Be Still

 

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

—Psalm 46:10-11

During my wife’s 30-plus years as an elementary and middle school music teacher, she encountered a wide range of interesting fellow teachers.

One lady became so used to trying to quiet the children in her classroom, that she began to idiosyncratically punctuate her phrases in normal conversation with a “shushing” sound.

We do live in a noise-filled world. Some noise exists as ambient sounds, some noise we make ourselves. This apparently is not a new phenomenon.

The Psalmist had to urge those singing his words from Psalm 46:10-11 to heed God’s instruction:

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

In order to experience the fullness of God’s Presence, we sometimes need to silence the din of the world around us.

Let’s determine to take time this day to silently wait on God and, then, to bask in the glory of His Presence.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Forgiving Heart

 

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

—Colossians 3:13b

The hardest thing we will ever do in this life is to forgive someone who has genuinely harmed us. I’m not talking about small offenses or little hurts. I’m talking about those whopper of attacks that have nearly ruined our lives.

I’ve shared on this blog before that my deepest personal attacks have come at the hands of fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Please, let me illustrate this assertion:

Two men in particular conspired with a sociopathically-behaving pastor, who then turned others against me, in order to deprive me and several others of our jobs at a church. All three of these men are bullies. They acted as despicable troublemakers. They harmed me, but nearly destroyed two of my colleagues, one of whom has only barely recovered financially and otherwise after eleven long years. The most natural thing in the world is to hate these three perpetrators with a white hot hatred.

How can I possibly forgive them? More precisely as a follower of Jesus, how can I not forgive them?

The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, offered these words of instruction in Colossians 3:13:

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Forgiveness, true forgiveness, is not easy. But, when considering the depths of my own sin for which my Savior bled and died, how can I possibly withhold my forgiveness? And so, I must allow the power of Christ within me to be ready, willing, and able to forgive. I must develop, with God’s enabling, a forgiving heart.

It seems very unlikely that those who harmed me and my colleagues will ever ask for forgiveness. Eleven years have passed and they will likely never confess their sin against us, repent of that sin, make restitution for that sin, and then, seek restoration. Nevertheless, I must stand ready to forgive them.

In your mind and heart, if you are holding an unforgiving spirit today, I urge you to lay that unforgiveness at the foot of the cross. Ask Jesus to enable you to forgive. He will set you free from the chains that bind you and give you a forgiving heart. And, that will lift a huge burden from your soul.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Choosing the Proper Gate

 

“Enter through the narrow gate.”

—Matthew 7:13a

Life consists of a series of choices. Every day, we make many, many choices. Looking back over our lives, we likely see numerous choices we wish we had made differently. Knowing that we make choices continually, prompted our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to offer these words of instruction, as recorded in Matthew 7:13-14:

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Jesus knew that we would be tempted, time and again, to choose the easier pathway. It’s only natural to think that the broad road with the wide gate would make the best choice. But the easiest way is not the best way. It takes concentration and effort to stay on the narrow path. It takes more than a little hard work to squeeze through the narrow gate. Fortunately, we do not have to rely simply on our own effort. God has given us His blessed Holy Spirit to prompt us to stay on the narrow path and to squeeze through the narrow gate.

Today, as we launch out into the world around us, let’s determine to remain very sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Let’s stay on the narrow pathway. Let’s walk only through the narrow gate. Let’s honor God and His great love for us through our conscious and willful obedience.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 20, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The True Source of Strength

 

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength…”

—Habakkuk 3:19a

Every person on earth draws strength to face the day from some source. As believers in the life-transforming power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ, our source of strength comes from the God who loves us with His everlasting love. The Prophet has made this very clear in Habakkuk 3:19:

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.

I particularly like this verse because I have not been able to climb stairs since 2003. The profound progressive osteo-arthritis of the knees, hips, and back—along with the below-the-knee amputation of my right leg in 2017—limits my mobility and certainly keeps me from “prancing like a deer,” as I once did. Every step that I now can takes is a precious gift from God. The walker on which I rely in order to walk short distances is a precious gift from God. The powered wheel chair I use for longer distances is a precious gift from God.

In our spiritual lives, as well as in our physical lives, God is our strength. He enables us to achieve ever more Christ-likeness in our hearts, minds, and behavior. God, who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift, grants us the ability to act as His ambassadors to a troubled and deeply needy world.

