How High?

 

“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”

—Psalm 119:60

I once asked my dad—who served in the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II—what was the most important thing he learned during his military service. He chuckled and told me, “When a superior officer says, ‘Jump!’ you ask ‘How high?’ on the way up.” That seems so antithetical to the way we live today.

In the late 1960s the mantra was: “Question authority! Do not necessarily obey the rules! If it feels good, do it!” That kind of thinking hardly goes along with the necessary discipline it takes for a highly trained military force to achieve victory in a battle.

Similarly, in the realm of fire protection, we often refer to the fire service as a quasi-military organization. That’s because successful fire departments have purposely adopted the quasi-military command structure, which is characterized by a rigid rank hierarchy of authority, impersonality, and an authoritarian command system.

When a firefighter responds to a fire, he or she does not have the luxury of making decisions alone. The officer in charge of the fire ground issues orders and the firefighters carry out those orders. That helps the firefighters remain safe and enables them to accomplish the task to which they’ve been assigned and for which they have received intense training.

In the realm of “Christ’s-ones,” where we serve as ambassadors of our Great King Jesus, we need to know and understand what God expects of us. He has outlined His instructions in His written Word, the Bible. That’s why we need to read, study, and meditate on His written Word. We must learn His “orders for the day” and respond accordingly. The Psalmist sets a good pattern for us to follow when he writes these words in Psalm 119:60:

I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

That’s how we should respond when we read a particular instruction in the Bible. We should hasten and not delay to do what God asks us to do. In effect, we are asking “How high?” on the way up.

As we begin this day, let’s keep in mind that “Quickly responding to God’s commands helps us become obedient servants.” And, after all, we surely want to be obedient to the God who loves us with His everlasting love and who sent His one and only Son to die in our place.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

What Goes Around ...

 

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

—Psalm 112:5

Lots of people talk about “karma” and superstitiously expect that “What goes around comes around.” While I don’t at all believe in the Eastern religions of Hinduism and Buddhism on which the concept of “karma” is based, I do observe that when people treat others with kindness and generosity, that kindness and generosity seems to flow back in their direction, as well.

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, Lord, and King, we “Christ’s-ones” are enjoined by Scripture to act toward others in the same way that Jesus would act. Because His life on this earth was marked by kindness, generosity, goodness, and holiness—as we are empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit—we should live in that same way toward those who cross the pathway of our lives.

When given the opportunity each day, we should show kindness, generosity, goodness, and holiness to those around us. In so doing, we act in a way that pleases the One to whom we belong. The Psalmist wrote about this very subject in Psalm 112:5:

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

While we should not act towards others expecting a reward to come back in our direction, we should not be surprised that, when we act in a Christ-like way, we will sense how pleased our Lord is with our representation of Him. As we show His unfailing love toward others, I have no doubt that we will receive blessing upon blessing. Not because we worship at a false altar of the so-called “Prosperity Gospel”—but because in acting as Jesus would act, we will please Him.

Let’s energize this day with kindness, generosity, goodness, and holiness wrapped in the exquisite cloth of God’s eternal love. If we do, we will surely sense our King saying, “Well done, faithful steward.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 22, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Welcome the Children

 

“Let the little children come to me…”

—Matthew 19:14a

Genuine hospitality is listed as one of the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. A person to whom God has given this gift has an open heart and an open home. In fact, my dear friend, Karen Burton Mains, wrote a book by that very title dedicated to this subject: Open Heart, Open Home. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend it.

But even Christians who have not received this spiritual gift are enjoined by Scripture to practice hospitality within the framework of the open-hearted love that God has given everyone who belongs to Him. So, when we’re faced with an opportunity to show God’s love by reaching out to someone who needs the warmth of human kindness wrapped in God-breathed love, we should cheerfully respond as Christ would respond.

We need to be particularly sensitive to such needs when they come from children. In our current age, children do not always receive the kind of love that we received when we were growing up. I can remember the church where I attended as a child as a warm and inviting place. We talked often about the “Family of God” and actually lived that way. I certainly felt that the adults in that church cared about me in a very inviting and nurturing way.

We should be mindful of the very words of our Savior, as recorded in Matthew 19:14:

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

We need to be aware of the children who cross the pathway of our lives and also remain very open and welcoming to them. They represent precious lives to whom we can extend hospitality. One never knows how a kind word and a warm smile can make a child feel good about himself or herself.

After all, we are Christ’s ambassadors to people of every age. And, we do well when we share God’s love, especially with children.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 19, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Taking Joy in Obedience

 

“I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.”

—Psalm 119:7

Most of us have experienced the satisfaction of doing a job well. Whether anyone noticed or not, we can have a strong sense of our own value and worth when we complete a task knowing that we did our best.

One of the phrases my mother said to me over and over as I was growing up was “Always do your best.” She drilled into my mind and heart that no matter what I did, I should always strive to do it to the very best of my ability. Those words had a profound influence on my life.

Sometimes, in order to do the very best we can, we need to find out what is expected of us. We need to know the rules and regulations.

When we first begin to learn any task, a part of that learning involves finding out any rules, regulations, standardized procedures, recommended practices, and so forth that might apply to that task. Oh, I know that some people like to just jump in and seize the opportunity to learn as they go. And, there is no doubt that works for some people. Others, like me, want to determine the pitfalls others may have experienced so that I can avoid their mistakes.

I particularly like instruction manuals, rule books, codes and standards, standard operating procedures—anything that will help me do my very best at whatever task I’m working on at the moment.

I suppose you might properly say that I, and people like me, delight in knowing the rules. I actually think that the “jump right in” people also eventually come to delight in the rules. They just prefer to pick up that vital information after they’ve had some time to experiment a bit.

In our walk with God, it helps to know what He expects of us. That is one of the reasons we read the Bible every day. His written Word discloses the information we need in order to become His obedient servants.

The Psalmist clearly understood this when he wrote these words in Psalm 119:7:

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

Here the Psalmist was expressing praise because he had learned how to live by studying and obeying the laws God had given the people of Israel. The Psalmist knew that, in order to do his very best, he had to understand what God expected of him.

Let us begin this day by delighting in God’s written Word. Let’s seek to know more about this God who loves us so much. And, let’s determine how He wants us to live by studying His precepts. If we do, we will be able to join the Psalmist in giving praise to God as we learn His righteous laws.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 18, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Need to Fear

 

“So do not fear, for I am with you…”

—Isaiah 41:10a

I read a news story recently about a man whose decomposing body was found in his car parked just a short distance from his home. Upon entering his house, the police found over 27,000 guns and a couple of tons of ammunition. While the authorities did not find any evidence of foul play that might have led to his death, this man was obviously afraid of something. He had collected enough weapons to outfit a significant army.

Fear is a very powerful force. Our enemy, Satan, uses fear to drive a wedge between us and God. Satan whispers his lies into our innermost ear and tells us that God cannot be trusted to protect us from the problems that may come into our lives. He tells us that when we encounter a problem, God will abandon us. When injury or disease strikes at us, God will not lift His hand to help us.

But, these lies are overcome by the history of God’s actions on behalf of His dearly loved people, as recorded in His written Word, the Bible. Time and time again, God not only lifted His hand to protect His people, but He did so in an extraordinary way. We can be certain of God’s protection.

Yes, we will likely encounter problems in our lives. We may become sick. We may experience injury or even death. But, in every situation, God will reach out and lovingly protect those of us He has called to Himself because He has chosen us to be His children. He loves us and He always cares for us.

The Prophet Isaiah made this declaration to the people of Israel, reporting to them the very words of God Himself. And, this declaration applies to us, as well—for, through the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been grafted in to the bloodline of God’s chosen people. Notice what God says, as recorded in Isaiah 41:10:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

As we begin a new day, we can go out into the world in the full confidence that God will care for us in an extraordinary way. He will protect us. He will keep us safe. He will hold us in the hollow of His mighty hand. “God’s children can move about freely and without fear, knowing that He is always with them.” That’s my key sentence for today. “God’s children can move about freely and without fear, knowing that He is always with them.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 17, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Choosing Faithfulness

 

“I have chosen the way of faithfulness…”

—Psalm 119:30a

The pathway of life seems to have many twists and turns. At almost any point along the road of our lives we may come to a fork. One branch in the road leads off to the left. The other branch leads off to the right. Sometimes another branch leads straight ahead. Occasionally, the road may seem to end with a “U-Turn” sign blocking our way and forcing us to turn around and retrace our steps.

Unless we’ve decided to just skip merrily along the pathway of our lives, unconcerned about taking the correct turn, we must frequently ask ourselves which fork in the road we should take. Such decisions aren’t always easy. Sometimes it seems as if any one of several forks might lead us along a profitable or, at least, an interesting adventure. This is particularly true if we have multiple interests that tug at us.

In my own life as a relatively young child, I had three distinct interests tugging at me that arose in my life almost at the same time: radio broadcasting, fire protection, and Christian ministry. Through a series of circumstances too complicated to simply describe in this blog post, I eventually chose to pursure fire protection engineering as my career.

If we each examine our lives, we will no doubt find similar stories to share. God gave us choices. And, we had to choose to follow a particular branch in the road. Hopefully, we did not experience too many times when we had to backtrack. In fact, in the matter of the most important of choices, we should all continue to strive to be able to agree with the Psalmist when he wrote these words found in Psalm 119:30:

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.

The pathway of obedience to God, no matter where He may lead us, offers the very best of life that we can experience. This day, let’s recommit our lives to following God’s leading. Why? Because: “Following God’s leading allows us to honor Him with our obedience.” That’s my key sentence for this blog post. “Following God’s leading allows us to honor Him with our obedience.” And, after all God has done for us, honoring Him with our obedience should be something we really want to do every day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Giving the Right Answer

 

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

—Matthew 16:16

When you were growing up and a teacher asked your class a question, did you ever hesitate to raise your hand because you weren’t sure you knew the right answer? And, did you ever find one or more of your classmates irritating because, no matter what question the teacher asked, they always raised their hand to answer?

One aspect of the character development of Hermione Granger, the female supporting protagonist in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories is her persistent hand raising. Hermione always knew the answer to every question that one of her professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry might ask the class. The other students sometimes find Hermione quite annoying. But, they also realize that she is very smart, even though she had Muggle parents.

Knowing the right answer—and being able and willing to give that answer—can become important in life, as well as in school. That’s why one of the key turning points in the Gospels occurs when our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, asks His disciples:

“Who do you say that I am?”

The Apostle Peter blurts out an answer that changes the course of history for the followers of Jesus. Peter’s answer is recorded in Matthew 16:15-16:

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God is as important today as it was 2,000 years ago. God sent His Son to die in our place. God cleansed us from the stain of our sins by covering us with the shed blood of Jesus. God wants to make us His children. An important part of that process occurs when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God.

As we move out into another day, let’s remember that the One who loved us enough to die for us is the very Son of God. He is the One who longs to live and rule in our hearts by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let us always be quick to give an answer when someone asks us about Jesus. He is our Savior, Lord, and King. He is the Son of God. He is our Brother and He is the Lover of our souls.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 15, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Shame

 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

—Romans 1:16

A favorite pastime of young people—at least as judged by observation—is to respond to information with which they do not agree by attempting to shame the individual who has expressed the unacceptable opinion. Some adults have picked up this behavior, as well. You can observe this “shaming” by watching any of the popular political pundits comment on various TV shows.

Once someone says something, or does something, prompting an individual or group of individuals to feel that such an opinion or decision is offensive or incorrect, the individual or group turns on the person offering the “unacceptable” opinion and attempts to make statements intended to shame that person into retracting, or significantly modifying, the expressed opinion. And, the emphasis here is clearly on feelings, since facts and factual information appear to play no part in these transactions, whatsoever.

If, for example, someone advances his or her carefully reasoned and scientifically based belief that human activity has virtually no significant negative effect on the long term climate of our planet, that one quickly becomes a target for shaming.

How can that person possibly disagree with such a popularly held opinion—an opinion that has become so very important as a means to redistribute the higher income of the more prosperous nations on earth to those nations less prosperous, and as a means to bring about gigantically transformative political and cultural change? Doesn’t that one realize the harm we prosperous humans have done to the pristine mother earth?

Or, if someone expresses his or her carefully reasoned opinion that people have broken the law by either entering the United States without the proper documentation, or by overstaying the terms of their visas in order to continue to live here, again without the proper documentation, that one might as well gear up for a major shaming.

Doesn’t that one realize that we should welcome all those less fortunate than ourselves? Doesn’t that one understand that the immigration laws are wrong and,therefore, should be disobeyed?

The point is that our nation, our cities, towns, and villages, and even our churches have become places where shame rules so much of what we think, say, and do. We cringe that we might become an object of shame. How very sad for all of us.

As a teenager, I was “goofy” enough with regard to my joy at belonging to Jesus that I carried my bright-red Youth for Christ Bible on the top of my school books. I am keenly aware that carrying that Bible did not make me a better Christian. But, it did help remind me, when I was tempted to be more of a jerk than I usually am, that I was Christ’s representative. I think that Bible helped me refrain from trying to fit in with the very people—my peers—with whom I would never ever really have fit in anyway.

I also learned an important lesson by carrying that Bible every day of high school. I learned that I need not be ashamed of my strong Christian beliefs. By the time I became an adult, I had lost all concern I might have had about whether anyone knew that I was a follower of Jesus. Thus, whenever someone asked me, I openly gave God credit for every bit of the success I enjoyed in my professional career and in my personal life. There were times when being that open about my faith—but never pushy—made others turn away from me. But, my openness also encouraged some other individuals to become more serious about their own faith.

We should never be ashamed of what God has so graciously done for us by saving us from our sins through the birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of His precious Son, Jesus. We should join with the Apostle Paul in declaring, as he did, in Romans 1:16:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

“Believers will strengthen their faith when they decide to have no shame regarding what God has done in their lives.” That’s my key sentence for this blog post. As we step out into a new day, let’s remember whose we are. Let’s determine to never be ashamed of our Christian faith. We don’t need to act obnoxiously. But, we do well when we acknowledge what God has done without any shame. With great joy and full confidence, we can follow in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. Yes: “Believers will strengthen their faith when they decide to have no shame regarding what God has done in their lives.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 12, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Complete in Jesus

 

“…in Christ you have been brought to fullness…”

—Colossians 2:9b

One of the more interesting periods of my life occurred when I moved from Hartford, Connecticut, to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in September of 1976. The move occurred because, well frankly, I have a big mouth. In a meeting at the insurance company where I worked, several executives were trying to decide whether we needed to open an office in Florida. At the time, Florida was under the oversight of our Atlanta Office. The distance from Miami to Atlanta was a healthy 662 miles. Even in the significantly large territory of Texas, it was only 634 miles from our Dallas Office to El Paso. So, if industrial properties in Florida were growing as fast as they appeared to be growing back in 1976, perhaps we really did need to open an office—most likely in the Orlando area.

In this meeting, I made the mistake of suggesting that we send an experienced engineer with managerial experience from the Hartford Home Office to spend some time in the Florida territory and, while there, to evaluate the effectiveness of the long-distance supervision. The next thing I knew, I was watching all my belongings being loaded onto a moving van and I was on my way to Florida!

Ironically, close friends from Hartford had just been transferred by United Technologies Corporation’s Pratt Whitney Aircraft Division to the plant in Palm Beach County, Florida. They had begun to worship at a Plymouth Brethren Assembly, so we joined them. While there, we were introduced to an organization called the “Bible Memory Association” (BMA—now known as Scripture Memory Fellowship). These folks had developed a whole series of Bible memory booklets that would allow children and adults to competitively memorize Scripture verses. The children could earn points to attend a summer Bible camp. The adults could have fun competing with each other, while learning key passages from the Bible.

My wife, Shirley, and I jumped into this new challenge. One of the first set of verses I learned was from Colossians 2:9-10. BMA materials all used the Authorized Version of the Bible—also known as the King James Version. I can still hear the flow of that 17th century English:

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power…”

Suddenly, I was struck by these words of the Apostle Paul: “…ye are complete in him…” Think of that—“complete in him”—complete in Jesus! That’s amazing! Not only has Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, but He has made us complete in Him. Before we walked with Jesus, we were incomplete. We didn’t know it, but a part of us was missing. We were not our true selves. We were not the people God created us to be. We were unfinished, lacking, not whole, incomplete. “In Jesus, believers find genuine completeness.” That’s my thought for us today. “In Jesus, believers find completeness.”

There’s a famous line from the movie Jerry Maguire where Jerry, played by Tom Cruise, in a stark moment of tenderness, professes his love for his wife, played by Renee Zellweger, with the words, “You complete me.” That kind of romantic vulnerability may seem maudlin to many people. But, it is exactly that kind of intense emotional drama that takes place in the hearts and minds of believers when they finally realize that the new life they have in Christ far surpasses anything they may have heretofore experienced. Jesus completes us. We are complete in Him.

The New International Version, which I more often than not prefer for my Scripture reading, states these same verses from Colossians 2:9-10 as follows:

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Jesus completes us. He has brought us to fullness. We did not realize it, perhaps, but we had a vacant place in all four of our human modalities: our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our strenth—or our emotional being, our spiritual being, our intellectual being, and our physical being. Jesus has filled that vacant space in each one of these human modalities and, in so doing, He has brought us to fullness in Him.

As we begin this day, let us banish all sense of lack in our lives. Let us recognize that in Christ we have been brought to fullness. We are, indeed, complete in Him. “In Jesus, believers find completeness.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 11, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Do Not Merely Listen

 

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

—James 1:21-22

In the last few decades of my professional career, I oversaw the education and training of hundreds of fire protection engineers. As Director of Loss Prevention Training at Industrial Risk Insurers—one of the largest Highly Protected Risk (HPR) insurance companies—I had the distinct privilege of watching our team of instructors teach a wide variety of types of individuals who moved through our two-year-long fire protection engineering and loss prevention certification programs. In addition to teaching our own 400+ field engineers, we also offered a one-week course twenty times each year to non-employees. Over the years I was in charge, several thousands of individuals, who came from a wide range of businesses and government, attended those classes.

