Joyful and Blessed!

Published on: November 12, 2019December 1, 2019 by Peter Wollensack Comment

Joyful and Blessed!

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. Psalm 1:1

Being careful about what we listen to as well as “how” we hear what’s directed our way may seem like just good common sense to many—but, then again, if you have more than a few years “under your belt,” you’ve probably discovered that “common sense” isn’t all that common!

As the sage words the psalmist penned nearly three thousand years ago warn us, a person should always consider the source of what he or she hears and be careful about the company we are keeping.

Voices All Around

In this modern-day world of electronic media, there is a multitude of voices around us seeking to grab our attention and offer us advice. Though many seem to be like harmless “noise,” of little consequence, nearly all extol what amounts to be the “wisdom of the world”—which is beguilingly attractive to the average person.

While the world is busily trying to mold everyone into a particular image—those who are Christian believers are called to be conformed to Jesus Christ—looking to him, doing as He says, and abiding in his presence.

Bombarded by Propaganda

The world is basically instructing all of us about what is a proper way of thinking and being, and seemingly has our “best interests” at heart, but its “counsel,”—which amounts to little more than propaganda—is, in reality, almost always pernicious. Worldly advice appeals to the carnal nature in each one of us—what “looks good” and usually seems to be the “easy way,” that is, when considered in terms of selfish interests or short-term gain.

Over the years in my Christian walk, I’ve been “put off” by a superficial form of Christianity that never has a cost to it and really amounts to a free membership in a grand “bless me” club. Yes, God does bless his people on a continual basis. There are many benefits to serving him, and we shouldn’t discount or neglect them, by any means.

Stay on Course

But, considering that there is also an enemy of our soul who seeks to destroy those of us who are following after Jesus Christ, blessings are just part of the story. The “accuser of the brethren,” the one who Jesus called “the Father of Lies,” tries to bring difficulty and persecution our way at any opportunity he can get. That’s a part of spiritual reality—and we should accept it as such. Beloved, our blessings come with persecution (see Mark 10:30 and 2 Timothy 3:12)—it’s to be expected!

And the “counsel of the ungodly” serves one main purpose—to divert us from the destiny to which the Lord has called us.

True Contentment and Blessing

Rather, be vigilant and be strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit.

Reject the counsel of the unbelievers who scoff at God’s holy and precious Word and who take obedience to the Lord and service in his kingdom lightly. By doing so, you will find yourself in a place of true contentment and blessing!

The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:12

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

He Took Our Pain

Published on: November 6, 2019December 1, 2019 by Peter Wollensack Comment

As you’re probably aware, drug use— both legal and illegal—has spread far-and-wide across the globe over the last two generations. The use of pharmaceutical drugs to relieve physical pain and psychological afflictions such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and even psychoses has increased to mind-boggling proportions. And of course, illegal drug use has become a deadly serious problem in much of the world.

One of the reasons for the spiraling increase in drug use is that, as some observers of the human condition have commented, we’ve been living in an “Age of Anxiety.” Indeed; but it’s increasingly apparent that in recent decades matters have taken a turn for the worse. For much of humanity, it has become as if we are now living in something more like an “Age of Pain and Suffering.” That this is true is attested to by skyrocketing sales of pills and potions across the planet to deal with the pain and suffering of all manner of physical and mental disorders and, at the same time, increasing pressure on society to mainstream what some have called “recreational” drug use.

For many of the world’s inhabitants the “Age of Anxiety” has been morphing into the “Age of Pain and Suffering.”

And what about you? Have you yourself been suffering? Are you in pain? If so, you should be aware that there is a remedy for your condition that doesn’t involve “Big Pharma” or drugs.

Someone has made a cure with you in mind. In fact, He has made himself available to alleviate your condition. As the prophet Isaiah wrote more than 2700 years ago, a unique person sent by God would one day take our suffering upon himself and bear our pains (see Isaiah 53:4). That person indeed did come along—and his name is Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach)!

Jesus, our pain medication and our remedy for suffering!

Friend, pharmaceutical remedies have side effects that sometimes can be worse than the original condition. But Jesus Christ can bring healing and wholeness to your life—providing not only what you need to overcome misery and pain—but also with added blessings and benefits.

You don’t have to “go it alone”—Jesus is willing to be there right with you.

All He asks is that you trust in him.

Why not do that right now?

Believing in your heart, say these words: Jesus, I believe you have borne pain and suffering for me so that I myself can experience restoration and wholeness. I place my total being in your hands. Save me. Bring me out of this condition I’m in. My hope and trust is in you. Thank you for hearing my plea and being my Healer and Savior! I ask this in your name. Amen!

Be assured—there is power in heartfelt, faith-filled words. God will see to it that heaven’s power enters into your personal situation of pain and suffering! Believe it…expect it… and you will see!!

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

A Worthy Legacy

Published on: September 8, 2019December 1, 2019 by Peter Wollensack Comment

Legacy—it’s what’s left behind after a person is gone from the scene—passed on to eternity.

The question is: What kind of legacy will each one of us be leaving? One of having lived a life solely for “I, me, my and mine”—grabbing all you can, chasing after money and personal pleasure your whole life? Or perhaps some kind of troublesome legacy like a life filled with resentment and bitterness, having been bound by the chains of a grudge you’ve held against those who’ve wronged you. Or maybe another type of toxic legacy—such as, a life of addiction or immorality, having lived a sin-soaked life which has consumed your very being?

Hopefully, however, you’re a person who has purposed to leave behind a more worthy, inspirational example for others—one that’s rooted and grounded in the love of God. If so, your legacy will be a blessing to those who’ve known you during your earthly sojourn, as you’ve passed on enduring values and generosity of spirit which can then be transmitted from one generation to the next.

Without a doubt, anyone concerned about their legacy should do their best to leave a material blessing behind, an inheritance, commensurate to the prosperity with which God has graced them during their life. But material “things” shouldn’t be the main focus of a person’s legacy. For even if someone is able to bequeath great wealth to others, their largesse may be squandered in short order if the recipients lack wisdom, character, or godly values.

The baby-boomer generation, of which I’m a part, is fading fast from the scene. As our influence wanes, it behooves us to pass the torch to others. And for each succeeding generation to do likewise.

But are you even carrying a torch? Has your life up to this point even been an example worthy of emulating?

Have you stood for truth, God’s truth—or have you lived a life of expediency and compromise?
Are you even seeking after God and his ways? Or are you preoccupied with “doing your own thing?”
Have you even considered what type of legacy you are leaving behind when you are gone?

Jesus Christ said that God’s children must pick up their cross daily and follow his lead. The Master also told us that loving him means obeying him.

Living a godly life is a worthy legacy—one that is self-sacrificing and in service to God and his kingdom here on earth, one that hasn’t bent it’s knee to the “god of this world”—the corrupter, the deceiver, who is Satan, the devil. At the very center of such a legacy needs to be “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” (Col 1:27), manifested by your dependence on True and Living God and his presence in your life. If such is the case, your relationship with him will be reflected by living a life of honesty, integrity, faithfulness, and operating in the God-kind of love. Your godly character and actions will then serve as a model, and even a legacy, for those around you.

Are you occupied with bringing “heaven to earth?” If you are a child of the Most High God then God’s light, truth, spirit and power should exude from you no matter what your circumstance. By its very presence within you, the love of God dwelling in your heart will overflow to others and transform the spiritual atmosphere wherever you are and wherever you go.

Now, THAT is a spiritual legacy worth emulating!

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

Being Spiritually Minded

Published on: January 31, 2017February 4, 2017 by Peter Wollensack Comment

For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

The mentality of this world is what Jesus called the “broad way that leads to destruction.” It’s a way of thinking and an approach to life that leads to failure, misery and heartache. The apostle Paul referred to it as the “mind-set of the flesh”— carnal thinking which relies on knowledge gathered by our five senses.

God’s counsel concerning sense knowledge is to come “out of our shell” of limitation and tap into the wisdom of his counsel—to “trust in him with all our hearts” and lean not to our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). In other words, He wants us to become far more than “natural” men and women, because what He has in mind is to bring us above and beyond that—so that we become all that we were meant to be—supernaturally empowered men and women.

Trying to accomplish anything of lasting value in this world through self-effort will, in the end, prove to be empty and futile. In charting our course through the unexpected twists, turns and setbacks of life, each one of us needs a greater measure of understanding than that which we naturally possess. Wisdom that is beyond ourselves is what’s necessary to be truly successful in any meaningful way. Hopefully you have already come to the realization that the “world” has little to offer beyond trinkets, glitter, empty promises and dead-end roads. But, what you need to know, if you haven’t understood it yet, is that the Lord offers each one of us a higher way, one leads to “life and peace.”

The entrance ramp to this higher road is humility. A person must be teachable, open to counsel from on high, to enter into a higher spiritual dimension. As the Scripture says of the Lord, his ways are higher than ours and so are his thoughts (see Isaiah 55:8,9). If you want access God’s way of thinking you need to open yourself up and allow him to show you his higher ways.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that God never asks any of us to do what we’re unable to do—unless He provides a means—natural or supernatural—to do it. He wants you to be spiritually minded and He’s made a way for you to do just that!

First of all, you have to be born into his family. His provision for that is the “new birth”—being “born again” (see John 3:3-5). It’s a first, all-important, supernatural step in becoming spiritually minded.

Once you are born into God’s family the Lord gives you a precious gift—his Holy Spirit to lead and counsel you. Yet another provision He’s made is the written Word of God which is crucial to the spiritual growth of every born-again believer. But, if we are to become truly spiritually minded, we need to realize that the Bible isn’t sufficient in and of itself to bring about the necessary transformation in our thinking because, as the apostle Paul wrote, “…the letter kills but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Indeed, it is “… those who are led by God’s Spirit [who] are God’s children” (Romans 8:14).

Our aim is to develop a relationship with the One who is the Wonderful Counselor so that we may hear and heed his voice. As the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Jesus’ thinking can be ours if we are spiritually minded. Let it be so!

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

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Further scriptures to consider:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6, NASB)

For the natural man is not able to take in the things of the Spirit of God: for they seem foolish to him, and he is not able to have knowledge of them, because such knowledge comes only through the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14, BBE)

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:2)

Be Not Deceived

Published on: May 29, 2016September 24, 2019 by Peter Wollensack Comment

Sowing and Reaping

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for what a man sows, that also he will reap.” Galatians 6:7

One of the basic laws which governs nature and the spiritual realm is a very simple one: the seed you sow determines the harvest you reap. It should be common sense but it’s a truth that eludes many folks, especially those who are “wishin’ and hopin’” that somehow this universal law can be nullified in their case, at least for a time anyway, so that they won’t have to reap the woeful consequences of the bad seed they’ve been sowing.

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One of my hobbies over the years has been growing a garden. I enjoy nurturing the plants and watching them develop and eventually produce fruit. I especially like harvest-time and enjoying the fruit of my labors. For several years I cultivated a bountiful garden from which I was able to harvest large quantities of corn, tomatoes, squash, cantaloupe and much more.

Every year in the early Spring I went to Agway, the local farmer’s supply store, and bought seed. Before I drove there in my pickup truck I always had harvest-time in mind. And because of that, I can tell you that very purposefully I never bought brussels sprout seeds because the entire family detested the way they taste and would never even consider eating them. On the other hand, I always made sure that I got watermelon seeds when I went to Agway because everyone thought that nothing tasted better on a hot summer day than a cool, juicy slice of watermelon.

Like most folks, at least those with any common sense, I would never buy and plant brussels sprout seeds and then expect to be savoring the sweet taste of watermelon when the “dog-days” of summer rolled around. That isn’t how things work and, of course, it’s just plain foolish.

However, when it comes to spiritual matters, it’s pretty clear that some people live in a fantasy world in which they wishfully think there is some way of getting around the spiritual law of sowing and reaping. These are the folks who want to believe that they can do as they please, without regard for God or anyone else, and somehow the Lord will smile on them and they will walk in his blessings. And, of course, just as in the realm of nature, such notions are just plain foolish.

How much sense does it make, for example, that a person who sows bitterness and strife wherever they go will somehow be able to reap a harvest of anything but turmoil and sour relationships? The answer is “none”—it makes no sense. Whether a person chooses to believe it or not, sowing bad seed can only produce a corrupt and evil harvest. The seeds of animosity and conflict can never produce anything that even comes close to resembling the good fruit of peace and harmony. That’s because of the universal law of sowing and reaping which the Lord put into motion at the very beginning.

While Jesus Christ was walking the earth he taught the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s a very simple idea that any child can understand. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Appreciate their worth and respect their feelings. In your dealings with them, demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit and you will be planting the seeds of goodwill and harmony in your relationships.

The Golden Rule works everywhere but the first place it should be put into practice is in your household. In fact, it’s a key to a good marriage. If you are married, you should always do your best to put yourself in your spouse’s “shoes,” as much as it’s possible anyway, and consider what is best for your spouse in every situation. That kind of consideration will go a long way in strengthening your marriage and will enhance the spiritual atmosphere in your home. Peace and harmony will reign in your household. Does that sound good to you? Then use to the Golden Rule as the guiding principle in your marriage.

Whatever your circumstance, no matter where live, the law of sowing and reaping is working in your life. If you are under the delusion that you can live in ways that foolishly disregard the basic spiritual laws established by the Living God who created you and all that is, and avoid the consequences of the bad seed you are planting, do yourself a favor before it’s too late and reconsider your ways.

God is merciful and is full of grace. But we must also take into account that He is fair and just as well. The law of sowing and reaping reflects that truth. Our God will not be mocked. The laws He established to govern the universe are there to insure that He is glorified above his creation.

So, just as the law of gravity works whether you believe in it or not, the law of sowing and reaping works as well. It is for your benefit that you live by it, and also that He may be glorified.

May the Lord bless you abundantly as you grow in your understanding of his ways and sow good seed… in faith!

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter