You Alone

 

“You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.”

—Nehemiah 9:6

One of the happiest days in a toddler’s life comes when he or she can say to mom or day, “I did it myself!” Likewise, when a kindergartener learns how to ride a two-wheeled bike without the training wheels, he or she might also exclaim, “I did it myself!” Even a teenager who takes the car out solo for the first time and returns home triumphant might well say, at least in his or her heart, “I did it myself!” There is something about accomplishing some task without any outside intervention that brings a particularly sweet joy.

On the other side of this coin, men and women become very frustrated when they come to a place where they have to ask for help. In fact, recognizing that they have much that they cannot control seems to drive most of humankind a bit crazy. I suspect that’s why a certain segment of the scientific community is always looking for alternative theories of how our universe was created. They want to try to discern some explanation other than acknowledging that a being far superior to humankind actually created all things.

In offering a prayer of thanksgiving to God, the Prophet Nehemiah does not hesitate to give credit where credit is due. He recognizes that humankind alone can really accomplish very little in the largest scheme of things. Notice this part of his prayer, as recorded in Nehemiah 9:6:

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

This new day, we should not hesitate to acknowledge that God, and God alone, is the creator and sustainer of all things. His love, breathed into us by the Holy Spirit, empowers us to do His will.

When we look around us and consider all the beauty in nature, we should give a word of thanksgiving to God for His creative genius. When we consider our relationships with others and admire certain qualities in the people God has placed in our lives, we should also praise Him for the way He has created these dear ones and given us the privilege of knowing them.

A spirit of genuine thankfulness, a heart full of praise, a mind focused on the greatness of God is the way we should live each day. Let’s joyfully say to God, along with Nehemiah: “You alone are the Lord.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Carried by the Spirit

 

“For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

—2 Peter 1:21

Have you ever begun a task thinking that you had no real idea what you were doing? As you worked at that task, you begin to feel more confident. You continued with the task, brought it to completion, and when you looked back at what you had accomplished you were surprised that you had done so well what you had done. You thought, “How did I ever do that?” Perhaps, you had supernatural help along the way.

When I was studying the subject of “Writing” in college, we writing students were required to write something every day, seven days a week, including during holidays, vacations, and other times when most students got a break. Each piece we wrote was painstakingly edited by whichever writing professor was teaching a particular course.

At first, most of us chaffed against the idea that we had to write something every day. We also had numerous term papers required in our other classes. So, our “writing load” could get quite heavy at times. The only other students who seemed to have an even greater load were the music students who had to practice, practice, practice, and practice some more.

Many times I would sit down at my typewriter—for this was long before the age of the personal computer—and wonder what in the world I was going to write about. Then, as I started to type, some idea would flow out of me from a source that I did not know I even had. It didn’t take long for me to recognize that God was helping me in the way that is unique to Himself. He would give me some idea and then help me develop that idea into a written piece. Eventually, I learned to sit down and say—sometimes out loud—“Okay, God, what are we going to write about today?”

So it was with the prophets. Even when they may have thought they had a particular message they wanted to share, God would always give them His words to speak to the people. If we doubt this, we only need to read the Book of Jonah. The last place in the world that Jonah wanted to go was Nineveh. But God intervened and Jonah ended up in Nineveh. Then, God gave Jonah exactly the message that He wanted Jonah to share. In case you don’t already know how this story ends, I’ll stop and, if you wish, let you read what the Book of Jonah narrates, so you can see what happened next.

The Apostle Peter acknowledges this supernatural intervention of God with these words found in 2 Peter 1:21:

For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Today, as we go out into the world, let us recognize that we do not need to go with a scripted speech to share with others. Yes, we need to daily meditate on God’s written Word and pray for Him to help us. But, when it comes to meeting with the people who cross our pathway in the normal course of life, God will nudge us by the Holy Spirit when we should gently and carefully share a word from Him. And, He will give us exactly what we need to say.

We can take great comfort from knowing that God preserves His written Word through the way He engages with those of us He has called to represent Him to a world that desperately needs to hear what He wants them to hear.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, October 30, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Douse That Blaze

 

“Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.”

—Proverbs 26:20

In my lifetime of work as a fire protection engineer, one of the most important principles I learned very early in my career was how fire actually burns. Fire takes a combustible fuel, sufficient heat to raise that fuel to the temperature where it will begin to give off burnable vapor, enough oxygen to allow the rapid oxidation process to take place, and it takes a chemical chain reaction to sustain the burning.

Fire scientists call these elements—fuel, heat, oxygen, and chain reaction—the Fire Tetrahedron. A tetrahedron is a four-sided figure that looks like a pyramid. If you remove any of the four sides, the entire figure collapses. So it is with the process we call fire. If you remove any of the those four elements—fuel, heat, oxygen, or chain reaction—the fire stops burning.

Fire is one of the most devastating of the phenomena in our world. In a similar manner, gossip is also one of the most devastating of the phenomena in our world. Gossip can destroy reputations, cause heartache, promote ill will, ruin families, damage churches, tear down communities, and cause enormous harm. Notice what King Solomon writes about gossip, as found in Proverbs 26:20:

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

One of the quickest ways to eliminate the source of quarrelling within any social group is to refuse to allow gossip. When someone begins to share a rumor, a wise person can stop the spread of harmful words by demanding factual information solely from first sources and accepting no other reporting of the supposed facts. Furthermore, that wise person can refuse to participate in the spreading of unsubstantiated information.

In dealing with gossip, we should trust no one. Even our closest friends can tell us something about another person that has not been vetted with first sources. If we spread that information without insisting that the veracity of the story be checked against first sources, we fall into the trap of feeding the “fire” of gossip that will sustain a conflict.

Let’s determine this day to lay aside the desire to appear “in the know” by refusing to share information that we have not verified with first sources. And, let’s make certain those “first sources” are truly those who have honest, first-hand information about a situation.

I am sad to report that one of the biggest besetting sins of pastors is the tendency to share false information in order to support their agendas, or to promote their own power within a church. While not all pastors are guilty of this sin, far too many do fall prey to its snare. So, even when the source of information appears to come from someone you would normally deem reliable, be certain that you check with genuine first sources before you make that information your own.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, October 27, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

For The Sake of His Name

 

“Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.”

—Psalm 79:9

Have you ever known someone who had a very powerful name? Maybe you personally knew one of the government leaders in your area. Or, perhaps you knew a religious leader who had a national reputation. You might even have known someone in business or industry whose name evoked a certain positive reaction when mentioned to others. Names can have great power.

The name of God, the name of His precious Son, Jesus, the name of the Holy Spirit—the three persons of the Triune God—have the most power of any names in the universe. All throughout Scripture, whenever a prophet, priest, or king wanted to declare great power, that one spoke in the name of the Triune God. It should not surprise us, then, that in writing a song of great praise, the Psalmist Asaph wrote these words recorded in Psalm 79:9:

Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.

God reaches out in love to us because of the power of His great name. He saves us from our sins because of the power of His great name. He cares for us, grants us His mercy, extends to us His grace and love, comforts us, upholds us, gives us a new pathway of life—all because of the power of His great name.

As we begin a new day, let’s revere the name of the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—by devoting ourselves to loving and serving Him. Let’s show the power of His name in all that we do. Let’s represent Him with great kindness and gentleness to a needy world, in order to bring glory to His great name. And, let’s be very thankful that the power He gives us comes from the power of His great name.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, October 26, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Choked by Worries

 

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.”

—Matthew 13:22

Do you ever let the trials and difficulties of this life get you down? Does it interfere with your relationship with God? Do your concerns keep you from reading God’s written Word and from offering your prayers to Him? If so, you are in a large company of others. From time to time, most of us feel completely weighed down by issues in our lives.

After living 15 years in a house that was designed to our very detailed specifications, my wife and I moved to a senior living community. Moving was quite traumatic. We had to very significantly downsize. As an example, my new home office is one-fourth the size of my old home office. I had to sort through and discard more than 80% of the files, books, and other possessions that I had accumulated over my working life. This was a heart-wrenching experience.

But, the kind of issues I’ve had to deal with of late pale in comparison to a number of friends and acquaintances who are facing major health issues. The word “cancer” used to seem like a distant threat. But now, many people I know are dealing with one form of this insidious disease or another. I continue to pray for God to bring total healing for each one fighting some health issue.

I also observe a number of people in my life, some from the distant past, some from the not-too-distant present, who are in the throes of a divorce, or who have a family member hooked on drugs, or who have lost a loved one to death, or who are experiencing some other traumatic situation. I grieve for these dear ones and pray for God’s mercy to surround them in their time of need.

In every single one of these cases, in addition to the difficulty of the particular circumstances, the people involved have to deal with the worries that naturally flow out of their problems. It is so important for those of us who follow Christ to heed His words found in Matthew 13:22:

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.”

As the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and gives us supernatural ability to face the problems in our lives, we must put aside our worries and focus on taking one step at a time along the pathway that God has laid out for us. Therefore, as we begin a new day, let’s pray for those we know who are struggling with issues in their lives. Let’s also determine to allow the Holy Spirit to lift the burden of worry from our hearts and minds. And, let’s put our faith and trust in the God who never fails us. Let’s allow His love to enfold us in a strong sense of His Presence and His peace.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Restore Us, O Lord

 

“Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.”

—Lamentations 5:21

Just the other day, I saw a video of a Facebook friend crossing the finish line of a 5K run. It was the first one she had ever undertaken. She had trained for several months, developed increasing stamina, and perfected her running technique. She embarked on a special diet that would maintain her weight, while building additional energy-storing muscle mass. She set a goal and accomplished it with dedication and persistence.

In the video, when she crossed the finish line, she wore obvious and well-deserved elation on her face. She knew that she had done something noteworthy. But, she was also covered in perspiration and had obviously pushed herself very hard during this run. Quickly, her husband rushed to her side, put his arm around her, and led her to the sidelines where he had a lawn chair waiting, along with a large umbrella to shield her from the blazing hot summer sun. As she sat down, he handed her a soft towel and a bottle of water.

She drank very slowly in small sips from the bottle. She leaned back in the chair and began to dry her face and arms. Taking deep breaths, she eased back into the reality of a normal pattern of respiration. In a very few minutes, her breathing returned to normal, her perspiration stopped, and, with a smile on her face, she had obviously become somewhat restored. What a testimony to her husband’s love for his wife. He was not only at the race to support her efforts, he had made provision for her restoration.

So it is in our lives as followers of Jesus. God supports us as we serve Him wholeheartedly. He also waits patiently to provide for our restoration when our battle against the forces of evil rages hot and fierce. Please note these words of the Prophet Jeremiah, as recorded in Lamentations 5:21:

Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.

God lovingly waits to restore us. He longs for us to turn to Him and receive everything we need to return us to a normal state of His mercy, grace, and love. He wants us to realize that He is always at our side. He recognizes that, from time to time, we need His loving restoration.

As we begin another new day, let’s remember that no matter how difficult things may become in our lives, God is waiting to restore us. He will bring us back to normal. He will provide whatever we need to renew our ability to re-enter the spiritual battle with vigor and strength.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

God Did This

 

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

—Acts 17:27

Do you ever wonder why certain things happen? Most of us do wonder. We wonder why this tragedy or this triumph happened. We look for motive. We look for a logical reason. We try to figure out what promoted a particular action. Sometimes, we think we understand. Other times, we remain completely baffled. Why did this happen? How could this take place? What prompted this terrible thing, or this glorious thing, to come about?

The Apostle Paul offered the following explanation on the occasion of his speaking to some of the wisest men in the then known world. Paul had gone to Athens to the “Meeting of Wisdom” known as the Areopagus. This was a society of the smartest thinkers of the day, gathering here at the very center of all culture and knowledge. Notice what Scripture shares with us, as Paul speaks to these esteemed intellectuals, as recorded in Acts 17:22-31:

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

As you can see, this was a bold and powerful speech to make to men who considered themselves the very smartest of the smart, the wisest of the wise. They were men who worshipped, with certain fear and trembling, a wide range of gods. One only has to study Greek mythology to get a flavor of the complex belief system that imprisoned these men’s thinking and their lives. The Apostle Paul comes with this logical explanation for all of the unknown and unknowable things that these very smart men feared, as recorded in Acts 17:27:

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

Today, God still promotes His divine Presence in the lives of countless millions of people around the world. He longs for all men, women, boys, and girls to seek Him. Yes, before the foundation of the earth, He chose people to belong to Himself. And, He sends His Holy Spirit to irresistibly draw these ones to the center of His mercy, grace, and love. One of the ways He draws them is through the events that happen around them and in their own lives.

As we begin a new day, let’s listen carefully with our inner ears—the ears of our heart—for the nudging of the Holy Spirit. He will always lead us along the right path. When things happen in our lives that we do not understand, let’s be aware that God may possibly be using these events to draw us even closer to Himself.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, October 23, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Watch Your Mouth!

 

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

—Ephesians 4:29

If you work in an environment where you constantly hear unwholesome language, either outright profanity, or denigrating words spoken about others, it is far too easy to begin to adopt some of that way of talking. The brain remembers the environment. Hearing swear words, dirty jokes, or offensive statements, all prime our brains to believe that such talk is acceptable. In fact, our society today has become quite coarse. Several noted psychologists have written about the effects of the coarsening of our culture. When things formerly, and properly, designated as “evil” or “unacceptable” become common practice, it has a trickle-down effect on the whole of society. This coarsening produces a very gritty, unclean pattern of thoughts that often leads to despicable behaviors.

The Apostle Paul offered these wise words of admonition to the Christians gathered in the Church at Ephesus, as recorded in Ephesians 4:29:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

God wants us to represent Him as those who are holy. While we remain stained by sin, as long as we live here on earth, the Holy Spirit welcomes our invitation to help make us more and more like Jesus. We can apprehend Christ’s righteousness and holiness. If we do, we will represent the One who loves us in a way that will please Him and be used by God to draw others into His loving arms.

As we launch into this new day, let’s sharpen our awareness of how we speak. Do we use profanity? Do we engage in unwholesome conversations? Do we criticize and put others down? Do we create an atmosphere of coarseness around us? If so, let’s stop and reset our attitudes about such language, thoughts, and actions.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, October 20, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Follow the Pathway Set Before Us

 

This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.”

—Amos 5:4-5

Those of you who travel by air frequently have no doubt seen signs in U. S. airports warning of certain international locations where the security of travelers is more likely to be compromised because the airport has not provided adequate protective measures. These signs basically instruct all who read them:

“Don’t Go There!”

Most of us don’t like warnings. We don’t like to be told what to do. In fact, certain Mind Styles™, take every warning as a personal challenge. Those of you who may have heard me share about the work of Dr. Anthony Gregorc and his “Gregorc Mind Styles Delineator™” have listened to me narrate my experience in a shopping mall in suburban Chicago:

Not long before, I had attended a several-day-long seminar conducted by Dr. Gregorc about his work. In that seminar, Dr. Gregorc mentioned that the “Concrete-Random” Mind Style™ does not like to be told what to do. He illustrated this by telling a story about department stores with escalators and parents pushing children in strollers.

So, here I was in just such a department store. I noted that, just as Dr. Gregorc had said, the escalator had a sign that warned parents not to take children in strollers onto the escalator.

As I was reading the sign, along came a very preppy-looking young mother. Unlike many suburban moms, she was dressed as if she was going out for the evening. She paused, looked at the sign, made a disgusted sound, and proceeded to push her child’s stroller onto the escalator.

About half-way up the incline, she began to lose control of the stroller. Because the stroller was one step above her during the ascent, the handle kept pushing her backwards to the point where she nearly lost her balance. I could just imagine her being pushed off her three-inch heels, falling backwards down the escalator and possibly injuring her toddler.

Fortunately, she made it to the top successfully. Surely, I thought to myself, she has learned a valuable lesson. But, no, only a few minutes later, I observed her repeating the same behavior when she again pushed her child’s stroller onto yet another of the escalator’s in the store.

