Hold on Firmly

 

“By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”

—1 Corinthians 15:2a

As a child, did you ever receive a gift that you simply would not put down? Everywhere you went, you would hold on firmly to this gift. Perhaps it was a Christmas or Birthday present. Maybe it was a gift from a special uncle or aunt. It could possibly have been something that a special friend of your mom or dad gave to you.

You had longed for this gift for weeks. You had seen it in the Sears catalog. And now, someone special to you had graciously given you exactly the gift for which you had longed.

We were all created in the image of God. We bear His stamp within the core of our beings—theologians call this stamp the Imago Dei. This stamp of God’s image creates a connection to our Creator that cannot be broken.

It is a great mystery, but among those whom God has created, He has chosen some individuals to whom He sends His Holy Spirit. The Spirit produces a longing within these chosen ones to move from mere creations to children—children of God.

The Holy Spirit reveals to these chosen ones that God has given them a life-transforming gift through His Son’s birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension (see John 1:12). Just as children will cling to a special gift given to them by their parents, so we whom God has called must cling to the gift of His overwhelming mercy, grace, and love.

The Apostle Paul confirms this when he makes the following statement in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2:

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

As we begin another new day, let us hold firmly to the truth of the very Gospel which has transformed us from mere creations of God to His dearly loved children. Let us recognize that, as God’s children, He wants us to share the love He has placed in our hearts with those around us. God uses our expression of His love to begin the process that the Holy Spirit employs to draw those whom God has called to Himself.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, April 8, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Fully Mature in Christ

 

“He is the one we proclaim”

—Colossians 1:28a

Recently, I observed five men enjoying themselves at a popular restaurant. The booze flowed freely. It wasn’t long before they began to behave like randy teenagers. They spoke loudly and suggestively to the female bartender. They made passes at several women sitting nearby. In short, fueled by alcohol, they acted like immature jerks.

I couldn’t help but think of the old excuse: “Boys will be boys.” But they weren’t boys. They were grown men in their forties and fifties who forgot what it means to be mature. They made the dining experience unpleasant for the staff and for the other patrons. When they finally left the restaurant, someone began to applaud, and soon the whole room was clapping loudly, celebrating the men’s departure.

In the world of “Christ’s-ones,” maturity—spiritual maturity—is an important mark of growth in an individual’s spiritual formation. Collectively, it is also an important quality for a body of believers, a church. The Apostle Paul wrote these words in Colossians 1:27-28:

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

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

Paul desired to promote spiritual maturity among those for whom he was responsible. Do our pastors or spiritual leaders promote spiritual maturity? Or, do they try to keep us dependent spiritual babies who need their parental care?

Let us determine this day to do everything we can to become spiritually mature. Let’s set aside time each day to read the Bible and pray. Let’s make certain we attend a church where we receive healthy spiritual food. And, let’s exercise our spiritual maturity by lovingly sharing what God has done for us, through Christ, whenever the Holy Spirit prompts us to do so.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Lamb Without Defect

 

“… you were redeemed … with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ”

—1 Peter 1:19

The Law given to Moses required that the blood sacrifice for sins must be a spotless lamb—one totally without defect. The people of Israel could not discard a defective lamb by choosing to use it for the sacrificial atonement.

Likewise, only Jesus—fully God yet fully human—could cover the sins of all mankind with His precious blood. The Scripture tells us in Hebrews 4:15:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Jesus never sinned! That was only possible because though fully man He was also fully God. The Apostle Peter makes this very point in 1 Peter 1:18-19:

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

Jesus paid the price for our sins. He redeemed us with His precious blood. Though we are filthy, rotten, horrible, awful, terrible sinners, Jesus plunged us into the cleansing flood of His shed blood. Now we are totally clean!

As we begin this new day, we have much for which we should praise God. So, let this praise be on our lips, ready to share our joy with others, when prompted to do so by the Holy Spirit.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, April 19, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Day of Reckoning

 

“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.-”

—Romans 14:12

My father served as the treasurer of the church I attended growing up for just over 25 years. My mother, who had been trained as a bookkeeper, made very precise entries into a journal using the double-entry system of bookkeeping. I can still see her holding her special bookkeeper’s fountain pen and carefully making those precise entries during that time in the 1950s and 1960s, well before personal computers and software like QuickBooks^®, or even personal calculators.

Once a year, the auditors appointed by the church would come to our house and collect the books. It was a day of reckoning. Did every entry balance? Were all the funds accounted for properly? This auditing process was particularly important because a previous treasurer had embezzled thousands of dollars from the church over a period of many years. Such a catastrophe must not be allowed to happen again. Of course, because of the diligence of my parents, the books were always spot on—no errors, every amount balancing to the penny.

The Apostle Paul talks about a day of reckoning for every human being in Romans 14:11-12:

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

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

How will we fare on that day? We who have responded to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and have acknowledged God’s gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ will find that the “books” of our lives will already be stamped “Approved” by means of the very blood of Christ our Savior and Lord. We will pass the test—not on our own merit, but because we already belong to God. We will meet this day of reckoning without fear. For, by acknowledging God’s claim on our lives, we have already bowed our knees in fealty to Christ.

Let us rejoice at the beginning of this new day that our place in heaven is secure. Yet, we have done nothing on our own to deserve God’s mercy, nor to reserve our place forever with Him. Our place of honor on that day of reckoning comes solely as God’s precious gift to us of His mercy, grace, and unfailing love.

Praise God for His immeasurable love for us. We are, of all humankind, most blessed.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, April 18, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Returned Sheep

 

“He himself bore our sins…”

—1 Peter 2:24a

The happiest sheep are the ones who remain close to the shepherd. When a sheep goes astray—and sheep stray easily because they are very curious—that sheep seems to experience a bit of shock, confusion, and panic when the sheep comes to his or her senses and realizes that he or she has wandered away from the flock and moved outside the protection of the shepherd. These wandered-away sheep begin to run around in a circle until they become faint with exhaustion. In their rundown condition, they become all the more vulnerable to predators.

In our natural state, stained by Adam’s sin and all the more so by our own sins, we are dazed and confused. We wander through life aimlessly. We are hopelessly lost. We may think that our “curiosity”—our longing to experience all this world has to offer—has given us a better place than the one we had under the protection of the Shepherd. But, the reality is that at some point the Holy Spirit will reveal to us how desperate our situation really is. We will realize that having become separated from God, we are in great peril.

Thankfully, God, in His mercy, grace, and love has acted to gather us to Himself through the redeeming power of Christ’s blood. As the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sorry state, He also shares with us the marvelous reality of God’s loving grace, which He has given us through the sacrifice of His Son.

The Apostle Peter explains God’s actions toward us in 1 Peter 2:24-25:

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

For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Quoting from the Prophet Isaiah, Peter confirms the great truth of God’s consuming grace. Through Christ’s birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, we have been redeemed and set free from the bondage of sin.

As this new day begins, let us allow the mercy, grace, and love of God to arise within us. Let us surrender to God’s will for our lives. Let us turn away from sin and return to the loving, protective arms of the Shepherd. Let us die to sin this day and live for righteousness. Let us determine to be ambassadors of God’s unfailing, undying love. Let us become beacons of God’s light in a lost and dying world.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, April 7, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Excuse

 

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen…”

—Romans 1:20a

“You must understand, Officer, I really didn’t know the speed limit through here was 30 miles per hour.”

Have you ever been stopped for speeding? Have you ever tried to talk your way out of a ticket by claiming ignorance of the posted limit?

One day, in the mid-1980s, I got two speeding tickets in a relatively short 50-minute period. I had rushed out from work at lunchtime to do two errands. Just feet from the entrance to the parking lot at the insurance company where I worked I was stopped for going 33 mph in a 30 mph zone.

On my way back to the office by a different route, less than an hour later, I was stopped again for going 34 mph in a 30 mph zone. In neither case did I try to beat the ticket. For in each case the speed limit was clearly posted.

The saddest part of the story is that the City of Hartford, Connecticut, added a surcharge to the state-mandated fine. The two tickets cost me a total of $750—money I frankly did not have to waste in such a foolish way.

You can argue that such a close tolerance was unfair. But, as I said, the city had signs prominently displayed that informed all citizens of the city’s 30 mph speed limit. And, the signs also included the words “Strictly Enforced.”

People routinely make excuses for their lack of knowledge. They try to claim ignorance even when the knowledge is very clearly evident. In our relationship to God, we simply can’t do that. We can't claim that the knowledge of His presence is not clearly seen. The Apostle Paul makes this declaration in Romans 1:20:

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

People cannot claim they don’t know about God. Everything around us declares His divine presence and His unending glory. Let’s begin this day grateful that we love and worship the God who first loved us. He has revealed Himself to us through His Son and through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. How very blessed we are to know Him! How grateful we must feel that He has so clearly revealed Himself to us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, April 14, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Given by the Father

 

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

—John 10:27

I wonder if we fully comprehend that before the foundation of the earth God chose us to belong to Himself? He had the power to do this because He created us—He caused us to come into being.

If you ask me why God chose us, I cannot give you an answer because it is a great mystery. Surely we have nothing to commend us to God. No part of us retains the holiness that God’s nature requires. We have inherited the sin-stain of Adam and added to that sin-stain our own long, long list of sins.

Nevertheless, God chose us and, in due season, He sent the Holy Spirit to reveal His love for us and to show us the salvation that He has provided for us through His Son, Jesus.

Our Savior spoke these words, as recorded in John 10:27-30:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

God has given us to His Son. He is our Savior, Lord, and King. We are His brothers and sisters, joint heirs with Him of eternal life. As we begin this new day, that certainly gives us something to celebrate. We were chosen by God, given to Jesus, and vouchsafed for eternal life with Him.

Let us go out into this new day rejoicing in our God-given security. Our salvation is a gift. We can’t earn it. It is a precious, precious gift given to us by God who loves us for reasons we simply cannot comprehend.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Victory is Ours

 

“He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

—1 Corinthians 15:57b

I grew up in a wonderful church. It was a warm, loving, family environment. Compared to what I experienced in the world outside of the church, the world inside the church was truly a little bit of heaven.

We were Fundamentalists. But, as a child I didn’t know any better. Even though now, in my old age, I may wish that my upbringing in church had more mercy, grace, and love, and less rules and regulations, nevertheless, I have come to appreciate, more and more, the foundation that was laid during my formative years.

We met for worship on both Sunday morning and Sunday evening. In the later afternoon, we had youth group on Sunday, too. We also met for prayer meeting on Wednesday evenings. And, we had Youth for Christ rallies twice each month on Saturday nights, District Youth Fellowship meeting once each month on Saturday night, and, as a church youth group, also went bowling or rollerskating the other Saturday night. On those months with five Saturdays, I would be beside myself because we had no scheduled activity.

We sang lots of gospel hymns, songs, and choruses. One of my favorites was “Victory in Jesus” by Eugene Bartlett. The chorus contained these stirring words:

O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood.
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him.
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood.

This gospel song echoes the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57:

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

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we begin this new day, let us rest in the victory that our Savior has already won for us. And, let us be always ready to share the good news of God’s redeeming love with every person we meet.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, April 12, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Truly Alive

 

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

—1 Corinthians 15:22

“I feel so alive!” My colleague at summer camp shouted with arms outstretched toward the hot summer sun. During the summer of 1965, he worked as one of the life guards. I had paused in my duties as kitchen worker/groundskeeper to sit with him a moment near the dock at Camp Findley in Findley Lake, New York—now known as The Camp at Findley.

A soft breeze kissed the leaves of a nearby shade tree, rustling the smaller branches. In the distance, at the other end of the small lake, I could hear the putt-putt of a fisherman’s trolling motor. It was a glorious moment nearly 57 years ago.

When was the last time you felt truly alive? Perhaps it was when you held your first child in your arms. Maybe it was when you achieved that long-desired promotion at work. Or perhaps, you felt truly alive as you watched your son or daughter walk down the aisle at his or her wedding.

As believers in the life-transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should begin each day with a keen awareness that while some remain dead in their trespasses and sins, we are truly alive in Christ. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22:

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

This day and every day, let us begin our mornings with praise on our lips and gratitude in our hearts that through Christ we are truly alive. Let us seek to share with others the blessed relationship that God has give us, as His dearly loved children. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to use us as vessels of God’s mercy, grace, and undying love.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, April 11, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Another Tax Day

 

“This is also why you pay taxes…”

—Romans 13:6a

No one likes to pay taxes! And yet, every April 15th (or this year April 18th)—“Tax Day” in the United States—we citizens pay our taxes. Most of you probably paid your taxes weeks ago. I paid mine last month. I paid the taxes. But, I didn’t like it.

