has washed us thoroughly in the blood of His Son. There is no DIY salvation for us either. But, God has given us our salvation in and through Jesus.

Let us praise Him this day for our salvation. And, let us obediently live as ones who have been plucked from the fires of hell.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2015

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}