Why is Jesus So Important?

 

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…”

—Ephesians 1:7

Nearly forty-six years ago, I had the privilege of anchoring a call-in program during the annual Share-a-thon to help raise the yearly operating budget for a Christian radio station. The purpose of this program was to answer Bible questions that people might have. We received a significant number of calls during the four hours of this program’s duration. Please let me narrate an experience that occurred during this broadcast:

One caller wanted to know why we Christians placed such importance on Jesus. My co-host seemed a bit startled by the caller’s question. He looked at me. We muted our microphones and he said: “Don’t most people realize that Christians are ‘Christ’s-ones’ and that Jesus is what Christianity is all about?”

I was not as surprised as my co-host. I had grown up in a very tightly knit Evangelical Christian church. We were taught, from my earliest recollection, that most people in the world do not understand how important Jesus is.

In trying to answer this caller’s question, I asked her if she happened to have a Bible. Surprisingly she did. I helped her find Ephesians 1. I then explained to her that this was a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the new Christians who had gathered in a house church in the city of Ephesus. I told her that Paul intended to write a letter of encouragement and also to do a bit of teaching through this particular correspondence. I asked her to read me the first few verses of Ephesians 1. We talked a bit about each verse. Then we got to what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:7:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…

After the caller had read the verse, without any prompting from me, she said, “Oh! I see it now! Jesus is so important because He’s the Savior.” And, she was right.

As we begin another new day, let’s not forget to whom we belong—that is to say “whose we are.” We belong to Jesus. He is our Savior and the Savior of all mankind. The shedding of His blood redeemed us. We need to keep our thoughts about Him in the most central place of our minds and hearts. After all, He died for us, He rose for us, He ascended for us, and He intercedes for us. Jesus is, indeed, the most important person in our lives.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, July 31, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

—Hebrews 12:1-2

Years ago, I heard a comedian deliver this bit:

“You know everyone’s an expert. They all know better than you do what you should be doing. For example, one guy at work told me to keep my shoulder to the wheel. Another guy told me to keep my nose to the grindstone. Yet another guy told me to keep my ear to the ground. So, I’m gonna keep my shoulder to the wheel, my nose to the grindstone, my ear to the ground—and I’m gonna try to work in that position?”

One of the things that we learn quite quickly in this life is the fact that not all advice carries the same weight. And, that’s a good thing. But, in the realm of advice for daily living, the writer of the letter to the Hebrew Christians scattered across the then-known world shared a very important word of advice, found in Hebrews 12:1-2:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If we want to succeed in the Christian life, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. We need to read our Bibles and learn everything about the way He thought and the way He acted. We need to learn what He felt was important. We need to follow His example. As we run our race in this life, we need to keep our eyes on our Lord, Savior, and King.

That’s not only good advice for today. It’s good advice for every day. Maybe, just maybe, we should follow it.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, July 28, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Startling News

 

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

—Matthew 20:17-19

“What would you do differently, if you knew the day and the hour you would die?”

The speaker at a conference of adult training and education professionals began his presentation in a very startling way. His topic was how to set realistic goals, develop the enabling objectives, and plot the strategies that would bring one’s goals to fruition. But with his very first question, he certainly got the attention of the audience. The speaker then called on members of the audience to respond to his question.

“I wouldn’t want to know,” one lady commented. “All I would do is focus on the inevitable. I think it would demoralize me completely.” Several others offered similar comments. Then one bald-headed man stood up and began to speak.

“I don’t know the day and the hour when I will die. But, I have incurable cancer. I’ve been given three to six months to live. I’ve decided I’m going to press on and live whatever time I have left to the fullest.”

Now, imagine if you were one of Jesus’ disciples. Over three-and-a-half years you have formed a bond that few could imagine. Then one day, Jesus takes you aside and gives you startling news. Please allow me to have Matthew tell this story in his own words, as recorded in Matthew 20:17-19:

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

Did I say “startling news”? Yes! Very startling news, indeed.

Many thought that Jesus would ultimately be the conquering Messiah, who would overthrow the Roman government and bring true peace to the land of Palestine. But, this was not to be. This King would become a sacrificial lamb to pay the price of the sins of the world—everyone who had ever lived and who ever would live.

As we begin this new day, let’s think about how we might handle this kind of startling news. The truth is until we hear such news about ourselves, most of us don’t really know how we would react. Please allow me to offer this illustration:

Eight years ago, my dearly loved sister-in-law, who had been fighting multiple myeloma for well over a year and had been in remission for more than six months, received word that this dreaded cancer of the blood was back with a vengeance. There were a few more chemical therapies the doctors might try. But, after six weeks or so, the doctors told her to go home, rest, and prepare to die. In less than a couple of weeks, she had graduated to heaven.

Throughout her treatment, my sister-in-law’s faith in God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, remained strong. While I’m sure she had moments of deep grief, she remained an amazing testimony to the faith that had guided her life.

It’s more than a little sobering to consider such things as one’s imminent death. But, sobering thoughts are not bad things if they help us evaluate our lives.

Let this be a day of evaluation. And, let us cling to the One who loves us more than any other. His plan for our lives is perfect. We can certainly trust Him for that. No matter what tomorrow may hold for us, God will always be our comfort, our strength, our protection, or guide, and our portion. That will sustain us, even in the midst of imminent death.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, July 27, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

What Does Your Heart Say?

 

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

—Psalm 14:1

In Matthew 5:22, Jesus warns His followers against calling others a “wasteland” or, in another translation, a “fool.” Yet, we can hardly live on this earth without observing foolish behavior on the part of others—at least as viewed through our own presuppositions. Even so, King David has penned these words recorded in Psalm 14:1:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Here King David assigns the descriptor “fool” to those who, in their hearts, believe that God does not exist. David, who walked with God and experienced the fullness of God’s richest blessings from his days as a shepherd boy and onward throughout the remainder of his life on earth, grieved over those who did not recognize that hand of God all around them.

For this statement of David’s is not shared with rancor or anger. Rather, David is sad and troubled that, in the face of overwhelming evidence, there are those who do not recognize the astounding Presence of the Almighty God in their lives.

One of our tasks this very day, as ambassadors of God to a troubled and very needy world, is to allow the Holy Spirit to energize all of the very best blessings with which God has flooded our lives. With great joy and with an overwhelming desire to have others come to know the beauty of God’s Presence, we move out into the world as testimonies of His mercy, grace, and amazing love.

Let’s not forget the One to whom we belong—the One who has chosen us before the foundation of the world. And, let us gently and tenderly share our relationship with Him whenever the Holy Spirit prompts us to do so.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Lamb Who Took Our Place

 

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

—Isaiah 53:5-6

Has anyone ever stepped up to help you out of a difficult situation?

One of the amazing things about certain organizations of professionals is the willingness of the members to help each other. Just yesterday, one of the radio station chief engineers described a problem he was having with a piece of equipment on a radio engineers’ Facebook page. Within just a few minutes, he had over 20 chief engineers offering possible solutions to the problem.

The same thing happened on a Facebook page for stay-at-home moms. One mom asked a question and soon over 30 moms had offered their advice.

In our spiritual lives, we are all trapped by our sins. We deserve the penalty of eternal death. But God, in His mercy, grace, and love, sent His one and only Son to stand in our place.

The Prophet Isaiah put it this way in Isaiah 53:5-6:

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

As this new day opens up before us, we can move forward having been redeemed from the penalty of sin. Let’s rejoice at this great gift and be especially thankful to God this day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Familiar with Pain

 

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.”

—Isaiah 53:3-4

If you are fortunate, you’ve never had to experience persistent pain—either physical pain or emotional pain. But, statistics indicate that most people, at some time in their lives, will experience pain.

Some pain is tolerable because it brings a good result. The pain of childbirth, for example, usually results in the birth of a healthy baby boy or girl. The joy of receiving this gift from God will often outweigh the relatively short-lived pain associated with the birth of a child.

Other pain comes as a result of surgery to correct some illness or defect. Again, the long term benefit of the surgery usually displaces the memory of the somewhat temporary pain of recovery.

Sadly, in other cases, even with some pain resulting from treatment, the condition cannot be corrected and the individual continues to experience chronic pain. A nagging discomfort can profoundly change the life of someone who heretofore led a more normal life.

Perhaps the worst pain is the emotional pain caused by some situation in one’s life that cannot easily be remedied or corrected. This pain cuts so deeply into one’s soul that nothing can provide relief. Far too many individuals bear the emotional scars of such an unrelenting pain in their lives.

Every human suffers from the pain caused by sin. Because we bear the sin stain of Adam, and because we sin willfully and defiantly ourselves, we bear the pain of that sin.

God in His mercy, grace, and amazing love has forgiven our sins through Christ. But often, the pain that sin has caused in our lives remains. Broken promises, broken marriages, despicable acts of abuse, and many more, all produce pain that proceeds from the consequences of our sins.

When we stop to consider the pain we must bear, we should also consider how painful it was for Jesus to bear our sins on the cross of Calvary. Notice what the Prophet Isaiah says to the people of Judah, as recorded in Isaiah 53:3-4:

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

As we begin another day, even as we deal with the pain we must bear in our lives, let us not lose sight of the greater pain our sin has caused the One who loves us more than we can comprehend. Jesus bore the pain of our sin in obedience to the Father. No matter what burden pain may bring into our lives, the burden that He bore is multiplied many times over. We should remain ever thankful, even in the midst of our own pain, that Christ’s love for us prompted Him to bear the pain that only we should have borne.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, July 24, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Great Exchange

 

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

—2 Corinthians  5:21

Have you ever done something or said something for which you wish you could have a “do over”? Sort of like rewinding a tape recorder, or pressing the restart button on a digital recorder. You could then continue to engage with a completely clean slate.

We all do things and say things we wish we could erase and try again to do it or say it much better. I know I do. I often feel as if I could have handled social situations much better if I could take what I learned in a particular situation and press “restart” and try again by giving much more sensitivity to how I come across in my interactions with others.

If my mistakes in handling interpersonal relationships were isolated incidents, I possibly could feel some slight relief for my ignorance and foolishness. But sadly, I do and say the wrong thing far too often. And, it seems no matter how hard I try to act and react with greater care, I can’t seem to school myself to do and say things in a more appropriate way.

Now, consider how God must feel when He watches us commit sins. The truth is we—every one of us—sin many times every day. The sin nature is so ingrained in us that we often sin without even realizing it until it’s too late. Over and over and over and over again, we sin. We know God hates sin because He is holy. We also know that He has forgiven our sins because of the shed blood of His precious Son, Jesus. Nevertheless, no matter how hard we try, we just can’t stop sinning. Left to our own efforts, we cannot achieve the kind of righteousness that our holy God demands.

Fortunately, God has given us a “reset button.” He has made a great exchange. He has traded the unrighteousness of our sins for the righteousness of His Son. And, the Apostle Paul makes this very clear in 2 Corinthians  5:21:

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

While we cannot achieve righteousness on our own, God has made His sinless and righteous Son to become our very own righteousness. Isn’t that an amazing and wonderful truth?

So today, dear ones, let’s remember to thank God for the unspeakable gift of this righteousness that comes to us through Jesus. We have so much for which we should be thankful. And, having the righteousness of Christ is one of the very best and most important gifts God has given us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, July 21, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

One Mediator

 

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

—1 Timothy 2:5-6

Have you ever had a serious argument with someone and another person stepped in to try to resolve the differences between the two of you? The one who stepped into such a strident conversation has a difficult task. On the one hand, you believe that you are right. Likewise, the other person believes that he or she is right. The job of the one who stepped in is to try to mediate between the two of you and find some common ground of agreement that will settle the score.

That’s exactly what Jesus has done for us. Because God is holy and we are not. Because God has created the order of the universe and we are “order-breakers,” we are at enmity with God. We have sinned against Him. We inherited the sin nature of Adam from our parents. We added to that huge catalog of sins by committing our own acts of disobedience. We have placed ourselves at odds with a holy God.