I suppose I resent paying taxes because there is very little that the government does of which I approve. I think government is way, way, way, too big. I think far too much money is wasted. Almost every issue that has arisen in the last year, I vehemently oppose.

I want a strong national defense, pure food and water, constraints on financial game-playing, maximum extraction of fossil fuel-based energy, no money spent on so-called climate change, a return to freedom, opportunity, and self-determination, a color-blind society, and a rigidly strong adherence to the Constitution. I want strict control of our borders. But I also want a fair and welcoming immigration policy when people wishing to immigrate follow all the rules.

I am opposed to so-called “political correctness” because all it does is hamper free speech. I believe idiots have the right to talk idiotically. I do not believe you can legislate behavior because we are all sinners by nature. So, I don’t care what other people do unless, or until, their behavior endangers others—not hurts feelings or offends, but endangers. I think the church has failed miserably by abdicating social programs to the government.

I could go on, but what’s the point? The “perfect” nation in my head will never, never, never happen. Our political system is too corrupt. Many of our citizens are too uninformed to choose candidates who would move us back to the place where I could breathe a sigh of relief. Besides, I am a citizen of a greater Kingdom. And, the more I focus on the wishes of my King, the less time I have to ruminate on the state of our nation.

Which brings me back to taxes. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:6-7:

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

So, on this “Tax Day” I will pay my taxes and try to remember—though I find it very, very hard to do so—that “the authorities are God’s servants.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, April 15, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Glory in the Rock

 

“My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”

—Psalm 62:7

Did you ever think of what it might be like to be placed in a small tomb-like cave and have a heavy stone rolled over the entrance to seal you inside with no possible way out? That’s exactly what happened to the earthly body of Jesus after He died on the cruel Roman cross of torture to pay the penalty for our sin.

The stone was supposedly to keep His followers from stealing the body and then claiming that He had risen from the dead. After all, He had said that He would rise from the dead. Of course, virtually no one believed Him. And, the Roman government, spurred on by the Jewish leaders, were so fearful that His disciples would, indeed, steal His body that they determined this was not going to happen. So, the authorities not only rolled this huge stone over the entrance to the tomb, they posted Roman soldiers to guard the entrance.

When we read about Roman soldiers, we may tend to think about the individuals we may know who serve, with great honor, in our own military. But, Roman soldiers were not at all like the men and women who serve in our military today. Roman soldiers were a crude, coarse, angry bunch of battle-hardened men. Many had been conscripted into service, ripped from the bosom of their families, and they were not at all happy with being sent to godforsaken Palestine. So, these men guarding the tomb were definitely not men with whom one would trifle.

You may remember that the disciples, and particularly the women who wanted to go to the tomb to make certain our Savior had received the proper Jewish ablutions necessary for burial, discussed how they would possibly be able to roll the stone away from the tomb. Yet, on that glorious resurrection morning, as the women approached the Savior’s resting place, they found the stone lying next to the open tomb and the tomb was empty. Jesus had risen from the dead!

At that point in our lives, when we recognized what God had done for us through Christ and when we acknowledged Jesus as our Savior and Lord, the sin-filled tomb of our hearts was cleaned thoroughly by the Holy Spirit. God then filled that “tomb” with a great outpouring of His mercy, grace, and unfailing love. Next, God sealed the tomb of our hearts with a great stone—a mighty rock. And, that rock is Jesus. He is the guardian of our hearts. He is the stone that cannot be moved. He is the rock of our salvation.

This is what King David was talking about when he penned these words found in Psalm 62:7:

My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

God is our mighty rock. Jesus is the rock of life to those of us who believe. With His guarding care, we can begin this new day knowing that through His life on earth, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension to heaven, we are vouchsafed for all eternity. What a glory and majesty is our rock!

On this Easter morning, let’s lift our voices in praise to God. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen from the dead!

Here’s an appropriate song that expresses the glory of the resurrection. I hope you will enjoy it.

 

 

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Sunday, March 27, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Power of the Cross

 

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

—1 Corinthians 1:18

Every time I see someone wearing a cross on a chain around his or her neck, I have to resist asking, “I see you’re wearing cross. Is it just a piece of jewelry, or does it have some significance?”

I’ve actually asked that question a few times. I haven’t really gotten much of an answer. Most people seem either embarrassed, or annoyed, by my question. It appears that to many people, the cross has become a fashion statement rather than a deeply moving spiritual symbol.

The true meaning of the cross actually holds great power. Our salvation was culminated on the cross. The Apostle Paul offered these words in 1 Corinthians 1:18:

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

Should a cross serve simply as a decoration? Does wearing a cross help someone feel they fit in with a certain subset of American society? Does the presence of a cross around someone’s neck, or in someone’s lapel, help that person feel more holy? Actually, for a sincere follower of Jesus, wearing a cross may offer an opportunity to engage in a conversation with others about the blessings that one has received from God, through His precious Son.

Nevertheless, Christians have to understand they will never fit into regular society. Jesus even acknowledged this when He prayed for us in John 17:15-18:

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”

Whether we wear a cross or not, the power of the cross resides within us. Through Jesus, His power over the cross has become our power. Let us this day claim the power of the cross to overcome the darkness of sin in this world.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, April 21, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Redemption of the Powerless

 

“…when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

—Romans 5:6a

We have no ability on our own to break the power that sin has over us. The most natural thing we do as humans is sin. If you doubt that, just watch the development of a child. Even a child only a few months old has a natural, in-born tendency to assert his or her own stubborn will. No one has to teach a child how to be willfully disobedient. Sin is as natural as breathing.

We inherited our nature to sin from our parents. They inherited the nature to sin from their parents—all the way back to Adam, who purposely chose to sin, even when God had given Adam just one rule that he had to follow without fail.

So, it is amazing that God did not wait for us to try to be good before He sent His Son, Jesus, to redeem us from the bondage of sin. He knows we cannot stop sinning without His direct intervention in our lives. The Apostle Paul offers a very clear explanation in Romans 5:6-8:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

How blessed we are! How fortunate we are that God loves us so very much. There is absolutely nothing within us or about us that commends us to a holy God. The stench of our sin is an affront to God. Yet, there is nothing we can do on our own to redeem us from the sin that has trapped us in a state where we are separated from fellowship with God.

This day let us humbly rejoice that God has redeemed us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. Let us praise God and thank Him for the profound mystery of His mercy, love, and grace that He so freely gives each one of us whom He has chosen to belong to Himself.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Purification Provider

 

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory”

—Hebrews 1:3

Nothing is more important to stable health than pure water. We don’t even think about how fortunate we are to just turn on the tap and out flows pure, clean water.

Much of the world struggles to obtain pure water. The disease that’s rampant in the world comes largely from a lack of pure water. In fact, not long ago in the history of our own nation, pure water was a sought-after commodity. How blessed we are to live in towns and cities and rural countrysides where pure water exists in abundance.

Just as impurities in water cause disease, the sin in our lives causes a spiritual disease that separates us from fellowship with God. But, praise God, through His Son, Jesus, God has purified us from our sins. Jesus is the “Purification Provider” through His birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews pit it this way in Hebrews 1:3:

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

Let us rejoice this day that, as followers of Christ, our sins our gone—covered by Jesus’ precious blood. And, as God opens up opportunities, let’s be quick today to share this good news with others.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, April 5, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Saved in the Here and Now

 

“…we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son…”

—Romans 5:10b

I wonder if we Christians fully realize that our salvation is for the here and now every bit as much as it is for eternity. We tend to think about Christ’s death and resurrection in regard to guaranteeing our place in heaven. But, as the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:10, our true salvation begins in the here and now:

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

You see we are saved from the loneliness of a sin-scarred life right now, today, in the present, right here where we are. Our salvation has become an active force in our lives. We are propelled forward in victory because our sins have been forgiven.

When the Holy Spirit begins to reveal to us what Christ has done in our behalf and we acknowledge the gift of salvation that God has provided for us, we become new people. We move from mere creations of God to children—children of God and joint heirs with Christ.

