Keep Me From Shame

 

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge …

—from Psalm 31:1

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the word “shame” as:

“… a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety; a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute; something that brings censure or reproach.”

Shame is not something that we want much of in our lives. Yes, we’ve all done things over the course of our lives that have made us feel shame—unless, of course, we’re sociopaths, in which case we would never feel shame in any case. But, most of the time in our shame—since we recognize the fact that because Christ has paid the penalty for our sins and God has forgiven us—we eventually learn to forgive ourselves, as well.

King David recognized the role that shame can play in our lives. David knew that shame can become a barrier to wholeheartedly serving God. Shame can cause us to shrink from our responsibility to reach out to others in God’s behalf. Shame can isolate us from others. Shame can make us feel that we are unworthy. David penned these vital words, found in Psalm 31:1:

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.

As we begin another new day, let’s make certain that we acknowledge our sins. But, let’s also make certain that we do not wallow in shame. Instead, let’s seek refuge in the God who loves us with His unfailing, undying love. And, let’s make certain that we never seek to shame someone else because of what they may have done.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Do Not Judge

 

Do not judge …

—from Matthew 7:1

Many people use the phrase “Do Not Judge” as a way of controlling serious discussion about problems in our society. But, most of the time, that usage places the words of Jesus in a wrong context. Here’s what Jesus actually said, as recorded in Matthew 7:1-5:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

The context makes several things clear. First of all, Jesus is talking about those who are joined together in the family of God—in other words, our brothers and sisters in Christ. The words of Jesus “Do not judge” apply to the familial relationship we have, not to society in general. Secondly, the purpose of not judging is so that we will invest our energy in removing the plank in our own eyes—that is, remove the sin in our own life first, before we attempt to help our brothers and sisters remove the sin in their lives.

While we must always approach everyone with humility, kindness, and God-breathed love, we are not supposed to turn a blind eye to the evil influences in our world. Just as some strong-minded individuals cling to “science”—right up to the point where “science” no longer supports their position regarding social engineering—so we must not cling to our own ideas. Rather, we must rely on the whole counsel of God as expressed in His written Word.

As another new day opens up before us, let’s make certain that we deal with the sin in our own lives in a very forthright manner. This will then allow us to lovingly and carefully help our brothers and sisters in Christ deal with the issues they face in their own lives. Together, as a family, we can move forward and bring glory to God.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

His Favor Lasts a Lifetime

 

For his anger lasts only a moment …

—from Psalm 30:5

Have you ever had a friend, or a boss, whose favor waxed and waned depending on some almost imperceivable change in circumstances? Please let me explain:

I once had a boss whom I never knew whether today I would find in him a friendly response or a cold, almost angry and hostile response to virtually anything I might say. It was more than an expression of moodiness. It was almost as if he was two different people. One day he would receive me with a warmth and friendliness. The next day he might receive me with a tinge of cold anger.

Since I am by nature an introvert, his changes in behavior toward me was more than a little disconcerting. I kept trying to figure out what I had done to either earn his favor or trigger his anger. I finally just accepted the fact that he was nuts.

We generally respond much better to people who act toward us with stability. We can handle people who are warm toward us. We can also handle people who are always angry toward us. It’s the ones whom we never know how we will be received that produce anxiety in us.

God is not at all like my old boss. God is above all things the same yesterday, today, and forever. Notice what King David writes about God in Psalm 30:5:

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

God’s favor lasts for a lifetime. That is really good news for us. Does He have a right to be angry when we sin? Yes, of course He does. But, His love still always rises to the surface. In fact, His love for us is so great that He made a way for our sins to be forgiven through His precious only Son, Jesus.

As we begin another new day, let’s rest comfortably in the knowledge that God loves us and grants His favor to us all the days of our lives. We, in turn, should extend His love to others in the same way. Even when people disappoint us, or act toward us as if they hate us, we can respond with a gentle, caring love that comes through us from God. The mark of His stability on our lives is truly one of the blessings we have from Him.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A High and Holy Place

 

I live in a high and holy place …

—from Isaiah 57:15

In our current Christian culture, the emphasis is largely on God’s love for those humans He has created. And certainly, the Bible talks much about God’s love for His people. The Apostle Paul even made this startling, yet so very perfect, summary statement found in Galatians 5:6:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

In other words, it doesn’t matter whether a person is a Jew or a Gentile. The only thing that really matters is if a person expresses his or her faith through love. So, love takes on an enormous importance in the Christian worldview.

But, we must not forget that a major attribute of God is His holiness. He is a holy God. And, because He is holy, He cannot tolerate sin. Thus, in order to communicate His unfailing love toward humans, God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to become a man, live like a man—yet without sin—and die in our place to cover our sins with His precious blood. The Prophet Isaiah reports these words of God found in Isaiah 57:15:

For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

As we begin a new day, we can be thankful that while God is, indeed, a God of love, He is also a God of holiness, who loves us enough to come and dwell with us through His Son Jesus, and also through the indwelling Presence of His Holy Spirit. It is true that we do belong to God through Christ. And that, dear ones, is a wonderful reality in which to live.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

I See Your Sins!

 

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye …

—from Matthew 7:3

We seem to have a quick trigger when it comes to recognizing other people’s sins. Why we may often jump right up onto our soapbox and begin to decry all manner of evil in others. But, we seem all too slow to recognize our own sins. Notice the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in Matthew 7:3-5:

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

In this statement, Jesus is not minimizing the sins of others. In fact, His whole point is that we have enough sin in our own lives that we should focus first on dealing with our own sins before we start attacking the sins of others.

Yes, we do have a responsibility to the world to offer commentary based on the holiness and righteousness of God. We know what He has required by reading His written Word. We also know that Jesus most often approached sinners with patience, kindness, and love. We would do well to follow His example.

As this new day begins, let’s start our day by examining our own lives and confessing our own personal sins. We need to pay particular attention to those sins which we repeat over and over again. If we have difficulty trusting God for this new day, let’s confess our lack of faith and ask for His help in believing that He will guide and protect us. If we have some other sins that trip us up continuously, let’s confess those sins and ask the Holy Spirit to help us steer clear of them.

By focusing on cleaning up our own lives first, we will do much better at following in the footsteps of Jesus than if we spent all of our time calling out the sins of others. And after all, if we are to properly represent our Lord in this troubled and needy world, we need clean minds and clean hearts.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Our Security Blanket

 

When you pass through the waters …

—from Isaiah 43:2

Most of us like to know that somewhere, somehow, we have a “security blanket” we can grab onto when things get rough. Please allow me to illustrate this point:

Several years ago, over a period of seven days, my brand new wheelchair-accessible van twice failed to start! It only had a little more than 400 miles on it. It cost me an enormous amount of money. I bought it specifically because I felt my eight-year old ordinary van was no longer reliable and I needed a van that would properly and securely carry my powered wheelchair. Surely a new specially crafted van would be a good investment.

Everything on this van depended on a computer. You couldn’t even manually shift the transmission. It’s all done by computer. So, when the tow truck came to tow my van to the dealership, the driver couldn’t shift the transmission into neutral because the problem the van was experiencing was related to the computer. Yes, the computer runs everything on this van?

Both times I became stranded, I reached out to my very own “security blanket” in the form of lifelong friends who were eager to help me. On the first occasion, they came and helped us get the van to the dealership. On the second occasion, I had put my friends on stand-by pending the arrival of the tow truck. And, before the tow truck arrived, another lovely couple from our church showed up, stayed with us until the tow truck came, drove us to the dealership so we could fill out paperwork, and then very graciously took us home. They became our new “security blanket.” As you might imagine, our gratitude towards these two couples knows no bounds.

As Christians, our real “security blanket” is God Himself. I have no doubt that He placed these dear folks in a position to give us aid when we needed it. I also know that in countless ways each day, God looks out for those He loves. Notice the words of God that the Prophet Isaiah wrote down, as recorded in Isaiah 43:2-3:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior …

No matter what trials may come into our lives, God waits for the opportunity to show His love for us by His abiding Presence. He rallies to our aid whenever we need His help. He brings people into our lives to extend His love and care to us when we have times of need. Let’s go out into this new day with a spirit of willingness to be used by God in people’s lives. Perhaps we can become someone’s “security blanket” in their time of need this day.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Entertaining Angels

 

Do not forget to entertain strangers …

—from Hebrews 13:2

Hospitality, that is to say “Christian hospitality,” is both a spiritual gift that God bestows on certain individuals, and it is also a duty that all Christians are called upon to provide. Followers of Christ should be the most welcoming individuals, always ready to lend a helping hand to make others feel valued and appreciated. That’s why the writer of the Book of Hebrews writes this statement, found in Hebrews 13:2:

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

We practice Christian hospitality, not only by opening our homes to others for a meal or a time of refreshment, but we practice Christian hospitality in the attitude with which we greet others along the pathway of life. A ready smile, a kind word of encouragement, a helping hand, a generous heart are all ways we extend the hospitality of Jesus to others.

This new day should be one wherein we extend Christ-like hospitality wherever we may go along the road of life. Let’s make certain we take every opportunity to live in this world the way Jesus would live. After all, we are, indeed, his representatives.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Essence of Faith

 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for …

—from Hebrews 11:1

The word “faith” gets tossed around quite a bit in our current culture.

“I have faith that every time I turn the key in my vehicle it will start—particularly because I always take good care of it.”

“I have faith in taking this test because I have studied very diligently.”

“I have faith that, when I reach into my wallet, I will have enough money to pay for lunch.”

“I have faith that next time my political party will win the election.”

Or, “I have faith that in the next election my political party will retain control of the government.”

These simple statements may all represent one idea of what the word “faith” means. But, for followers of Jesus, the word “faith” has a very special significance. The writer of the Book of Hebrews well understood the importance of this key word. Notice what he writes in Hebrews 11:1:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

As we begin a new day, let’s remember that our faith is based on the reality of Christ’s presence within us by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. That same Holy Spirit gives testimony that we are the children of God. The Apostle Paul stated in Romans 8:16:

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Yes! God has chosen us to belong to Himself. Our faith has that solid foundation.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Much More Than Simply Listening

 

Do not merely listen to the word …

—from James 1:22

I once worked with a man who would often ask for help in completing a task. He seemed to have particular difficulty when the task involved the use of a personal computer. Many of you may relate to his dilemma.

He was a relatively smart man. He had served as a career sailor in the U. S. Navy. In fact, he worked on submarines. He had good mechanical ability, was articulate, and contributed significantly to the success of the department where he worked. But, when it came to using a personal computer, he seemed lost.

Whenever he would come to me with a question, I would suggest that he take some notes while I carefully explained what he should do. As his supervisor, I felt it was important that I take the time to help him develop the skills he needed in order to progress in his job responsibilities. Dutifully, he would take notes, thank me, and proceed to return to his workstation. Sadly, quite often he would return fairly soon and still not be able to complete the task.

One day, I asked to see his notes, hoping that I could tweak them a little and set him on the right pathway. To my amazement, I found that his notes were nearly incomprehensible. He was writing words down on paper. But, those words appeared to have no relationship to what I had tried to explain. You see, he was listening to me without really understanding and then doing what I had said. The Apostle James expresses this same advice to his fellow Christians, as recorded in James 1:22:

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

As we begin another new day, it’s important that we not only listen to what God’s written Word says to us, as we read it, we must do what it says. God has given us a great gift by inspiring authors to write down exactly what He wants us to know and do. If we merely read God’s written Word without putting what it says into practice, what good does it do for us and others?

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

True Faithfulness

 

“Well done, good and faithful servant! …”

—from Matthew 25:21

When I was a teenager working at Radio Station WESB in my hometown, I had the great privilege of engineering an early Sunday morning radio broadcast created by a local pastor, Rev. John F. Olexa. On his radio program, he billed himself with this tagline: “A Prophet of Doom with a Message of Hope.” He was one of the finest men in ministry, with whom I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and working.

Rev. Olexa’s tagline may sound a bit corny. But, John Olexa was anything but corny. He was a loving, caring, devoted servant of God, who overcame the debilitating illness, polio, that had left him with a very awkward gait. He was quite short in stature. However, God had given him a booming voice and a very articulate way of opening God’s written Word and unpacking the truth of Scripture.

I greatly enjoyed working with “Pastor Johnny,” as many people called him. He taught me a great deal about preaching effective sermons. And, he taught me even more about genuine humility, in service to Christ and His Kingdom.

In addition to pastoring two of the local Evangelical United Brethren Churches, John served as the head of the Bradford District Youth Fellowship, as well as overseeing the Youth Fellowship for the entire Erie Conference of the EUB Church. He asked me to serve as Treasurer of the District Youth Fellowship—partly, I’m fairly certain, because he knew that my dad served as Treasurer of our local EUB church, which was the largest EUB Church in the District. No doubt Pastor Johnny felt that my dad would help me keep the books straight, and he was right.

Pastor Johnny would often say:

“Use the talent God has given you to the best of your ability. Then, rely on the Holy Spirit to multiply the effectiveness of your God-given talent.”

I felt that those words set a definite course for my life. I owe a great debt of gratitude to the Rev. John F. Olexa. And, I look forward to seeing him again in heaven.

Jesus would certainly agree with Pastor Johnny’s statement regarding the use of one’s talents and abilities. Notice these words of Jesus, as He tells His followers the “Parable of the Talents (or Bags of Gold),” as found in Matthew 25:20-21:

“The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

In the “sweet by-and-by,” we all long to hear Jesus say those precious words to us:

“Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Our devotion to serving our Great King begins today. Yes, at the start of this new day, we can, and should, determine to use whatever gifts God has given us to the best of our ability, and then rely on the Holy Spirit to multiply the effectiveness of those God-given talents.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

"You Are Mine"

 

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you …

—from Isaiah 43:1

God’s dealing with His chosen people, the children of Israel, is a foretaste of His dealings with those of us Gentiles, who have been grafted in to the line of David. As the Apostle Paul explains in Romans 11:17:

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root …

So, we can learn great lessons from observing God’s relationship with, and His actions towards, His chosen people. For just as God chose Abraham’s offspring to belong to Himself, so He has chosen us, as well.

That makes the words of God recorded by the Prophet Isaiah particularly important to us. Notice these words of God, as found in Isaiah 43:1:

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

God says to those of us He has called to Himself that we belong to Him. “You are mine,” He says. And, based on this declaration, we have confidence to determine this day, and every day, to honor and serve Him with all four of our human modalities: our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Paybacks

 

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” …

—from Proverbs 20:22

An old adage insists:

“Don’t get mad, get even!”

It’s actually a horrible piece of advice. In dealing with others, we should neither get mad, nor get even. Instead, we should follow the way of the cross, that is, living our lives in the pathway forged by the footsteps of Jesus.

It’s interesting that the word “mad” can mean both angry and mentally ill. In some sense, when we lose control of our emotions and become angry, we do—at least momentarily—act as if mental illness has overcome us. That fact alone should help us steer clear from allowing ourselves to become angry with another person. King Solomon offered these words of advice, found in Proverbs 20:22:

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

In every situation that we face, especially when we are mistreated by someone else, we should allow God room to deal with the situation in our behalf. God’s protection is worth more than any momentary satisfaction we may receive by getting angry about something. And certainly, getting even with someone who has harmed us is a sin that we should definitely avoid committing.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Lord Upholds the Righteous

 

“Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; …”

—from Psalm 37:16

“By what measure do we determine our worth?”

A social studies teacher, in the autumn of my ninth grade school year way back in 1961, asked my class that question. Amazingly, or perhaps not so amazingly, no one wanted to volunteer an answer. No one wanted to talk about himself or herself. Even so, I overheard several students talking about the question during the time between classes. Everyone seemed to have an opinion about how other students might measure their worth.

• “Cheryl measures her worth by her good looks,” offered one student.
  
  
• “Bill thinks he’s important because he’s the star of the football team.”
  
  
• “Linda always dates older guys, so she thinks she’s better than the other girls.”
  
  
• “John’s family is so very rich. That’s what makes him valuable.”
  
  

As usual, I was lurking on the very edges of the outside of the group. I found it most interesting when I considered what my fellow students thought measured the worth of their peers. I knew that I secretly harbored a distorted sense that I was smarter than most other people—what a foolish notion! But, I also knew that virtually no one liked me because I was too quick to voice my opinions and, generally speaking, lacked even the most basic social skills that seemed so natural to others.

The truth is that such measures of our value and worth are truly meaningless, in terms of the biggest picture—the picture that includes not only our current time, but eternity. For our true value and worth comes solely from our relationship with God. King David understood this fact from his own experience. Notice these words David wrote, as recorded in Psalm 37:16-17:

Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

Temporal means of judging value and worth pale when faced with eternal measures. No matter what the circumstances in which we may find ourselves this new day, it is our relationship with God that truly gives us meaning and worth.

Our value comes from God: not from what we look like, or how much money we have, or how smart we think we are, or any other quality that we may have previously relied upon. That’s something we need to keep in mind all through this day and every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

God's Love in Us

 

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

—John 17:24

In the moments before Jesus was arrested by the armed emissaries of the high priest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed a magnificent prayer. Bible teachers often refer to this as “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.” Certainly, this prayer shows Jesus in the role of priest to His followers. It also expresses the highest of spiritual ideals.

Today, concludes my series of blog posts that have focused on this prayer of Jesus. It is my hope that by sharing verses from this prayer with you, you will find, as I have found, great comfort and great blessing from the words of our Savior.

Jesus concludes this magnificent prayer with these words, found in John 17:24-26:

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Considering the words of Jesus—as He prayed for His disciples and for us as well—should give us courage and strength to face another new day. Let’s determine to make this day count for Him.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

"I In Them And You In Me"

 

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.”

—John 17:22-23a

Several blog posts ago, I stated that, in the moments before Jesus was arrested by the armed emissaries of the high priest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed a magnificent prayer. Bible teachers often refer to this as “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.” Certainly, this prayer shows Jesus in the role of priest to His followers. It also expresses the highest of spiritual ideals.

Today, and in the next blog post, I intend to continue to focus on this prayer of Jesus. It is my hope that by sharing verses from this prayer with you, you will find, as I have found, great comfort and great blessing from the words of our Savior.

Jesus continues this magnificent prayer with these words, found in John 17:20-23:

“My prayer is not for them [my current disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

As we begin a new day, the very fact that Jesus prayed for us—for you and for me—in the moments before He would be led off to the cross of Calvary should give us a strong sense of how very much He loves us and cares for us. The fact that, since His ascension into heaven, Jesus continues to make intercession in our behalf (see Romans 8:34) should bring us such sense of peace that we can go forth in His name and do all that He longs for us to do. Let’s allow these wonderful truths to permeate to the very core of our beings.

 

_{Copyright © 2025 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}