Completion Follows Obedience

 

“But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

—1 John 2:5-6

Have you ever worked in a situation where your instant and unquestioning response to a direct order spared your life? Some of those situations involve safety on a hazardous job site. We find others in the military, or various para-military organizations, like the fire service or law enforcement.

In 1967, the fire department where I served received a call just past midnight to respond to a fully involved barn fire about three miles from our fire house. Our fire department required the firefighters to first report to the fire house, don their protective equipment, mount the apparatus, and then respond to the location of the fire. This meant that once reaching the scene of the fire, our crews were always ready to go into immediate action with their full protective gear already in place.

On this particular night, we arrived at the farm and found that the barn was, indeed, fully involved in fire. The three-story tall structure had fire showing from every opening. As one of our engine company crews advanced a 2-1/2-inch line to begin an exterior fire attack, suddenly the chief radioed for the crew leader to stop the advance. Responding to his years of training, the crew leader immediately halted the forward movement of his crew.

Almost instantaneously, the main side wall of the barn came crashing to the ground, landing just a few feet in front of where the crew stood. Had the crew leader not immediately obeyed the order from the chief, several firefighters would have been seriously injured, or even killed.

Completion follows obedience—that’s the topic for today. Said in more detail: “Obedience to the instructions of our Savior, brings completeness to the life of a believer.”

When we read some instruction in God’s written Word, the Bible, in the context of the New Testament birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is important that we obey what God commands. Every single instruction is for our benefit. Failure to do what God instructs us to do will place us in danger. We will not experience completion until we first learn obedience.

Sadly, too many religious leaders of our day have developed a pattern of explaining away some of the clearest teachings of our God. They don’t like what they perceive to be the directness, even harshness, of certain commands. So, they attempt to teach that we really don’t understand what the Scripture means. For example, some place an emphasis only on the loving and accepting nature of Jesus. In so doing, they seem to want to put aside, or deny, that God is also holy, cannot tolerate sin, and expects obedience from those whom He has chosen to belong to Himself.

It would be far better if those individuals who are uncomfortable with teachings they don’t like would simply accept the fact that God expects us to live lives that are always lived in tension. Just as a tightrope walker depends on the tension of the tightrope, so we Christians must live in a healthy tension regarding the nature of God. Yes, God is loving, caring, merciful, and gracious. But, He is also a holy God and demands holiness from those who follow Him, which He enables through the divine presence of the Holy Spirit, who lives within each person who believes. Those two qualities, or attributes, of God are often in tension. God’s precious Son embodies these two-fold qualities of God. Speaking of Jesus, the Apostle John makes this claim, as found in 1 John 2:1-6:

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

During the course of this new day, let’s work toward living comfortably in the tension of obedience to all the teachings of our God. When He demands holiness, let’s obediently work toward holiness. When He demands love, acceptance, mercy, and grace, let’s obediently work toward all of those sterling qualities, as well. If we do this, we will become complete in Him. And that, dear ones, is exactly the place where we should reside.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, May 31, 2018

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Close-Sticking Friend

 

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

—Proverbs 18:24

Have you ever had someone in your life that you thought was your friend, but then you discovered that he or she was not really at all reliable—was not really your friend? Most of us have had this experience. King Solomon had a bit of advice to give regarding friendship. That advice is found in Proverbs 18:24:

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Those of us who follow the Lord Jesus Christ have found such a close-sticking friend in Him. He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 13:6). This is such an important concept that numerous authors have penned most excellent prose regarding it.

Among those authors is Oswald Chambers, a great leader in the Christian faith at the turn of the 20th century. Since his death in 1917 from complications due to an appendectomy, Chambers’ writings have become classics among devoted Christians. In what is perhaps his most famous book, My Utmost for His Highest, Chambers writes about this concept of friendship with Christ in a devotional entitled “The Never-Forsaking God”.

As we begin a new day, we should recognize that God has provided “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He also promotes this kind of enduring friendship among believers. We should strive to be that kind of friend to those whom God has brought into our circle of fellow believers. If we do so, we will reap a very significant reward. For such friendship is priceless.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, May 25, 2018

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Proper Administration of Justice

 

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.”

—Zechariah 7:9-10

When two people commit the same crime and one gets away with it while the other is sent to prison, there is something fundamentally wrong with the administration of justice. How we mete out punishment for wrongdoing must be fair, uniform, and done without taking into account the differences in status, wealth, position, or power of the various perpetrators.

It seems every day we get a new “wake up call” regarding how corrupt politics has made our system of justice, not only in our own country, but around the world. Nevertheless, we expect more of our own nation than we expect of other nations. The very foundation of our country rests on the concept of equal justice for all.

In the church, justice must also be delivered in a fair and impartial way. When I use the word “justice” in the context of the church, I’m talking about the fair treatment of all individuals who may gather in a particular church for worship and fellowship. Church leaders dare not tolerate sinful behavior on the part of some people because of their status, wealth, position, or power, while swiftly administering discipline to other people who do not have the same status, wealth, position, or power. Yet almost every day, I hear of some action by a church governing board in some church that has treated people unfairly because the process of church discipline was not handled impartially.

I’ve written several times on this blog about Matthew 18:15-17. These words represent instruction from none other than Jesus Himself. In these few verses, our Lord explains how we are to handle sin in the church. This is the only—absolutely the only—acceptable way for a church governing board, or any other group of believers, to handle sin among the members of a church. And, it’s also the way that individual believers are to handle sin in the lives of those individuals with whom they interact, as well.

The impartial administration of justice is a concept that goes as far back in the history of Judeo-Christian philosophy as possible. Please take note of these words of instruction from God, found in Zechariah 7:9-10:

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.”

As we begin another day, and insofar as we have the opportunity to do so, let’s make certain that we handle sin in our midst properly. We must follow Matthew 18:15-17. And, we should pay attention to Zechariah 7:9-10, as well. If we do this, we will contribute to a major “sea change” in the life of the churches where we attend.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2018

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The God Who Loves Sinners

 

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”

—1 Timothy 1:12

In the course of your life, have you ever encountered someone who listened to what you had to say about the Lord Jesus Christ and what He means to you, but responded by saying:

“I’ve done too many bad things in my life. I’ve made too many mistakes. God could never love me.”

Such a one misses the point entirely. God does not call to Himself people that He deems are perfect or good. To the contrary, God calls those to belong to Himself who often need Him the most. We are, after all, every one of us, sinners. We inherited the sin stain of Adam. And, we continued a pattern of sin from the earliest days of our lives. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to learn of the love God has shown us, we come to Him as sinners. And, we remain sinners as long as we live on this earth—sinners who have been saved by God’s mercy, grace, and love. Even the Apostle Paul—or perhaps I should say, particularly the Apostle Paul—claimed that he was the worst of sinners. Notice how Paul explains this in his letter to Timothy, found in 1 Timothy 1:12-16:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

Whenever God prompts us to share what He has done for us, we must remember that the one to whom we are talking may feel that he or she is unworthy of God’s love. In that gentle, humble, and tender way, as God enables us by the Holy Spirit, be quick to remind that one that God saves sinners. And, sinners are the only ones who can come to God because they know how much they need Him.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2018

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

In God We Trust

In God We Trust

 

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

—Psalm 56:4

On this Memorial Day, a day when we remember, with great honor and respect, those men and women who died during their military service in order to preserve our freedom, I will strive in this blog post to thank them for their supreme sacrifice by both remembering the past and by shining a spotlight on certain changes that have taken place in our society. May God bless those who died, may He bless their families, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

 

---

 

We live in a very odd time. Over the course of my lifetime, I have observed so many changes in people’s attitudes in the United States of America that I can hardly process them. Please let me explain:

As a child in public elementary school—70 years ago—we began each day by standing next to our desks, placing our right hands over our hearts, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. I was in school at the point that two new words were added to the Pledge under President Dwight David Eisenhower’s administration. Those words were inserted between the words “nation” and “indivisible” so the Pledge would now read: “… one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

I now read that some teachers—perhaps far too many teachers—and many school administrators, will no longer permit the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. These teachers and administrators insist: “It forces children to agree to something with which they may not actually agree.”

Whaaaaat? Are you kidding me? If you are a citizen of the United States of America, then this pledge is a sacred oath of allegiance to the country that protects and defends the freedom under which you live your life. How could you possibly want to be a citizen, if you don’t pledge your allegiance? And besides, please ironically notice how absolutely “terrible” the Pledge is:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Now, don’t those words just strike terror in your heart? Of course not! Such a claim by these leftist school officials is absolutely ridiculous!

