Do Angels convey and fulfil God’s instructions?
Angels are created beings; their knowledge is limited. This means they do not know all things as God does. They …
Author Archives: Michael Wilson
What will we choose to do? Disciple others, be a cheerleader or a spectator?
Sometimes I must be challenged. Jesus does it all the time. This quote from Oswald Chambers hit me right between …
“Don’t fear, little flock; for your Father was pleased to give you the kingdom.” ~Jesus
The literal translation Luke 12:32 is “Don’t fear, little flock; for your Father was pleased to give you the kingdom.” …
“Pay to all what is owed to them.” ~Apostle Paul
God lets us know we have obligations. And so, we pay taxes. No big deal. Not a lot of commotion. …
“Yahweh [the LORD] himself, is an everlasting rock!” ~Isaiah
A working definition of doubt is “to lack confidence, to consider unlikely.” The very first expression of doubt in the …
How aligned is Jesus with God and His desires?
Jesus is perfectly aligned with God. He knows He cannot do anything without God. Jesus is determined to follow God’s …
“My kingdom is not of this world.” ~Jesus
God’s plan was moving along on schedule. Jesus had been arrested and was now on trial. It was a little …
“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” ~Apostle Paul
Paul was a fool according to the standards of men. Had he remained a Jewish rabbi, he could have …
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” ~Apostle Peter
I need to be content with who I am in God’s family. I should not put on any airs and …
Jesus challenges us to shift from thanksgiving to Thanks-Living.
I love Thanksgiving. I think it may be my favorite holiday. It is nice that everybody stops to at least …
Has God abandoned us?
David has just spent 20 verses talking about how he feels abandoned by God. Seriously, he goes on and on about …
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ~Jesus
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And …
What does God hate?
What does God hate? We must watch out for our eyes, tongue, hands, heart, feet and mouth. These are issues …
Does being a sloth make you poor?
There is nothing like diligently pursuing the work of the day at hand. It is, in fact, honorable to faithfully work. …
“One sows and another reaps.” ~Jesus
There are many roles for us to play in God’s world (Kingdom). Some of us sow the seed. Some of …
Are we astonished or afraid?
Am I astonished or afraid? Those who simply follow get afraid. Perhaps they were more curious than committed. Jesus wants …
“Master, we want our eyes to be opened.” ~2 blind men to Jesus
Why this is important: Jesus wants us to be whole and well. During His ministry, Jesus exerted the authority given …
Are we seeing with 20/20 vision?
In the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7), Jesus draws a sharp contrast now between a blind person and a sighted …
Do down-to-earth people stand firm?
Ah, now there we go. Down to earth people. We all seem to admire them. But is that said of …
“God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus.” ~Apostle Paul
God has a plan. It is perfect, and He will not change His mind about executing it. His plan involves …
Is God Himself kind to ungrateful and evil men?
Sometimes I am so very tempted to get upset with the “ungrateful”. OK, truth be told, I do get upset. …
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” ~Jesus
Jesus learned obedience “from what He suffered.” As the divine Son of God, Jesus did not have to suffer, but …
“Your steadfast love, Yahweh [O Lord], extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” ~King David
God has nothing but love in mind for us. It is exquisite. God’s love for us is amazing. God is …
“Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” ~Jesus
The religious leaders, in their contempt, arrogance and hypocrisy, thought they could get the best of Jesus. Of course, …
“Do not be anxious!” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to not worry. God is God, in complete control and in a good mood. God will take care …
“Yahweh [The Lord] does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.” ~King Solomon
Why this is important: God wants us to be honest in our core. He will give us wisdom. He will …
“Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ~Religious elites to Jesus
By New Testament times, the religious leaders and elites had hijacked the Law and added to it their own rules …
Where should we look for Jesus?
Jesus is Alive They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, …
“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” ~Apostle John
Am I going to lay a stake in the ground, claiming that I have never missed God’s goal for my life …
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” ~Jesus
Why this is important: Legalism is deadly. Jesus is very clear that God wants our hearts. Jesus put an end …
“Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow.” ~Apostle Paul
Over the years, many churches have developed a model to explain disciple giving and the tithe. Others have used a …
Should we be surprised by any of this?
Why this is important: Jesus tells us everything we need to know. We know God’s plan. We know what God wants. …
“Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” ~King Solomon
I saw a news show recently where they spent a significant amount of time essentially making the case that everyone …
“Rather train yourself for godliness; … it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” ~Apostle Paul
Our God is. He is now. His promise is now. His presence is now. He is!! The future is going …
“Yes, has God said?” ~Satan
The lie is the act. The result is a lack of trust. Sometimes we get so focused on the act …
“I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” ~Jesus
Jesus was on a mission. Jesus had as his focus only doing what God, His Father, wanted him to do. …
Are we looking for Jesus in all the wrong places?
Here is a lesson in worry from our Master Jesus. Jesus wasn’t worried. He wasn’t anxious. He was just doing what …
“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed.” ~Jesus
Jesus ties everything together for us. We are not left guessing what is needed from us in the Kingdom of …
Alert: Other websites I write for content for.
FYI, I maintain 4 web sites and the content associated with them. Quotes, Thoughts and musings (my devotions published twice …
The best of all of these is His extravagant love — A poem
I am not where I want to be. I am leaning in to hear the Master more clearly. I want …
“Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.” ~King David
Is Jesus happy or sad with my prayers? I think Jesus may be sad sometimes. I pray and cry out …
Are we ready to tell the next generation about God?
Are you ready for a new generation of disciples? Pastors, meet the Millennials. Millennials, meet XYZ church. Oops, there is …
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save.” ~Zephaniah
Jesus challenges us to focus on what God is doing today, right now. That is all that Jesus did. He …
“God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind.” ~Balaam
God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. …
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” ~King Solomon
A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. English Standard …
“Fasten your seatbelts, it is going to be a bumpy night.” ~Bette Davis
Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn …
“For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” ~Jesus
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to …
Why did Jesus create a freak out of the first order of magnitude?
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief …
Jesus was on a roll!
Jesus was on a roll. A mighty move of God with healing everywhere. So, He left the region of Tyre, …
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” ~King Solomon
A sluggard is habitually lazy or inactive. Such a person does not take personal responsibility for his own life. The …
“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” ~King David
I have enemies. You have enemies. When we follow Jesus, that is reality. When we speak out for Him, we …
“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.” ~Jesus
God’s goal for us is to make the right choice and choose the way of Jesus. Admit that doing God’s …
“God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” ~Apostle John
John saw the glorification of Jesus with his own eyes. Imagine that. John was there for the transfiguration. John saw …
Why does Jesus rattle the religious leaders and elites so much?
Jesus rattles the religious leaders and elites. He does it all the time. It is intentional. No “I did not …
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” ~God
God has a goal for me. It is a job I must take seriously. Will I? And he said to …
“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” ~Jesus
Why this is important: We say something we regret. We excuse it by saying, “I didn’t mean it”. That does …
“Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble.” ~King Solomon
Oh no! Here we go. If I could just keep quiet. If I could just control my tongue. I love …
“The Lord [Yahweh] loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers.” ~Moses
God is God. That is all there is to it. We can count on it, day by day. God is …
“I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health.” ~Apostle John
John may be hinting here that his dear friend was not well, and that John was praying for restored health: …
“Be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” ~Apostle Paul
This seems pretty timely. The economy goes up and down. That creates a lot of uncertainty. A lot of us …
“We don’t want a riot on our hands,” ~Religious elites
Why this is important: The religious leaders and elites of Jesus day were afraid of a riot. Now that is …
“Know therefore that the Master your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” ~Moses
I live in a hostile world. I call to God. To my heavenly Father I cry out. God hears me. God answers …
“Through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” ~Author of Hebrews
Am I in a war? Is this a battle? Yes, it is. Jesus knows it is true. I must take …
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” ~King David
God has started something in us. It is an amazing work. We serve a God who loves us and has …
“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” ~Jesus
How should we respond to God’s mercy in our lives? Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just …
“Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” ~Jesus
Jesus sets standards for us based on a whole different world. It is His Father’s world. It is a world …
“Be anxious for nothing.” ~Apostle Paul
We all need rest. It is essential. I am anxious about so many things. Anxiety is insidious. There is no …
Can we hide from God?
I am an open book to our heavenly Father. He knows everything I am going to say before I even …
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues His Manifesto (aka The Sermon on the Mount). Jesus is getting close to wrapping it up. Jesus does …
Is worship is at the core of who we are in pursuit of who God is?
Jesus challenges us to worship God in a way we have never known before. Do we think worship is sitting …
“But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” ~Jesus
We know we all do it. We “pretend” nothing is wrong. We pretend we are something we are not. We …
Does teaching false doctrine lead to severe punishment?
“Make love, not war!” may have been a popular slogan, but it is not always feasible. Doctors must make war …
Is our love being perfected?
In our Father’s house there are many, many rooms. But the one thing there is no room for is fear. …
Is God moving too slow?
Why this is important: Jesus the Messiah supremely displays God’s patient character in his work of salvation. The patience of …
Are you ready to have breakfast with Jesus?
As we go about our work, we can have assurance that Jesus is working right along beside us. Our faith …
How do we go about showing consideration to others?
The main thing: Gentleness is an expression of compassion, seen in God’s dealings with the frail and weak, and expected …
Is Jesus in charge of my life today?
Jesus asks me lots of questions. This one gets to the core of the issue. Who is Jesus? Is Jesus …
Do we understand the urgency of Jesus?
Jesus challenges us to live life urgently. He does not have a “plan B” for us. We are His plan. …
Will Jesus call us worthless goats and send us to hell?
Jesus has some goals in mind for us. Jesus is clear what they are. Jesus warns us that there will …
Why worry? Why are we so anxious about the least little things?
The list of things I can worry about is long. Give me a whole day and it grows enormously. My …
What do we have to fear?
Why this is important: We do not have to be timid or shy. Fear cannot grip our hearts. He has …
Is Jesus sticking up for us?
What does Jesus’ love look like? Jesus is in there sticking up for me. When I am accused of something, …
How did God speak to us?
Here is an amazing thing about our heavenly Father. He spoke to us directly through His Son Jesus. Just reading …
How radical is Jesus concept of love? Will it bring out the best in us?
Why this is important: There are people in our lives that simple challenge us. Many times, that challenge clearly brings …
Are we fortunate to be persecuted?
God’s people have always faced persecution. The prophets were reviled, tortured, and killed. History records that ten of Jesus’ disciples …
How should we pray? Are there any secrets to know?
Why it matters: There are times that I seem to know what I am doing. There are other times I …
Does the cost of discipleship involve self-denial?
Jesus lays out the terms of discipleship. There were great crowds following Him. Everyone loved the miracles, healing, and free …
Can we count on what God says to us?
Is God two-faced? Is God fickle? God is not fickle. No way at all. There is nothing in Him that is …
Will we be persecuted by family and friends?
We know we will be persecuted. Jesus is clear on that. But by our family? Now that hurts. A disciple …
Where do we start in describing God?
Who is God? How do I describe Him to others? Where would I start? Here is a good place to …
Can God keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating?
Jesus can keep me on my feet. I will never fall when I am in Him. I will stand tall …
Are God’s plans revealed to his people?
Here is the deal. We may not always know God’s plan but He does. And He has one. God is …
Are we trying to keep God a secret?
How often do I act like God is a secret? Unfortunately, more than I want to admit. I take credit …
Why did Jesus have to enter into every detail of human life?
Why this is important: I know sometimes I am trying to help with the wrong thing. I think I understand …
Does our faith impress Jesus?
Does our faith impress Jesus? Jesus challenges us to have a bold kind of faith. This woman came to Jesus …
Will we serve money and wealth?
Want to know what Jesus thinks? Here is Everything Jesus had to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the …
Will we persist in following Jesus to the end?
We know there can be a problem. There is the early enthusiasm of hearing Jesus and knowing him. But the …
Is God all knowing?
Is God all knowing? Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; …
Can we round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit?
What is it that challenges bring to me? What does all the trouble mean? I get to shout praise. Trouble …
What does faithfulness look like in our prayer life?
Prayer is the energy that enables the Christian soldier to wear the armor and wield the sword. We cannot fight …
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 