No Harm Will Come To Me!

 

“When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

—Psalm 118:5-6

How safety-conscious have you become in this age of great dread? Please let me offer one illustration:

I have a dear friend who works in a major metropolitan city. As his locale has become more and more violent, he has decided to step up the protection he provides for himself. He has obtained a concealed carry permit, so that he can have a firearm available in case he is assaulted. He also has scheduled a regular time at the shooting range, twice each week, to assure that he is well-trained in the use of his Glock handgun.

He also asked for a unique Christmas gift and his family obliged by purchasing a custom-fit bullet resistant Kevlar vest. He now wears this under his work clothes. He admits that it is a bit uncomfortable. But, based on the violence in the city where he lives, he feels the added protection this vest gives his chest and back is worth it.

He has also taken, and continues to take, Krav Maga, the Israeli Defense Forces-created self-defense system. He chose this most-difficult-to-master martial art because his research disclosed that it is the most deadly and most effective self-defense technique.

I guess you might say that my friend is ready for anything. But, of course, in saying that, you would be wrong. He can still be hit by a vehicle while crossing the street. He can succumb to a heart attack, or cancer, or some other deadly disease. He can have some object fall out of the sky and kill him. But, in his mind, he has done everything he possibly can do to prevent harm from others causing his injury or death.

As those who believe in the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ, we Christians—or “Christ’s-ones”—have a source of protection that exceeds anything humans can devise. Our source of protection comes from the God who created all things. The Psalmist declares the following in Psalm 118:5-6:

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

If we find ourselves “lost in the forest of gloom and despair, of sin and destruction,” we, too, can call on the Lord and He will bring us into a spacious place—a clearing in that “forest.” He will be with us. He will take our fear away. We will recognize, with the Psalmist:

“What can mere mortals do to me?”

As we begin a new day, let’s truly trust God to protect us and keep us safe in the hollow of His mighty hand. We can move confidently into the world knowing, as the Psalmist states in Psalm 46:1:

God is our refuge, our strength, and our present help in time of trouble.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Write Your Own Copy of Scripture

 

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests.”

—Deuteronomy 17:14-20

What? Write your own copy of Scripture? No, I’m not suggesting that we create our very own version of Scripture, containing only those verses that we especially like and eliminating all the other verses that we don’t particularly appreciate. Instead, I’m suggesting that, from time to time, we take a Chapter of Scripture that we want to learn and word-by-word write that Chapter down on a piece of paper, or in a notebook. The very act of writing the words of Scripture will help cement them in our minds and hearts. And, it will make the particular passage all the more meaningful, when we hear someone read it during a worship service, or when we hear someone preach a sermon based on that passage.

On one of my many bookshelves, I have a red three-ring notebook that contains the photocopied pages originally written by a very a dear friend. This friend, while she was in college in the late 1950s and early 1960s, read through the Bible and, after reading each Chapter, wrote out a summary of the Chapter in her own words. It makes fascinating reading. Starting as an 18-year-old and progressing to the age of 21, it is interesting to see glimpses of how she was maturing spiritually. Her summaries of the New Testament Epistles, for example, exhibit a much deeper spiritual understanding than her summaries of the earlier Books of the Old Testament.

The idea of writing, or actually copying, portions of Scripture is not a new one. In fact, Moses shared the Law of God and gave some very specific instructions to His chosen people, the Jews, as recorded in Deuteronomy 17:14-20:

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.

The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

I hope you noticed the last paragraph above. The king is instructed to write for himself, on a scroll, a copy of the Law that Moses conveyed in this Book of Deuteronomy. Why? So that it would be with the king, so that the king could read it all the days of his life, so that the king could learn to revere—or fear—God, so that the king could follow carefully the words of the law, and so the king would not consider himself better than his fellow Jews.

Do you not think that, if we took the very same action—wrote out our own copy of Scripture—we could derive the same benefit? I think we could. I think we should. Why not start today?

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 45: The Conclusion of the Matter

 

“The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.”