We also began each day, in the tax-supported public school, with someone reading a portion of a Psalm from the Old Testament of the God’s written Word, the Bible. And, we even recited the Lord’s Prayer. Of course, the Roman Catholic children stopped short of the very end, as the Protestant children pushed on through the final words: “…for Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.”

If we had a Jehovah’s Witness student in our class, that child simply did not participate. He or she stood silently while all the other children recited the opening exercises. No one picked on the J-W child. We respected that child’s freedom to remain respectfully silent.

Likewise, if you were Jewish, while you may have participated in the reading of the Psalm—after all, the Psalms came from the Jewish Scriptures—you refrained from reciting the Lord’s Prayer. As far as I know, none of the Jewish children were harmed, their parents weren’t offended, and the other kids simply accepted with understanding that while most children believed that the Messiah had already come to earth, their Jewish classmates were still waiting for that glorious day to arrive.

In addition, when we studied our currency, we noted the words “In God We Trust” and talked about the symbolism of each element of the one dollar bill. As I tell this series of events from those many years ago, I feel I must append this disclaimer:

“No children were harmed in the carrying out of these daily beginnings to the school day.”

I make this point to illustrate, for those who may be much younger than I am, how far along a downward spiral we have come. Was it a perfect time back then? Of course not. Was it a much simpler time? Apparently so. Have the changes in our national demeanor been positive? In only one way that I can identify: the God-promoted flow of human decency, as evidenced by a calm, naturally occurring racial diversity that reached its peak in the early 2000s, before a dramatic and downward trend during the Obama presidency.

There were so few people of non-Cacausian descent in my hometown that race was never an issue. I never heard derogatory statements about people with different skin color. The only so-called “black” man that I knew personally growing up was one of the most educated men in the entire community.

The Reverend Dr. Thomas James Sadler, Sr. was the pastor of the Copeland African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a gentle man, large in stature, powerful in the pulpit, and an absolute joy to meet with to pray. He and his church supported our Youth for Christ activities. I can still remember kneeling at the altar of one of the participating churches for prayer, asking God to intercede in the lives of the youth in our city, and feeling the loving touch of Dr. Sadler’s strong arm around my shoulders.

I grew up neither fearing people whose skin color was different than mine, nor hating them. I also grew up accepting the reality that some people had a religion that was different than mine. I had classmates who did not attend any church and classmates who attended a wide range of churches and synagogues. But, I knew no one who did not believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I was taught to revere the heroes of the faith from the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament. I remember thinking about how wonderful it would be to one day meet King David in heaven. This man who the Scripture tells us was a man who faithfully obeyed God’s commands. There was no question in what David believed. When David was pursued by the Philistines, he wrote these words found in Psalm 56:4:

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

Yes, our national culture has changed dramatically over the years of my life. But, we who belong to God have every reason to hold fast to King David’s words. Without shame we can say, “In God we trust! We are not afraid! What can mere mortals do to us?”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, May 28, 2018

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Place Where We Belong

 

“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

—Psalm 104

After observing a particularly arrogant man trying to lie his way out of a problem of his own creation, my dad observed to me:

“Now there’s a man who does not know his place.”

Knowing our proper “place” seems like a very good thing. Our place, as believers in the life-transforming power of God’s salvation through the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, is that of sinners saved by grace through faith. We are needy and God lovingly provides for our needs. It is God, who has chosen to give us our proper place. God is always the Creator. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. He is the one who set all creation into motion. He is the one who keeps all creation moving in balance, for He is not only the Creator, He is also the Sustainer.

God is worthy of all glory and praise, simply because of who He is. Therefore, we worship Him because of who He is. And, we praise Him for what He has done. We magnify His name because His name is above every name. The Psalmist gives us an excellent example to follow when he declares the glory of God the Creator-Sustainer in the words of Psalm 104

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.

He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers. The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.

He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening.

How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord.

Let us follow in the steps of the Psalmist and remember to praise the God who loves us with His everlasting love. God, who has chosen to give us our place, is certainly worth of our praise.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, May 28, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Sustaining Grace

 

“Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God…”

—Joel 2:23a

God is always faithful. That fact cannot be denied. To understand that reality, we only need to look at Israel. Time and again, in spite of their unfaithfulness and disobedience, God poured out abundant blessing. Many times, the blessing had to follow a period of discipline during which God’s chosen people had to come to an understanding of where their sinfulness had led them. But, with their confession and repentance, came the forgiveness and blessing of a loving and merciful God. Please read what the Prophet Joel wrote in Joel 2:23-24:

Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

I wonder if we recognize the faithfulness of the God who loves us? Do we take our bounty from Him for granted? Let us spend the next few moments in prayer at the beginning of this day, thanking God for His sustaining grace in our lives.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Better Choice

 

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him…”

—Psalm 103:13a

Most of the time, we somewhat unconsciously sin. I’m not suggesting that we aren’t responsible for our sin. Quite to the contrary. I’m just quite certain that most of the time we sin rather casually and without much concern for what we are doing. In contrast, at least in my own life, I find that not sinning takes a good deal of effort on my part. Yes, the Holy Spirit is right beside us to guide us away from sin and toward righteousness. He speaks to us through our conscience and nudges us in the right direction. But because our natural tendency is to sin, it takes a decided effort on our part to listen to the Holy Spirit and, more so, to obey His leading in our lives.

The Psalmist recognized the importance of consciously acknowledging God’s desire for us to strike out toward the righteous pathway. Please notice what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 103:13-18:

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

Because we “fear” God—in other words, we have undiminished respect for Him—we joyfully receive His mercy, grace, and love. Our response to His love, therefore, should be to redouble our efforts to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit and follow His leading when He tries to move us away from sin and toward righteousness. It’s not that we want to become a “goodie-two-shoes.” No! We want to express our love for God because He first loved us and sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sin.

We express our love through obedience to God’s will and to His written Word. In so doing, we press forward along the path of righteousness that the Holy Spirit lays out before us. We consciously choose to become more like Jesus and less like our own sinful selves. And that is most pleasing to our God.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Sin is Dead

 

“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?”

—Romans 6:1b

I’m not a big fan of professional boxing. But, it’s hard to live in our society and not be at least peripherally aware of this pugilistic sport. Obviously, a most exciting moment occurs when one opponent knocks out the other boxer. In one of my favorite all time television shows, “Sports Night,” the on-air team prepares for the lengthy coverage of a major boxing match. But all their efforts are spoiled when, eight seconds into the first round, the challenger scores a knock-out punch. The match is over. Now the broadcast team must fill a couple of hours of air time by making up commentary and analysis to go along with playing that same eight seconds of video over and over again.

In the “boxing match” of life, we face a dreaded opponent: sin. Our adversary, Satan, has many tricks to try to lure us to abandon what we know is the way of righteousness and pursue a pathway of sin. Fortunately, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, has dealt sin a knock-out punch. The Apostle Paul covers this quite well in Romans 6:1-14:

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

In the “boxing match” of life, in our behalf, God has counted sin “out.” We are “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Because that is the case, it seems wise if we decide to live as if sin was, indeed, dead. Instead of seeking after sin, we should let the Holy Spirit lead us away from sin. When Satan comes to devour us, we should let the Holy Spirit protect us from that roaring lion.

By continually putting our trust in the God who loves us with His everlasting love, we let His life-giving stream of righteousness flow through us and touch the lives of those who cross our pathway. Living in the reality that sin is dead gives us abundant, new, and exciting lives. And, that is certainly worthy of our praise.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, May 22, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Begin the Day with Praise

 

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”

—Psalm 103:1

You’ve likely heard this story:

A woman sat in a psychologist’s office for her individual marriage counseling session. The counselor began the session by asking, “At the beginning of your day, do you wake up grumpy?”

“No,” the woman replied. “I usually let him sleep.”

So it is with many people. They start their morning in a fog of annoyance. One remedy is to wake with conscious praise to God on our lips. Whether or not you wake up in a grumpy mood, starting your day by recalling of all the many blessings God has given you will tend to brighten your mood considerably. The Psalmist understood the value of praise when he wrote these words in Psalm 103:1-5:

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

As we move forward into each new day, let’s begin by praising God for who He is and also for all the many things He has done in our behalf. That is the best possible way to begin our day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, May 21, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Community Enhancement

 

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess”

—Hebrews 10:23a

What does it take to build a community? I’m not thinking about a city, town, or village. I’m thinking more about the community that is supposed to exist within the Body of Christ—the church.

Most of the time, our churches seem to be a gathering of disparate groups of people who just happen to come together once in a while for worship, or possibly, to receive the sacraments. While this type of church has become commonplace in our current culture, I’m not at all certain that such a church is what God intends when His children gather in one place to share the substance of their lives.