In observing the differences in the way individuals receive information and apply it to the tasks at hand, I noticed that some people not only listened to what the instructors told them, they readily applied that information during the practical exercises we offered. Since we taught at the largest fire protection training laboratory in the world (at that time), we saw first-hand how people processed the instructions they received. Sometimes, it was quite frustrating to observe someone attentively listening in the classroom, taking notes, even asking thoughtful questions, but who went out into the laboratory and either totally forgot or purposely ignored the instruction they had just received.

One instructor, who had a unique sense of humor, tried an experiment with one such individual. The instructor spoke one-on-one to this person and told him exactly the opposite of what the instructions would normally suggest. Sure enough, when that person went out into the lab, he performed the task very close to the way we would have wanted him to do it. In other words, he ignored the faulty instructions and did it his way—which just happened to be nearly the right way.

I imagine that God watches how we respond to His instruction that we receive through His written Word, the Bible, in much the same way as we did at our training center. He feels pleasure when He sees His dearly loved children responding to His instruction and following the pathway He has provided. He may also look with dismay at those whom He has carefully taught, through His written Word and through the indwelling Holy Spirit, but who discard or ignore His teachings. The Apostle James summed up this kind of behavior in a warning he gave to the people of Israel when he wrote these words in James 1:21-22:

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Listening alone is not enough. Reading God’s written Word is not enough. God expects us to be both hearers of His written Word and doers of His written Word. God wants us to actively pursue His righteousness by following His instructions. He gives these teachings to us for our benefit. The more that our spiritual formation incorporates God’s righteousness into the natural part of our lives, the more we will rest confidently in the fullness of His mercy, grace, and love.

“Obedient children not only listen to God’s instructions, they do what He says.” That’s my thought for you and for me, too, as we begin another day. “Obedient children not only listen to God’s instructions, they do what He says.” That’s a good idea to plant deep within our hearts, not only for this day, but for every day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Reason We Obey God

 

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

—John 15:10

Recently, I overheard a conversation at the drive-thru at McDonald’s. One crew member said to another crew member, “I really couldn’t ever see myself becoming a Christian. Imagine having to obey all those rules? If He even exists, I think God is a really hard task master. He’s even tougher than Roberta!” I can only assume that Roberta was the “stroke-oar” on that particular shift at my favorite eating establishment. I don’t know Roberta, but she sounds like my kind of woman.

The idea that God is a “really hard task master” makes me smile a bit. You see, in the course of my life, I’ve found God to be a loving, caring, compassionate and forgiving “Lover of My Soul.” But, I realize that many people see Christianity through a veil of what they suppose to be insurmountable rules and regulations that no one in his or her right mind would want to try to follow.

The truth is that once a person realizes the great gift that God has given him or her through the birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the great love that God places in the heart of a believer prompts that one to eagerly and obediently follow the pathway God lays out before him or her.

God wants those He loves to bend their frail and faulty human wills to His divine and perfect will. That does take some effort on our part, particularly since we retain the sin nature that we inherited from our parents—all the way back to Adam. But, it is possible to begin to learn, more and more, how to obediently follow God’s direction. “It is not onerous to obediently follow the leading of a loving God.” That’s my thought for this day. In fact, it is a joy to follow the One whom we know is perfect in all He is and all that He does.

Jesus summed up “obedience” in these few words spoken to His disciples—and to us—shortly before His death, as recorded in John 15:10:

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

The entire thrust of John 15 centers on the Greek word “meno.” This word is translated, in both the New Testament and in contemporaneous Greek literature, as “abide,” “remain,” “tarry,” “dwell,” “continue,” “endure,” “stand”—to name just a few. The idea is for us who believe to place our full trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and to believe that He will lead us along the right pathway, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In all humility, I can report that I have walked with God since I was nine years old. Sadly, I have not always done so in complete obedience because I am a horrible, awful, terrible sinner. But, I am a sinner saved by God’s mercy and grace. So, He has often had to nudge me—sometimes rather sharply—back onto the correct path. But, in following that pathway for 66 years, I have learned to experience the joy of obedience—for that very obedience keeps me in abiding fellowship with the God who loves me with His everlasting love.

Let me be so bold as to suggest that instead of a difficult and bone-chilling life, the walk of obedience to God bears so many exciting and wonderful benefits that I must commend it to anyone with the maximum enthusiasm.

Let’s determine this day to abide in Christ, to obey Him, and, thus, to remain in His love. And, let’s remember: “It is not onerous to obediently follow the leading of a loving God.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 9, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

To Bow or Not To Bow?

 

“…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…”

—Philippians 2:10

Just when I think I’ve heard everything, or read everything, or seen everything, I am astonished anew at the folly of some writers on the Internet, or some pundit on television. I realize that the bloggers who may seem crazy to me represent but a microcosm of individuals who would likely read my blog and consider me a nutcase, as well.

Fortunately, I have reached an age where I really don’t care very much what people I don’t know think about me. And, I am increasingly unconcerned about what anyone thinks about me. Why? Because, looking back over my life—something I’ve spent time doing a lot of lately, perhaps too much—I have concluded that people either seem to love me or despise me—no middle ground. Sadly, there are far more who despise me than love me. Frankly, I’m used to that because it has been that way since I was a small child. I comfort myself by insisting to myself that I’m really a kind and compassionate person who the people who despise me largely misunderstand.

Nevertheless, as crazy as I may appear to most, I am at least consistently crazy. But, back to my latest “surprise” discovery on the Internet.

In researching how I might approach today’s passage of Scripture, I searched for the term “I will not bow my knee.” I did so believing that this phrase was a quote I had heard from one of the many plays I’ve seen or read. While I did not find such a reference within a play, I did stumble across a blog post entitled “This Knee Won’t Bow.”

I do not intend to give any detailed publicity, and especially no honor, to what is clearly an utterly ridiculous misinterpretation of Scripture with regard to the source of the name given to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The author thinks that Joseph and Mary came up with the name “Jesus” on their own. This, of course, completely ignores the fact recorded in Scripture that Joseph was told what to name the Son of God by the angel who visited him.

The blogger also completely misunderstands the role that various heroes of the faith played in the conquering of the land that God gave to His chosen people, Israel. Much of this misunderstanding comes from the common belief that all humans are “God’s children.” I have discussed this very subject many times over the years on this blog. While God indeed did create all humans and, thus, all humans bear the stamp of His image—what theologians call the “Imago Dei”—not all humans are children of God. Read John 1:12 and you will likely understand that only those humans who believe on God’s Son, Jesus, can be called the children of God.

That is not to say that God doesn’t care for all humans. 2 Peter 3:9 clearly indicates that God wishes all to come to Him. And yet, the Scripture also makes clear in Romans 8:29-30 that, before the foundation of the earth, God has chosen those humans that He will claim as His own. If you are reading this and you respond positively to what I am writing, this is a pretty good indication that you are one whom God has chosen to belong to Himself. It doesn’t matter what church you attend, nor what denomination of which you may be a part. That gentle, loving tug on your heart is the Holy Spirit sent by God to claim you as His own.

Okay. But, what about this knee bending business and why does it matter?

Scripture makes it clear that at the end of time on this earth, Jesus will return. The Apostle Paul sheds light on this signal event in several of Paul’s letters. For example, Paul records these words, speaking of Jesus, in Philippians 2:9-11:

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So, the blogger I discovered by accident during my Internet search may actually believe that he won’t bow his knee to Jesus. But, let me assure both you and him that at the return of Jesus to this earth, no one will remain standing. All people on earth will fall to their knees. They will have no control over their minds and bodies in this regard.

In the big picture of things, does this really matter? It matters only to the extent that in our efforts to faithfully represent the Lord Jesus Christ to a needy and dying world, we will likely encounter many individuals who not only don’t believe, but are hostile to the Good News we long to share. This should not surprise us at all.

And, how should we respond? We should extend every possible God-given mercy, grace, and love that we can to such individuals. We are the living representatives of God’s love in this world. We need to think and act in God-breathed love, as empowered to do so by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In reading the paragraphs of the many people who commented on the above mentioned blogger’s post, I was saddened to see many Christians who responded with a harshness that clearly did not display God’s love. While I understand how frustrating the blog post may seem to those of us who believe, by responding in harshness we reinforce all the negative feelings this blogger has toward Christians.

I have Facebook friends who openly declare they do not believe. I am saddened at what they are missing. But, I feel only the deepest love and boundless compassion for them. I would not want to speak harshly to them. I am sure that, if they were to read posts like this one, they may even feel anger toward me. Nevertheless, I am instructed by God’s written Word to respond in gentleness, kindness, compassion, and God-breathed love. And, dear ones, that is very hard for me to do. Remember, I am fundamentally an angry old man.

As we go out into the world this day, let us greet those who cross our pathway with a smile on our face and God-breathed love in our hearts—love that God has placed there because He has redeemed us with the very precious blood of His one and only Son, Jesus. You know: the Jesus before whom, at the end of the age, “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord of all.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 8, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Nothing is Too Hard for God

 

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you…”

—Jeremiah 32:17

Have you ever faced a task that, no matter how hard you tried, you simply could not overcome the obstacles placed in front of you? Maybe you had to learn a foreign language. But, no matter how many vocabulary words, noun forms, and verb forms you tried to memorize, the most Spanish you could ever seem to learn was “El burro sabe mas que Jorge.”

Or, maybe the task was a physical one. I could stand and watch countless young men in high school gym class easily vault over the pommel horse. I would mentally prepare myself, run down the lane of mats, grab the pommels, and slam my body full force into the horse. I never came even close to getting over the top of my leather nemesis, let alone clear it with grace and style.

I can still hear a small child wailing in the preschool classroom while the teacher patiently tried to help this little one learn how to read. “It’s just too hard!” the child sobbed. “It’s just too hard.”

It’s good to know that we believers have a loving Father for whom nothing is too hard. He is, after all, God. Nothing is too hard for Him.

The Prophet Jeremiah was instructed by God to buy a piece of land. It seemed to Jeremiah that this was one of the silliest things that God had ever asked him to do. After all, war was afoot. In hours, the enemy would overrun the land. What possible difference would it make who owned this particular piece of land. Nevertheless, Jeremiah was obedient and did exactly as God asked him to do. Then, Jeremiah took a moment to pray. Here’s how Jeremiah’s prayer began, as recorded in Jeremiah 32:17:

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you…”

Jeremiah was nobody’s fool. He knew that as silly as God’s request seemed to him, he was not God. God alone was God. And, Jeremiah knew that God was all powerful. There was nothing that God could not do. Nothing was too hard for God, and this fact remains true today.

This is something we should remember today and every day. No matter what task may pop up in front of us, no matter what problem, or difficulty, or hardship, or heartache may intrude on our lives, nothing is too hard for the God who loves us with His everlasting love. He will empower us “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” The Holy Spirit will help us. And, nothing will be too hard for us, as well.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 5, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Partners in the Good News

 

“I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel…”

—Philippians 1:4b-5

One of the joys of belonging to God through the birth, life, sacrificial death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven of the Lord Jesus Christ, comes from the relationship that God has forged between those He loves. God has constructed His Body, the Church, as an instrument of His mercy, grace, and love in this sin-darkened and needy world.

As believers, we work in partnership with the Holy Spirit to accomplish the work that God has given us to do. This partnership is absolutely essential. Why? Because God has given each of us at least one spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit to enable us to do our part in proclaiming the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ—the Gospel.

The Body of Christ can only work effectively when every person yields to God’s perfect will and allows the gift that He has given each of us to work in concert with the gifts He has given all the other believers in a given setting. Thus, without a spirit of cooperation between believers, the Church cannot work as effectively as God desires it to do so.

Not only is the mutual submission to one another, in employing the amalgam of our spiritual gifts to function together, important for the good of the Kingdom of God, it is also of inestimable value for us, as well. In fact, working together and allowing God to use our gifts to support, encourage, facilitate, and activate one another, actually brings us great joy. Please take note of what the Apostle Paul wrote to his brothers and sisters in Christ gathered in the church at Philippi, as recorded in Philippians 1:3-6:

I thank my God every time I remember you.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

“God enables His people to serve the will of His Kingdom by giving them spiritual gifts that He wants them to use in concert with each other.” That’s my key sentence for this blog post.

The next time you gather with your fellow believers, take a moment to look around the room. Can you identify the spiritual gifts God has given at least some of these dear ones? If so, think about how the gifts God has given them might engage with the spiritual gift He has given you, in order to advance the Good News of salvation through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you have not yet identified your spiritual gift(s), I urge you to make every effort to do so. One very helpful resource that I use in my consulting practice with churches is a little paperback book entitled Discover Your Spiritual Gifts the Network Way written by Bruce L. Bugbee. A graduate of Westmont College and Fuller Theological Seminary, Rev. Bugbee is a former staff member at Willow Creek Community Church. He now works as a consultant to churches in helping to improve leadership.

The Christian life is a partnership. We partner with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We partner with each other, within the circle of our various church fellowships. We partner with a needy world by being salt and light in sharing the Good News that sets men, women, boys, and girls free from the enslaving sin that traps them and keeps them from realizing all that God wants them to experience—the fullness of life itself.

Indeed: “God enables His people to serve the will of His Kingdom by giving them spiritual gifts that He wants them to use in concert with each other.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 4, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Just Call on My Name ...

 

“…your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.”

—Psalm 138:8

Among the list of singer James Taylor’s most famous early hits is a song written in 1971 by Carole King entitled “You’ve Got a Friend.” The first time I heard James sing this classic song, I thought he was singing about Jesus. That may strike you as crazy on my part, but the lyrics reminded me of the many times King David called out to God when David was under attack of his enemies. If you are not familiar with this particular song, you may enjoy watching this video clip:

You must remember, as I’ve shared in various previous blog posts, when I was a kid growing up I was subjected to some very serious physical bullying for a period of five and a half years. There were many times, as I waited to go to sleep, that I prayed to God asking Him to deliver me from my tormentors. Eventually, He answered my prayer in a rather astounding and unpredictable way. But, that’s the subject for another blog post. Suffice it to say that I identified with King David’s cries for help. Here’s just one example encapsulated in a single verse, as recorded in Psalm 138:8:

The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.

It is very true that in times of trouble and distress we can call on God and He will surely help us. His unfailing love and gracious kindness will lift us up out of the miry clay and set our feet on solid ground. No matter what trial you may be facing in your life today, just ask God to help you. He is always listening for your request. He will respond with loving joy. He will send the Holy Spirit to comfort you and assure you of His love and care. And that, dear ones, is just one more reason to start this day with praise and thanksgiving to the God who loves us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 3, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Food for Life

 

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

—Matthew 4:4

I really enjoy eating those foods that I choose to pursue. I say “pursue” because I am basically a pretty picky eater. And yet, when I say that, people often respond, “But, you eat at McDonald’s nearly seven days every week!” I know. It strains credulity, doesn’t it? But, I like McDonald’s. I prefer it to Burger King and Wendy’s, although I occasionally eat at both those establishments. What can I say, I really like a double cheeseburger, two extra slices of cheese, extra onion, no pickles, and a large Diet Coke. And yes, I know the Diet Coke doesn’t seem to fit in with a proper diet either. As a diabetic, I feel I must make some concession.

I should also make clear that I love steak, especially filet mignon. My most favorite restaurant, in the various places where I used to travel, was Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. I also did have the opportunity to have lunch one day at Peter Luger’s Steakhouse in New York City. And, that experience is a once-in-a-lifetime never-to-be-forgotten delight.

We need food to survive. We also choose to eat certain things because, well, we like them. That’s why it is important what we choose to consume insofar as our four human modalities are concerned: our heart, soul, mind, and strength— or our emotional, spiritual, intellectural, and physical modalities. We need to carefully consume only those things that will properly feed our heart, soul, and mind, as well as will feed our strength.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave those of us who follow Him a very wise example when He responded to Satan’s tempting in the wilderness, as recorded in Matthew 4:1-4:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

The food we earnestly seek for our heart, mind, and soul should come from the written Word of God, the Bible. In God’s written Word, we will find God’s clear instruction for holy living. We will learn how God has related to those He loves. We will learn what pleases God and what displeases Him. Frankly, there is no better food than that—and our response should be praise and thanksgiving to the God who loves us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 2, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

God is Patient and Promise-Keeping

 

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

—2 Peter 3:9

Did you ever try to learn something from someone and, no matter how hard you tried to listen carefully and follow directions, you just could not complete the task properly? Frustrating, wasn’t it? I know exactly how you feel. Please let me explain.

My dad was an excellent craftsman. After dropping out of high school in the tenth grade, he had trained and became a journeyman carpenter. In addition, he could maintain his own vehicle. Of course, this was in the days long before electronic ignition, computer-controlled emissions systems, and the other sophisticated automotive engineering of today. He single-handedly built an addition onto our modest home. But, to my dad, I was a complete klutz. I did not seem to have the intuitive sense that guided his craftsman’s hands. I understood how a combustion engine worked. But, I could not properly repair even the most simple problem.

For one thing, I really didn’t like the feeling of grease and oil on my hands. I much preferred something that was quite a bit more pristine. I think that’s why I became enamored of electronics. I could work on a piece of electronic equipment and keep relatively clean. In fact, for the sake of the electronic equipment, it’s obvious that “the cleaner the better.”

One thing about my dad, when he made a promise, he kept that promise. He also had a great deal of patience when he was working on a difficult problem. He did not seem to have quite as much patience with me. But, I’m sure my own lack of patience confused and frustrated my dad and made him more impatient than he would normally be.

No matter how much we may try God’s patience, His love always supercedes any frustration He may feel toward us. He always keeps His promises and He always patiently waits for us to respond to His open and outstretched hands.

Of all of our Lord’s disciples, most likely the Apostle Peter understood more keenly how very patient God was and how much of a “promise keeper” Jesus was, as well. Notice what Peter wrote in his second letter, as recorded in 2 Peter 3:9:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Yes, God keeps His promises. And, He shows infinite patience with those He has called to belong to Himself. We can rejoice this day with the full and sure knowledge that God is a patient God. He is a promise-keeping God. He is a holy God. And, He is a loving God. He is, of course, the very best God we could ever possibly have.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 1, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Encourage Each Other

 

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

—1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

One of the most important sources of encouragement for those who believe in the life-transforming power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ arises from the hope we have in the future. No matter how frustrating this life may seem to be, we know that heaven waits for us. We will spend eternity in the most wonderful possible place. Providing this encouragement to each other, especially when we feel particularly set upon by the difficulties in this world, fulfills an important role that believers play in each other’s’ lives.

The Apostle Paul offered exactly this kind of encouragement to the “Christ’s-ones” gathered in the church at Thessalonica. Notice what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

If we remain alive until the Lord Jesus Christ returns, this is exactly that to which we may look forward. We can take great comfort from these words and derive genuine encouragement from knowing what our ultimate future holds. An old Southern Gospel song sums it up this way:

Heaven, I’m going there glories untold I’ll share;
All of it’s beauty will unfold.
Inside those pearly gates, Jesus and loved ones wait;
This is why I want to go.

Refrain:
I’ll see my father and my mother my sister and my brother,
Praying through all eternity.
But best of all I’ll see my Savior and share His blessed favor,
This is why I want to go.

River of life that flows, sadness unknown I’m told;
All will be glory on that day.
Living and basking in sunlight that shines within,
This is why I want to go.

Refrain:
I’ll see my father and my mother my sister and my brother,
Praying through all eternity.
But best of all I’ll see my Savior and share His blessed favor,
This is why I want to go.

Let’s make every effort to encourage each other this day. After all, we will spend eternity fellowshipping with each other.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, July 29, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Glory in the Whole Church

 

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

—Ephesians 3:20-21

Of late, a debate is raging within the halls of Christianity. It’s certainly not a new discussion. But, once again, it has taken to the forefront. The debate has arisen because of the varied response to certain major changes in the cultural orientation of our society. As our culture has become more accepting of heretofore highly criticized behaviors, sincere Christians find themselves debating over what position they should take on the matter.

Of course, one would hope that civility and kindness would prevail in these discussions. But, sadly, that does not seem to be the case. It reminds me of what it was like growing up in Fundamentalism over seventy years ago.

Instead of being taught that all people who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ belonged to Him, I was taught that theology and especially behavior out-flanked sincere commitment. I was repeatedly warned not to ever consider dating a Roman Catholic girl because that church would force me to convert to Roman Catholicism. Horrors! I was told that I could very well lose my salvation if that happened.

Fortunately, it didn’t take me very long in my adult life—for which I am extremely grateful to God—to meet some dear Roman Catholic folks who had a deep commitment to Christ, a love of Scripture, a zeal for evangelism, and a lifestyle of godliness that put many Fundamentalist believers to shame. While I appreciate the many, many positive influences that Fundamentalism had on my upbringing, and while I will remain eternally grateful for pastors, Sunday School teachers, youth group leaders, and a host of others—especially my parents—who planted seeds of faith deep within my heart, I also recognize now the fear that drove many of the incorrect pronouncements that I heard as a young person.

I do not need to agree with every single point of doctrine to appreciate the wholehearted commitment a fellow believer may have to God, through the Lord Jesus Christ. So much of what we hold dear within our personal understanding of what the Bible means, and what we sincerely believe to be true, comes from our own predispositions and prejudices. That’s not a bad thing, because the Holy Spirit lives within us and He nudges us in the spiritual formation of what we believe and what we hold as “truth.”

The current debate seems to want to make God’s everlasting, unfailing, undying love override an important character of His being, as revealed in Scripture—namely that God is holy. He is a holy God. Holiness marks His being. Yes, love marks His being, as well. The questions seems to be: “Which quality of God’s person—as revealed in His written Word and through the Living Word, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—is the very most important of all?”

I have dear, dear friends on both sides of this debate. I love all of them, respect them, and weep for the fact that they have fallen into a debate that can never be won by either side. Instead, the debate sucks the life out of the witness these sincere believers offer to a dying world—a witness to the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ.

Think about it for just a moment. Which quality of your own personhood is more important? Your high level of intelligence, or your deep caring for others? Your impeccable good taste, or your gorgeous locks of hair?

Do you see how silly the debate is? God is who He is. All of the qualities that He has chosen to reveal to us are of equal importance because they define who He is. And, I have no doubt that God possess many, many more qualities that we could not possibly comprehend with our tiny human pea-brains.

So, do we land on the side of God’s holiness, or the side that emphasizes His love? How about we choose to honor both? Let’s recognize that God is holy and that all sin—every single sin—is terrible in His sight. And, let’s also recognize that God is love and that His love, freely given to those that He chooses to belong to Him, results in the erasure of all the sin that stains these ones He loves, through the shed blood of His precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In closing the third chapter of the Book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul writes a declaration of praise as an example to these “Christ’s-ones” that he has nurtured in their faith. This particular letter actually oozes with the love that Paul feels for these dear ones. He commends them, admonishes them, counsels them, and encourages them. He shares with them some really important, life-altering theology. And, he rejoices in the gains they are making in their walk with God. Then, Paul comes to the end of this third chapter of his letter and closes with these words found in Ephesians 3:20-21:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Instead of debating over which quality of God’s being is the most important, we should embrace the reality that it is God—as He is and who He is—that really matters most of all. It is His divine Presence in and through us, by the power of His Holy Spirit, that determines the pathway of our lives.

Let’s become people who no longer try to bend the curve on the definition of sin. But at the same time, let’s become people who focus our attention on sharing the great love that characterizes the God who loved us enough to make provision through the death of His one and only Son for our redemption. Let us join with the Apostle Paul and experience glory in the Church—the whole Church, the whole Body of Christ. If we do that, we can acknowledge the sins in our own lives and fall to our knees in humble gratitude that our sins have been covered by the precious blood of Jesus.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, July 28, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Surpassing Fame of God

 

“I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love…”

—Psalm 138:2a

Have you ever known a really famous person? It is sometimes interesting to meet such a one and see if his or her actual behavior stands up against the image that his or her fame has created. Please allow me to illustrate my point.

Many years ago, during a Christian radio station annual fund drive, I had the opportunity to meet one of the premier Christian broadcasters. He had been on the air since the late 1940s and was in his mid-70s at the time I met him. He had developed a program that uniquely reached out to young people. And, he had gained popularity and a sterling reputation during the 1950s and 1960s.

At the time I met him in the late 1970s, his program had become quite outdated. But in certain circles in the Midwest and South, he still had quite a following. I think at the time I met him, his program was aired on about 700 radio stations.