Jesus comes, sent from God, to redeem us through the shedding of His precious blood. He dies in our place. He rises from the dead. He ascends to heaven. He sits down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty where He makes intercession for us. He mediates between us and God. The Apostle Paul writing to his son-in-the-faith, Timothy, expresses this great truth in 1 Timothy 2:5-6:

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

As we begin a new day, let’s remember that we have an advocate, a mediator who ever intercedes in our behalf. He came to us as a precious gift from a loving God. He abides with us every moment of every day through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. If ever we have a reason to live joyful, fulfilled lives it is because of Jesus—our Savior, Lord, and King.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, July 20, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Glory in the Rock

 

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

—Psalm 62:7

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

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

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

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

At that point in our lives when we recognized what God has done for us through Christ and when we acknowledged Jesus as our Savior and Lord, the sin-filled tomb of our hearts was cleaned thoroughly by the Holy Spirit. God then filled our “inner tomb” with a great outpouring of His mercy, grace, and unfailing love. Next, God sealed the tomb of our hearts with a great stone—a mighty rock. And, that rock is Jesus. He is the guardian of our hearts. He is the stone that cannot be moved. He is the rock of our salvation. This is what King David was talking about when he penned these words found in Psalm 62:7:

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

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

On this new morning, let’s lift our voices in praise to God. Alleluia! Christ is indeed risen! He is risen from the dead! He has won the victory over sin, death, and Satan. And, He has done so on our behalf.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Suffering for the Savior

 

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him…”

—Philippians 1:29

As the warmth of summer begins to surround us more and more, I particularly identify with the photograph for this blog post. It shows some people struggling against snow. I absolutely abhor snow! And yet, I live in the suburbs of a city that consistently wins the Annual Golden Snow Globe Award for the most snowfall in cities of 100,000 population and greater. I obviously didn’t choose to live here because of the snow—did I mention that I hate snow?

Snow is a good representation, at least for me, of suffering. For 25 years, I have been afflicted with profound progressive osteo-arthritis of the knees, hips, and back. I have also suffered the loss of my right leg below the knee due to a chronic infection of my right foot that I fought to save for 19 years. Inside my home, I must walk with a walker. When I go outside my home, I must ride in a powered wheel chair.

Anytime the sidewalk or parking lot is the least bit slippery, I am in big trouble. If I slip and fall, I am unable to get back up on my own. I also have the complication, as a long-term diabetic, that diabetic neuropathy has robbed me of feeling in my remaining left foot. So, I can’t tell when I am slipping until it’s too late to stop my way to the ground. So, I really, really, really hate snow.

The truth is, no matter where we live, no matter what any of our other circumstances may be in life, we will all have to endure some level of suffering. It’s just a part of life. Trouble eventually finds everyone. I wonder, though, if we realize that, as Christians, every bit of suffering we may have to endure is also a very special part of our walk of faith? That’s right! Suffering is a normal part of our walk of faith. Because we belong to God through His Son, Jesus, we will be called upon to suffer for Him. We might as well understand that and even come to celebrate with great joy the opportunity we have to suffer for the one who suffered for us. The Apostle Paul puts it this way in Philippians 1:29:

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him…

So, dear ones, as we step out into the world this day and suffering finds us, let’s determine to receive our suffering as a precious gift from God and allow our suffering to perfect in us the same kind of devotion that Christ had for us when He died on the cross in our behalf. That may not be an easy decision for us to make. But, it’s a very good one—and one we can struggle to enflesh each day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Call to Confession

 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

—1 John 1:9

In celebration of the Bi-Centennial of the United States of America, John W. Peterson and Don Wyrtzen wrote a musical entitled I Love America. Of course, it is true that some of my classically trained musician friends look down their noses at the over 1,000 songs written by Peterson during the span of his life. They consider them “schmaltzy” and not in good taste. Because I really like this particular musical, I guess I’m just a schmaltzy person.

I especially like one song “Jesus is Calling America.” The theme of this song is that Jesus is calling the people of the United States to return to their Judeo/Christian roots, confess their sins—both personal and corporate—and create a new birth of reverence for God in our national discourse. By the way, I’ve included a link to this song at the bottom of this blog post.

In an age of political correctness and a time when all things Christian are disdained by many of the so-called elite in our society, this idea of a spiritual awakening in America seems laughable, even to the most devoted follower of Jesus. But, I am one who still prays every day for a great sweeping revival.

You will note that the idea of being called to Confession is not something that is strange and distant for all Christians. Some more liturgical worship services still have a time of personal and corporate Confession as a part of each regular Worship Service. The church that I attend does so. It is a very meaningful time of self-examination and also of recognition that while we all sin individually and personally, we also sin as a corporate body of people, as well.

The Apostle John well knew the importance of Confession. Notice his words, recorded in 1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus has died for our sins and He has risen from the grave, conquering sin, death, and Satan. He has ascended into heaven to take His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus makes intercession for us, continually presenting the shedding of His blood as the sacrifice that pays the penalty for our sins.

But, we also need to confess our sins for our own sakes. We need to own up to what we have done. We need to take responsibility and recognize that it is only through God’s mercy, love, and great grace that we are redeemed children, who belong to Him.

Let’s remember today to take time to confess what we have done and what we have failed to do. Let’s keep a clear account in our own minds and hearts. Yes, we are already forgiven. But, for our own peace of mind, we need to confess our sins. We will then have clean minds and hearts. We will be ready to serve God in the most effective way possible.

Here’s the song that I referenced above:

 

 

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Very High Price

 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

—Romans 6:23

The motivational speaker intoned from the podium, with the large screen behind him showing various highly desirable items:

“You can have most anything in this life that you might want. But, you have to be willing to pay the price.”

I have thought about that statement a lot over the years. I am not someone who cares very much about the kind of car I drive, or the luxury of the house in which I might live. I’ve never cared at all about expensive clothing. I don’t wear any jewelry, so expensive watches or rings have never appealed to me. I don’t have my hair styled at an expensive salon. I don’t have any desire to own a second home, or a boat, or even a swimming pool at my house. While there is nothing particularly wrong with any of those things by themselves, they are the kinds of things that most people might want to accrue in the course of their lifetime.

There are things that I wish I could own, though. I wish I owned a radio station—and not just any radio station—but one equipped with the finest electronic equipment available. Before I moved to a Senior Living Community, I wished I had a multiple-camera security system, so I could keep watch over my property at all times. I also wished that I had a high wall with an impenetrable gate surrounding my home.

Truthfully, I will never own any of those things because I simply cannot afford to pay the price for them. People who know me will testify that I have spent a good deal of money on electronic recording equipment. I own several very expensive microphones and other digital recording equipment. I have several computers and a fairly impressive home computer network. Somehow, in spite of the fact that I am not at all wealthy, I found the money for those things.

The point I’m making is to simply validate the statement at the beginning of this blog post made in that long ago lecture by the motivational speaker:

“You can have most anything in this life that you might want. But, you have to be willing to pay the price.”

In the spiritual realm there is a well-defined price schedule, too. The Apostle Paul outlined that price schedule in Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From the moment we were born, we inherited the sin nature of Adam passed down to us by our parents. We also began to sin on our own. By the time we reached just a few years old, we had already accumulated quite a long list of sins that can legitimately be charged against us. Those sins, and our Adamic sin nature, extract a very high price and that price is eternal separation from God.

But God, in His mercy, grace, and love, has sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sins. In so doing, Jesus has freed us from the bondage of sin. He has granted us eternal life through the shedding of His precious blood.

If ever there was a reason to begin this day by celebrating, the fact that we are redeemed by Jesus’ blood is just such a reason. So, let’s do just that. Let’s celebrate our salvation by being willing to share this good news with anyone whom God might prompts us share it. That will be a wonderful opportunity this very day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, July 14, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Reaching for the Crown

 

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

—James 1:12

Apart from a visit to Burger King®, most people would never anticipate that someone might give them a crown—not some fake crown or party-favor crown—but a genuine, jewel-encrusted crown of pure gold that has inestimable value. Even so, Christians can eagerly anticipate that day when we will stand before Jesus, He will place just such a crown on our heads, and we will respond by bowing before Him and laying that crown at His feet.

The Apostle James recognized how very important this “crowning day” would be, if Christians were to understand their importance to their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice what he wrote, as recorded in James 1:12:

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

It is possible that this very day some of us will come under attack from the enemy or be forced to endure some other trial in our lives. That’s a normal part of living in a sin-cursed world. But, God will give us the ability to make our way through whatever trial may come through the intervention in our lives by the Holy Spirit.

So, as we begin this new day, let’s grasp tightly to the truth that we will someday receive the crown of life that James talks about. And, it will be a most magnificent crown, indeed. We can use this great hope to fuel our ability to endure whatever may come our way and give glory to God for His faithfulness to us—faithfulness born out of His great love for us.

Then, we can all join with songwriter, Hentry Ostrom, and sing these words: ¹

Jesus may come today,
Glad day! Glad day!
And I would see my Friend;
Dangers and troubles would end
If Jesus should come today.

Refrain: Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?
I'll live for today, nor anxious be,
Jesus my Lord I soon shall see;
Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?

I may go home today,
Glad day! Glad day!
Seemeth I hear their song;
Hail to the radiant throng!
If I should go home today.

Refrain: Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?
I'll live for today, nor anxious be,
Jesus my Lord I soon shall see;
Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?

Why should I anxious be?
Glad day! Glad day!
Lights appear on the shore,
Storms will affright nevermore,
For He is “at hand” today.

Refrain: Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?
I'll live for today, nor anxious be,
Jesus my Lord I soon shall see;
Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?

Faithful I'll be today,
Glad day! Glad day!
And I will freely tell
Why I should love Him so well,
For He is my all today.

Refrain: Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?
I'll live for today, nor anxious be,
Jesus my Lord I soon shall see;
Glad day! Glad day!
Is it the crowning day?

 

______________________

1 Ostrom, Henry and Charles H. Marsh. “Is It the Crowning Day?” Nashville, Tennessee: The Rodeheaver Company—Word Entertainment, 1910 and 1988.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, July 13, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Strength and Power

 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

—Ephesians 6:10-11

Have you ever known a teenager who appeared to feel he was invincible? I use the male pronoun because in most cases this invincibility seems to largely reside with the males of our species. You know the kind of young person I’m talking about. No dare is too daunting. No challenge is too overwhelming. No situation is too fearful.

In fact, such teens, imbued with this sense of invincibility, often get themselves into some really tough scrapes. Sometimes, alcohol or drugs heightens that sense of invincibility and more than one death has resulted from some teen thinking that he could do something that was so fraught with danger that a clearer head of even a really brave person might have avoided it.

In the spiritual world there is a proper sense of invincibility that we can apprehend. But, it doesn’t come from our own sense of personal power or strength. In fact, such spiritual assurance really only appears if we recognize how powerless we are whenever we attempt to rely solely on our own personal resources.

The Apostle Paul concludes his six-chapter letter to the Christians gathered in the church at Ephesus by urging them to follow a very prescriptive solution when faced with spiritual warfare. Take note of Paul’s words, as recorded in Ephesians 6:10-11:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

By putting on the armor that Paul describes in the verses of Scripture that follow this passage, we can possess a supernatural strength and power that will make us invincible to the spiritual enemy of our souls. That should make us feel both comfortable and secure, as we begin another day. Here’s Ephesians 6:13-18:

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

So, let’s heed Paul’s advice and equip ourselves for whatever spiritual battle may come our way. If we do, we will be able to go about whatever task God gives us this day knowing that we are protected by His unmovable grace.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Are Our Leaves Always Green?

 

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

—Jeremiah 17:7-8

I overheard a woman talking to her friend, as she passed near the entrance to the Garden Center of one of the well-known Big Box stores.

“I am an expert—a highly skilled expert—at killing plants!”

Her friend laughed quite heartily, so I guess she was confirming the retort of her companion.

No matter what the color of your thumb, most people can spot healthy vegetation. Even I, who doesn’t know one plant from the other, can spot when a plant that should have green leaves is now all brown with neglect or disease. We can tell the health of living things by the way they look.

Did you know we can tell the spiritual health of someone from how they look spiritually? While we are enjoined by Scripture to never judge, we can examine fruit and sometimes get an idea of how someone’s personal spiritual formation is doing. The Prophet Jeremiah seemed to have this kind of idea in mind when he wrote down these words of God, as recorded in Jeremiah 17:7-8:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

One of the ways we show spiritual health is disclosed by the way we trust God and believe that He has our best interest at heart. So, it makes sense, at the beginning of this new day, to renew our trust in the God who loves us with His everlasting love. As we move through the day, we can look for evidences of His care. He is always at work in our behalf. Sometimes we simply do not see His hand because we do not look carefully enough.