Let us rejoice this day that we are saved in the here and now. Our new life in Christ begins right here and right now. Each day, the Holy Spirit nudges us forward on a pathway that will lead us to holiness. As we surrender to God’s perfect will for us, we will become more and more like Jesus. Then, we can shed God’s love into the life of everyone we meet.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, April 4, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Dead to Sin and Alive in Christ

 

“I have been crucified with Christ…”

—Galatians 2:20a

As “Christ’s-ones”—Christians—our faith has set us free from the bondage of sin. Yes, we do still continue to sin because the sin nature we inherited from Adam remains alive in us. But, because of our Savior’s suffering and death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension to heaven, sin can no longer hold us captive. The Apostle Paul expressed it this way in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We live by faith. Christ lives within us through the Holy Spirit. The captivity of sin, that has held us in the tightest of restraints, died with Christ on the cross. We can claim victory over sin through Jesus’ shed blood.

Let us live this day as ones freed from the bondage to sin. Let us rejoice because of the power of Christ within us. Let us glory in the resurrection that guarantees our place in heaven. And, let us show forth Christ’s love to all those we meet today.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, April 1, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Do Not Lose Heart

 

“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”

—Hebrews 12:1c

There are plenty of bad things happening in our world right now. But, it’s important that we not lose heart.

All around the world, the terrible SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has striken millions of people. Some have died, particularly those who are elderly, or who have other intervening health issues. The virus causing this disease was likely tampered with by men and women in a laboratory to make the virus more transmissible and more deadly. But, it’s important that we not lose heart.

In certain nations overseas, Christians are being attacked and killed. People are starving because nutritional food is so scarce. But, it’s important that we not lose heart.

Millions of dollars in U.S. and Canadian aid flows overseas. But, only a small portion of it ever reaches the people who genuinely need help. But, it’s important that we not lose heart.

Here at home, people who hold their Christian faith dear have become targets for those who want to eliminate all Christian influence from the public square. But, it’s important that we not lose heart.

We “Christ’s-ones” are mocked for our faith. We are the brunt of jokes. Even though we are ambassadors for the God of the universe, we do not receive the respect we deserve. But, it’s important that we not lose heart.

The writer to the Hebrews penned these potent words in Hebrews 12:1-3:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

As we begin this new day, let us, indeed, focus our attention on Jesus. No matter what comes our way, let us remain steadfast in our faith. “Bring it on!” we can say with confidence because of Jesus, we will not lose heart.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, March 31, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

One and Only One

 

“ For there is one God…”

—1 Timothy 2:5a

Translating any foreign language into the English language is always a challenge. Foreign languages often have subtleties that become lost in translation. It becomes difficult to retain all the nuances of meaning contained in a particular phrase.

For example, I’ve discussed in several blog posts the inadequacies of the English language in capturing the full meaning from Koine New Testament Greek of the word “love.” While English has only the one word, Koine New Testament Greek has four different words, all of which are translated “love” in English. Each of those four New Testament Greek words has a different shade of meaning.

Many people insist that all religions are essentially the same. They assert that each religion’s “truth claims” really produce the same results and, essentially, hold the same meanings. But, this is simply not true.

For example, a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the God of Judaism and Christianity compared to Allah, the god of Islam, discloses that Jehovah God and Allah are absolutely not the same. Jehovah God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— is the one true God who expresses His divine presence as one who is always shrouded in holiness and great power, but is also a God of deep love and devotion. He is compassionate and caring.

Contrast this with Allah, as presented in the Quran, and you will quickly see that Allah is a god of vengence and anger, with no compassion for those who have strayed from his requirements of strict obedience. Jehovah has given those He chooses to belong to Himself a clear path to eternal life through the forgiveness of sins provided by the sacrifice of His Son on a cruel Roman cross of torture. Allah grants “salvation” to those who bond themselves in obedience, even to the point of killing unbelievers.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul makes this claim in 1 Timothy 2:5-6:

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

A careful examination of the Koine New Testament Greek text discloses that the original first sentence is a far more powerful claim than the translation into English provides. A more properly nuanced translation would read: “For there is one and only one God and one and only one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus…”

The Lord Jesus Christ of Christianity in the one and only one way to eternal life through His sacrifice for our sins on a cruel Roman cross. He is the one and only one through whom we can connect to God. Through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the one and only one who can draw us irresistibly into fellowship with the God who cares for us and who pours His mercy, grace, and unfailing love into our lives.

Let us rejoice this day that Jesus has opened up the way of genuine life to us. And, let us be quick to share this good news with others.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

We're in this together!

 

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. ”

—Philippians 1:27

“No matter what happens, we’re in this together!”

Have you ever heard someone say those words? Nothing inspires a tight, competent, caring fellowship quite as much as shared suffering. And, to some degree, we all must endure suffering, to one degree or another.