I should have learned by that time—having met other well-known individuals—that some famous people actually begin to believe their press releases. This man was no exception. He spoke with a gruff arrogance and did quite a bit of barking orders to the staff of the radio station. “After all,” he said, “I am here to increase the giving to this station. So, let’s get with it!”

Instead of the humble, kind, loving person that I had hoped to meet, he was pompous and rude and even quite nasty. Instead of ministering to the staff and speaking in an encouraging way to the volunteers who had flocked to the little studio to help with this once-a-year event, he ended up causing confusion and more than a little discouragement.

In contrast, the very next year, the guest speaker at the annual radio station banquet—a man whose ministry had engendered even more acclaim than the fellow described above—turned out to be one of the kindest, most helpful individual’s I have ever met. In fact, because of God’s love and grace, he became my spiritual mentor and I now have the privilege—after more than 44 years of friendship—of working as the recording engineer for his Podcast.

“It is good when Christians can find someone who is truly worthy of honor and praise.” That would be my key sentence if this were a sermon instead of a blog post. “It is good when Christians can find someone who is truly worthy of honor and praise.”

King David has more or less set the direction that all of us who believe in the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ should follow. David worshipped God with a sincerity and an intensity that is hard to match. He recognized that in God he had found someone who truly was worthy. In many ways, David devoted himself to worship. At least King David really knew how to write a Psalm of Praise. Notice these words from Psalm 138:2:

I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.

We believers would do well to remember that the God who loves us is worthy of our worship and praise. He should become, more and more, the delight of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We should love God with a deep devotion and look forward to sharing with others what He has done for us.

Let’s begin this day with praise on our lips and a deep love and affection in our heart for the God who loves us and who gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to forgive our sins by dying in our place on that cruel Roman cross of torture and death.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Shielded in Refuge

 

“…he shields all who take refuge in him.”

—Psalm 18:30c

I have acquaintances who served in the early days of the war in Afghanistan. They tell me one of the most frustrating parts of trying to fight in that horribly rocky environment was the caves—literally thousands of caves in which the Taliban could take refuge and from which they could attack our troops. My acquaintances have told me that nothing in their training prepared them for that terrain, or for the frustration caused by those caves. The caves gave the enemy a significant advantage.

I wonder, did you ever try to find a really good hiding place that would shield you from your enemies?

“Wait a minute,” you say. “What makes you think I have the kind of enemies from which I need to take refuge? I’m not that kind of person. Everybody likes me.”

Okay. I understand. Of course you wouldn’t have any enemies like that. I forgot that you’re not like me. You’re a “normal” person. Please let me explain:

In late elementary school, all thourgh the three years of junior high school, and during my first year of high school, I often had to find someplace to hide from my enemies. I was mercilessly bullied by a group of boys who hated the very ground on which I walked. Why did they hate me so much? I never really knew for certain. But, later on, during required therapy for Psychology majors in college, I got a sense that they probably didn’t like me because, well, I was different—very different.

I literally hated organized sports. Oh, I played a little pick up baseball and basketball in elementary school. But, I was never any good at it. Even as an adult, on a church softball team, I played right field. Anyone who knows anything at all about sports knows what that means.

I also did not have the “normal” interests of boys my age. I didn’t like roughhousing. I didn’t like working on cars. I didn’t like telling dirty stories, and I didn’t like the host of other activities that went along with the juvenile harassment of girls.

Instead, I liked radio broadcasting, electrical wiring, sound systems, strategy games, magic tricks, fire protection, and reading. I spent an enormous amount of my time reading. I read every book about radio broadcasting and fire protection on which I could get my hands. I devoured Dewey decimal 621.384—the books on radio broadcasting—so much so that it eventually called my reading habits to the attention a school teacher who also worked at the radio station and invited me to visit him there.

I also had the “curse” of usually understanding the things the teachers were trying to teach us well before the other kids in my classes. Because I was a verbal person, I very likely, though unintentionally and without malice, flaunted my knowledge far too quickly. And, thus, I earned the hatred of most of the boys and many of the girls in my classes.

I carried my bright red Youth for Christ Bible on top of my books and met with a few other students for prayer before school once a week. Like I said, I was “different.”

A group of boys began to wait for me at lunch time and after school to give me a beating. Those beatings went on day after day, month after month, year after year. So, you see, I had enemies from which I needed to find a place of refuge. And, I found some really good ones. For example, at the end of the school day, I had to figure out a way to get from my last class, out of the school, across the street, up the hill, and arrive at the city bus stop without getting waylaid by my enemies who waited to beat me up.

Day after day, I would try to find a route that would get me to the bus stop without falling into the trap my enemies had set for me. I eventually found a way down into the basement of the school through a normally unused passageway—a place where students were not supposed to know about, let alone have permission to explore. This passageway led through a tunnel to an entrance that was only used to bring heavy pieces of equipment into the boiler room.

From the exit of that tunnel, I could go through a couple of back yards and reach the next closest city bus stop. If I was fast enough and careful enough, I could get on the bus, find a seat in the back, and crouch down, so my tormentors waiting for me on the sidewalk near the normal bus stop would not see me as the city bus passed them by.

You see, they all rode the school-provided buses, since they lived outside the city limits. So, they never rode the city bus, which I had to ride since I lived inside the city limits. And, if my circuitous pathway worked successfully, for one more day I had escaped a beating. I actually used that route for months and months until, one day, I found that someone had put a chain and padlock on the exit door. So, I had to find another place of refuge. And, of course, I did.

In Psalm 18:30, King David expresses his overwhelming joy at knowing that he had found the ultimate place of refuge from all his enemies. Notice what he wrote:

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.

That’s it! That’s the answer! God is the One who shields His beloved children. He provides a safe place for all who take refuge in Him. He protects us and keeps us and makes us invisible to our enemies.

Each day, when we go out into a hostile world, God gives us a shield of His mercy, grace, and love to keep us safe in the territory held by our enemy, the devil. He also enables us to speak truth against Satan’s lies. And, He gives us the ability to represent Him well to a needy and dying world. Let us rejoice this day that God is our refuge. As Psalm 46:1 declares:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

That, dear ones, is really, really good news!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2016

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}