Careful Planning

 

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

—Jeremiah 29:11

The motivational speaker concluded his two-hour lecture on successful management with these words, quoting from self-help author, Napoleon Hill:

“Plan your work and work your plan!”

As he finished speaking, I looked at the three pages of notes that I had taken and thought that his summary offered a fair representation of what he had taught during that session.

From my study of the Mind Styles™ insights provided by Anthony F. Gregorc, Ph.D., I also knew that actually sitting down to analyze goals, enabling objectives, and strategies, and to then formulate a concrete plan would prove very difficult for individuals who had very little Concrete-Sequential in their array of Mind Styles.™ Those with a dominance of the Abstract-Random or the Concrete-Random Mind Style™ would much rather do anything other than disciplined planning. ¹

Part of the power of the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post rests in the fact that the Master Planner of the universe has stated that He has plans for His dearly loved children. The Prohet Jeremiah has recorded this declaration from God in a letter that Jeremiah sent to those from Israel who found themselves in exile in Babylon.

The entire letter contains very specific instruction as to what those in exile should do. To give them proper encouragement, God makes the declaration in this verse. He tells these ones in exile that He remains in control of every aspect of their existence. He has a plan for them. It is a plan that He has created and knows. He tells them that His plans for them will prosper them and given them hope for a future.

As I’ve stated in previous blog posts, some of my more liberal Christian friends sincerely believe that such a verse does not apply to us today. I heartily disagree. Just as God had Jeremiah send these words to those in exile in Babylon, as I read this verse, I sense how much it applies to us “Christ’s-ones” today.

We have been exiled from intimate fellowship with God by the sin curse that has befallen us since the Garden of Eden. Even in the United States of America—which wise men founded on straightforward Judeo-Christian principles—we have, in my lifetime, become more and more distant from God’s ideal way of living. In a sense, we have become exiled from the God who loves us.

So, when I read the words in this verse, I strongly sense the Holy Spirit applying them to our own circumstances, as modern day followers of Jesus. God knows the plans He has for us. Through the whole counsel of God, He declares that He has a plan to prosper us spirtually and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. Truly, as we obediently follow the pathway God lays out before us, we can recognize that these words remain true for us, just as they proved true for those in exile in Babylon.

We must begin this day by praising God for His faithfulness to us. He loves us with His unfailing, undying love. He has our best interest at heart. He has a plan for us. Let us obediently stay on the pathway that He lays out before us. And, with hearts filled with humility and gratitude, let us cling to Him with all of our four human modalities: heart, soul, mind, and strength.

 

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1 Gregorc, Anthony F. An Adult’s Guide to Style. Maynard, MA: Gregorc Associates, 1982.

Please note that, in each case, whenever a citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such a citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Straight Paths

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

—Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust is a learned response. Some people seem to extend trust easily. Others have greater difficulty in giving another person their trust. Each one handles trust because of what the experiences in their lives have taught them. I assert once again: trust is a learned response.

With that in mind, we can examine the verse at the beginning of this blog post in light of what our life experiences have taught us. For example: almost everyone prefers to have the pathway of his or her life laid out in a straight direction, so it becomes possible to see where one is headed. In fact, if the pathway is straight enough, the traveler can see quite far into the future and develop confidence that if he or she stays on that straight path, the road ahead will have some predictability.

Of course, life really isn’t all that predictable. We never really know what perils may await us, hidden in the bushes alongside the straight pathway. Nevertheless, if we can see far enough ahead to take a deep breath and strike out in a forward direction, we can move on with at least some degree of confidence.

Thus, the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post has become the guiding principle for many followers of Jesus. Conceptually, if we trust in the Lord with all our being and determine to not lean on our own understanding—that is to say, resting solely on how we perceive life to be—and if we acknowledge God’s divine hand on our lives, then He will provide a straight pathway for us.

As a teenager, I was encouraged to find and adopt a verse of Scripture by which I would determine to guide my life. Along with any number of my peers, I chose this verse. I am so glad that I did. The truth of this Scripture verse has proven completely accurate over the course of my life. Whenever I have set aside my own understanding, trusted in God, and acknowledged His Presence as the guiding force in my life, He has laid out the pathway of my life in a straight direction.

Yes, I have had numerous perils along the way. In many cases, those perils arose from my own foolishness. In other cases, I had afflictions that came as the result of living in a sin-cursed world—the kind of perils that everyone faces in this life. Through every trial and difficulty, in the good times and in the bad times, God has always proven faithful to the words of this verse.

Without hesitation, I can commend this verse of Scripture to anyone who desires to bend their selfish human will to God’s divine and perfect will. I urge everyone who will read this blog post to do exactly what this verse says to do. I can guarantee that anyone who obediently follows the guidelines of this verse will never be disappointed.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Hold Fast

 

You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

—Deuteronomy 13:4

Someone once described an extremely well-educated person as a person who knew more and more about less and less until they knew everything about nothing. I don’t exactly resonate with that sentiment. I happen to believe that education and skills-training has great value. In fact, I had the privilege during my time as the Director of Loss Prevention Training for a large insurance company to lead a team that completely revamped the training program, turning it into a skills-based certification program. So, make no mistake, I hold education and skills-training in high regard.

Nevertheless, I can somewhat understand what the person who coined that description of higher level education intended to describe. I have known individuals who had so immersed themselves in knowledge about a particular subject that they could hardly function in the broader world.

A bit of a practical example of that came to mind recently when I read a post on Facebook by someone who had completed seminary training at a liberal seminary, in order to become a pastor. This person argued that many Evangelical Christians pick and choose key passages from the Old Testament that surely do not apply in our modern age. This pastor insisted that the Evangelicals like to quote these Scripture passages even though, in the opinion of the individual writing the Facebook post, they quote the passages out of the context in which the passages originally applied. This liberal seminary-trained pastor asserted that the Old Testament no longer applies to today.

As I read this Facebook post, I did a bit of a double-take at this last assertion. I did so because the entirety of Scripture—Old Testament and New Testament—provides us with what scholars call “The Whole Counsel of God.”

