Jim Wilson's Blog, page 18

God's Purpose and Provision

Here is a thought put together by the following verses:

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of hisresurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in hisdeath, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that Ihave already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I presson to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers andsisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing Ido: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press ontoward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward inChrist Jesus” (Philippians 3:10-14).

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of theLord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate theLord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory,which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformedto the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers andsisters” (Romans 8:29).

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we willbe has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shallbe like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in himpurify themselves, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

God’s purpose and provision is for us to be like the LordJesus. Many Christians I know seem to be less like the Lord Jesus than theywere when they were first saved. If this is you, get into the Word and intoprayer. If you would like a Bible reading plan to help, you can find one atTotheWord.com.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Fear & Worry

This post falls under the category of Philippians 3:1: “It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, andit is a safeguard for you.”

Fear and worry have a few common characteristics.

·      They are opposites of trust in God.

·      They are present feelings based upon futureunknown events.

·      They are based on lies from the father of lies.

·      They are common because worry is a form of fear.

·      Both fear and worry do not come from God.

·      They are both sins against God.

Here are a few related Scriptures:

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘Whatshall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all thesethings, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first hiskingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you aswell. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry aboutitself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:31-34).

This is a favorite promise of Bessie and me.

There are two reasons not to worry.

1.    This is what the pagans do. Do we want toimitate pagans?

2.    The Lord knows we need food and clothing. Hecreated us with a stomach and without fur. He will provide the food andclothing.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say itagain: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, butin every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present yourrequests to God. And the peace of God, which transcendsall understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”(Phil. 4:4-7).

“For God did not give us a spirit oftimidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7).

“Cast all your anxiety on him because hecares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Christ or Idols: What's in Your Heart?

“Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, thesemen have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocksbefore their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?’” (Ezekiel 14:2-5).

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Alwaysbe prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason forthe hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping aclear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your goodbehavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15-16).

Do you see the parallel?

· “These men have set up idols in their hearts.” (Ezekiel,NIV)

· “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” (1 Peter, NIV)

· “Enthrone Christ in your hearts.” (Knox)

· “Sanctify the Lord God in your heart.” (KJV)

· “Set apart, in your heart, high and lifted up, JesusChrist as Lord.” (Irene Webster-Smith)

Worship begins in the heart. Idolatry is in the heart longbefore a physical idol is made. Worship of Jesus Christ is in the heart, notrelegated to a special day and special buildings.

 

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Mercy and Grace

Years ago, I heard comparative definitions of mercy and grace.

Mercy is not getting what Ideserve—Hell.

Grace is getting what I donot deserve—Heaven.

Here are both words in a sentence or two:

"But becauseof his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alivewith Christ evenwhen we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4-5).

"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviorappeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but becauseof his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal bythe Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ ourSavior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might becomeheirs having the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7).

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

A Lot of Love

There are five objects of our love in Scriptures.

·      Love GOD (Matthew 22:34-40).

·      Love our neighbors.

·      Love our wives.

·      Love the brothers.

·      Love our enemies.

That is a comprehensive list. The quality of love is also comprehensive.

·      With all your heart, all your soul and all yourmind. That is a lot of love.

·      Your neighbor as yourself. If we loved oneneighbor as much as we loved ourselves, he would be getting much love.

·      As Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).

·      As Jesus loved us (John 13:34).

·      As God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked(Luke 6:3).

That is very much love.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Risen Christ

 

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is nothere; he has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still with you inGalilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, becrucified and on the third day be raised again’” (Luke 24:5-7).

“And who through the Spirit of Holiness was declared withpower to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ ourLord” (Rom. 1:4).

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raisedto life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25).

The risen Christ is why we are here.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Led by the Spirit

Jeremiah prayed, “Iknow, O LORD, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct hissteps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

Paul wrote, “Becausethose who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

“But if you are led bythe Spirit, you are not under law” (Galatians 5:18).

“If the LORD delights ina man’s way, he makes his steps firm” (Psalm 37:23).

“In their hearts humansplan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

I thank God for thesewonderful truths. I thank God for His daily directing my steps from my earliestdays as a Christian until today. I have no idea where I would be today if thiswere not true.

“Finally, brothers, prayfor us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just asit was with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Your Intellect Won’t Get You There

“If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find outwhether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (John 7:17).

“The golden rule for understanding spirituality is notintellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectualcuriosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches,he can only get it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may be surethere is something I will not do. Intellectual darkness comes throughignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend toobey” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceiveyourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

 

Written August 1991.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Let There Be Light

 

No parameters, nospeed of light nor time nor space.

Nothing to measure inlight years or miles

and then God createdthe Heavens and the Earth.

 

In and around andabove that wet, dark and formless empty earth

The Spirit Hovered.

 

From beyond thenight, beyond the heavens and apart from the Earth

God said, "Letthere be light."

And there was light.

 

Six measured dayslater God created man in His own likeness.

But man believed alie to be more like God and indeed became less like Him.

Man's thinking becamefutile, and his foolish heart was darkened.

 

Now we are measuredin time, square miles, and by the Bureau of Standards.

Into that measuredland, in a farmhouse on a quarter section in central Nebraska

God created a man,partly in His likeness.

 

Twenty measured yearswent by,

and over and aroundthat man with a dark and formless void,

The Spirit hovered.

 

Into that void,formless and dark, pierced and then flooded, a light.

For the same God whoin the beginning said, “Let there be light,”

Has now shined in myheart,

 

To give the light ofthe knowledge of the glory of God

In the face of JesusChrist.

- Jim Wilson

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Proclaiming Peace and Salvation

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those whobring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaimsalvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7).

We do not normally think of feet as beautiful. Why are thesefeet different? They are carrying a voice that proclaims good news, peace, goodtidings, salvation, and the reign of God. The apostle Paul quotes this text inRomans 10:15 right after a series of questions.

"‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will besaved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And howcan they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hearwithout someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they aresent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring goodnews!’” (Romans 10:13-15).

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships