Series: The Things We Say - Money Is the Root of All Evil - Martin Wiles

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. Hebrews 13:5 NLT

Although my standard of living would be considered rich by third-world standards, by American standards, I’ve rarely lived a comfortable lifestyle. Making the monthly bills match the monthly income has constantly challenged me.

Despite that, I’ve made the mistake of buying things I didn’t need more than once. My grandmother and mother often said, “That money is burning a hole in your pocket.” All the while, I was thinking, Well, if I had more, maybe it wouldn’t. And somewhere along the line, someone would comment, “You know the Bible says, ‘Money is the root of all evil.’” And I would mumble under my breath, No, it doesn’t. I was a preacher’s kid. I may not have always abided by biblical principles, but I knew what they were.

This verse is like the often-misquoted one: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Frequently, we hear someone say, “Money is the root of all evil.” Money isn’t the issue; the love of it is.

The Bible says a lot about money—or possessions. And they’re both the same. I may not have cash in hand, but if I have possessions (even stocks and bonds), I have money. Liquidating my assets gives me spendable funds. Jesus had a lot to say about money, and the disciples and apostles who carried on His teachings continued the tradition.

One thing the Bible doesn’t teach is that money is the root of all kinds of evil. Omitting the word love changes the meaning and distorts the truth. To be sure, those who have significant amounts of money usually love it, but the principle remains: having money isn’t the root of all evil.

Loving my money—in whatever form it takes—causes us issues, not having the money itself. Money is necessary to pay bills and sustain our existence in a monetary economy. Loving our money, on the other hand, will lead us down roads to greed, selfishness, poor decisions, crime, unhealthy relationships, and possibly an eternity apart from God.

Instead of letting the love of money be a root of evil in your life, use it to help others and advance God’s Kingdom work. Give graciously, sacrificially, and with honorable motives.

Father, motivate me to use my money in ways that please you and better our world. 

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.

Series: The Things We Say - God Won't Put More on You Than You Can Handle - Martin Wiles

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

“God won’t put more on you than you can handle.” But who says he won’t?

Many a well-meaning Christian has made this statement—or some form of it—to someone going through a tough time. To a woman who has miscarried. To a man who has watched his wife walk out and leave him holding the bag—and everything in it. To the wife who has received the news that her husband has just been killed in the line of duty. Or to the child whose parents keep telling him he’s no good and will never amount to anything.

I’ve heard it said, and maybe have said it myself in the heat of the moment, before I had time to think about what I was saying. Perhaps I just nodded my head in agreement with the one who said it—or agreed with the devastated person who said it to me.

But that statement isn’t the only thing I’ve heard attributed to God or the Bible that wasn’t true —or at least wasn't interpreted correctly. Paul had a thorn in the flesh. Opponents? A handicap? Poor eyesight? Who knows? What it was isn’t important. How he responded was. When God told Paul he would have to live with it, Paul accepted the bad news. Yet, God assured Paul that his grace was sufficient to live with it, move through it, and get over it. After all, God works best when we acknowledge our weaknesses.

The truth of the matter is, God will put more on us than we can handle. If we could handle everything, we wouldn’t need God. And many don’t think they do. They use their wisdom, resources, friends, acquaintances, or addictive substances to get through—all the while proclaiming they can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

I suppose I’ve been guilty a few times of thinking I could handle what life threw at me, only to discover I wasn’t as strong as I thought. I crumbled beneath the load—or succumbed to the temptation to find something or someone to get me through.

God puts more on us than we can handle, so we’ll come running to him for guidance and strength. So we’ll realize he created us to live life under his authority and love.

Don’t try to handle life’s burdens on your own. God wants to lighten your load.

Father, thank you for handling my burdens so I don’t have to labor under the load of trying to do it by myself. 

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.

Flawed but Functional - Martin Wiles

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. Deuteronomy7:6 NIV

Sin had ensnared another victim. He was flawed but functional. 

I listened as the newscaster gave a piecemeal report. The leaders of a noted mega church were meeting behind closed doors. The pastor had planted the church sixteen years before on a college campus. From a small start, it had grown into a mega church with numerous satellite campuses. Thousands flocked to its campuses weekly. The following morning, I listened to the newscaster again. This time, the news was grimmer. The pastor had been accused of alcohol abuse and asked to step down.

Had church leaders polled church members for advice on how to handle the situation, they would have received a wide variety of opinions. Some would have wanted him to stay, some to leave, and some to take intermediary actions between the two extremes. What would happen to his ministry was also up for grabs. Opinions of those in leadership positions would determine whether he ministers again.

Though God proclaimed his Old Testament people as holy, they were often anything but. They dabbled in the pagan worship rites of their neighbors while trying to worship God simultaneously. Their repeated pattern was faithfulness followed by rebellion. Flaws decorated their lifestyles, just as they did the pastor of this mega church.

Flaws are inevitable. I was born with a flawed nature. Christ gives me a new one at salvation, but he doesn’t immediately perfect me. I’ll have to wait for heaven to experience that. In the meantime, I’m flawed like the Israelites and the pastor—and all people. I journey toward experiential holiness, but flaws keep me from reaching it in this life.

But the news isn’t all bad. We may be flawed, but we’re still functional. Though this pastor abused alcohol and had to step down, God can give him power over his addiction and use him again. God used the Israelites despite their rebellion. King David committed adultery, murdered, schemed, and lied, but God still found room in his service for him. And God has continued to use me, even though I’ve made many missteps into areas I should have avoided.

You may be flawed, but you are still functional in God’s service.

Father, thank you for using me even when I fail to be all you want me to be. 

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.

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

 

Ingredients

1 CAN MUSHROOM SOUP

                           
1 CAN MUSHROOMS

1 CAN BLACK OLIVES (DRAINED)

1 ONION (CHOPPED)

2 CUPS SHREDDED MOZZARELLA

1 BELL PEPPER (CHOPPED)

1 CUP SHREDDED PARMESAN

      
1 JAR RAGU (GARDEN)

12 OUNCES SPAGHETTI (COOKED, DRAINED)

    
1 TEASPOON OREGANO

       1 BOX TYSON (DICED CHICKEN)

           
1 CAN TOMATOES

         1 TEASPOON BUTTER           

1 CAN ROTEL

Directions
SAUTE CHICKEN, ONION, PEPPER, BUTTER, OREGANO, AND SALT/PEPPER.

ADD TOMATOES, ROTEL, MUSHROOMS, AND OLIVES.

ONCE ALL VEGETABLES ARE TENDER, ADD RAGU AND MUSHROOM SOUP.

MIX SAUCE AND NOODLES IN A CASSEROLE  DISH.

TOP WITH CHEESE.

COVER WITH ALUMINUM FOIL.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 35-40 MINUTES.

I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World. No one escapes life's hurts, but quiet places help us regain our perspective. 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.

Series: The Things We Say - Prayer Changes Things … Or Does It - Martin Wiles

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians12:8-9 NLT

A life-changing situation had turned my world upside down. Because of the nature of it, I could no longer serve in the profession I had been in for the previous fourteen years. I prayed for God to open a door. Potential employers had the authority to overlook and understand what had happened and hire me anyway. But few wanted to. I sent hundreds of resumes. Only a few offers arrived, none of which paid a salary on which I could survive. Taking a different career path seemed my only option.

During this time in my life, disappointment, discouragement, and depression were my occasional bedfellows. Like Paul, I begged God to remove my thorn in my flesh. Although I didn’t hear his answer, my unchanging circumstances revealed it: “No.” Would I learn to do what Paul did—boast about his weakness--or continue wallowing in my self-pity? And, of course, some reminded me that prayer changes things.

My prayers seemed to change nothing, but over time, I discovered they had. They changed me. I let go of the bitterness over what had happened. Paul also learned to glory in his weakness. Instead of stewing over my circumstances, I allowed God to use them for his glory. Since then, I have counseled many who were passing through what I did. Others who had not couldn’t comprehend their pain as I could. In time, God put me back into my chosen profession.

Prayer might not change the course of a hurricane or tornado, alter the mindset of a spouse who chooses to walk away, modify the course of a rebellious child, or revise the boss’s mind about a layoff, but it will change our perspective on circumstances, which in turn will alter our attitudes. And when my attitude changes, so will our responses.

Prayer will change things. If nothing else, you.

Father, may I be faithful in my prayers, trusting you to answer them as you see fit. 

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 Timing - Abigail Skelton

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. 2 Peter 3:9 NIV

Old adages like “A penny lost is a penny found” and “No wind blows that doesn’t do someone some good” can inspire us to stay positive for a few moments. But what if this brand of hopeful thinking is true? What if every unexpected twist in our lives is an opportunity to bless others and glorify God while we wait for our turn to find the penny?

God’s sense of timing is incredible. We see this repeatedly in the Scripture. We could argue that the entire Bible is a lesson on God’s impeccable timing. Yet, trusting God with the timing of events in our lives is often an arduous lesson. Especially when situations seem bleak.

The Bible is filled with poetic references to God directing our steps. A couple of examples are “Surely you will count my steps” (Job 14:16 NIV) and “He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6 NIV). We all make many choices each day, often based on specific people or situations around us. Sometimes, I even amuse myself by contemplating how strange life would be if God’s timing were different. 

If I hadn’t started school the year that I did, I wouldn’t have graduated from college before the pandemic. And if I hadn’t graduated when I did, I wouldn’t have gone overseas to do mission work. And if I hadn’t gone overseas, I wouldn’t have met the people I did. Therefore, my current life would look completely different.

Studying the timing of events in our lives is a great way to remind ourselves of God’s sovereignty. Even trying situations, like a lost job or a reluctant move, lead us into interactions with new coworkers or neighbors who need to hear about the hope we have in Jesus. 

Although unexpected circumstances may not always be pleasant, the ripple effect of our actions is often greater than we think, proving that God is doing immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. And don’t worry. God stated that he’s not slow in keeping his promises. He will happily orchestrate the timing of our lives in accordance with the grand story he’s writing.

Trust God’s timing. He will never let you down. 

Abigail Skelton is from beautiful Southern Oregon, where she grew up with an avid love for Jesus, chocolate, and writing. She has lived in three countries while involved in missionary work and frequently travels and studies foreign languages. You can connect with Abigail on her website: https://abigailskelton.com.

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 the Game Plan Changes - Martin Wiles

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 NLT

The week had been slow, but I’d been in full-time ministry long enough to know things could change in a second. And they did.

Besides my regular schedule, the only thing I had planned for the next day was to pray with our church mission team at 6 a.m. They were leaving for Myrtle Beach, SC. Then I received a call from a church member. Her husband would have surgery at 7 a.m. On the way to church that evening, one of my wife’s brothers called. He was on the list to receive a heart transplant and had just left the doctor’s office. They wanted him at MUSC in Charleston, SC, at 4 p.m. the next day. He had no one to take him. Without the heart, his days were numbered.

Suddenly, my game plan changed—and not only for us but also for our two children. Since my wife was caring for our grandchildren, a change in our game plan meant a change in our son’s and daughter’s plans as well. They had no dependable backup plan, so a last-minute call from us could put them in a quandary. But they knew I was on call 24/7. Things could change in a moment.

I like to initiate change—when it’s needed and when the result will entail a helpful alteration—but I don’t like it thrust upon me. I’m a creature of habit, and this change meant getting up two hours earlier as well as a four-hour drive to the hospital—and to an area of the city I dislike. We’d be lucky to get home by midnight—a long day. And I’d have to work from the car.

Trusting in the Lord with all our hearts and depending on him rather than our understanding isn’t easy—or always convenient. A part of following him means making ourselves available to opportunities he sends—even when they change the game plan. Our mission team needed prayer, and so did the man having surgery. My wife’s brother also needed our help. Three opportunities. Three chances to serve.

When God changes your game plan, trust He has a reason. Then enjoy the chance he’s giving you to serve.

Father, although I don’t enjoy changes thrust upon me, help me trust that you have a reason.  

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.