Sometimes in our lives as “Christ’s-ones,” God makes it quite clear that we are not to go down a particular pathway. After all, He has laid out the proper path for us. He does so to keep us safe and on track, able to do His work in this world. If we persist in doing what we want to do, we will find ourselves nearly falling backwards and possibly damaging the lives of those we love. The Prophet Amos warned the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel with these words, found in Amos 5:4-5:

This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.”

Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba were locations where other gods were worshipped. Since the people of Israel had been warned in Exodus 20—what we call the “Ten Commandments”—to have no other gods before them, this warning was especially potent. God was saying:

“Follow the pathway I’ve set before you. Don’t go off in some other direction.”

As we begin a new day, let’s make certain that we stay on the pathway that God has opened up before us, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We know, in our minds and hearts, when we start to veer off that pathway. So, let’s stay on the right course. We will be so much better off if we do.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, October 19, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Seek His Face

 

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

—1 Chronicles 16:11

“One of the things I like about you,” an acquaintance recently told me, “is that when you talk to me you look me straight in the eyes. Very few people do that.”

I was surprised by this statement because I thought everyone knew that, when you talk with someone, making eye contact was one of the most important things you could do. I have no trouble whatsoever making direct eye contact with individuals during a one-on-one conversation. Strangely, where I have some difficulty, owing to my extreme shyness, is making eye contact with people when I’m talking to a group.

Seeking the face, or looking into the eyes, of someone with whom we are engaging in a conversation has a very important benefit. It lets the person know we are listening intently to what he or she is saying and that he or she has our full and undivided attention. In a non-verbal way, it also communicates that the conversation is important and very worthwhile to us.

I learned this lesson from my salesman father. My dad would talk to me about something, stop talking, gently take my chin in his hand and tilt my head so that I was looking directly into his eyes.

“Look at my eyes, Pal,” he would say. “The eyes are the window to the soul. Show me that you’re listening to me and care about what I’m saying.”

One time I asked him how he learned the importance of making eye contact. He told me that he learned this lesson while serving in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. His drill instructor at Parris Island, South Carolina, had insisted that the new recruits learn to look directly into the eyes of everyone with whom they might speak.

In our relationship with the God who loves us, we cannot literally look into His eyes. But, when we communicate with Him, we can still act as if we can see those most beautiful, most fearsome, yet most welcoming eyes. We know that they are eyes of love, for He chose us to belong to Himself before the foundation of the earth.

In writing the Book of Jewish history that we know as 1 Chronicles, the author—believed by many, but not all, biblical scholars to be Ezra—records these words of praise by King David’s appointed worship leader, Asaph, as found in 1 Chronicles 16:11:

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Throughout this new day, let’s follow these words of advice. Let’s look to the Lord in every situation we encounter. Let’s imagine that we are looking directly into God’s eyes. Let’s see His love and, by seeking His divine Presence, let’s move throughout our day with great confidence, knowing that we are His ambassadors to a very troubled and needy world. Let’s represent Him with all gentleness and humility. And, when we engage with others throughout this day, let’s look them straight in the eyes and allow God’s love to shine from our face to theirs.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

All Alone, Just Me

 

“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”

—John 5:30

In 1996, the female recording artist, Celine Dion, released her album Falling Into You. Among the tracks on this album, Ms. Dion included a popular song written by Eric Carmen entitled “All By Myself.” The lyrics read as follows:

When I was young
I never needed anyone.
And making love was just for fun.
Those days are gone.
Livin’ alone,
I think of all the friends I’ve known.
When I dial the telephone
Nobody’s home.

All by myself.
Don’t wanna be
All by myself,
Anymore.

Hard to be sure.
Sometimes I feel so insecure.
And loves, so distant and obscure,
Remains the cure.

All by myself.
Don’t wanna be
All by myself,
Anymore.
All by myself.
Don’t wanna live
All by myself,
Anymore.

When I was young
I never needed anyone.
Making love was just for fun.
Those days are gone.

All by myself.
Don’t wanna be
All by myself
Anymore.

All by myself.
Don’t wanna live—
Oh—Don’t wanna live
By myself, by myself,
Anymore.
By myself,
Anymore.
Oh.

This song rose quickly up the charts and helped cement an already burgeoning career for Ms. Dion. It captured the hearts of millions of people. It expressed a deep longing they felt to be a part of something bigger than themselves. It recognized that “aloneness” extracted an awful price over time.

In contrast, the Lord Jesus Christ responded to critics from the religious leaders of His day, who bristled at the idea that He would call God His Father. In effect, these leaders were questioning the divine authority of the Son of God. Jesus dealt with them firmly, but kindly. He explained, in significant detail, how His authority derived solely from the Father. Then, Jesus concluded this explanation with these words found in John 5:30:

“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”

As believers in the resurrection power of the living Lord Jesus Christ, we “Christ’s-ones,” or Christians, do not and cannot go it alone. We move forward on the pathway that God has laid out for us by means of the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are never, never, never alone. We always exist under the power and authority of the God who loves us with His everlasting love.

As we begin a new day, let’s remember that each one of us is not living “all by myself.” We are part of a great family, the Family of God. We have millions of brothers and sisters in Christ who have our backs. We can face anything that comes our way because we are not facing it alone.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Show Respect

 

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.”

—Leviticus 19:32

I confess to you that I had to suppress a bit of a chuckle when I came across the designated Scripture verse for today. I almost chuckled because I have recently become aware of how much of an “Old Geezer” I have become. To vibrant young people—and by young people, I mean anyone under the age of, say, 60 years old—I appear quite ancient, and more so, physically infirm.

This verse appears in a chapter of the Book of Leviticus that the editors of the particular version of the Bible that I use have entitled “Various Laws.” These were instructions that God gave to His chosen people, the Jews of Israel, to ensure their safety, well-being, and obedience. The laws largely helped these special ones to remain in contact with the God who had lovingly chosen them to represent Him on the earth.

Under the New Covenant—put into place upon the birth, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of God’s precious, one and only Son, Jesus—the Laws of the Old Testament became fulfilled in Christ. We Gentiles were grafted into the line of David. We are also ones whom God has chosen to belong to Himself since before the creation of the world. So, these rules from Leviticus have become fulfilled in us through Christ. However, this does not, in any way, diminish the wisdom contained in these words, including today’s verse found in Leviticus 19:32:

Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

The one element that I have found universally lacking throughout much of my life is embodied in the word “respect.” In some odd way, I am like the character played by the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who often declared, “I don’t get no respect!” Not that I actually believe I am due any respect. I have plenty of reasons why people most likely will not feel respect for me. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see how readily we Geezers are set aside by younger and more vital individuals. We don’t matter—we don’t matter at all. And, I am not so much angered or disappointed by this, as I am amused by it.

When I walk down the street and some young buck struts by looking at me as if to say, “You pathetic and weak old man. Why don’t you just go away somewhere and die?” I chuckle to myself because that youngster has no idea of who I am, or through God’s love and grace what I have accomplished throughout the course of my life. Then, I begin to ask myself how I treated older people when I was a younger man. Did I show them the respect that this verse of Scripture indicates they deserve? Or, did I do the very same thing that is now being done to me?

As we begin a new day, let’s remember to show respect to those older than we are old. In fact, we should heed the instructions that the Apostle Paul gave to his “son in the faith” Timothy, as recorded in 1 Timothy 5:1:

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

As believers in the power of God through Christ, the way we treat each other gives an amazingly sharp testimony to those in the world who are watching us. Let’s remember to extend kindness and respect to everyone—but especially those who are from the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, October 16, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Just Reward

 

God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

—Romans 2:6-7

“If only I can be good enough, I will get into heaven.” Having dropped that statement into a somewhat lengthy conversation, my acquaintance turned and started to quickly walk away.

“Where in the world did you get that idea?” I shouted after him.

“It’s in the Bible,” he replied. “In the Book of Romans.”

I must confess to you that I was flabbergasted. In the Bible? No! It couldn’t be. Not possible. So, of course, as soon as I could, I grabbed my Bible and started to quickly review the content of this most important writing of the Apostle Paul.

The Book of Romans was written to the fledgling Christians gathered at the seat of the Roman government. It was a congregation that Paul had not yet had the opportunity to visit. So, in his letter to them, Paul provided the details of the Christian faith. In so doing, Paul laid the groundwork for all scholars of the written Word of God who would follow him.

Suddenly, as I read through the first chapter and on to the second chapter of the Book of Romans, I came upon these verses found in Romans 2:6-7:

God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Standing alone and without the benefit of context, it does appear that good works play an important part in eternal life. But, as with all Scripture, one must look at the context. The context resides in the latter half of the first chapter of the Book of Romans, where Paul declares:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

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

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.

They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.

Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Picking up from this theme of godlessness, Paul then continues in chapter two of the Book of Romans, thusly:

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” [Note: Here Paul quotes from Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12]

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

For God does not show favoritism.

The main thrust of this featured passage found in Romans 2:6-7, as quoted above, is that God is a rewarder of all who respond to His love by emulating His goodness and righteousness. God does not play “favorites”—He does not show favoritism. There are no “elites” in the Kingdom of God. We are all sinners—saved by the mercy, grace, and love of God, through His precious Son, Jesus, and Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. Good works—said another way, true “godly works”—will flow out of us in response to the love God has shown toward us.

Our good works do not secure our salvation. No, they punctuate our salvation as a natural outgrowth of our response to what the writer of the Book of Hebrews calls: “so great salvation.” (Hebrews 2:3)

As we begin this new day, let’s remember that our desire to do good in the world comes as a response to the goodness of God that He has chosen to pour out on us both freely and in abundance. Having received this great outpouring of God’s mercy, grace, and love, let us strive to share His love with all who cross our pathway—this day and every day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, October 13, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Sabbath Praise

 

“For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.”

—Psalm 92:4

As Christians, we often talk about how our relationship with God should please Him. We speak of giving Him appropriate worship to acknowledge who He is. We talk about expressing our praise to Him for what He has done for us.

Among the many Psalms that give us examples of how to properly worship is Psalm 92. This Psalm was written as a Sabbath Psalm of Praise. The Psalmist has devoted this entire “song” to telling God what He means to His people. Note these words from Psalm 92:4:

For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.

As we begin this day, let’s take the time to worship God for who He is, to praise Him for what He has done for us, and to remember the many times He has shown that His hand is always upon us. We can take great delight in doing this. And, I truly believe that God will take delight in our worship, praise, and thanksgiving, as well.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, October 12, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Stand Up and Praise!

 

“Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.”

—Nehemiah 9:5

The New International Version of the Bible lists 27 occurrences for the words “stand up.” It is amazing how many times those words appear as a call to action.