Of course, certain rules and regulations contained within the Mosaic Law no longer apply to us because—when God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth—a New Covenant was established. At the same time, as Romans 11 clearly states, God has grated us Gentile believers into the vine of His chosen people, the Jews. We remain Gentiles. But, God has chosen us, just as surely as He chose the people of Israel to be His special ones.

The point I am leading to lies in the fact that as “Christ’s-ones,” we have much to learn from, and to cling to, the truth contained in the pages of the Old Testament. A case in point is the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post. This verse from the Mosaic Law found in the Book of Deuteronomy—the last Book of the Torah—gives us instruction that certainly applies to our walk with God today.

Notice the elements of this verse:

• Walk after the Lord your God
  
  
• Fear Him
  
  
• Keep His commandments
  
  
• Obey His voice
  
  
• Serve Him and hold fast to Him
  
  

As we begin our walk with God each day, these five precepts certainly have great power to guide our lives. As enabled by the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, we can move through the events of each day following a pathway that is marked by obedience: in our walk, in our reverence to God, in our obedience to His commandments, in listening for Him speaking to the depths of our innermost being, in serving Him and holding fast to Him. Most surely, those marching orders give us a wise way to live.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Other Savior

 

“I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.”

—Isaiah 43:11-12

As a teenager, I had the privilege of spending time at two Christian summer camps. One camp, Camp Findley of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, was located on the lovely Findley Lake in western New York State, just 45 minutes from my current residence. I met my wife of 58 years there when I was just 15 years old.

The second Christian summer camp, Odosagih Bible Conference, was located on the western shore of Lime Lake in Machias, New York—in central western New York State, southeast of Buffalo, NY—just about two hours from my current residence. The significant impact of these two Christian camps on the spiritual formation during my teenage years cannot be denied. I had the privilege of hearing many encouraging and motivating Bible teachers.

On particular Bible teacher at Odosagih Bible Conference was Marlin C. “Butch” Hardman, at that time the Director of Youth for Christ International in Washington, DC. Butch Hardman began one teaching session with these words:

“In this life, if you cannot be smart, handsome, or cool, at least be unique.”

I have thought about that potent phrase many times over the years. The fact that Butch Hardman was smart, handsome, and very cool also made him quite unique among the people that I knew in those younger days of my life. Nevertheless, his suggestion that a person develop those characteristics that make one unique has always had the ring of truth to me.

In the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post, God declares that He is unique. He states that He alone is the one and only savior. He alone is the one true God. He alone is the only one with the power to create. And, He alone is the only one with the power to save.

As we begin another day, let’s remember that the One who has chosen us to belong to Himself is the only one who can save us from the penalty of our sins. That is the very reason why God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die in our place. God has saved us. He has called us to Himself. He sustains us. He delivers us from the powers of sin, death, and Satan. Our God is totally and completely and absolutely unique. He is no strange god. He is our God!

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Trapped in the Desert

 

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

—Psalm 63:1

Think for a moment with me, if you will: “What was the time in your life when you felt the most thirsty you have ever felt?” You wanted a drink of water so badly that you could hardly stand it. Your mouth was chokingly dry. You couldn’t produce any saliva if you tried. Or, maybe, you have never had such a circumstance. Maybe you’ve never felt the need for a drink of water to that extent.

In the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post, the Psalmist David built an entire Psalm on the theme of intense thirst. In this case, King David likened the need for a drink of water to quench a thirst in his very soul. Just as an extremely thirsty person seeks for that soothing drink of water, so King David declares that his soul thirst for God. David declares that he earnestly seeks God because God is the only refreshment that can meet the need of the entirety of David’s being.

Have you every felt such a need? Has there ever been a time in your life when you so greatly longed for God that knowing He was present soothed your soul like the coolest drink of water soothes the thirst of a person trapped in the hottest desert? I have had such an experience on a number of occasions in my life.

In each of those times when my soul needed refreshment, God was always present. He was the One—the only One—who could satisfy the need of my soul.

Lanny Wolfe has written a song that illustrates this truth with a truly moving melody that supports these words: ¹

The world will try to satisfy
That longing in your soul.
You may search the wide world o’er
But you’ll be just as before!
You’ll never find true satisfaction
Until you’ve found the Lord,
For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

Chorus:
Only Jesus can satisfy your soul,
And only He can change your heart and make you whole.
He’ll give you peace you never knew,
Sweet, love and joy and heaven too,
For only Jesus can satisfy your soul!

If you could have the fame and fortune,
All the wealth you could obtain.
Yet you have not Christ within,
Your living here would be in vain.
There’ll come a time when death shall call you
Riches cannot help you then,
So come to Jesus for only He can satisfy.

Chorus:
Only Jesus can satisfy your soul,
And only He can change your heart and make you whole.
He’ll give you peace you never knew,
(Sweet), love and joy and heaven too,
For only Jesus can satisfy your soul!

 

______________________

1 Wolfe, Lanny. “Only Jesus Can Satisfy Your Soul.” Sugar Land, TX: Lanny Wolfe Music, 1971.

Please note that in each case, whenever a citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such a citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Everlasting Rock

 

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

—Isaiah 26:4

We learned in Elementary School science class how the flowing water of a river or stream will bear against the rocks in the river bed or stream bed and, over a long period of time, wear the surface of the rock until it becomes very smooth. Such water-smoothed rocks become quite valuable to builders who use these smooth rocks for fill in certain construction applications.

Imagine for a moment that there might exist a rock that water cannot affect. Such a rock has such hardness, such permanence, that no matter to what that rock may become subjected, it retains its original shape and substance. We know that no such rock exists on this earth. If we look at some great feat of nature, such as the Grand Canyon, we have all the proof of this reality that we need. Even the dense rocks of the mighty walls of that canyon cannot stand against the flow of water during hundreds, even thousands, of years.

But, a rock does exist that fits the definition of the rock that never changes. The Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post talks about just such a rock. And, God is that everlasting rock. Nothing can change Him. God tells us, in Revelation 1:8:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

As a result of this unyielding permanence of God, we can do exactly what the verse at the beginning of this blog post tells us to do. We can trust in the Lord. We can trust in Him because he never changes. No matter how fluid the circumstances of our lives may seem, God remains the same. He is the everlasting rock.

Each day, as we move out into the world of our lives, we can trust in the Lord to lead and guide us. He never changes. He will always give us all we need to live for Him and serve Him.

Back in the early 1970s, Ronald S. Harris and Stormie Omartian wrote a song that celebrates the very essence of this truth: ¹

Life is moving faster than it ever has before.
What tomorrow brings us, isn’t certain anymore.
So many paths from which to choose,
Don’t know which way to run.
But every road leads nowhere except for one.

Praise the Lord, He never changes.
I talk to Him, He’s always there.
He comforts me on every level,
Takes the burden that I bear.
Praise the Lord, He never changes.
He’s never any other way.
And He’ll be the same tomorrow,
As He was and is today.

Friends and faces come and go like ashes in the wind.
Attitudes arise that I just don’t fully understand.
The things that you can count upon, grow fewer every day.
But when that number gets to one,
That One will show the way.

Praise the Lord, He never changes.
I talk to Him, He’s always there.
He comforts me on every level,
Takes the burden that I bear.
Praise the Lord, He never changes.
He’s never any other way.
And He’ll be the same tomorrow,
As He was and is today.

The Heritage Singers have recorded this delightful song. I urge you to listen to the music in this video:

 

 

 

______________________

1 Harris, Ronald S. and Omartian, Stormie. “Praise the Lord, He Never Changes.” Nashville, TN: Word Music, 1975.

Please note that in each case, whenever a citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such a citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Seek God

 

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

—Isaiah 55:6

The Prophet Isaiah was faced with the monumental task of holding people accountable to the Laws of God. As a prophet, Isaiah represented God to the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This Kingdom consisted of Jewish people from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some from the Tribe of Levi. Unlike their northern neighbors—the Jewish people from the remaining 10 tribes—Judah had remained much more faithful to God. As a result, God had given them wise prophets, who led them through the times of distress for several hundreds of years.

In fact, Isaiah served as a prophet through the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, or a period of time of at least 64 years. For this period in history, a 64-year-long time of service was exceptional. During this time, Isaiah faced the struggle of constantly teaching the people the value of obedience to God and he spent a great deal of his efforts in trying to encourage deep spiritual formation on the part of the people God had placed under Isaiah’s care.

It should pose no surprise to us that, in the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post, Isaiah urges the people in his care to seek the Lord. Basically, Isaiah tells the people that God has made Himself available to them. While God has done this, it will prove wise for the people to take advantage of this special grace that God has given them. As long as God makes Himself available, the people should actively and ardently seek Him.

How should they seek God? By calling upon Him. In other words, if God has chosen to make Himself available, the people should call upon Him to help them live their lives in the best possible way.

Such an admonition certainly applies today for those of us whom God has called to Himself. We “Christ’s-ones,” or Christians, have the most fortunate circumstance that God has chosen to reveal Himself to us and call us to follow Him. No matter to what branch of the Christian faith we may belong, the reality remains that one way or another God has called us to Himself. In so doing, God has extended His grace to us. Why has He done this? Because He is a merciful God—that is, He is full of mercy. God is also overflowing with love. So, we can say with confidence that in His unfailing love and mercy, God has extended His grace to us and called us to Himself. He has united us with Himself through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus, whose precious blood has paid the penalty for our sins.

Having called us to Himself, God has transformed us from mere creatures to actual children—as clearly described in John 1:12. Because we are God’s children, we must heed the words of the Prophet Isaiah and seek the Lord because He has chosen to make Himself available to us. In seeking God, we must call upon Him because He has made Himself near to us.

As we begin another new day of life, these words from the Prophet Isaiah should breathe new energy into us. The very fact that, as God’s dearly loved children, He has drawn near to us, we should take full advantage and call upon Him. He is waiting to welcome us. He is longing to have fellowship with us. He wants to make our lives fairly glow with His divine Presence in and through us. So, let’s not hesitate to do as the Prophet suggests—this day and every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Safely Trusting

 

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

—Proverbs 29:25

At this particular time in our lives, there seems much to frighten us. We have a host of fearful happenings. Diseases seem to flourish these days. More and more people we know seem afflicted with heart disease, or some type of cancer, or failing mental accuity, or … Well, you can likely add to this list, I’m sure.

With some many sources of fear in our lives, it is more important than ever for us to find a source of hope that we can cling to in the midst of our darkest hours. That’s why the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post has such great importance.

King Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, wrote this verse as part of the Proverbs he wanted the people of Israel to remember, and by which they should set the course of their days on this earth. The verse at the beginning of this blog post calls us to remain aware of the potent negativity that fear can bring into our lives. The antidote to fear arises when we place our trust in God. In fact, King Solomon contends that trust in the Lord brings with is a safety that overcomes the negativity of fear.

As we begin this new day, let’s lay aside the fear that so easily grips our lives. Instead, let’s put our trust in the God who loves us with His everlasting, unfailing, and undying love. He is the one who can overcome fear in our lives. We remain safe when we trust in Him.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Great Heavenly Reward

 

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

—Matthew 5:11-12

At the beginning of the famous sermon of the Lord Jesus Christ found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7—the passage that Bible scholars have titled the “Sermon on the Mount”—we find a list of items that begin with the word “blessed.” Often referred to as “The Beatitudes,” these items chart a pathway for the life of one who believes in the life-transforming power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ:

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  
  
• Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
  
  
• Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
  
  
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
  
  
• Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
  
  
• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
  
  
• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
  
  
• Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  
  

Then, we come to the last of this list of pathways to blessing. It is found in the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post:

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In an age where many people despise the idea that there is a God who rules over the universe, a God who is holy and condemns sin, a God who expects people to worship Him, we who believe find ourselves experiencing both subtle and not so subtle persecution. In some parts of the world, this persecution has terrible physical consequences. Here in the United States, the persecution has a more psychological substance. Whether physical or psychological, the persecution is very real.

Our only hope comes from understanding that those who believe will become persecuted and this persecution comes with a great reward from the God who loves us and whom we serve. So, we need to take heart, hold our heads upright, and speak forth the praise of which our God is worthy.

We must not hide the Light of Christ under a bushel of our fear or reluctance. We must forthrightly proclaim that we belong to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In so doing, we will fulfill the purpose for which God has called us to Himself and redeemed us from our sins through the precious blood of His one and only Son, Jesus.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Approving the Excellent

 

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…

—Philippians 1:9-10

God-breathed love (agape) is the source of many positive elements within the lives of those who follow Jesus. As the Apostle Paul writes to the Christians gathered at Philippi, in the verse at the beginning of this blog post, abounding love brings forth knowledge and discernment. These latter two qualities are necessary if we are to become able to give our approval to those things that are excellent.

Excellence seems more and more elusive in this day in which we live. Our society has apparently decided that the words “good enough” will serve as the standard by which all behavior, accomplishments, work product, moral decisions, and a host of other life events will be judged. No one seems willing to strive for the very best.

You may have heard the phrase attributed to Voltaire: “Best is the enemy of good.” Or, in contrast, you may have read the book by Jim Collins entitled: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t. These diametrically opposed philosphies give us good insight into the competing ideas that struggle to ensnare our culture. For now, among the people in our nation, Voltaire seems to have won—at least for the moment.

In schools today, teachers focus on telling students all the negatives with which our nation has struggled and they minimize all of the truly wonderful positives our unique nation has accomplished. Instead of balancing the bad with the good, they focus only on the bad.

Many of our political and social leaders seem to have followed this same pattern found in our schools: emphasize only the bad about our nation and completely ignore the good. This form of national self-loathing allows people to subscribe to a philosophy that the United States is all bad. Why do techers and other leaders do this?

History has shown quite clearly that in order to control a large group of people, evil leaders must create within the populace a spirit of negative thinking that will wear down their will to maintain a rigorous sense of value, a solid foundational sense of well-being, and their impetus to strive for a higher level of excellence.

If you carefully study the history of the United States, you will find that, from the very beginning of our unique form of government, there were individuals who tried to cast a pall of negativism over the great experiment that became the United States of America. This same striving to distract and ruin through negativity takes place today.

In our spiritual lives, Satan’s principal role is to try to convince us to always view our own lives, and the circumstances in which we find ourselves, as a overwhelmingly negative. If he can convince us, then he can control us.

Our great protection lies within the open and loving arms of our Lord and Savior. The Apostle Paul urges the early Christians to let their love abound more and more. With love abounding, they will experience knowledge and discernment that will lead to them becoming increasingly able to approve what is excellent. From excellence, they will be able to become pure and blameless, looking forward to the day of Christ’s return.

Do not allow yourself to become convinced that we live in a fatally flawed nation. Yes, the history of our nation—including our present day—does have flaws. But, those flaws do not permanently doom us to destruction.

The heartbeat of God still prevails within the souls of His chosen people, including you and me, pointing us to the truth and filling us with positivity. As we allow the agape love from God to abound more and more in us, we will gain greater knowledge and discernment that will lead to an excellence that will preserve us from the evil that seeks to destroy us.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Doing What is True

 

“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

—John 3:20-21

Cockroaches hate the light. They much prefer darkness. In darkness, they have a much better opportunity to survive. In the light, they can be seen and destroyed. Sin is exactly like that. Sin hates the light and much prefers the darkness. That’s why negativity is an enemy of the truth.

Someone recently asked me why our nation has become so negative:

“Why do things seem so much worse today than they did when I was a child in the 1950s and 1960s? Why do so many people seem so far from God than they did when I was younger?”

I believe that the so-called sexual revolution of the late 1960s ushered in a time where normal social mores were put aside in favor of licentious behavior. Openly living in the depths of sin was formerly frowned upon by the majority of individuals in our nation.

But, after the sexual revolution took hold, increasingly people began to accept more and more types of sin as normal and deemed that sin acceptable. Why? Because sin begets sin—the more we tolerate sin, the more sin will prevail.

Out of this ever-increasing prevalence of allowing sinful behavior to put on a mantle of acceptability, it became ever-necessary to pull away from God. While once the majority of people living in the United States attended church or synagogue services, now fewer and fewer people do so.

As a general rule, citizens of the United States have pulled away from God because He is the one who judges sin. The more prevalent sin has become, the more necessary it has become to set aside the One who judges sin, declaring that He is irrelevant or nonexistent.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to believers, found in Ephesians 2:1-3:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

These verses, in addition to the verses from the Apostle John found at the beginning of this blog post, clearly show the pathway taken by the power of sin to destroy a people and a nation. Everyone who does wicked things hates the Light. Sin has a deadening effect of people’s minds and hearts. The only antidote is found in the truth of God’s written Word, the Bible.

We who follow Jesus are children of the Light. We are the ones who shine the Light of God’s truth into the darkness caused by rampant sin in our world. It is a solemn duty, an awesome responsibility, and one that we dare not take lightly.

Let’s not allow fear to hold us back from our calling. We stand against the darkness of sin by proclaiming liberty to the spiritually captive, light to the spiritually blind, the sound of praise to the spiritually deaf, and hope to those spirutally lost in the swamp of sin.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

It Takes the Supernatural

 

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

—1 Corinthians 2:14

“I just don’t get you spiritual nutcases?”

Of course you don’t, I thought to myself. How can you?

The Apostle Paul faced the same dilemma in dealing with the Christians in Corinth. If you carefully read Paul’s first letter to the “Christ’s-ones” gatherd in the church at Corinth, you will soon understand that Paul was trying to deal with a church gone awry. That’s why he wrote the words that appear in the verse at the beginning of this blog post.

The natural person—the person who does not possess the direct, spiritual, supernatural connection to God that true believers have—does not accept the things that come from the Holy Spirit because they seem foolish. Why? Because such things can only be understood by those who have the Holy Spirit living within them.

We should never be surprised when people do not understand our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that commitment comes from the fact that before the foundation of the earth God chose us to belong to Himself.

In His timing, God sent the Holy Spirit to speak to the depths of our inner beings and convince us that we were sinners in need of a Savior. The Holy Spirit revealed to us that God had chosen us and had redeemed us through the blood of His Son, Jesus.

Once we understood what God had done for us, we embraced this great gift and acknowledged that we did, indeed, belong to God through Christ. The Holy Spirit took up residence within us, and now leads us and guides us along the pathway that God has laid out before us. The lines of supernatural communication and supernatural understanding have been forged between us and God—the One who knows us the best and loves us the most.

This great miracle of God’s amazing mercy, grace, and love overwhelms us with great joy. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We belong to Him forever. Some day, we will graduate from this world into a world beyond our ability to comprehend. There, we will live for all eternity in the very presence of God.

This is such an amazing miracle, no wonder those “natural” humans cannot understand. It takes the supernatural connection that we believers have with God to even begin to understand this miracle of redemption.

And yet, we must share with those God leads across the pathway of our lives what He has done for us. We must share with them because that sharing may very well be the way God chooses to begin the process of calling them to Himself. That’s why our obedience to the task that God has given us is so very important.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Our Advocate

 

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

—1 John 2:1

Raised as an only, adopted child, I have always been a misfit. As I have related numerous times on this blog, I have an innate social awkwardness that makes other people quite uncomfortable. Some people accuse me of being angry all the time. Others speak behind my back telling others that I think I’m a “know it all.” Still others insist that I want to always take over and run the organizations to which I belong.

Over the years, many people react negatively toward me because I am morbidly obese. Others speak ill of me because they feel I talk too much. Still others don’t like the fact that I am not inclined to enjoy sports. Many think that I give too long an explanation, or that the stories I tell are boring.

This recitation of the negative feelings people have about me is not a “pity party.” Rather, I am using these facts as an illustration of what it means to feel that I don’t belong, that I am standing alone against the world, that I am a misfit, and that I have no one to stand up for me.

In the period of time from fifth grade through my graduation from high school, I was bullied—a lot! I developed various strategies to try to minimize the impact that bullying had on me. I was never really very successful at developing the kind of “I don’t care” attitude that would have insulated me from the effects of the bullying. I always wished I had someone—anyone—who would stand up for me, take my side, or otherwise advocate on my behalf.

With this background, you can understand why the verse of Scripture at the beginning of this blog post has come to mean so very much to me. The Apostle John—known in church history as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”—writes to the Christians in Jerusalem and Asia Minor a great truth. John shares something that has importance beyond measure.

John asserts that the reason he has chosen to write his first letter to them is so that he can encourage them to set sin aside in their lives. In so doing, John reminds these baby “Christ’s-ones” that if they do sin, they are not facing a holy God alone. No! They have an advocate who stands with them, acting on their behalf between them and God. And, this advocate is none other than God’s dearly loved only Son, Jesus.

Even as we begin another day, whether or not in our personal lives we have anyone here on earth to stand up for us, in heaven where it really matters, we have an advocate who stands before God in our behalf. Jesus takes our place, stands up for us, speaks on our behalf, and saves us from the rightful wrath of a holy God. Just as Jesus bore the penalty for our sins on the cruel cross of Calvary, so Jesus continues to advocate for us. Jesus is our brother. He is our friend. He is the one upon whom we can always depend.

Johnson Oatman (1856-1922) wrote a song toward the end of the 19th century that has appeared in over 350 hymnals. It’s a song that we seldom hear sung today. The words have a special meaning in light of the teaching the Apostle John shared with those early Christians. Here are the words: ¹

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus—
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our soul's diseases—
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus—
No, not one! no, not one!

No friend like him is so high and holy—
No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly—
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus—
No, not one! no, not one!

There’s not an hour that he is not near us—
No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us—
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus—
No, not one! no, not one!

Was e’er a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! no, not one!
Will he refuse us a home in heaven?
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus—
No, not one! no, not one!

 

______________________

1 Oatman, Johnson. “No, Not One.” This is a gospel song in the Public Domain. This gospel song is also included in various Hymnals that themselves are copyrighted by the publisher of the Hymnal. Though this citation is noted to be in the Public Domain, in the case of someone claiming Copyright protection of this material, please note that in each case, whenever a citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such a citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Holding Tightly

 

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

—Hebrews 10:35-36

The other day, I noticed a billboard along the Interstate highway. It read:

“When the going gets tough, most people curl up into a ball and begin to cry!”

I did a double-take and looked at the sign again. Sure enough! That’s what the billboard declared. I could hardly believe what I had read. And, worst off from a marketing standpoint, I have no idea what product that billboard intended to sell.

Maybe at this time of extreme stress: riots and looting in the streets of our cities, increased crime, downward spiraling morals, harsh political divide, war, and a host of other problems, we’re all supposed to just curl up into a ball and sob our way through each day.

In contrast, in the Scipture verses at the beginning of this blog post, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews urges his readers to hold onto their confidence because such a holding tightly has great reward. He continues by pointing our that his readers have a need for endurance to keep on obediently doing exactly what God wants them to do, so that they will receive what God has promised.

It’s certainly true that in saving us from the penalty of our sins, through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, God has asked only one thing of us: He wants us to become obedient to His perfect will for our lives. To grasp onto God’s will, we must surrunder our own fatally flawed and selfish human will and turn our four human modalities—heart, soul, mind, and strength—over to His steadfast and immutable will.

As we begin another new day, we can rejoice in the fact that we have a definite pathway to follow along the road of life: obedience to God’s will for us. And, we have help along the way through the power of the in-dwelling Holy Spirit. That should give us the ability to hold fast to our confidence, knowing that our confidence rests in the God who loves us with His everlasting, unfailing, undying love.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Natural Progression

 

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…

—Romans 5:3-4

We Americans have become quite proficient at taking certain philosophical concepts and “secularizing” them for our own purposes. Here’s one example:

karma: In the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, karma is the belief that the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence will decide his or her fate in future existences.

Even though the word “karma” represents the belief of two particular religions, we Americans have secularized the philosophical concept represented by this word, so that we may use it to explain what we either observe, or hope to observe, about the behavior of the humans who inhabit the spaces around us. Said another way, we hope against hope that the phrase “what goes around, comes around” will prove true for us, but particularly for those who may do something to harm us.

We even apply this somewhat distorted concept to the “bad things” that may happen to us in our lives. When we suffer, we may believe that our suffering has come because of something we did that deserves punishment. Likewise, when we have great success, we often believe that we are only getting what we deserve because of the good we have done.

Scripture does not support this distorted view. In contrast, we have this example from the writings of the Apostle John, found in John 9:1-3:

“Who sinned that this man was born blind?” asked the Disciples.

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

In this life, suffering comes because of the sin nature passed down from Adam that affects every aspect of our life on earth. This includes the substance of the earth itself, as well as every aspect of human life. Much to the chagrin of many individuals who do not understand the impact of the sin curse, climate change—if, in fact, there really is climate change instead of a normal cycle of climate variance—comes as a result of the sin curse. Humans do not cause climate change. To ascribe to humans the ability to cause a change in something so profound as the climate would minimize the creative power of the God who made the climate. But, that’s likely a discussion best left for another day.

Suffering comes into our lives because we live in a sin-cursed world. When we experience suffering, it is not necessarily because of our actions—although our actions can make our suffering worse. A person who smokes two packs of cigarettes every day, from the time he or she is thirteen years old, may well succumb to lung cancer. But, there actually are other lifelong smokers, who do not die from this dreaded disease.

Suffering is a part of our sin-cursed lives on this sin-cursed earth. The real question is what we will do when suffering comes into our lives. The answer lies within the Scripture verses at the beginning of this blog post.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Christians gathered in the church at Rome. Paul insists that suffering starts a chain reaction for believers—a natural progression—that carries them into a place of rejoicing. Suffering produces endurance. Endurance produces character. Character produces hope. And, best of all, hope will not disappoint us. Why? Because hope draws us into the fullness of God’s loving embrace.

Can we rejoice when we face suffering in our lives? Yes, we can! And, we had better do so. After all, the very Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, sufferend on the cross of Calvary to bear the punishment for our sins. His suffering was the greatest suffering a human could ever endure. As a result, our sins have been forgiven, our relationship with God restored, and our life everlasting is just over the next hilltop.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Welcome One Another

 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

—Romans 15:7

During the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 and 2021, many of us had to forego worshipping together in order to maintain social distancing and try to bend the curve of transmission of this dreaded virus. As the “king of social awkwardness,” I did not miss seeing my fellow believers as much as many of you may have missed this weekly experience. But, I am not so selfish that I do not understand the importance of meeting togther for worship. In fact, I am one who champions the absolute necessity of Christians gathering together for worship. Fortunately, the church that I am privileged to attend began meeting for in-person Worship Services as soon as the local government permitted it to do so.

The warmth of fellowship we feel when we meet with other believers is profound. That is exactly the spirit within which the Apostle Paul writes to the Christians in Rome in the verse at the beginning of this blog post.

“Let me give you a word of advice,” Paul writes. “Welcome one another in the same way that the Lord Jesus Christ has welcomed you into His Kingdom. His gracious, loving, and enthusiastic welcome for you has come about as a way of giving glory to His Father, God. In this same way, when you welcome each other, you do so to bring glory to God.”

We need to keep this admonition always in mind. When we welcome each other with tender hearts and great joy, we bring glory to God. He is our Father, and He delights in the joy of His beloved children. We welcome each other as brothers and sisters, bonded together by the blessed hope that God has given us, through His dearly loved Son, Jesus.

So, when you see one of your fellow believers this day, greet that one warmly. Welcome them in the same way that Christ has welcomed you. If you do, you will bring glory to God. And that, dear ones, is a very, very good thing.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Receive this Blessing

 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—2 Corinthians 13:14

A dear pastor friend of mine, who graduated to heaven many years ago, once told me that the most enjoyable part of a worship service for him as a pastor came when he could pronounce a Benediction over the people at the end of the service. Having told me that, I began to notice the increase in energy and the great joy that I sensed in his voice, as he spoke words of God’s blessing each week.

I have found that this pastor’s words have proven true in my own life. One of the reasons I decided to start this blog, way back at the end of March in 2008, and have continued to write nearly 1,900 blog posts, is that I wanted to do something that would encourage my fellow believers. For the most part, my blog posts have intended to offer encouragement to those who follow the pathway God has laid out before them. So, in a sense, I have wanted my blog posts to speak words of encouragement and blessing into the lives of those who might read these posts.

Blessing others is one of the tasks of obedience God has given us that will please Him and also have a profound effect on others. I do not know a single person for whom the words “Well done!” do not have a significant meaning. We all need encouragement. We all need a blessing. We all need to know that we mean enough to someone else that we can receive a blessing from that one. Notice what the Apostle Paul writes to his fellow believers in the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

These are certainly potent words. And, as we begin a new day, we should take note of what Paul has done and do it for our fellow believers. Just as Paul wrote words of benediction—words of blessing—to his fellow believers, we should write or speak the same.

This day, dear ones, may God fill you with the fullness of His divine presence and encourage you to share His blessing with others.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Me! Me! Me!

 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

—Philippians 2:3-4

No clear-thinking individual can watch a child grow from infancy into young adulthood without observing the stark reality that each of us has an in-born sin nature that we inherited from our parents, and they from their parents, all the way back to Adam’s original sin. Infants focus totally on themselves. Toddlers focus totally on themselves. Parents have to teach young children to focus on someone other than themselves.

By our very nature, we focus on: “ Me! Me! Me!” We have to learn and then motivate ourselves to think about and focus on others. What a joy exists when we observe someone who has put himself or herself so totally in the background of his or her thinking that he or she seems to have concern only for others.

During this time of worldwide strife, we find outselves surrounded by individuals who have chosen to focus only on the needs of others. All of the individuals who serve us during this tragic time—military men and women, public safety officials, medical professionals, service industry employees, and a host of others—countless numbers of individuals have put aside their own safety and well-being in order to make certain we have what we need to continue living in as much safety as possible.

The Apostle Paul instructed the “Christ’s-ones” gathered in the church at Philippi with the words contained within the Scripture verse quoted at the beginning of this blog post. “Make humility your guide,” Paul declares. “Do not let your own self-interest motivate your actions. Rather, put the needs of others first.”

As we begin another new day of life, these words should penetrate our consciousness and motivate us to follow the Apostle”s teaching. Let’s not allow our own selfish wills to set the pathway of our lives. Rather, let’s determine to push ourselves to learn the needs of others and do our best to meet those needs. Whether such action occurs within the boundaries of our own families, or within our own churches, or within our communities, or within whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will do well to live in such a way.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Children of Light

 

… for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

—Ephesians 5:8-10

If you have chosen to read very many of my nearly 1,900 blog posts, by now you realize that I am generally writing to individuals who, at some point in their lives, sensed the convicting power of the Holy Spirit pushing them to believe in the life-transforming power of God’s precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Said another way, for the most part, I have aimed these blog posts at believing “Christ’s-ones” or Christians. By so doing, I prayerfully hope that my words will encourage Christians in their daily walk along the pathway that God has laid out for them.

The teaching of the Apostle Paul, found in the verses at the beginning of this particular blog post, describes exactly the condition in which each one of us followers of Jesus found ourselves. “At one time,” Paul insists, “you were in darkness.” Truthfully, each one of us entered this world in darkness—the darkness of the sin-curse that we inherited from our parents, and they from their parents. Then, at some point along the pathway of our lives, the Holy Spirit began to speak words of conviction to the depths of our innermost being. Those words of conviction prompted us to recognize that we were trapped in sin—the original sin we inherited, and also the sins we had committed on our own.

The revelation of the Holy Spirit didn’t stop with that conviction. He spoke to our inner beings in such a way that we became fully aware of the great gift that God had given us in the redeeming power of the blood of His Son, Jesus. That sacrifice of Christ on the cruel cross of Calvary became a once-and-for-all covering of our sins with His precious blood. We had previously been condemned before the holiness of God. But now, we were redeemed! God had chosen us to belong to Himself. In fact, as we would soon learn, God had chosen us to belong to Himself before the foundation of the earth.

No human reasoning could explain why God chose us. We were not worthy of His choosing. Nevertheless, God did, indeed, choose us to belong to Himself. Having chose us, He drew us to Himself through the convicting power of His Holy Spirit. Once we began to understand what God had done for us, we became increasingly aware that we belonged to Him. We passed from the darkness of sin into the glorious light of His holiness.

The Apostle Paul proceeds from this revelation—that once we were children of darkness and now we are children of light—to urge us to walk the pathway of our lives as children of light. Paul urges us to live as children of light by discerning which decisions we make and actions we take will please the Lord.

So, the question that each of us must ask ourselves, every moment of every day: “Am I living in such a way that is pleasing to God?” I cannot answer that question for you. I can only answer that question for me.

I can and do encourage both you and me to walk as children of light. In this moment and the next and the next, let’s determine, with help from the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, to live as children of light.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Good Conduct Shows

 

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

—James 3:13

Growing up in the 1950s in a very strict, Fundamentalist Christian environment, I was told that some misguided churches taught that an individual could “earn” his or her way into heaven. Those who taught me insisted that such thinking was gravely in error and that people who believed this were seriously mistaken. In fact, or so I was taught, such individuals are likely not “true” Christians at all.

I was also taught that accepting Christ as my Savior was a decision that I, alone, could make. When I reached Houghton College—now Houghton University—in the fall of 1965, I was shocked to learn that other devoted followers of Jesus believed in Reformed theology, which taught that God had actually chosen them before the foundation of the earth to belong to Himself. It wasn’t really their choice at all. It was God who chose those individuals who belonged to Himself.

At the same time, I learned that those who believed God had chosen them did indeed also believe that God had given them the free-will choice as to whether or not they would follow the pathway God had laid out for them. In other words, while these believers had no personal choice in whether or not they belonged to God, they did very much have a choice as to whether or not they would follow God in loving obedience.

It wasn’t that so-called “free will” had no part in their belief system. It was just that the exercise of their free will came into the equation after they came to the understanding that God had chosen them.

The interesting part of this revelation arose from the fact that Houghton University existed as an institution of higher learning sponsored by the Wesleyan Church (originally called the Wesleyan Methodist Church) and actually embraced the same theological position as the denomination in which I grew up—the Evangelical United Brethern Church, now merged to become the United Methodist Church. This theological position was called the Arminian position of Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609), as opposed to the Reformed theological position of John Calvin (1509-1564).

It was rather interesting that I would become exposed to the Reformed tradition while attending an Arminian college. But, that’s what happened, and largely because of the belief on the part of the Bible professors at Houghton University that students needed to understand the full breadth of Evangelical theology.

Having now embraced the Reformed tradition, I have come to understand that such teachings of the Apostle James, as illustrated by the verse at the beginning of this blog post, made sense, in light of the fact that my personal obedience, and the exercise of my free will, would come into play as I allowed my good conduct to show my good works in the meekness of wisdom. God has chosen me to belong to Him. Now, it was my responsibility, out of love and obedience to God, to live in such a way that my good works would testify to His having chosen me.

I have many, many dear friends who fully embrace the Arminian theology of Jacobus Arminius and believe that humans need to make a purposeful decision to follow Jesus as their Savior and Lord. I also have many, many dear friends who fully embrace the Reformed theology of John Calvin and believe that before the foundation of the earth God chose them to belong to Himself. But, each of these groups of friends also strive now to live in obedience, either to the decision they made to follow Jesus, or to God’s chosing of them.

Each of these dear ones longs to share what Jesus means to them with others. Each of them desires to see other men, women, boys, and girls experience the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ. Each of them longs to see a great revival sweep across our land and bring profound change to our nation and our world. Each of them believes that good conduct stands as one of the strongest testimonies to the power of the love of God.

Theology has a definite place in helping us try to comprehend what it means to be a child of God. But, in the end, the way we live out our beliefs and show God’s love to others makes all the difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Abiding in God's Love

 

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

—1 John 4:16

Many years ago, I had a two-week series of business meetings in Las Vegas, Nevada. I do not place Las Vegas high on my list of places I would most like to visit again. Most of my visits there have overwhelmed me with the noise and so-called glamour of the gaming industry. I do not gamble. Thus, most of the excitement of Las Vegas is totally lost on me. Spending two weeks there offered a unique challenge.