Suffering abounds everywhere to everyone. Most of us have suffered some type of loss in our lives. Or, we have had to deal with health issues. Or, our children have momentarily gone down the wrong path. Or, we lost our financial security. Or, a dearly loved person in our life has passed away.

There are myriad of ways that suffering can creep into our lives. The important thing is that we don’t have to deal with suffering alone. As ones who belong to God through the birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, we belong to each other, as well. We can pray for each other and support each other during times of suffering. We can carry each other’s burdens.

The Apostle Paul gave the following instruction to the Christ-ones at Philippi, and to us, in Philippians 1:27-30:

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Paul knew suffering. He also knew that his fellow believers helped him carry his suffering well. He depended on God’s mercy, grace, and love—expressed through other Christians—to support him, as he dealt with his suffering.

Today, let us remain fully aware and stay on the lookout for our brothers and sisters in Christ who may be suffering. Whether that suffering seems minor or overwhelming, let us stand ready to bring aid and comfort to each other. We are, indeed, all in this together. Praise God that this is so!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Mystery is Revealed

 

“…he made known to us the mystery of his will…”

—Ephesians 1:9a

Do you like a good mystery? I do. My favorite stories are mysteries. I greatly enjoy reading mystery novels. Most of the entertainment television programs I watch are mysteries.

The best part of a mystery is, of course, the solution. I particularly like it when the solution of the mystery results in a victory for the good and a punishment for the evil. I also enjoy seeing how the protagonist in the story triumphs over all the barriers that prevent him or her from finding out exactly what happened.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the church gathered at Ephesus, reveals the mystery of God’s plan of salvation in ten short verses of Scripture. Please take careful note of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3-10:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.

With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Through the Apostle Paul, the mystery of the ages is revealed. Christ has redeemed each of us. God has chosen us to belong to Himself. Our Savior has won the victory over sin, death, and Satan. The good is victorious. The bad is condemned. We are set free from the bonds of sin. Our place in heaven is secure. Eternal life waits for us. Yes! The mystery is revealed! Hallelujah!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, March 28, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

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The Ultimate Sacrifice

 

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

—1 John 3:16a

In our society today, each person seems to live as if he or she held himself or herself as the number one priority. Extreme selfishness is most often the rule of life.

But, for us “Christ’s-ones,” a whole different agenda has been set by our Savior. The Apostle John describes it this way in 1 John 3:16:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

This is definitely not the selfish way that most people live today. This is as counter-cultural as possible. Instead of “me first,” it is “I lay down my very life for you.” It is a self-sacrificing way of life.

As we begin another new day, let’s meditate on what it might mean if we began to live this way. Then, let’s ask ourselves these questions:

• What would happen if we decided to live in a determinedly selfless way?
  
  
• What changes would we make in our lives?
  
  
• How would we treat people differently?
  
  
• What would this new attitude look like?
  
  

Then, let’s go out into this new day and do exactly what we discovered we can do.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, March 25, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Nobody Told Me

 

“On the way, he took the Twelve aside…”

—Matthew 20:18a

One of my former colleagues had a somewhat unusual response to any news I would deliver. After hearing of any change in procedure or new policy, he would say, “Well, nobody told me!”

“But, Bill,” I would say, “I just told you.”

He would respond, “Well, nobody told me!”

“But, Bill, I just did.”

I would always feel a bit frustrated with this exchange. I wonder if this is how Jesus felt with His disciples.

In the days preceding His crucifixion, Jesus clearly told His disciples what would happen. Yet, the disciples seemed surprised and shaken when exactly what Jesus told them would take place came to pass. Note these words recorded in Matthew 20:17-19:

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem.

On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.

“They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.

“On the third day he will be raised to life!”

Jesus could not have given His disciples any clearer information. Yet they seemed surprised as events unfolded.

I wonder sometimes, as things become worse and worse in this world, why we seem so surprised. The Bible clearly states that in the last days things will become more chaotic, sin will abound, and the followers of Jesus will come under attack.

Let’s not act surprised when what God has told us in His written Word happens exactly as He said it would. Let’s prepare for what’s ahead. And, let’s rest in the knowledge that Christ has already won the victory on our behalf.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, March 24, 2016

_{Copyright © 2022 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

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