Jim Wilson's Blog, page 29

The Cure for Loneliness

Everyone has experienced loneliness to some degree sometime in life. ad yet, for many, loneliness is not an occasional problem but a characteristic of their lives.

It begins early. As children, they are shuttled off to daycare centers. They don’t know if they are loved and accepted by their parents. The time that they do spend with their parents reinforces this impression.

As they grow, the need for love and affection doesn’t go away—it grows with them. The longer this need is unmet, the surer it is that they will seek to meet it elsewhere. One of the first places they go is to the opposite sex. This results in the loneliness of an unhappy marriage, or the loneliness of promiscuity.

When people are lonely, it is amazing what kind of company they will seek. For some, their companions are two-dimensional. Many seek a friend in the electric chatterbox or online. Some attempt to smoke their loneliness out by getting high…while others prefer the method of attempting to drown it in alcohol.

None of these options can be successful. This is because, ultimately, loneliness an only be removed by establishing a relationship with God the Father.

What does the Bible say on this subject? When someone becomes a Christian, he or she immediately enters into a relationship with the Father that swallows up loneliness. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:15-16).

Even the best human parents cannot meet all our needs. But the Father in heaven can help us build a truly satisfying relationship with him. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). He also promised, “‘If a man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom whose who believed in Him were later to receive” (John 7:37-39). Jesus promises to give you His Spirit and lead you to His Father.

This is how you can receive this promise:

1) You must turn away from all your sin. You should have no regret about leaving your old life behind.

2) Acknowledge that Jesus Christ died and rose form the grave for you. When Jesus died, your old sinful nature was crucified with Him.

3) Give yourself to Him lock, stock, and barrel. This means giving all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.

4) Thank Him for accepting you into His life.

5) Begin to walk in the light of His lordship. Read your Bible. Pray constantly. Talk to others about your new life. Fellowship with other Christians regularly.

Jim Wilson

If you are a Christian and would like more help with overcoming loneliness, we recommend Elisabeth Elliot’s book The Path ofLoneliness.

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

Repentance for All

 

“‘What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, “Son, go and work today in the vineyard.” “I will not,” he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, “I will, sir,” but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?’ ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him’” (Matthew 21:28-32).

Jesus here is not teaching the merits of delayed obedience. He is teaching repentance for both the person who initially refused and the one who promised to obey. It seems to be easier, however, for those who know they are disobedient to repent than for those who have promised to obey. That is because of the relative worldly values of righteousness between Pharisees and prostitutes.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the 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.

Written October 1983.

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

Our Desires & God's Promises

There are things in this life that we desire very much. They are legitimate desires. They are more than desires on our part; they are promiseson God’s part. Desires or promises, they are listed in a beautiful way in Isaiah 58:11:

"And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."

There is a hitch to this promise of continual guidance and spiritual refreshment. It is an "iffy" promise. Here are the "ifs":

"If you take away from the midst of you the yoke (slavery), the pointing of the finger (accusation) and speaking wickedness, (vanity KJV, boasting) and "if you pour yourself out for the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday" (vv. 9-10).

Earlier in the chapter, we find that God will answer when we call, that our righteousness will go before us and His glory will come behind us, and "your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily" (v. 8).

How could we ask for more? It is a promise of exuberant life, some of that “more abundance” Jesus promised, light that breaks and health that springs!

What are the conditions?

Setting men free from evilRemoving their heavy burdensDelivering men from oppressionFeeding the hungry from our own supplyBringing the poor and afflicted to our own houseClothing the nakedTaking care of our own family (vv. 6-7).

The promises are spiritual and physical, but so are the conditions. If you are interested in the conditions which are not acceptable, they are listed in verses 1-5.

 

Written March 1986.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the 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

Taking Offense at Christ

"When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. ‘Where did this man get his wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. ‘Isn't this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother's name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’ And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.' And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith” (Matthew 13:53-58).

The people in Jesus’ hometown were amazed, but not positively so. They knew his power and authority were true. They did not like it. When they asked, "Where then did this man get all these things?" they did not want to know the answer. The question was accusative. They took offense. And because of their lack of faith they deprived themselves of miracles. This is an example of offense being taken from another’s perfect attitude and action. When offense is taken, it does not follow that the offender is in sin.

 

Written August 1985.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the 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

Responding to Insults & Lies

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).

We know this command applies to us today because the Great Commission says, "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." We are to be taught to obey, and we in turn are to teach to obey. The command here is to "rejoice and be glad."

My personal experience in contact with other Christians is probably wider than most Christians, but still limited. Keeping this in mind, I know very few Christians who count themselves blessed when they are insulted and falsely accused of evil because of their stand for Jesus Christ. I do know Christians who get angry and want to fight back.

Let us make decisions now that will determine right actions if and when this occurs.

 

Written July 1990.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the 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

God with Us

The last sentence in Ezekiel is, “And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE." What a wonderful name for a city!

Jesus, when he came to earth as a baby, fulfilled the prophecy recorded in Matthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel (which means 'God with us’).”

Then in Revelation 21:3, there was “a great voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself will be with them.’”

Finally, we have the promise in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

At least three of these texts are speaking of God's close relationship with His church. They speak of His faithfulness in His imminence. Thank God!

 

Written November 1990.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the 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

Psalm 145

In the last few days,* my time with the Lord has been in the Psalms. Psalm 145 made me pay attention this morning. Here is part of it:

"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness” (vv. 3-7).

“They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made” (vv. 11-13).

Notice that no one can fathom God's greatness. That is an understatement. If God's greatness was an ocean, we would not be able to measure the depth with lead, line, sonar, or any other device. The bottom would be an infinite distance away.

The next several verses tell us that one generation tells another. That is what we are about, telling the next generation about His mighty acts, His glorious splendour, the power of His awesome works, the glory of His kingdom, so that all men may know of His mighty acts and the glorious splendor of His kingdom.

 

*Written July 1985.

This post coordinates with Friday's reading in the To the 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

Calling Evil Good

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).

This has been going on since Isaiah wrote this in the eighth century B.C., and probably before. However, now in universities across the land it has reached pandemic proportions. And Christians are involved. It started out with euphemisms where bad actions (sins) were described in words that sounded not so bad: adultery = having an affair, promiscuous fornication = sleeping around or sexually active, male homosexual = gay.

These words that were once not so bad have now become good, and political correctness has made those people who are critical of homosexuals into the bad guys. In other words, evil has become good and good evil.

 

Written March 1994.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the 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

Crucified Because of Truth

"And they began to accuse him, saying, ‘We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.' So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied” (Luke 23:2-3).

The accusation against Jesus was a combination of truth and falsehood. Jesus did not oppose paying taxes to Caesar, nor did He subvert the nation. However, He was the Christ, a king. Pilate picked up on the truth, and Jesus confirmed it.

Jesus was crucified because of truth, not because of lies.

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).

Persecution against Christians may be justified by lies, but it happens because of the truth.

 

Written October 1991.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the 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

Faithful to Humble & Exalt

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).

This truth is also found in Philippians 2:3-11:

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The faithfulness of God is wonderful. I received Jesus Christ once 38 years ago,* and I have never had to do it again. Not every decision is that permanent. I would like to think that if I humbled myself once I would never have to do it again. I have had to do it again and again.

The faithfulness of God works in a different way. God is faithful to humble those who exalt themselves. He is also faithful to exalt those who humble themselves. His humbling us and His exalting us may not happen immediately upon our exalting ourselves and our humbling ourselves. In fact, it may not happen until much later.

 

*Written February 1986.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the 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