The church should be a place where we can laugh with each other, cry with each other, pray for each other, help each other, and generally do those things that would extend the very hospitality of the Lord Jesus Christ to one another in His Name. One of the key elements of building a community is creating an environment of trust. It’s a very hard thing to fashion a singularly safe interpersonal climate, where people who come from a variety of different backgrounds, circumstances, races, and other distinguishing differences can build trusting relationships with each other. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews seemed to understand the importance of building trust within a faith community when he wrote these words in Hebrews 10:23-25:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In our churches, we need to carefully consider how we can build trust with one another. Perhaps we need to start in small groups, where relationships can form over the study of God’s written Word and prayer. Then, as these groups begin to experience a sense of community, it is quite possible that idea of extending the hospitality of Jesus to one another can spread throughout the church.

For once community has spread throughout the church, the Holy Spirit may very well draw others from those outside the church to see the value of such a community of faith. And, wouldn’t that just be grand?

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, May 20, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Transforming Infection

 

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

—1 John 4:11

To learn that we were carrying something horrible within us, such as one of the many variations of cancer, would be frightening news. In contrast, to learn that we carry within us a helpful “infection” that could bring new life, hope, and salvation to a needy and dying world would be spectacularly good news. Notice what the Apostle John writes in 1 John 4:11-17:

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

So, not only do we become carriers of the life-transforming “infection” of God’s love, we actually become like Jesus to a needy world because the Holy Spirit lives within us. What better news could we receive, as we go out into a new day?

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

God Sustains Us

 

“I am he who will sustain you.”

—Isaiah 46:4b

Sometimes, I look at younger people with amazement. Their energy astounds me. Their freedom of movement and bursts of enthusiasm for life makes me smile. From my perch in the catbird’s seat of old age, and with the daily endurance of the aches of an arthritis-laden body, I remember fondly the days, now long ago, when I could bound up and down stairs with ease. But, God has not turned His back on those of us who are in our sunset years. Notice what God has said to His people, as recorded in Isaiah 46:4:

Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

No matter at what age we may find ourselves in this moment, let us launch into this new day with renewed confidence that the God who loves us with His everlasting love will sustain us right up to the very moment that He welcomes us to our heavenly home.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, 18, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

All the Truth

 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel …”

—Romans 1:16a

Many of us attended church during the past week. How many of our pastors only spoke about the kindness of a loving God? I say “only” because it is no longer fashionable to talk about the wholeness of the God who not only abounds with mercy, love, and great grace, but also abhors evil, hates sin, and will mark for eternal damnation all those who turn away from Him and immerse themselves in evil.

After listening to dozens of sermons each week in my professional capacity, it appears that most pastors seem to want to forget the God described in the paragraph above. It is no longer en vogue to recognize that the reason we praise God for sending His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin on Calvary’s cruel cross is that, without this salvation He has provided for us, we would have to pay the penalty ourselves. And, since there is no way whatsoever for us to do so, apart from God’s mercy and grace, we would spend eternity separated from Him—yes (gasp)—in hell!

You see, as it is so often the case, without the “bad news,” there is no reason for the “good news.” To appreciate the good news, we have to accept and understand the bad news. Pastors, at least those concerned about alienating a post-postmodern, post-Christian culture, truly believe that if they preach the whole truth of God’s written Word, people in the current culture absolutely will not listen.

Please hear me. Pastors, and ordinary believers like you and me, gain no advantage by sugar-coating the truth. We need to be more like the Apostle Paul—forthright and totally honest. As you read Paul’s words, please remember that he is writing to people whom he has never met, living in a city he has not yet been able to visit. Thus, to make certain these unknown people understand the truth Paul wants to convey, he pulls no punches in sharing the whole-truth basis of his theology. Please read Paul’s words carefully, as recorded in Romans 1:16-32:

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.

Harsh words? Counter-cultural words? Uncomfortable words? Unvarnished truth? Indeed! These words may seem to sting. Yet, they contain great power—the truth always does. Of course, we need to lovingly share the truth. We need to do so kindly and carefully. But, we must feel compelled to share the truth. Without the “bad news,” there is no reason for the “good news.” May God fill us full of His grace, so we can fearlessly explain why every sinner needs a Savior. And, may we share with sensitivity, great grace, and abounding love.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, May 15, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Value of a Wife

 

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

—Proverbs 31:30

More and more young people are resisting the bond of a committed marriage and planning to simply live together. They claim that they get to enjoy all of the benefits of a union, without all the hassles that a formal marriage can create. They see no value in making their relationship any more permanent than whatever bond develops in the moment between two people with common interests.

The purpose of this blog post is not to defend marriage, nor to criticize those who have chosen the pathway I’ve described above. I must hasten to add that I don’t agree with that decision for a couple to simply live together. It’s difficult to find out statistically how such relationships work out over the long term. I suspect that some eventually marry. Others change partners every few years. A very rare few seem to operate with significant commitment without the blessing of God or the civil authority. No, the purpose of this blog post is to examine the value that Scripture places on a wife. We find that information in Proverbs 31, categorized as the sayings of King Lemuel. Here’s Proverbs 31:10-31:

A wife of noble character who can find?
   She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
   and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
   all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
   and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
   bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family
   and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
   out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
   and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
   and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
   and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
   for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
   she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
   where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
   and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
   she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
   and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
   and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
   her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
   but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I suspect that some women today might strongly resist this image of womanhood. I can hear some woman respond:

“It seems far too patriarchal. It even seems as if the woman exists only to serve a man. Where is her opportunities for free expression? Where is the value that she brings to the larger picture of life? Where is her opportunity to achieve self-actualization?”

It takes a deeper inspection and careful analysis of this text from Scripture, in order to discern the absolute nature of the truth contained within these words. This text does not attempt to fit into the direction our modern culture has taken. Rather, it stands decidedly and purposefully in contrast to the direction any culture may have taken. No matter how someone may feel about what this passage discloses, I find the description both interesting and thought provoking.

So, I guess in writing this particular blog post, I’m celebrating every married woman I have ever known. I celebrate the married women whom God has used in my life to encourage me in my walk with our Savior. And, I celebrate the married women in my life whose patterns of life have served as an example of what not to do, as well. I’m also wondering if our families would have a lot more stability if they consisted of a husband and a wife working in partnership, and in which the woman exhibited the underlying qualities that inform the behaviors described in this passage of Scripture. Perhaps it’s something to think about.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, May 14, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Good Instruction

 

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.”

—1 Peter 3:15

As a life-long Evangelical—well, okay, as I have mentioned previously, for the first 25 years of my life I was actually a strict Fundamentalist—I have sat through dozens of classes on how to witness for Christ. No doubt these classes did offer some good advice. But nothing exceeds the value of Apostolic instruction on how to properly represent the peace, joy, love, and freedom that knowing Christ can bring to a life. Case in point: please read these words from the Apostle Peter—in part quoting from Psalm 34 and Isaiah 8—found in 1 Peter 3:10-16:

For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Now, that’s really good instruction. Let’s take Peter’s words to heart and share with gnetle care and with great delight what Jesus means to us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, May 13, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Blessing from Peter

 

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another”

—1 Peter 3:8a

As is often the case, the title of an old country music love song tells the story conveyed by the song: “It’s the Way You Say Good-bye That Makes Me Love You.” This sentiment also rings quite true when we read the New Testament letters that the various Apostles sent to the people whose faith they were actively nurturing. A good example are these words of the Apostle Peter found in 1 Peter 3:8-9:

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

These magnificent words must have struck chords of encouragement in the hearts of the believers when they were read aloud in the house church meetings nearly two centuries ago. God intended these words for us, as well. That’s why He has preserved them for us down through the years.

Let us hold these words in our hearts today and be truly thankful that Peter’s love for the believers—believers like you and me—shines through. We can, in turn, show this same God-breathed love to others, all through this day and every day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Guarding Our Minds

 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure … think about such things.”

—Philippians 4:8

In the ancient world, a gatekeeper performed a very important job for a community and also for the household of a wealthy person. This job was usually given to a steward, who would only admit those ones who had proven trustworthy. Just a reminder from previous blog posts: a steward is a slave—sometimes more properly called a bond-slave—elevated to a position of responsibility in his master’s household. The steward has no self-interest. He remains committed only to whatever best serves his master.

Today, we need a gatekeeper for our minds—for our thought-life. Every day we are bombarded by all kinds of images and information that can drag us down. The Apostle Paul recognized this problem when he wrote these words found in Philippians 4:8-9:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

As hard as it sometimes may seem, the thoughts we allow into our minds have a profound effect on us. Let’s determine to be wise gatekeepers of our own minds. Let’s only allow those thoughts into our minds that will prove worthy and helpful in building us up in a manner that pleases our Lord.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, May 11, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Curing Negativity

 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

—Philippians 4:6

Certain passages of Scripture often come to mind when we face a new day. For example, I have always been a bit of a “worrier.” My Concrete-Sequential Mind Style™ constantly resists change, micro-analyzes what’s happening around me, and focuses laser-like on anything negative. I’ve described myself in other blog posts as not only seeing the glass half empty, but also noting that the glass is cracked and the water is dirty. Because I am the way I am, I particularly need the admonition of the Apostle Paul, as recorded in Philippians 4:4-7, to stay in the forefront of my thinking:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Maybe you, along with me, need these words today, too. Perhaps you’re facing something that’s unpleasant or worrisome. You may not be as neurotic about such matters as I am, but you still have some things in your life that worry you and produce anxiety. All throughout this day, we have the privilege of knowing that the unfailing love of the God of True Peace will be our portion. Let us cling to Him and release all our concerns into His care. And, by His grace, may our “gentleness be evident to all.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, May 8, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Genuine Forgiveness

 

“A person’s wisdom yields patience”

—Proverbs 19:11a

It seems that, more and more, we live in a “get even” society. One offense leads to a counter-offense. The counter-offense leads to a counter-counter-offense. The battle rages back and forth and continues so long that we will run out of “counters” long before it ends.

Among fellow believers, such behavior is simply not in keeping with the appropriately loving attitude Christians should have toward each other. Note the words King Solomon shares, as found in Proverbs 19:11:

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

I wonder if we can muster enough wisdom to begin overlooking and forgiving the offenses of our brothers and sisters in Christ? I wonder if I can? Let’s stop wondering and do it!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, May 7, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Who are These Evangelicals?

 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

—Matthew 28:19a

Earlier this week I watched the ever-popular Sunday political analysis television programs. In response, I wish to strongly assert the following:

1. “Evangelical” is not a political philosophy.
   
   
2. “Evangelical” is not a wing, sub-group, division, or stepchild of the Republican political party.
   
   
3. “Evangelical” is not a monolithic voting block.
   
   
4. “Evangelical” is not an identifying label for those individuals who may display hatred toward any person or group of persons, including, but not limited to, the poor, people of color, individuals who identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community, or members of any other expression of Christianity, or of any other religion.
   
   
5. “Evangelical” is not a label to aptly describe people of low intellect or reduced powers of reasoning, nor does it describe those who cling to religious fantasies, or who hold to beliefs considered anti-science.
   
   
6. “Evangelical” is not a term restricted to any particular Christian denomination—or “brand”—of Christianity. I am privileged to know Evangelicals who worship in every type of Christian church: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Protestants of every denomination—and God knows that there are countless Protestant denominations.
   
   

I am an Evangelical Christian. I so identify myself because I believe that God, in His mercy and grace, sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to occupy human form, to live a sinless life in this world, to die on a horrible Roman cross of torture to pay the penalty for my sins, to rise from the dead fully alive, and to ascend to heaven, where He sits at the right-hand of God the Father ever making intercession for me. I believe the Holy Spirit lives within me to enable me to serve as one of God’s ambassadors to this troubled world. And, I believe that the commission that Jesus gave His disciples to go out into the world and share the gospel applies to me, as well as it did to them.

For my part, I am a sinner saved by God’s grace. By this I mean that I inherited the sin stain from Adam through my parents. As soon as I could make choices, I chose to sin on my own. Based on my own merit, I am nothing more than a terrible sinner. Yes, I am a sinner saved by God’s grace, forgiven because of God’s love expressed through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus.

I am specifically an Evangelical Christian because I believe in the Great Commission as recorded in Matthew 28:16-20:

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Politically, I am by nature, instinct, and careful intellectual analysis a Conservative. But, I utterly reject the accusation that I am a racist, a hater, one who is blinded by privilege, or that I am anti-poor, anti-people-of-color, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-liberal-Christian, or anti-any other religion.

My intense and unrelenting research into the psychology of human nature may well have given me strong opinions about a wide variety of subjects related to human behavior. But, none of my opinions in these matters stem from some anti-intellectualism that can be attributed to me simply because I am an Evangelical Christian.

My Evangelical Christian beliefs inform my chosen way of life. But, they do not lead me into some dark pathway, as critics often claim. Quite to the contrary, as an Evangelical Christian—and by the blessed virtue of the indwelling Holy Spirit—I am walking ever forward into a pathway of God-given light. Likewise, my natural Conservative inclinations may be informed by my faith. But, my faith does not dictate my politics.

To the media I say, “Please stop identifying Evangelicals as a political group. Though we Evangelicals are, without a doubt, patriotic Americans, we Evangelicals have a far greater interest in the Kingdom of God than we do in American politics.” Yes, I do care about our nation. And yes, I do have an interest in who I choose to lead our nation. But, I do not get together with other Evangelicals and caucus for a particular political party like the media seems to imagine.

While many Evangelicals may have strongly held religious beliefs about the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, the nature of human sexuality, the science of biology, the science of the earth, its climate, and all other aspects—along with a host of other very important life issues—the vast majority of Evangelicals do not expect that our national, state, and local leaders will necessarily hold to our beliefs. We are not so naïve as to imagine that any leader is anything more than a horrible, awful, terrible sinner—just like we are. And, hopefully, at least some of those leaders are also ones who have been cleansed by the blood of Christ and saved from the penalties of their sins by God’s grace.

We Evangelicals may wish that we could find a leader who has bowed his or her knee in fealty to Christ. But, increasingly we do not reasonably expect that to ever be the case—at least in the foreseeable future. We Evangelicals also recognize that politics tends to corrupt individuals because of the enormous power invested in those who hold public office. Most of us do hope, however, that the leaders we elect will control the temptation to abuse their power. And, we also hope that these leaders we elect will behave with civility toward one another and toward us.

As an individual, I get very concerned when I think that a government organization—such as Congress, or the Executive Branch, or the Judiciary—that is supposed to fairly adjudicate the power of the government might become a political weapon against those who hold a differing political view than those in power. In my opinion, that is not the behavior of a democratic republic. Rather, it smacks of the kind of behavior found in nation states ruled by dictators.

Above all else, we Evangelicals expect our leaders to obey the law. And, if their role is to enforce the law as written, we expect them to do so.

Even in making these statements, I recognize that I cannot, and I do not, speak for all Evangelicals. For within the whole congregation of believers, who heartily wish to respond in obedience to Christ and share the good news of His salvation, there will be those who do not agree with every point that I have mentioned above. So, again, one final time, to the media I say, “Please stop identifying Evangelicals as a political group. We Evangelicals have a far greater interest in the Kingdom of God than we do in American politics.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, May 6, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Building Up the Flock

 

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”

—Titus 2:11

Each week on Wednesday, many ministers will begin to think about the content of their sermon, or homily, for the Lord’s Day. Now, as someone who works for a ministry that helps ministers learn how to preach more effective sermons, I have come to believe that starting one’s sermon on Wednesday is way too late in the week. Nevertheless, I would suggest that ministers, pastors, and priests carefully read the Apostle Paul’s words to his colleague, Titus, whom Paul has sent to lead the Christians on the Isle of Crete. Here’s Titus 2:11-15 and 3:1-8:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

These words need not only apply to ministers. They can, and should, apply to all believers, as well. Paul makes it so very clear. Abounding in the matchless love of Jesus will cause that same God-breathed love to flow freely from deep within us and out of us, in order to touch the lives around us. When we are asked what fuels the hope within us, we can give unequivocal testimony to the mercy and grace that God has given us through His Son. And, we must always remember the words from Titus 3:5-6:

… he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…

We are not saved because of good things we do. Rather, we do good things—things that God has appointed us to do—because God has saved us through His Son, Jesus. This is an amazing part of the blessed hope that God gives us through His precious Son.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, May 5, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Healthy Pastors Lead to Healthy Churches

 

“You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.”

—Titus 2:1

The role of pastors, as teachers of God’s truth, remains critical to healthy churches. When a pastor serves a church with humility and kindness, yet uses excellent scholarship to fearlessly teach the truth of the Bible, the people in that church will experience a fullness in their personal Christian Spiritual Formation and will be truly blessed.

The Apostle Paul had sent his young colleague, Titus, to the island of Crete in order to “amend what is defective.” Notice these words of instruction from Paul to Titus found in Titus 2:1-8:

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

If every pastor would follow these words of guidance from the Apostle Paul, the impact on the believers who sit under this kind of teaching would vastly increase. As such a pastor is used by God to enhance the personal Christian Spiritual Formation of each believer, the effectiveness of this particular church would become more useful to Christ and His Kingdom. Let us pray that this will become a reality in hundreds of churches across our land!

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, May 4, 2015

_{Copyright © 2024 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}