So, as we begin this day, let’s thank Him and praise Him for the strength He lovingly provides. In Thomas Chisholm’s marvelous hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” he included this phrase:

“… strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!”

Truly God is our strength, for this day and every day. May all praise, glory, honor, and majesty ever abide with His blessed and holy name.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 17, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Eagerly Waiting for His Return

 

“…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

—Hebrews 9:28

Please let me begin this blog post with a true story to illustrate a point.

When I was eight years old, my father began an every-two-weeks’ tradition that lasted through each summer until I turned twelve years old. To understand this bi-weekly event, I need to explain that my dad was a salesman of hotel and restaurant supplies, including a custom blend of locally roasted coffee. He called on customers over a significant geographic area in a two-week rotation.

In addition to hotels and restaurants, he also called on a wide variety of mom and pop stores. So, every two weeks, on a Wednesday, he made a swing through Derrick City, Duke Center, Rixford, and Eldred. These little central-northwestern Pennsylvania towns were all located in McKean County, not far from my hometown of Bradford.

I loved to swim. But, because as a young child I had been severely bullied, I was afraid to use the community swimming pool in my hometown. Fortunately, on this bi-weekly route, my dad drove past the community pool next to the Otto-Eldred High School. Since no one there knew who I was, I could swim safely without fear of being bullied.

My dad would drop me off at about 11:30 in the morning. I would sit on a park bench and eat a snack. When the pool opened at Noon, I would enter and spend the afternoon in the water. Yes, I do realize that leaving an eight-year-old alone today would be unheard of—even possibly be cause for police intervention. But, it was a safer time back in 1955.

As the afternoon drew to a close, I would get dressed and wait for my dad to pick me up. Sometimes, because the pool closed at 5:00 p.m., nearly every other person would have left by the time my dad arrived. I would sit there waiting, never really afraid that my dad wouldn’t come, but often greatly anticipating his arrival. When I would spot his car turning into the parking lot, a surge of joy would course through my body. My dad had returned and I was always very glad to see him.

What I would feel on those long ago days is very similar to the kind of anticipation the writer of the Book of Hebrews draws upon when he writes these words in Hebrews 9:28:

…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

We wait for Christ’s return with eager anticipation. We know He will return. We don’t know exactly when our Savior will come back. And, we don’t know whether we will graduate to Glory before He does so. Nevertheless, whenever we pause from the tasks He has given us as His ambassadors, we sit on the “park benches” of our lives and look at the horizon toward eternity consumed with both joy and a very special peace—knowing that the time of His return is near. As the Apostle Paul writes to his “son in the faith” in 2 Timothy 4:8:

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

We long for Christ’s appearing. Let’s remember that fact as we move forward into this new day. And, let’s anticipate our blessed Savior’s imminent return and wait for Him with eager anticipation and with hopeful joy.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 16, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Established in Love

 

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being…”

—Ephesians 3:16a

The most powerful force in the universe is God-breathed (agape) love. This love from God transcends all other powers. This unique love surpasses and triumphs over the power of evil. It defeats all attempts to destroy it. It brings true joy and true peace. Notice these words from the Apostle Paul, as recorded in Ephesians 3:16-19:

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

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

Paul prays this prayer of special blessing for the “Christ’s-ones” gathered in Ephesus and for us today, as well. May we this day bask in this glorious love that God has given us in Christ Jesus. May we move out into this day as Christ’s ambassadors, established in love and ready to share God’s mercy, grace, and love with everyone who crosses the pathways of our lives.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

You are Special

 

“ Therefore encourage one another…”

—1 Thessalonians 5:11a

Everyone wants to feel that someone truly believes he or she is special. You probably heard someone say:

“I really do love him (or her). But, I sometimes don’t like him (or her) very much.”

That kind of talk is counter-cultural among believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not only enjoined to love each other with God-breathed (agape) love, we are to appreciate each other, respect each other, want the best for each other, and do all we can to encourage one another.

One of the reasons that I write these blog posts is to help encourage those believers who read them. I want to plant seeds of joy, hope, and Christ-like spiritual formation in their hearts when they take the time to read what I’ve written.

The Apostle Paul gave these words of instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:11:

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

So, dear ones—as we walk along the pathway that God has opened up before us this day and every day—let’s determine to build up and encourage our fellow believers.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Begin with Praise

 

“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power…”

—1 Chronicles 29:11a

For a believer, one of the helpful aspects of life on earth is the opportunity to learn critically important lessons. For example, in dealing with the trials of life, we learn to become fully and unreservedly dependent on God.

If we pay very close attention, we can learn many significant and important lessons that will prove useful for all eternity. Among them is to start our day with words of praise for God. Notice these words of praise found in 1 Chronicles 29:11:

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

These words are part of a prayer that King David prayed. He exalts God and speaks words of eternal truth about the majesty and glory of the Lord.

No matter what trials we may face this day, let us learn from David and start our day praising God. He will surely see us through our trials and bring us into a place where we can experience His eternal glory.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 13, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Gentle Answer

 

“A gentle answer turns away wrath…”

—Proverbs 15:1a

The experiences of life often validate the teachings of Scripture. At least that’s what I’ve found over the years of my own life.

Nineteen years ago, when I began working as Director of Communications at a large downtown church, I became the staff representative who served on the Communications Committee. In the course of that responsibility at one evening’s meeting, I offered my analysis of the culture held tightly by the people who have lived in this county all their lives.

In my opinion as an analyst, the County of Erie, Pennsylvania, is a culture that celebrates mediocrity out of a fear of being thought uppity or elite. People who live here generally do not want others to feel that they think more highly of themselves than they should. They also take a very long time to make important decisions out of a fear that they will make the wrong decisions.

During the meeting, I offered these observations along with several others. I illustrated how the culture of the community affected decision-making within the church. The next day, the chairperson of the committee telephoned me. The chairperson was furious with what I had said. This individual yelled at me and became very strident in the remarks made to me.

My natural tendency, when backed into such a corner, is to respond in kind. I have a very quick and hot temper. I could have all too easily attacked the chairperson in return with white hot anger. However, just as I was about to unload some very blistering retorts of my own, God reminded me of these words from Proverbs 15:1:

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Instead of unleashing my normal fury, I began to speak very softly. I very quietly apologized for causing the chairperson such offense. Instantly, the tone of the conversation changed. The heat of the moment dissipated. The discussion took on a more reasonable tone. In a little while, our conversation ended on a more neutral, even pleasant, tone.

I certainly understand, with the passage of time, how offensive my remarks must have seemed to the chairperson, as a long time member of some prominence in this community. Even though I believed that my analysis was correct—and over the intervening years I have had that analysis confirmed many times by the actions of the people, and especially the leaders, who live here—I have come to understand that, along with other traits that I observed, self-analysis is not very present here. Nevertheless, I should most likely have kept my analysis to myself, rather than sharing what I had observed in that now long-ago meeting.

Turning my natural angry response into meekness provided a far better outcome than if I had met anger with anger. I only wish I had applied that tactic in many earlier situations with other individuals and in other situations.

Today, if someone approaches us in anger, let’s determine to offer a gentle response and see if that will prove God’s written Word correct. Okay? If we do, I think we will make the situation much better than it would be if we met anger with anger.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 10, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Promise of the Holy City

 

“Those who are victorious will inherit all this…”

—Revelation 21:7a

When I was a very small boy, I would often ask my dad when I would be old enough to ride a roller coaster. “One day soon,” he would say to me with a chuckle, knowing that at five years old I was no more ready to ride a roller coaster than cross the street by myself. I would persist with my asking and he would always reply, “One day soon, Pal-ly. One day soon.”

In August, I will celebrate the completion of my 75th year of life. Many of my distant ancestors did not live as long as I have lived. Of course, I have no assurance that I will even live that long. The only thing I know for certain is that God has numbered my days. Every breath that I take and every beat of my heart is truly a precious gift from Him.

I no longer have any desire to ride a roller coaster. In fact, I have never ridden a roller coaster, though I did have the privilege more than twenty years ago of participating in the design of the fire protection systems for a major thrill-ride roller coaster at one of the central Florida theme parks. I had hoped to ride this particular roller coaster, but my disability intervened before the project was completed.

The Apostle John had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, just west of Turkey and east of Greece. It was a lonely rock of an island. As the oldest living Apostle, John had reached his early 90s—an almost unheard of age for a man living at this time in world history. He had long outlived his fellow “truth-carriers.”

God had preserved John’s life for a special reason. As he sat imprisoned on this bleak terrain, John was about to receive the most glorious and terrible visions from God. John wrote down what he experienced in what we now call the Book of Revelation or the Book of the Apocalypse. Toward the end of this last Book in the Bible, John records these powerful words in Revelation 21:5-7:

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”

In the previous verses, God had shown John the Holy City—the New Jerusalem. And, in these few verses God gives John, and all who follow King Jesus, the promise of that great city.

Down through the ages, our brothers and sisters in Christ have prayed, asking God the question:

“How long before You return, O God, to claim victory over all You have created and usher us into Your Presence for evermore. How long before we can sit at the feet of Jesus and glory in His magnificent Presence. How long before we can join with the choir of angels around Your throne and sing the song: ‘Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God, Almighty! Heaven and Earth are full of Your glory!’”

Increasingly, as I advance in age, I have a new desire welling up within me. I long for eternity to arise. I long for the New Jerusalem. If my dad were still on this earth—he graduated to heaven back in 1981—I might ask him how long it will be until I see Jesus. Just as he answered my question as a little boy, he could very well answer this new question with his quiet words: “One day soon, Pal-ly. One day soon.”

God has given us the promise of the Holy City. It’s a very good promise. It is a promise that will surely come to pass. In fact, it is just around the corner.

If you go into a very dark room during the darkest part of the night, and if you squeeze your eyes very tightly shut, in your mind’s eye, far away on the horizon, you will be able to see just the faintest bit of light peeking above the Judean hills. I know this is true. I have seen it myself once or twice lately. Not every night, you understand, but just often enough to long for its coming. For then—yes, then—I will see Jesus, my Savior, face to face.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 9, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Heaven in View

 

“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth…”

—Revelation 21:1a

As a member of a gospel quintet more than 60 years ago, I remember clearly a number of the songs we used to sing at banquets and other church social gatherings. One of the songs, a spiritual, was intended to be somewhat humorous—at least it seemed that way at the time:

Everybody talkin’ ’bout
heaven ain’t goin’ there.
Heaven! Heaven! Heaven!
Gonna walk all over
God’s heaven!

A far better view of what lies ahead was recorded in very specific detail by the Apostle John in Revelation 21:1-4:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Did you know that, in founding the United States of America, those brave leaders often referred to this passage of Scripture in their writings? They knew they weren’t in heaven. But, as much as humanly possible, they wanted to create something that had never existed before, something that would remind the citizens of heaven.

They often used the phrase “a new order for the ages.” If you look at the Great Seal of the United States printed on the back side of the one dollar bill, you will find the Latin phrase: Novus ordo seclorum—which of course translates: “New order of the ages.”

The founders intended to bring to pass something as startling and new as the new heaven and new earth described by the Apostle John. Contrary to what you may have been taught in school, many of the founders were not Deists, but were actually committed Christians. They knew the power of what John described in the opening verses of Revelation 21.

Yes, they knew the United States would not be heaven, or even heaven-on-earth. But, they sincerely believed that the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—had uniquely blessed this new land, even called it into being for His purpose of changing the world.

Satan tried to destroy this new endeavor from the outside through two wars in the first 36 years of its existence. And, the evil one has tried, and nearly succeeded, to destroy our nation from within ever since.

As believers in the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that, in His mercy, grace, and love, God can send another great, sweeping revival across our nation and pull us back from the brink of destruction. That is why we must pray that God will do so. For some reason, if He chooses not to respond to our prayers, we have heaven in view. The Apostle John encourages us with what lies ahead.

Our time on this earth is but the blink of an eye compared to eternity. Let us comfort one another this day with the knowledge that heaven awaits.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 8, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, and Slow to Become Angry

 

“…because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

—James 1:20b

Are you someone who walks into a room and people immediately welcome you with open arms and, more importantly, open hearts? With a smile on my face, I always particularly enjoyed the way his friends greeted Norm Peterson whenever he would enter the bar, “Cheers.” The rafters would fairly shake with the hearty shout: “Norm!”

