Taco Tarts

Ingredients

1 POUND HOT SAUSAGE

1 BOTTLE RANCH DRESSING

            2 CUPS SHREDDED TACO CHEESE                  

AZTEC SHELLS

    Directions
COOK AND DRAIN SAUSAGE.

MIX SAUSAGE, CHEESE, AND RANCH DRESSING TOGETHER.

SPOON INTO SHELLS AND BAKE AT 350 FOR 12-15 MINUTES.

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Unashamed - Martin Wiles

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes. Romans 1:16 NLT

Some things that I was ashamed of growing up, I’m now ashamed I was ashamed of.

Until my middle school years, I was proud of my parents. While they didn’t give me everything I wanted, they gave me all I needed. I never had to wear raggedy clothes or holey shoes. Mom prepared home-cooked meals, and our cabinets were never bare. Although my parents were not lovey-dovey, they always acted in ways that let me know I was loved. Abusive or negative words never flowed from their mouths. They wanted the best for their three sons.

When I reached the teenage years, my attitude changed. Suddenly, feelings of shame over who my parents were arose. I didn’t enjoy telling people my father was a preacher because then they labeled me a “PK.” They expected me to be good all the time. And the rules I had previously willingly obeyed now seemed foolish. Being made to go to church every time the doors were opened didn’t help either. Many of my friends never darkened a church’s doors.

Reflecting now, I’m ashamed that I ever was ashamed of my parents. Unfortunately, I was sometimes ashamed of what Paul proclaims loudly that he isn’t ashamed of: the gospel of Jesus Christ. I didn’t like others to know I was a preacher’s kid. I certainly didn’t flaunt my faith and rarely shared it.

Things changed when I was in my mid-twenties. I adopted Paul’s attitude—and for good reason. The gospel is good news, and people need to hear some good news. After all, bad news is almost all we hear from media sources. Telling people they are loved unconditionally and can be forgiven of their sins is encouraging news worth spreading.

I’m not ashamed to share something that includes an invitation for everyone. God excludes none except those who refuse on their own volition to come. Nor am I ashamed to share something that has eternal consequences. Refusing to accept God’s gospel means an eternity in a less-than-pleasant place.

Sharing news that has the power to change lives is something to be proud of, not ashamed of. When we receive the good news of the gospel, everything changes: our outlook on life, our priorities, our relationships, and our eternity.

Don't be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Father, give me the fortitude to boldly proclaim the best news I could ever share.

 

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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.

Little Things Matter - Martin Wiles

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. Luke 16:10 NLT

His absence almost caused a catastrophe in the coffee café room.

I never paid much attention to what Bill did—until he was absent one Sunday. Noticing that he wasn’t there at his usual time, I plugged the coffee machines in, thinking he was running behind. When it became evident he wasn’t coming, another gentleman and I hurriedly prepared the coffee, only to have the first pot turn out cold, weak, and full of grounds. That night, after the evening services, I made my rounds to lock the buildings. When I came to the coffee room, I noticed both pots were still on—one hosting a carafe with baked coffee.

Those who visit our coffee café probably take what Bill does for granted, as I did. His absence reminded us how critical little things are. Jesus thought so too and taught that a person’s faithfulness in doing small things would lead to greater responsibilities.

We typically measure greatness by our titles, how much we’ve accomplished, or how many people we manage. Not so in Jesus’ economy. He’s more concerned about our attitudes and motives—the whys behind our actions. If done for the wrong reasons or with ulterior motives, the doing doesn’t count, at least not in his eyes.

By our definition of greatness, quantity is important. Jesus, however, considers quality. Whatever he gives us to do, he wants us to do it well—even if it’s no more than making the morning coffee at church. Doing the little things also fosters humility—a trait highly praised by God.

A lot of people doing a multitude of little things is what makes God’s Kingdom advance. We may hear more about the larger churches or the more influential movers and shakers, but the no-names who work faithfully at their respective churches and in their communities make large impacts for Christ.

Be faithful in whatever God gives you to do—even if it appears to be a small task.

Father, thank you for your faithfulness to me. May I be just as faithful to you. 

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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 Tent of Unity Disappears - Martin Wiles

And now I want to plead with those two women, Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. Philippians 4:2 NLT

“Sometimes, the circus is larger than the tent.”

My wife and I were mingling with a few church friends at one of the local funeral homes when I heard the remark. Why the subject of people not getting along came up, I’m not sure, but the statement holds so much truth and is similar to a more well-known quote: “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”

As we talked, my wife contended that women are more likely to be contentious than men. Perhaps Paul would agree. He had two he could shove forward as examples. One gentleman disagreed. He worked with nothing but men and had several stories to tell about their contentiousness. Truthfully, the circus houses both.

Like Paul, I once knew two women who were church members and couldn’t get along. Both were strong-willed and enjoyed being in control. While one was more humble than the other and typically gave in, their disagreements always created a strong undercurrent in their relationship and also had a ripple effect in the church.

When the circus becomes larger than the tent, we forget several things. Believers are unified in Christ. This doesn’t mean we are clones, but we have a common bond—our belief in Christ and in the work he has given us. Remembering we share this bond with other believers should make us work harder to put aside what divides us from them and look harder at what attaches us to them.

Just because believers share a common faith doesn’t mean we share the same personalities. Obviously, Eudoia and Syntyche didn’t, and neither did the two ladies I worked with. I’ve discovered, though, that we can disagree without being contentious. Common ground always presents itself if we look.

The faith journey we're on isn’t all about us. It’s about our faithfulness to God and his Kingdom’s work. Our responsibility is to promote Christ, not ourselves or our selfish ideas. Our testimony, and the testimony of God’s church, lies at stake. And if the disagreement is such that we honestly can’t see a way to solve it, we can always find another church rather than ruin the reputation of the one we're attending.

Do what it takes to make the circus smaller than the tent. God wants his people unified in love. 

Father, help me love others in a bond of unity so my testimony before others will shine brightly. 

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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.

Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients
1 BAG FROZEN TATER TOTS

16 OUNCES SOUR CREAM

2 CUPS SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE 

1 CAN CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

1 6 OUNCE CAN FRENCH FRIED ONIONS

Directions
ARRANGE TATER TOTS IN A GREASED BAKING DISH.

IN A BOWL, MIX TOGETHER SOUP, CHEESE, AND SOUR CREAM.

POUR MIXTURE OVER TATER TOTS AND TOP WITH FRENCH FRIED ONIONS.

(photo courtesy of wearychef.)

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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.

More Than Asked For - Martin Wiles

If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Luke 6:38 NLT

I asked for a burger but received much more.

On one day, my wife and I stopped by a local burger joint to pick up our supper. The only thing special about our order is that our daughter’s BLT wasn’t supposed to have mayonnaise.

 

But as I enjoyed my burger, I noticed something protruding that was different in color than the green shredded lettuce. I pulled it out and discovered a piece of aluminum foil. Not one to be grossed out by such things, I kept eating. Later, as our daughter sat down to eat her BLT, she remarked, “There is mayonnaise on my sandwich. I didn’t ask for that.”

 

With a typical sarcastic quip, I remarked, “That’s okay. I got more than I asked for as well.”

 

Jesus always gives more than we ask for, …but sometimes stipulations follow. Regardless, the verse reminds me that God’s resources are unlimited. We can’t outgive God. Whatever we give, he can seize it, press it, mold it, shake it—and do whatever else He does—and produce more than we can imagine.

 

Our lack of faith is the only limitation to what God can do. His actions connect to our actions. If we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Since none of us ever moved a mountain, what we might consider as large faith is small in God’s sight.

 

Since God is more than willing to transform what we give, our paucity must be the result of several possibilities. Sometimes God doesn’t give because we don’t ask, because we ask with the wrong motives, or because we doubt God will give us what we ask for.

 

Despite our failures when it comes to giving or asking from God, he often overlooks our lack of faith or our weak faith and gives us more than we request—just as the burger joint gave me aluminum foil when I only asked for lettuce. That’s because God is a good, loving, and kind heavenly Father. Parents often give children things they don’t deserve, and God does the same. Whatever he gives will be for our good and his glory.

Praise God regularly for giving you more than you asked for.

Father, I thank you for your many gifts—none of which I deserve.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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.

Pulled by Porn - Martin Wiles

Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. Matthew 6:22 NLT

Once, porn was mainly relegated to magazines stuffed behind drug store counters or to the big screen drive-in theaters, but not anymore.

 

I grew up in the years before the internet—a time when people still did research at the library and most people paid for subscriptions to magazines and newspapers. Porn was no different. Hustler and Playboy were the two major competitors, but proprietors stuffed those magazines behind counters with the covers concealed so customers purchasing other items couldn’t see the scantily clad women. And while a sizable number snuck in or legally attended the XXX drive-in’s, those movies weren’t advertised as the respectable movies were.

 

The internet—along with changing cultural mores—has altered my innocent world of yesteryear. Surveys by Josh McDowell Ministry found that half of all teenagers and almost three-fourths of young adults encounter porn monthly. More disturbing is that both groups consider viewing pornography as less immoral than not recycling. The numbers of young women who view porn are also on the rise. After all, sex addicts are plying their trade right into their bedrooms through their smart phones.

 

While we can’t end the spread of porn, we can take some measures to ensure our eyes—the lamps of my body—allow in only what is pure and good.

 

Investigating who we befriend on social media platforms is wise. When we receive a friend request, we should take a gander at their page. If the posts are questionable, we should ignore or decline the request.

 

However, porn is bound to pop up even when we take safeguards. If we’ve friended someone who later reveals themselves as a bad influence, we can unfriend them or quickly ignore the questionable post.

 

If we find ourselves pulled by porn, we can take steps to guard ourselves against its presence. A preacher friend who struggled with this temptation chose to stay off the internet and to allow his wife to filter his email messages.

 

Vision is powerful. What we see takes root in our minds, which in turn plays out in our actions. Being familiar with God’s guidelines for relationships—and understanding how porn distorts those principles—goes a long way in helping us resist the pull of porn.

If porn pulls you, turn off the source.

Father, draw my eyes only to what is pure in your sight and beneficial for my spiritual growth.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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.