Stopping for a Recharge - Martin Wiles

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. Mark 6:31 NLT

After two hours, she heads for her docking station to recharge.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 put millions out of work. The government issued stimulus checks to individuals and families to stimulate the economy. Yes, they wanted us to use the money to help pay our bills, but they also hoped we’d spend some for unnecessary things to jump-start the economy.

And my wife had an idea about how we could use some of ours to contribute. She had had her eye on a robotic vacuum cleaner before COVID hit. Not the one that costs $500, but a cheaper version sold by America’s favorite retailer. I had ignored her hints for months, but now, since we had extra money—and since Mother’s Day happened to come along simultaneously—I gave her the okay to order one.

Having both grown up when The Jetsons’ was a popular kids’ show, we decided to name our new addition Rosie—after the household robot the Jetsons owned. My wife loves Rosie. I suppose because my wife is the one who does the sweeping and vacuuming. I, on the other hand, tolerate her. She’s a little noisy, and she always seems to be cleaning in the exact spot where I need to walk.

Not being the most expensive kind of robot. Rosie can’t map out our house, so she plunders around from room to room until her battery drains. When I hear her noise level lower, I know she’ll soon be heading for her recharging dock. I must admit, I’m amazed she knows when she needs a recharge—when things are about to stop working if she doesn’t do something. Like a heat-guided missile, she aims for the recharge station, where she stays until we press the “clean” button again.

What builders have programmed Rosie to know, Jesus also knew: we need time to relax. Crowds regularly thronged Jesus and His disciples. So much so that they didn’t even have time to eat on this one occasion. Jesus invited them to join Him in leaving the crowds—and the work—so they could rest. In His earthly body, even Jesus needed downtime.

God demonstrated the need for rest at the beginning of time by resting for a day after He had created. God, of course, is God and didn’t need physical rest. Instead, He gave an example. Later, when issuing the commands to Moses, God designated one day as the Sabbath and instructed the listeners to rest and worship on that day. After Jesus’ resurrection, early believers changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. But the day is not as important as the ideas behind it. We need downtime, and we need worship time.

God did not create our bodies with the capacity to run continuously without rest, which includes more than getting adequate sleep. Jesus and His disciples may have slept during their rest time—perhaps they even took a power nap—but they more likely just relaxed.

My grandmother once warned me I was burning the candle at both ends and setting myself up for trouble. She was right. Not long afterward, I contracted a bleeding ulcer. A week in the hospital gave me time to rest and reflect.

Without proper rest—including sleep and downtime—our bodies break down, and things go haywire. We can also become legalistic about the one-day worship thing and forget that our worship can occur anywhere, but should occur daily.

God has work for us, and taking care of our bodies properly allows us to do His work and do it for a longer period than we could if we didn’t nurture our bodies. Our world is a busy place. To get the proper rest requires following Jesus’ example. He determined to rest, planned to incorporate it into His schedule, and then did it. He didn’t let the crowds—or their needs—stop Him. He knew the benefits of rest would far outweigh what the crowds perceived as urgent needs. Rest would allow Him and His disciples to do more later, and for a longer period.

God didn’t create our bodies to run continuously. Plan to incorporate rest into your daily schedule.

Father, guide me to those times when I can rest and reflect on my priorities and my relationship with You. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Moving Beyond Betrayal - Martin Wiles

Then David sent for her (Bathsheba), and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. 2 Samuel 11:4 NLT

“I’ve had an affair.”  

Though statistics reveal that most marriages don’t survive unfaithfulness, it doesn’t have to drive the final nail into the coffin. Moving beyond betrayal and saving a marriage is entirely possible. When unfaithfulness occurs, the betrayed must ask and answer several questions.

Is forgiving the right thing to do?

From God’s perspective, forgiveness is always appropriate. Although it may seem impossible, forgiveness should be immediate. As God forgives us when we commit sins against Him, so we must forgive others. His forgiveness is tied to our forgiveness of others (Matthew 6:14-15).

While we can’t forgive in our own power, we can with God’s. Forgiveness may have to be repeated numerous times. The betrayer might not deserve forgiveness, but forgiving is more for our benefit than for theirs. If the betrayer has confessed, expressed sorrow, asked for forgiveness, and reiterated their love, they have shown the signs of true repentance.

What does God want me to do?

God hates divorce; He wants marriages to last. Sometimes, it’s impossible, but many that fail could be saved. While God permits divorce on the grounds of adultery, He never insists that divorce must take place. That—like unfaithfulness—is a choice. Partners willing to work diligently can experience a stronger marriage on the other side of unfaithfulness.

Can I live with my betrayer without trusting them?

Forgiveness and trust aren’t identical. We can forgive without trusting. Trust is like a credit rating. One unwise decision can affect both. And like a credit rating, trust takes years to fully bloom. The question is whether the betrayer is doing their best to restore trust in the marriage.