Some people—and maybe you’re one—are blessed with a naturally suave gregariousness that engenders a warmly open welcome wherever they go. Almost everyone seems to like such a one. Almost everyone seems always glad to see them. I am decidedly not such a person.

At a former church, many years ago, a dear, sweet lady looked me right in the eyes and said:

“You are the coldest most aloof person I know. Whenever I see you enter a room, I want to make a quick exit.”

Frankly, I was grateful that she shared her opinion of me to my face, rather than talking about me behind my back. I’ve often admitted in various blog posts how painfully shy I am. And yet, I have no nervousness when I am speaking to crowds of people as large as 5,000, or in talking on the radio, or speaking on a Podcast. I am, frankly, socially inept. I am not very good at small talk. All these qualities create in me a very obvious “anti-Norm.”

In continually seeking for any help God might give me in blunting my sharp edges and helping me to become more winsome, I have often reminded myself of these words from James 1:19-20:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Now there truly is a formula I can wrap my mental arms around: quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. If I could listen carefully to others in an engaging, respectful, and helpful way, hold my tongue and not be so quick to speak, and not become angry so quickly—why I just might possibly turn into a real, live, “Norm-like” human being.

Isn’t it amazing? God loves us so much that He always meets us at our point of greatness need. I don’t know how you might feel about such things, but I’m certainly glad that, for reasons I simply do not understand, God chose me to belong to Himself.

I celebrate with great joy the people I know who receive a well-deserved “Norm-like” welcome. And, I hope—I say with a chuckle—that at some point in my life I will earn the privilege of receiving such a welcome myself. Perhaps, if not here on earth, maybe some day in heaven.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 7, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Truly Safe

 

“…in God I trust and am not afraid.”

—Psalm 56:4b

Most of us who live in the United States of America plod through our days with little concern that we will ever have to live in fear because of what we believe. This is true despite the fact that little warning signs are popping up around us that point to a day when we may well be persecuted for our beliefs. We only have to look to our neighbor to the north to see how the government there has significantly curtailed free speech in the name of protecting certain classes of people.

In our own country, many college campuses have become places where free speech is tightly controlled. Instead of serving as places where an open and unfettered exchange of ideas is welcomed, even encouraged, college campuses have closed their doors to people who hold viewpoints a vocal few do not want to hear.

Since the Millennials represent the largest generation of people born here since our nation began, and since they have become used to having their personal free speech curtailed in the name of preventing anyone from being offended, a severe limit on what we will be able to say looms on the horizon.

Added to this curtailment of free speech, more and more people who disagree with one another couch their disagreement in harsh, accusatory, even defamatory words. Such words harbor anger and hatred. Certain slogans have become cudgels that one side uses to beat the other side, in the hope of utterly destroying those who do not think the same thoughts.

If this social climate comes, how will we Christ’s-ones respond? The Psalmist offers these words in Psalm 56:4:

In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

No matter what our society will ultimately choose to do to those of us who belong to God through His Son, Jesus, we can face our future truly safe in His loving arms. With that in mind, let us boldly declare the mercy, grace, and love of God to those whom God prompts us to address. In a gentle, tender, and thoughtful way, we can share what God has done in our own lives. And, we can pray that God will send a great sweeping revival to our land.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 6, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Heritage of Obedience

 

“…the Lord’s love is with those who fear him…”

—Psalm 103:17a

The Bible often uses the phrase “fear the Lord.” But, it doesn’t mean “fear” in the sense of being “terrified or profoundly afraid.” Rather, this phrase means “a deep respect born out of a loving obedience.”

So, the fear of the Lord means that in response to the acknowledgement of God’s great power, great compassion, great love, great mercy, great grace, and great holiness, we feel a deep respect that prompts us to respond with obedience to God’s will and to His instructions found in His written Word. The Psalmist captures this thought in Psalm 103:17-18:

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

God’s unfailing love fills the hearts of His obedient children. Their obedience illustrates their deep respect—fear—for the God who loves them.

Let us rejoice this day in the love that God pours into our lives. Let’s respond in obedience to Him. Let’s give Him the great respect that He is due. Then, as we consciously and purposefully bend our selfish and foolish human will to His divine and perfect will, our obedience will reap the reward of showing Him our love and true respect.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, June 3, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Just Being There

 

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

—Romans 12:15

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, our role in this world is to serve our Savior as His ambassadors. In fulfilling that calling, we reach out to people around us and represent God’s divine Presence. In every situation we act as Christ would act were He to encounter those who cross the pathway of our lives.

The Apostle Paul described our role in very concrete and forthright terms when he wrote these words recorded in Romans 12:15:

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Truly, the most important role we can play is just being there with those in need. Sometimes, the people who cross the pathway of our lives need us to rejoice with them and help them celebrate the significant events in their lives. Jesus did this very thing when He attended the wedding at Canaan and made everything much better by just being there.

Other times, the people who cross the pathway of our lives need us to share in their sorrow. Jesus did that many times during His earthly ministry. He brought comfort by just being there.

As we begin a new day, let’s determine to stay alert for those people God brings into our lives. Let’s stand ready to meet them at their point of need. If they need someone to rejoice with them, let’s rejoice. If they need someone to mourn with them, let’s mourn. By so doing we will fulfill our ambassadorial role and surely please Christ our King.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 2, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Finishing the Race

 

“…my only aim is to finish the race…”

—Acts 20:24b

I recently saw an interview of a young woman who had trained for many months to be able to run in the Boston Marathon. The interviewer asked her how well she expected to do.

“I want to finish the race. If I accomplish that, I will be satisfied,” she explained.

Her attitude mirrors what Dr. Luke reports in Acts 20:24 that the Apostle Paul has said:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

That sentiment describes how we followers of Christ should view our lives. We should want to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given us: to be those who testify to the good news of God’s mercy, grace, and abiding love.

As we begin a new day, let’s move out with the mindset of ambassadors of our Savior, tasked with sharing God’s mercy, grace, and love with a very needy world. What a privilege we have to represent our Lord in this way. What joy we can experience knowing that we have cheerfully completed the assignment God has given us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, June 1, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

In the Midst of God's Holiness

 

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

—John 3:17a

Many people have an image of God in their minds where they see Him looking down from heaven, glaring at us because of our sin. Conversely, they try, at least sometimes, to behave themselves in the hope that God won’t glare at them quite as much. But, that’s not the way God is. The Apostle John captures one of the most prominent essences of God in John 3:17:

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

God is love. He loves those He has chosen to belong to Himself and has made provision for their salvation from the penalty for their sins through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His one and only Son, Jesus.

God is love. And yes, He is also holy. God holds Himself in tension between His holiness and His love. His holiness makes Him hate sin. His love makes Him reach out to those He has chosen by forgiving their sins through the shed blood of Jesus.

Some of my more liberal Christian friends place the totality of their emphasis on God’s love. In contrast, some of my more conservative Christian friends place the totality of their emphasis on God’s holiness. Each group see themselves as arbiters of either who God loves, or whose behavior God cannot tolerate because of His holiness. In leaning too far left or too far right, they are both very wrong.

We cannot arbitrate on God’s behalf. We do not possess God’s enormous capacity for love. Nor do we possess even a modicum of His capacity for holiness. So, we are left to look on in great wonder at the God who truly does love us with His eternal love, yet whose holiness condemns sin and requires that a penalty must be paid for that sin.

As we begin a new day, let us humbly accept the fact that there is much about our loving, holy God that we cannot understand. And, let us rejoice that He is our God—the God who does absolutely love us. At the same time, we must rejoice that because of God’s holiness, He demands that we live holy lives and makes provision for the fulfillment of that requirement through the blood of His Son, Jesus, and through the power that He gives us by placing the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Song of the Released Prisoners

 

“Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord…”

—Psalm 103:18

In an amazing act of God’s unfailing love, He has released us from the prison of sin that had bound us and kept us from experiencing the fullness of His mercy and grace. In freeing us, God has given us an overwhelming reason to worship Him and to praise Him with the fullness of all four modalities of our beings.

In Psalm 103:18-22, a Psalm of Lamentation, the writer brings the center portion of this Psalm to a resounding crescendo with these powerful words:

Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:

“The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”

So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord.

Dear ones, we are that “people not yet created.” This very day, God gives us the opportunity to break forth in praise to His precious and holy Name because of the goodness of God in the land of the living.

We are the “released prisoners.” God has set us free. We are the ones who benefit for His every good and perfect gift, especially the gift of full reconciliation to God through His one and only Son, Jesus. Therefore, we have much for which to praise God.

As we worship the Lord this day, let us resolve to fully give our attention to that effort. Let us determine to bless Him above all others. Let praise so flow from our emotional being, our spiritual being, our intellectual being, and our physical being, so that all who cross our pathway may see that God is our strength and our shield. Come, dear ones, let us worship God!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, May 30, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Not Self-pleasers

 

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.”

—Romans 15:1

We who follow Christ have a unique perspective on life. While all around us our culture has become more and more self-centered, reactionary, lacking in civility, and downright mean, we “Christ’s-ones” must focus our most positive and loving attention on others, instead of on ourselves.

Our culture has created generation after generation of self-pleasers. But, we who strive to walk in the footsteps of our Savior must learn to constantly deny our own selfish needs and wants and, instead, put others first. The Apostle Paul wrote about this very topic in Romans 15:1-3:

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

If our Lord and King was willing to bear the insults hurled at Him, and if He has instructed us to do likewise, as His followers can we not learn to set aside our own selfish desires and focus on extending His love to those in need around us? I believe we can and we must. We must allow the Holy Spirit to transform the focus of our lives, turning the spotlight from ourselves and shining the Light of Christ’s Presence within us on others.

Let us submit our selfish wills to God this day. Let us turn our hearts, filled with our Savior’s love, toward those in need around us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, May 27, 20166

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Freedom to Serve

 

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.”

—Galatians 5:13a

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been set free from the power of sin and death. But, this freedom has been given to us by our loving God for a purpose.

Our freedom in Christ is not an indulgent freedom that allows us to behave in whatever way we may choose. This freedom was given to us to enable us to serve others without the shackles of sin and death weighing us down. Notice these words of the Apostle Paul found in Galatians 5:13:

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Our freedom has a noble purpose. It enables is to freely serve others with humility and in the power of Christ’s love.

We have shared on this blog many times about our identity in Christ as His bondslaves and stewards of God’s great mysteries (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Through humility that God provides, the Holy Spirit enables us to share humbly what God has done to transform our lives.

Let’s allow this to become a day where our freedom empowers us to serve: a kind word, a thoughtful deed, a tender smile, or a heart open to listen to someone who needs to share the burden that weighs him or her down. How pleased God will be when we use the freedom He has given us to humbly serve others.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, May 26, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Perfectly United

 

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say…”

—1 Corinthians 1:10a

The Body of Christ, the Church, has fractured along many lines over the years. Whether these divisions came about as a result of disagreements over genuine doctrinal issues, or whether they resulted from un-Christian actions of one group of believers against another group of believers, these divisions have weakened the effectiveness of our testimony to the world of God’s mercy, grace, and love.

In my own personal Christian life, I have observed, first hand, the destruction that takes place when a church fracture drives a wedge between believers. The harm done to innocent families who were not directly a part of the split is unconscionable. The Apostle Paul addressed this very issue in 1 Corinthians 1:10:

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Imagine if we could live with one another within the Body of Christ perfectly united. Believers expressing God-breathed love toward one another and allowing that love to smooth the sharpened edges of disagreements would certainly please God.

At the beginning of this new day, let us each one determine to work toward full reconciliation between our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us determine to actively promote unity within our churches to keep Satan from tempting us to argue with one another and thus, cause divisions in the church. We will do well if we concentrate on living and working together perfectly united in Christ our Lord.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

One Mind and One Voice

 

“…so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

—Romans 15:6b

Unity among believers in the Lord Jesus Christ comes as a special gift from God. He does not want the Church filled with disagreeable people. Please take note of these words from the Apostle Paul found in Romans 15:5-6:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As you can see, Paul prayed these words of Benediction for us, asking God to bring unity out of diversity. Yes, the Church—the body of Christ—is made up of a wide variety of people with varying backgrounds and personalities. This diversity is critically important if the members of the Church are to act effectively as God’s ambassadors here on earth. But encircling that diversity is a God-given unity that allows God’s people to have precious unity—one mind and one voice.

Let us open ourselves this day to the unity of mind and voice that God wants to give us, as we relate to our fellow believers. Together, we can move out into a needy world, extending the love of Christ to everyone we meet along the pathway of life. We can speak one unified message of God’s mercy and grace.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}