In the case of today’s Scripture passage, the call comes from the Levites who have appeared before the Israelites that have begun to rebuild the wall of fallen Jerusalem. Their leader, Nehemiah, has called for the people to gather for a time to confess their sins and for the reading from the scrolls of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Nehemiah 9 captures this marvelous time of spiritual revival. And, it is important to note that the first order of business came from the words of the priestly tribe of Levi, when they declared, as recorded in Nehemiah 9:5:

“Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.”

Whenever we approach God, we should begin with praise for who He is. After all, Jesus taught us to pray by beginning with these words:

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed (or worthy of praise) is Thy name.”

Let’s start this new day by worshipping God for who He is. Let’s tell Him how magnificent He is and why we love Him so very much. Knowing that He loves us even more than we have the capacity to love Him back, we can certainly benefit from verbally acknowledging the reality of how truly glorious He is.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Unsearchable Things

 

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

—Jeremiah 33:3

“Why do you read and study so much?” one friend asked another.

“Because I want to be in the know!” came the answer.

That’s the way a lot of us are. We want to be in the know. We want to have the inside information. We want to know everything that’s going on. We want to have the ability to understand what motivates people to do what they do. We don’t like surprises. We’re nosy, or at least that’s how other people view us.

Many people have insatiable curiosity. I’ve shared before on this blog how I have been consumed by wanting to know everything I can about the subjects I care about. I realize that much of what I want to know is not really necessary. But, I can’t seem to stop myself from wanting to know all the details. I’m just a genuinely curious person.

The Prophet Jeremiah was curious, too. He longed to know everything he possibly could about God. And, the relationship Jeremiah had with God gave him insight into the very things he longed to know. That’s why, with great joy, Jeremiah was glad to report these words of God, found in Jeremiah 33:3:

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

God understands our desire to know Him. He recognizes that, in forming a relationship with us, He must reveal Himself to us. And, fortunately for our sake, God longs to do just that and, in fact, He both has and continues to do so.

As we begin a new day, let’s respond to God’s desire for us to know Him. Let’s spend time reading, studying, and meditating on His written Word, the Bible. Let’s spend time talking to Him in prayer. Let’s set aside time to sit quietly in His divine Presence and allow Him to fill our minds and hearts with an intimate knowledge of Himself.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Show Me

 

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

—Psalm 25:4-5

During my ten years as the director of the fire protection engineering training department at the insurance company where I worked for 30 years, I had the opportunity to participate in an in-depth study about the way adults learn. Just as children have a variety of ways that they receive and process factual information, adults also have a more mature version of those same three basic styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.

Some adults prefer to hear about the facts through lectures (auditory). Others prefer to see the facts presented either by reading or demonstration (visual). Still others prefer to learn the facts by physically experiencing through participatory exercises where they can get their hands on equipment to hold and touch objects or perform physical activities (kinesthetic).

Especially where the learning involves some action the learners must eventually take on their own, most adults want a combination of these learning styles, where a knowledgeable individual will show them what they need to learn how to do, explain the basis or background information related to that task, and then give them the opportunity to perform the task themselves. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the Psalmist, King David, would pen these words recorded in Psalm 25:4-5:

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

As believers in God—through His Son, Jesus—we rely on God to instruct us in the ways of holiness. Because He is holy, God wants to imbue us with His righteousness, so that we can become holy, as He is holy. To do this, God needs to show us His ways.

The principal way we learn God’s ways is to study the Bible. God has given us His written Word in order to teach us about Himself and help us apprehend His truth. A significant part of that truth is the revelation of His holiness and the behaviors that flow from that holiness. Once we have apprehended His truth, God then gives us opportunities to put what we’ve learned into practice. He gives us a laboratory in our daily lives, wherein we can apply His truth to the circumstances and flow of our pathway.

As we begin another day, let’s ask God to show us His ways. Then, let’s spend time reading, studying, and meditating on His written Word. The Holy Spirit will take our efforts and give us insight into who God is and how, through Christ, we can become more and more like Him.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, October 9, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Your Love Has Given Me Great Joy!

 

“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”

—Philemon 1:7

One of the greatest compliments one person can give another is embodied in the title for this blog post: “Your love has given me great joy!” Love can heal a broken heart, soothe a troubled brow, comfort a grieving soul, bind up serious wounds, and do so many other significant things.

A great joy of belonging to God through His Son, Jesus, is that other believers can provide a God-breathed love at just the right time in one’s life. They can surround a hurting person with prayer. They can speak words of kindness and refreshment in a way that no other group of people can provide.

Over the course of my life, I have had the privilege of having the love of God’s people encircle me with such amazing kindness that it brings me to tears of gratitude just thinking about those times when it happened. My gratitude for the goodness of these dear fellow believers knows no bounds.

Beginning in 1998, I struggled with a diabetic infection in my right foot that finally resulted in a partial amputation of two toes and a surgical wound that simply would not heal. For more than three years, I had a significant open wound on my right foot.

The people in my church at the time frequently voiced words of encouragement. One of the more significant times came when the elders approached me and asked if they could pray with me and for me, and anoint me with oil. Please let me share that experience with you.

Following the instructions recorded in James 5:13-15, they met with me in a room at the back of the church. They had me sit on a chair in the center of the room. They surrounded me, placed their hands on my shoulders, gently applied anointing oil to my forehead, and prayed like I have never been prayed for before or since.