Do I have to know all the details?

When betrayal happens, adverb questions are common: how, when, where, how often, to what extent, why, and under what conditions. Knowing more makes it more difficult to forgive and re-establish trust. Settle for the simple fact that they have betrayed.

Can I live with my betrayer without bringing up the incident again?

Re-hashing the incident impedes healing. So does assigning blame. We must parrot God, who doesn’t keep bringing up our sins.

What about my spouse initially led me to love them?

Build up the betrayer through prayer and encouragement. Love them unconditionally. Remember, none of us are beyond sin—betrayal included.

Keeping a marriage intact in the face of betrayal is possible. Let God move you beyond betrayal.

Father, help me to forgive those who betray me even as You forgive me when I betray You through sinful acts. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

When Darkness Closes In - Martin Wiles

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles. Daniel 6:17 NLT

Total darkness frightens me.

My wife and I drive away total darkness in our home by placing night lights at selective places. One in the bathroom allows us to see how to use the facilities at night without turning on a lamp or overhead light. Night lights in the den keep our animals satisfied.

But total darkness didn’t seem to bother Daniel. Jealousy drove his enemies to arrange a deal with the king, which resulted in Daniel being thrown to the lions. Reading his story in the Bible can mask how dark this experience truly was. No overhead lights or oil lamps decorated the den. Daniel sat, stood, or lay in total darkness. He heard the lions pacing and roaring. He probably smelled their wild scent but never saw how closely they approached him.

The trials and tribulations of life can bring what appears to be total darkness. I’ve experienced quite a few such periods. This much I know: total darkness never indicates God’s absence. Our sin or God’s testing may have ushered in the darkness, but God never leaves our side regardless of the cause of the darkness. He is still working. If we’ve sinned, we need to confess and repent. If He is testing us, we need to develop our trust in Him to do the right thing.

In periods of total darkness, God can and often does feel nearer. Darkness reminds us that we control nothing. God does. His ways are higher, and His thoughts are beyond our understanding. He is the creator and controller. Our duty is to walk by faith.

Daniel was in darkness because of the work of his enemies. Satan can bring periods of darkness. The Bible compares him to a prowling lion. Daniel’s episode reminds us God has the power to close his mouth. Satan is on God’s leash and can only do what he is allowed to do. God commands the darkness.

When our periods of darkness are over, we need to help someone else understand God’s power and compassion. Daniel witnessed to the king about his God. God doesn’t want us to waste our experiences but rather to use them to help someone else.

When your periods of darkness creep in, remember who controls them.

Father, when periods of darkness come, I ask You to shine Your light around them.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Banana Nut Bread

 

 

Ingredients

2 1/3 CUP BISQUICK MIX

1/3 CUP VEGETABLE OIL

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

1 ½ CUP MASHED BANANAS

½ CUP PECANS (CHOPPED)

1 CUP SUGAR

3 EGGS

Directions

STIR ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND BLEND WELL.

BAKE IN A GREASED 9 X 13 PAN OR A LOAF PAN.

BAKE AT 350 FOR 40 TO 45 MINUTES.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Not about Me - Martin Wiles

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 1 John 3:17 NLT

Opportunities abounded. All we had to do was walk a few feet.

My wife and I lived in a small patio townhome community. Many of the residents were senior adults, many of whom were widowed. My wife—the one in our marriage with the more sensitive heart—discovered numerous ways for us to help them.

Two of the neighbors—one widowed and one not—needed their grass cut. While the homeowners’ association paid someone to landscape the front area of the townhomes, the small back yards were the owners’ or renters’ responsibility. When these two asked if I’d cut their back yards, I said, “Sure.” I didn’t have a lawnmower, but I didn’t need one. The yards are so small a weed eater worked fine. Fifteen minutes was all I needed to finish a yard.

One of these neighbors also watched her husband have several strokes, leaving him unable to walk, tend to himself, and eat solid food. My wife loves to cook—large meals. And sharing our food with neighbors was her way of showing love. After taking a meal to this neighbor, the neighbor asked her if she’d be willing to cook a meal a day for her. Of course, my wife couldn’t resist. Our neighbor became a good friend—with a full stomach. In addition to taking her food and cutting her grass, we checked on her almost daily to see if she needed anything from the store and to see how her husband was doing.

The other of the two neighbors also received some of our food occasionally. She also asked my wife to fix things she had messed up on her smart phone. And any little odd job around the house she needed doing, she called me. In addition to cutting her grass, I sprayed her weeds, put out Snake Away when she saw a snake, lifted bags of mulch when she decided to do more landscaping, helped her move a piece of furniture, changed her house filters, and anything else she asked.

A third neighbor lived across from us. She, too, was a widow, but, unlike the other two, had no children to help her. When she went to the post office, she asked if we needed her to take anything. Sometimes, she invited my wife over to see her flowers. If we went off for a few days, I asked her to watch the outside of our house. And since she was a neighbor to the other neighbor who hated snakes, I sprinkled some Snake Away in her yard, too.