One truly enjoyable benefit of that particular business trip was the Saturday morning drive over to the Hoover Dam. One of my colleagues had arranged a special tour for us that allowed us to explore the very depths of this amazing structure. I can still remember seeing the awesome power of the water that flowed through the hydroelectric generators. It was absolutely amazing to see the huge turbines rotated by the force of the water from Lake Mead flowing from the intake, through the generators, and out of the dam.

As great as the power of that water is, the greatest power in the universe is greater still. And, that greater power is the love of God.

A gospel song-writer, Frederick M. Lehman (1868-1953), penned these words: ¹

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain: O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain: O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain: O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

As we “Christ’s-ones” move through this new day, may the love of God enliven and sustain us to obediently follow the pathway that the Holy Spirit opens up before us. Please listen, as the late George Beverly Shea sings this lovely gospel song:

 

 

 

______________________

1 Lehman, Frederick M. “The Love of God.” This is a gospel song in the Public Domain. This gospel song is also included in various Hymnals that themselves are copyrighted by the publisher of the Hymnal. Though this citation is noted to be in the Public Domain, in the case of someone claiming Copyright protection of this material, please note that in each case, whenever a citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such a citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

One Accord and One Mind

 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

—Philippians 2:1-2

Have you ever thought about the fact that life seems like a series of cascading “ifs”?

• If I receive another government stimulus check, perhaps I can buy that iPad I’ve wanted.
  
  
• If it doesn’t rain tomorrow, I hope to be able to go to the beach.
  
  
• If I get a good report from my doctor, I will plan to start walking each morning at the Mall.
  
  
• If my wife asks what I want for dinner, I believe I will ask for steaks on the grill.
  
  
• If I get up early enough tomorrow, I will plan to buy gas for my car on the way to work.
  
  
• If my boss accepts the report I turned in yesterday, I believe I will offer to pay for my friend’s lunch.
  
  
• If my favorite TV program is on tonight, I will pop some popcorn and settle in for a nice evening.
  
  
• And on, and on, and on!
  
  

In our walk of faith, “ifs” play a big role, too. In the verse at the beginning of this blog post, the Apostle Paul relies on a series of “ifs” to encourage the Christians in Philippi:

• “If you find encouragement in Christ …”
  
  
• “If you find any comfort in God’s love …”
  
  
• “If you participate in allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you along the pathway of your life. …”
  
  
• “If you experience affection and sympathy from your fellow believers …”
  
  
• “Then, I urge you to complete the joy I feel for you by having the same love for one another and by being of one mind in the decisions you make.”
  
  

Those words of the Apostle Paul apply to us today, as well. We show our thankfulness to God through our obedience to His written Word and to His divine will for our lives. We set aside our own selfish human wills and allow God’s divine and perfect will to prevail in our lives. That is definitely the way to live.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Help Me!

 

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

—Psalm 121:1-2

You’ve all likely seen the television commercial that begins with these words:

“Help me! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

Lots of comedians have made much of that scenario. I used to laugh a bit at it, too. Then, I became someone who, if I fall, literally cannot get up on my own.

I can remember the first time it happened. I had decided to attend an evening worship service on the shore of Lake Erie at Presque Isle State Park. I’m not certain that I realized we were actually going to meet on the beach. This was in the summer of 2002. For over a year, I had used two canes in order to walk. I didn’t think about how difficult it might be to walk on sand with two canes.

I arrived at the designated spot. Got out of the car and began to walk across the sand to where the other worshippers had gathered. Just a few steps and down I went. Within seconds I realized I could not get up by myself. Fortunately, a very kind man saw my plight and —because of my extreme obesity, with no little amount of difficulty—he helped lift me back up, so that I could stand alone. If I had been alone, I would still be stuck in the sand.

Since that time, I have fallen only four times in the intervening 24 years. In each case, I have needed help getting back up. I am so concerned about falling, that I take every precaution to guard my steps.

The truth is that, for one reason or another, we all need help at some point in our lives. Whether we need help in our physical lives, we most certainly need help in our spiritual lives. That’s why the verse at the beginning of this blog post is so important.

On this day, as we consider the terrible tragedy 25 years ago in New York City, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, we must understand that the Psalmist declares when he needs help he looks to the one source from which genuine help comes:

… the Lord who made heaven and earth.

This day, let us follow the example of the Psalmist. When we need help in our lives, let us look quickly to the only One who can truly help us. God loves us with His everlasting love. He waits patiently for us to call upon Him. Let’s be quick to do so.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Please, Carry Me!

 

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

—Isaiah 46:3-4

One of the great joys of a little child comes when a mom or dad picks the little one up and carries him or her. Yes, children like the freedom to run wherever they want to run and do whatever they want to do. But, there always comes a time when a child becomes tired, or needs the comfort of his or her parents. At such a time, to have mom or dad gather the little one into loving arms and lift them up into a loving embrace brings such comfort and joy to the child.

It is this kind of joy and comfort that God expresses through the Prophet Isaiah, in the Scripture verses at the beginning of this blog post. The people of Israel have had free reign for quite some time. They have wandered far away from the protection of God’s perfect will for them. It is high time that they returned to God and sought the comfort that only He can give.

Look closely at what God promises Israel in these verses. He reminds them that He is the One who has brought them into being and sustained them all throughout their lives. He now extends to them the truth that He will bear them up, He will carry them and save them. No longer do they need to run about without His divine protection. His love will enfold them and keep them safe from all harm.

What God has promised to the nation of Israel, He has also promised to those whom He has called to Himself and redeemed through the precious blood of His one and only Son, Jesus. God has grafted we “Christ’s-ones” into the vine of Israel. We Gentiles have become one with God’s chosen people, the Jews. (see Romans 11) Just as God enfolds Israel, carries them, and saves them, so He will constantly do the same for you and for me.

One of the reasons why we carefully study the “whole counsel of God” by meditating upon both the Old Testament and the New Testament, stems from the fact that the whole of Scripture applies to us in our walk with God. While God has given a new covenant in the incarnation, life, suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, His promises to Israel apply to us today. And, there is much we can learn from observing how patiently, kindly, and lovingly God has dealt with His first-chosen people.

Let’s determine to seek to have God carry us and save us. And, let’s make certain we do so every moment of every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}