One of the elders, a young woman in her mid-twenties actually knelt on the floor and placed her hands gently around my right foot, bowed down, placed her forehead against the top of my foot and prayed a prayer of intense supplication, asking God to heal my foot. It was such a moving experience that I can hardly describe it without shedding tears.

Did my foot instantaneously become healed? No. But, that time of prayer was a turning point for me. From that day forward, I approached the issue of my foot with a renewed faith that God would heal my foot. And, eventually after nineteen long years, He did heal it through the skillful surgery of the amputation of my right leg below the knee.

The point I am making is that the love of God’s people has great power to bring deep, inner healing to those who are bathed in that love. That’s why unrestrained, God-breathed love is so important in our lives as “Christ’s-ones.”

The Apostle Paul recognized this and wrote about it in his letter addressed to Philemon, the master of the slave, Onesimus. As he begins his letter to plea for this runaway slave to be received once again by his master, Paul states how important Philemon has been to him with these words, found in Philemon 1:7:

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Imagine what it would be like if we could receive such a commendation from someone. What joy it would bring to us to know that our love, expressed without restraint, had meant so much to someone in need.

As we begin another day, let’s allow God’s love to flow through us and touch the lives of those around us. Let’s become sources of encouragement to the people who cross our pathway. And, let’s remember, with thanksgiving, those who have shown God’s love to us and blessed us with such amazing refreshment.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, October 6, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Arrogance of Riches

 

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

—1 Timothy 6:17

Have you ever met someone who was truly wealthy? I have had the privilege of knowing quite well just one truly wealthy man. Oh, like most of us, I have bumped up against a number of individuals who have become somewhat rich in the course of their lives. Most of these people exhibited an arrogance and pomposity that made them quite annoying to a large number of people. But, this was not the case with the one exceptionally wealthy man who crossed my pathway more than forty-five years ago.

This one individual I knew, who was a millionaire many times over, had been born during the years of the Great Depression. His family struggled, through hard work, to keep their heads above the flood of financial ruin that affected so many people of that era. These second generation immigrants from Scandinavia, who also had a strain of bloodline from Anglo-Irish forebears, struggled but persisted. They raised their only son to work hard, study, and make his own way in the world. Without the advantage of family wealth, this man made many very insightful and successful business deals, starting as a mere boy at age twelve. Please let me narrate that part of his story.

It was during the end of the Great Depression in the United States. In a nearby field, the boy spied a tractor. Broken down and left to virtually rot in the pasture, he approached the nearly broke farmer and asked if he could make a deal. “If I can get that tractor started, may I have it. It seems as if it is no longer of use to you.”

The farmer laughed and told the boy if he could get it started he could have it. So, the boy began a campaign to rehabilitate that wreck of a tractor. He cleared the brush from around the tractor and cleaned off the accumulated dirt and debris. Finding the nameplate, he wrote down the name and address of the manufacturer and noted the model number of the machine.

He then wrote a letter to the factory and asked for a copy of the maintenance manual for the tractor. In due time, he received a copy in the mail with a bill for $2.50. Using money he had earned delivering the weekly newspaper, the boy promptly sent off a money order to the factory. His father had always told him to pay his debts promptly. So, he put this advice into practice. A week later, he received a letter from the factory telling him that since he had paid so promptly, they had decided to make him a registered owner and welcomed him to contact them if he needed any further help troubleshooting his tractor.

The boy devoured the maintenance manual. Soon, he had disassembled the engine and carefully cleaned all the parts. Reassembling the many parts, he carefully followed the instructions regarding lubrication. Then, using some of his newspaper money to purchase a couple of gallons of fuel, he carefully poured the fuel into the engine.

The tractor was a manual crank-to-start model. The boy was not quite strong enough to turn the crank. Thinking about the problem for a few days, he built a force-multiplier device out of spare lumber that would amplify his arm motion. On a particularly cool autumn day, he set up his device and cranked the engine. The tractor coughed and sputtered a few times and then roared to life.

Now that he had the tractor running, he turned his attention to getting it out of the mud that surrounded the machine. With hours of careful digging, the use of some scrap lumber, and some thoughtful calculations on how much of a slope he would have to dig to give the tractor proper footing, he started the machine and drove it out of the mud.

The farmer, who had observed the long summer months the boy had worked getting the tractor refurbished and free from the mud, was amazed. But, he kept his word and gave the old rattle trap of a tractor to the boy. The boy used that tractor for the next six years to haul lumber out of the woods, to tow wagons of hay, to pick up feed for farmers from the mill in town, and a dozen other chores that no other young boy would have been able to accomplish.

The same spirit of dogged determination followed the now young man to college where he worked his way through and obtained his degree. When he entered the business world, he now had a significant number of years of problem solving behind him. Soon, he became his employer’s most valued employee. Over the course of his life, he became well-known for his expertise in developing numerous very successful businesses, which grew his wealth enormously. Yet, he retained a very deeply rooted sense of who he was and from where he had come. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I tell you this story to indicate the kind of individual that becomes wealthy and successful because of his own initiative. But, I purposely left out of the story one of the most important aspects. The young boy was raised in a family devoted to God. That grounding in the Christian faith followed the boy throughout his life.

At all times, he was one of the most humble people I have ever met. If you did not know of his great wealth, you would never have guessed just how wealthy, powerful, and successful he was. And, I have not even told you about his successful military career as a pilot during World War II, which included military service first in the Canadian Air Force and later in the U. S. Army Air Corps, his capture by the Germans, and his escape from captivity.

In contrast with this unique individual, one can find legions of people today who have acquired wealth and make certain you know about it. These kind of individuals were the kind the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote to his son-in-the-faith, as recorded in 1 Timothy 6:17:

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

As we begin this day, whether we are rich or poor, as society judges such things, let’s remember that we belong to the One who created all things and to whom all things belong. As the cherished Sunday School song, written by John W. Peterson in 1948, declares:

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills,
the wealth in every mine;
He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills,
the stars and the sun that shines.
Wonderful riches more than tongue can tell—
He is my Father so they’re mine as well.
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills—
I know that He will care for me.

May God grant each one of us the kind of humble spirit that sets aside any arrogance and focuses our attention on loving the One who first loved us. The One who died for us and Who lives today for all those He has called to Himself.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, October 5, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Food, Drink, and Fine Clothes

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

—Matthew 6:25

In 1975, John Malloy started a near revolution in the business world by writing a book entitled Dress for Success. Hundreds of thousands of businessmen—and a bit later on, businesswomen—devoured this book. Then, they went out and bought all new wardrobes following Malloy’s advice.

Soon, in corporate offices across the land, a whole new sense of business fashion took hold. Some of us were left behind, including grossly overweight me. I had a hard enough time finding clothing that actually fit my odd-shaped frame. Furthermore, I simply did not believe I could afford to spend the kind of money that was required to meet Malloy’s recommendations.

I did have a close friend who came to work at the insurance company where I worked, after he had spent 20 years as a firefighter. He was a very intelligent and very talented man. Growing up relatively poor, he had not had the opportunity to pursue a college degree. But, his high level of common sense, intense interest in reading—even devouring—books, and his rugged handsomeness allowed him to grab onto the ideas put forth in Malloy’s book and make them work exceedingly well for him.

I watched with great pleasure his rise in the company. When he retired fifteen years later, he had become the manager of one of the critically important departments. He always looked the part of a top executive. People were naturally attracted to him. He had a humble spirit that helped engage people and put them at ease. All in all, he validated the advice that Malloy had given.

In the spiritual realm, we do not achieve forward spiritual formation by eating certain foods or wearing certain clothing. God measures us through His eyes of love in a very different way. Note these words of Jesus found in Matthew 6:25:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

As we begin a new day, let’s determine to focus on the inward sense of God’s Presence in our lives. While we should not turn into slobs, we should also not focus on what we eat, drink, or wear. Rather, we should seek to become clothed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the kind of clothing that will dress us for spiritual success.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, October 4, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Always and Ever Content

 

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

—Philippians 4:12

One of our nation’s founders, Benjamin Franklin, is quoted as saying:

“Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.”

This leads to the obvious question: “How ‘rich’ are we?” In other words, how content are we?

Contentment represents a deep peace within all four human modalities: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical. It is not achieved by some false measure. Rather it comes from our certain connection to the God who created us and loves us with His everlasting love. The Apostle Paul stated it well, when he wrote the following in Philippians 4:12:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Through the experiences of our lives—wherein we see the hand of God leading us, protecting us, cheering us onward, and loving us—we find genuine contentment. In our daily life we experience a gift from God lived out in the reality of our existence.

As we begin a new day, let’s remember that, in every situation, God is working out His perfect will in our lives. When we experience times of trial and difficulty, such happenings come to help refine us and to lead us so that we will have a greater dependency on God. When we experience times of great joy, they reinforce the reality of His divine presence. In each situation, God will grant us contentment, if we trust fully in Him. So, let’s do just that throughout this new day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 3, 2017

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Big Animal, Small Space

 

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

—Mark 10:25

“That was the biggest ice cream sundae I’ve ever seen. Why it was as big as a house!”

Have you ever heard someone use hyperbole to describe how greatly important something was. Imagine if you really did have the opportunity to eat an ice cream sundae as big as a house. Could you actually do it? We use hyperbole to make a point. But often that point needs to be made in a way that will startle listeners or readers back to reality. From time to time Jesus did exactly that.

If you’ve read your Bible consistently over the years, you have likely encountered the story that Bible teachers call “The Rich Young Ruler.” That title says it all: he was rich, he was young, and he was a ruler. He had everything going for him that the world had to offer. Let’s pick up the narrative from Mark 10:17-31:

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

So, for the very definition of his existence—he was rich, he was young, and he was a ruler—this man gave up on an opportunity to follow the King of Kings. Why? Because he could not imagine having a new identity. His identity was rooted in the three things that defined him: wealth, vitality, and power. The key truth from this story is found in Mark 10:25:

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Over the years, I’ve heard lots of preachers offer an explanation for these words of Jesus. They’ve talked about a narrow outcropping of rocks in the Judean hillsides that makes it very difficult for a man mounted on a camel to traverse. Such a narrow opening was called “the eye of a needle.” But, I’m inclined to let the simple meaning of Jesus’ words suffice: a camel simply can’t pass through the eye of an actual sewing needle in its natural state. Only through some action that reduces the camel to a liquid, or a supernatural action that changes the fundamental nature of that camel, can the camel make it through the tiny opening at the head of a needle.

Is it absolutely impossible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle? No, Jesus didn’t say it was impossible, just very hard. So it is whenever anything that we believe defines us stands in the way of the surrender of our lives to God. As we begin a new day, let’s not allow anything that we think defines who we are get in the way of our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. Working to avoid any roadblocks in our fellowship with the God who loves us is definitely something that has great advantage and great reward.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, October 2, 2017

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