So, let’s be hyper-aware of God’s Presence in our lives and know that He is always opening up the way before us. We do not travel the road of life alone. God the Holy Spirit is our comfort and our guide. We can take great confidence in the truth of that reality.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Craving Spiritual Milk

 

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

—1 Peter 2:2-3

What do you like to eat? Like me—even though I eat at McDonlad’s seven days a week—at heart are you a filet mignon person? Do you prefer chicken? Do you long for liver and onions? Are you a vegetarian? From a physical standpoint, as long as you eat a healthy and balanced diet, it doesn’t really matter very much what you eat.

In the spiritual realm, what we take in as our “spiritual food” matters a great deal. Do we feast on the things of the world all week and then hope a Sunday spiritual brunch from God’s written Word will bring about a healthy spiritual life? Notice these words of advice from the Apostle Peter found in 1 Peter 2:2-3:

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The spiritual milk of God’s precious written Word will keep us nourished properly and allow us the strength to serve God and to serve those He brings across the pathway of our lives. Let’s determine this day to dine at His table and desire the pure spiritual milk. We will be so much more spiritually healthy if we do this.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, July 10, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Well Chosen Fruit

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

—Galatians 5:22-23

I’m not much of a shopper, particularly a grocery shopper. I suppose I developed a slight aversion to grocery shopping because, when I entered 7th grade and no longer came home for lunch each day, my mother went back to full-time work. Part of my new chores under this arrangement was to take a list she had made and complete each week’s grocery shopping. My dad would drop me off at the supermarket and pick me up an hour or so later.

Now I realize that my six years of weekly shopping during those long ago days does not begin to compare to the shopping that many other people do—both men and women, though I suspect that more women, by far, do the grocery shopping than men. Nevertheless, I have successfully avoided grocery shopping for the last 64 years.

I do realize that part of being a good shopper is knowing how to choose the best fruit and vegetables. It takes someone with knowledge-based experience. You can imagine how long it took me, as a 12-year-old boy, to even come close to learning what signs to look for that the fruits and vegetables I was choosing would meet my mom’s high standards.

In our spiritual lives, we also have the opportunity to choose the fruit we will pursue. Fortunately, we have some guidance from the pen of the Apostle Paul. Notice his strong recommendations, as recorded in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

As this new day opens up before us, we have another opportunity to pursue the very best spiritual fruit. Let’s decide, at the very beginning of this day, to choose to pursue the fruit outlined by the Apostle Paul. Fortunately, we don’t have to make this choice alone. The Holy Spirit stands ready to help us. Let’s open our hearts and minds to His leading this very day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, July 7, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Filled with Joy

 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

—Romans 15:13

What fills up our lives? Are we filled with good feelings and positive attitudes? Or, are we bathed in negativity and discouragement, even depression? It’s really quite important to examine ourselves to determine what fills up our lives.

In closing his letter to the Christians gathered at the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul expresses a word of blessing—or benediction—for these dear ones. Paul’s words resonate down through the ages to us today. Notice what he writes in Romans 15:13:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hope is one of the most powerful emotions that we can possess. It is a positive reality and gigantic antidote against a whole laundry list of negative emotions. The source of hope springs forth from the trust that we have in the God who loves us. He is the One who gives us genuine joy and real peace. Out of those two key elements, hope arises within us that will carry us through the struggles and trials that may assail our lives.

As we begin another new day, let’s pray for each other and pronounce this blessing of the Apostle Paul. Let’s ask God to grant those dear to us hearts and minds that are filled with joy, so that hope may rule in their emotions. That would be a very good thing to do this day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, July 6, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

For the Sake of His Name

 

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

—Psalm 23:1-3

Did you ever wonder why God does certain things the way that He does? I have written in this blog many times about the fact that, this side of heaven, we cannot possibly fully know or understand the mind of God. Why? Because God is so far above us in every way, we cannot possibly comprehend Him. And yet, there are certain things we can know about God because He has chosen to reveal them to us in His precious written Word, the Bible.

For example, why does God choose to lead us and guide us along the pathway He has laid out before us? King David offers us an answer in the first few verses of his famous Psalm 23. Here are verses 1 through 3:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Why does God lead us along the right paths? He does so for the sake of His name. You see, God has a reputation that He will always keep securely in mind. He is a loving, faithful God who extends His mercy and grace to those He has called to belong to Himself. Thus, He leads us along the right paths for the sake of His name.

As another day dawns and stretches out before us, we can move confidently into this new day knowing that God will lead us and guide us. He does this because He loves us and because He desires to preserve His reputation. How joyful for us to know that He is always faithful for the sake of His great name.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, July 5, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Proper Clothing

 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

—Colossians 3:12

Have you ever arrived at some planned destination and realized you were woefully underdressed? Or, maybe you went to an event and realized you had misunderstood the nature of the event and found that you were actually overdressed. It’s important when we undertake an activity or attend a special event to have “proper” clothing.

When I first joined the fire department back in 1965, I had to attend a many-week course entitled “The Essentials of Firemanship.” Taught by a New York State certified instructor, this course provided the most basic information that a firefighter needed to have in order to operate at a fire in a safe manner. The first two lessons were all about protective clothing that a firefighter must wear in order to remain safe during fireground operations. In the intervening 58 years, a great many changes have taken place in the nature and extent of the protective clothing that a firefighter must wear.

Before I moved to my current residence at a Senior Living Community, in the basement of my former house, I had a complete set of what firefighters call “turnout gear.” This set of firefighter protective clothing was left over from the now long-ago days when I took fire protection engineering trainees where I worked to the Hartford (CT) Fire Department Training Academy, so they could experience firsthand what firefighters must go through at a working fire. This turnout gear consisted of a coat and pants made from a very special material, boots with an impenetrable sole and protective metal toe cap, a hood made from a fire retardant material, a sturdy helmet with face shield, and protective work gloves. In addition, I had a special flashlight with a very high intensity beam and a Personal Alert Safety System Device that signals a very loud audible tone if I were to fall to the ground and not move for relatively short period of time.

In our spiritual lives, it’s important that we also wear proper spiritual clothing, suitable to the task we have as ambassadors of God’s mercy, love, and grace. Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:12:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

As we begin a new day, let’s make certain we put on the proper “spiritual clothing,” so that we may represent Christ very well all throughout the day. We will truly serve Him properly, if we do so.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 4, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Other Name Has This Power

 

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

—Acts 4:12

In almost every profession there is a name that stands out from all the other names associated with that profession. Whenever that name is mentioned, people take notice.

For example, in the world of fire protection and fire suppression, the name of Lloyd Layman stands out in the annals of modern fire protection history as a ground-breaking researcher. Layman performed tests at the U. S. Coast Guard’s wartime firefighting school at Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland, and later worked with the U. S. Navy and other organizations at a testing facility near San Francisco, California.

These tests conducted by Lloyd Layman proved what scientists had long conjectured: that by producing water droplets of the smallest possible size, thus exposing more surface area to the heat from a fire, a significantly lesser quantity of water could provide more rapid cooling and extinguish a fire with very little residual water damage. Layman’s work revolutionized the fire service and fire protection industry. Modern firefighting fog nozzles and the modern style of automatic sprinkler head grew out of the research that Lloyd Layman conducted. His name has become synonymous with significant advances in fire protection worldwide.

What’s your field of endeavor? Whose name stands out in your field?

If you are involved in radio broadcasting, the name of the late Steve Church of Cleveland, Ohio, stands out as one who, with collaborative research, has produced some of the most far reaching advances in the digitalization of modern radio broadcasting. Along with his business partner and fellow inventor, Frank Foti—who revolutionized digital audio processing—Steve Church formed the company that has become The Telos Alliance, a company that continues to provide radio and television stations with a long list of absolutely superb products that greatly enhance the listenability of broadcast sound.

Every endeavor worthwhile on this earth has some name associated with it that marks that endeavor with special notice. So it is with the Christian faith. But, unlike other endeavors, the name of great power and might of Christianity is the name of the Son of God Himself, the precious name of Jesus. In speaking to a crowd, the Apostle Peter declared the following, as recorded in Acts 4:8-12:

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

No other name has this life-transforming power. No other name creates such love, and also such hatred. Other religions despise the name of Jesus, especially when that name is declared to be the name of the Son of God. And, even more so, the name of Jesus is despised when people consider His own words from John 14:6:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

As we begin this day, let’s remember that the strength and power of our faith rests squarely and securely on the name that is above every name: the wonderful name of Jesus.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, July 3, 2017

_{Copyright © 2023 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}