—Ecclesiastes 12:11

In this last chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon has some final words of commentary to add to his analysis of life “under the sun”—that is, a human’s life without the Presence of God. Please note what Solomon wrote, as found in Ecclesiastes 12:9-14:

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

When all is said and done, King Solomon brings us back to the realization that life “under the sun”—life without God—is meaningless, a casting after the wind. But, in contrast, a life with a relationship with God has inestimable value. To which each of us as believers, at the start of this new day, can voice a hearty, “Amen!”

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 44: Remember God

 

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come …”

—Ecclesiastes 12:1

We have finally reached the last chapter in the Book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon has just a few more words of commentary to add to his analysis of life “under the sun”—that is, a human’s life without the Presence of God. Please read carefully Solomon’s words found in Ecclesiastes 12:1-8:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”

Here Solomon pleads with humans, who intend to live their lives without God, to change direction and remember it is God who created them, who loves them, and who longs to sustain them. It is God who makes a meaningless life, meaningful. It is God who gives purpose and direction. It is God who binds all wounds and brings joy each new morning.

As we start out on the path that leads through another day, let us remember that it is our relationship with God that has the most meaning, and the most purpose, and the most value in our lives. Then, let us determine to live our lives in gleeful service to the Great King who, when we were still sinners, died for us.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 43: Follow the Ways of Your Heart, But …

 

“Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

—Ecclesiastes 11:9b

King Solomon has written the Book of Ecclesiastes as an examination of life without God. It is also his confession of the sin that he allowed to creep into his life. In today’s passage, Solomon reflects on the attitudes he had as a young man, some of which led him off the pathway of righteousness. Take note of Solomon’s words found in Ecclesiastes 11:7-10:

Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.

You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.

Why are youth and vigor meaningless? Because a life lived without God is meaningless. To his regret, Solomon realizes that he has made some serious mistakes in his life. In his unique poetic manner, he confesses those sins, through this examination of life without God.

But Solomon also knows that God has remained faithful to him and has blessed him with overwhelming blessings. The shame that Solomon feels oozes out, in his advice to young people. We do well to take note that life without God is not a real life. Rather, it is but a shadow of the glories of life with God.

As a new day begins, let’s recognize the calling we have to share the good news of God’s reconciling us to Himself, through the birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son, Jesus. That same good news should prompt us to share with others, in the most gentle and tender way, what God has done for us, whenever the Holy Spirit opens up and opportunity for us to do so.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 42: As You Do Not Know …

 

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”

—Ecclesiastes 11:5

By now, we can all agree that King Solomon most obviously enjoyed sharing pithy sayings. In today’s passage, Solomon continues to immortalize certain proverbs that clearly relate to his examination of a life “under the sun”—a life without a relationship with God. Here’s what Solomon wrote, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 11:1-6:

Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.

Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.

In this passage, King Solomon places his tongue firmly in his cheek and wisely contrasts certain things that, “under the sun”—or, with a life without a relationship with God—humans can know, with things that humans cannot possibly know. In so doing, Solomon heightens an awareness of his principal premise: namely, that life without a relationship with God is meaningless, a casting into the wind.

We do well, as we begin another day, to clearly recognize how differently our worldview becomes once we have a relationship with the God who loves us and sent His precious Son to die in our place.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 41: No Prize for the Lazy

 

“Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.”

—Ecclesiastes 10:18

As I mentioned in the last blog post, we already know, from reading the Book of Proverbs, that King Solomon enjoyed sharing pithy sayings. In today’s passage, Solomon continues to share certain proverbs that clearly relate to his examination of a life “under the sun,” without a relationship with God. Here’s what Solomon wrote, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 10:12-20:

Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming—who can tell someone else what will happen after them?

The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town. Woe to the land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.

Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.

A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

The most effective motivation to do what’s right in life comes from a relationship with God. King Solomon had experienced this fact in his own life. When he had become deflected from doing what he knew God expected him to do, Solomon would experience a dissatisfaction with his own behavior. This dissatisfaction prompted Solomon to frame a form of confession in these very passages we have studied over the past more than 40 blog posts.

As followers of Jesus, we experience the fullness of God’s blessing. It’s important for us to stay on the path that God has laid out before us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Doing so does not restrict us from enjoying life. Rather, staying on the pathway that God has provided gives us the ultimate freedom to enjoy life to the fullest.

 

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

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}