All small acts of kindness, but love nevertheless. As Christians, we proclaim our love for others, but John says if that’s all we do we haven’t done much. Nor have we shown actual love. We must match actions with words.

I’ve found God will more likely send opportunities to be neighborly if we ask Him. But busyness often consumes our schedules, so we also have to pray for spiritual eyes to see those opportunities when He sends them. Otherwise, we’ll miss them every time.

Sometimes, the neighbors’ requests came when I had other things on my agenda. If I wasn’t careful, I found myself complaining when I should have been thankful for the opportunities. A regular check on our attitude always proves appropriate. God loves a joyful giver, whether the giving is monetary or otherwise.

Life is not all about us. In fact, it is about God and others, and the sooner we discover this the happier we’ll be and the more fulfilled life we’ll live.

Think of ways to show a neighbor some love.

Father, I ask for opportunities to demonstrate Your love to others.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Tutored by God - Martin Wiles

The law was our guardian (tutor) and teacher to lead us until Christ came. So now, through faith in Christ, we are made right with God. Galatians 3:24 NLT

Tutoring isn’t usually initiated by students. And it wasn’t in my case.

Parents who observed their children struggling in grammar class approached me about giving their child extra help. Tutoring comes in several varieties. Some children need remedial tutoring. They haven’t grasped concepts learned in an earlier grade, making it difficult or impossible for them to keep up in their current grade. Others just need extra help understanding current concepts. A little one-on-one time with a tutor is all many children need to scale the hump. And then there’s the rare occasion when a student wants to get ahead of the class. This tutoring involves introducing concepts that would normally be introduced later in the year or even the next year. On whatever level of tutoring a child stands, teaching and understanding are the goals.

Paul considered God’s Old Testament law a tutor. God’s law was designed to guard or tutor until Christ fulfilled it. The sacrificial system tutored the people about the concept of the innocent being sacrificed for the guilty. Animals were slain during the Old Testament period, but Christ was slain in the New.

Now that Christ has fulfilled the law, God’s Spirit is the new tutor. Jesus said if He went away He would send a Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He is our tutor who guides, teaches, encourages, and comforts us. All traits of a good tutor.

God’s Spirit tutors the lost by introducing them to the way of salvation. He often uses people as the means to do that. After we’ve trusted Christ as our Savior, we should tutor others in the way of salvation. This tutoring can be accomplished by praying for the lost, being prepared to witness when the opportunity arises, taking training courses in how to witness, and by being sensitive to witnessing opportunities.

God’s Spirit tutors believers by guiding them to understand God’s truth as revealed in His Word, by teaching them how to apply that Word to everyday situations and circumstances, encouraging them to pick themselves up and try again when they fail, and comforting them in times of failure, sorrow, and grief.

Tutors have been trained in the material they teach. Believers have been tutored by God so they might become tutors as well. Make sure to tutor those God sends your way.

Father, thank You for the tutoring of Your Spirit. May I take what I learn and use it to tutor others.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

God’s Light - Martin Wiles

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. Ephesians 1:18 NLT

My world came crashing down, but it was too dark for me to see it.

On one of the first few camping trips my brother and I and my two children took together, we discovered the need for a good tent. I had purchased two small tents—one dome shaped and the other military style. My son and I slept in the military style.

During the night, our tent came tumbling down. I fumbled for my flashlight, and after turning on the light understood why. My son had dislodged one of the poles. Not only had the pole collapsed but the guyot line had unhooked from the stake. Luckily, I located the stake, re-attached the line, and re-erected our tent. But only because I had light.

The light Paul wanted early Christians to be flooded with didn’t come from a flashlight—or in his time an oil lamp. Rather, it would come from understanding the wonderful present and future they had because of God’s light of salvation.

When God’s light shines into our lives, it enables us to understand Him. While the process of fully understanding God is never complete—His ways and thoughts are higher than ours—knowing Him as our Lord gives a fuller understanding of who He is. He’s not just a far-off deity who really doesn’t care about our affairs. He’s a close-up friend and Savior who has our best interests at heart.

God’s light helps us comprehend His plan. He has a unique plan for each one of His followers. We don’t have to aimlessly wander around pondering what we’re supposed to do. We can know God’s desire and join Him in fleshing it out.

God’s light shining into our lives allows us to see a bright future. Life on earth can be abundant, but life in the future will be more so. Regardless of what we have or don’t have on earth, or regardless of how we’re treated, we will be loved for eternity by the one who gave His life for us.

When God’s light of understanding pours into our lives, we’ll see the matchless inheritance we’ve been given. Everything that belongs to God’s Son belongs to us. We are joint heirs with Christ.

It’s amazing what a little light can do. Make sure you are experiencing God’s light.

Father, flood my heart with light so that I might understand all You have in store for me.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.