Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

Dating God

I was nervous when I used to and sure wouldn’t want to now. 

When I dated, the process was simple. If a boy was interested in dating a girl, he walked up to her or called her and asked. If he was a nervous type, he might have one of his female friends do it for him. But I was beyond nervous. The thought of asking a girl out sent me into hive mode. So I dated very few girls and the ones I did I normally asked out by letter. Read more...

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Walking into the Holy - Martin Wiles

Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. Hebrews 9:3 NLT

Before the contestants were three doors—or actually curtains: Door #1, Door #2, and Door #3. Which one to choose was the gamble.

Monty Hall co-created and co-produced the original television show Let’s Make a Deal. Contestants played various games and were offered chances to trade their winnings for the possibility of something more valuable. 

The Big Deal came at the end of each show, and the top winners were offered the chance to trade their prizes for what was behind one of the doors. Those who took the chance could possibly win the Big Deal of the day, which might be a car, boat, vacation, furniture, appliances, or any combination thereof. After the curtains opened, some were pleased with their choice while others wished they had kept their original winnings. 

In the tabernacle God instructed Moses to construct after the Israelites left Egyptian slavery, there were two rooms: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. A curtain separated the rooms. Ordinary priests were allowed in the first, but only the high priest could enter the second—and that only once each year. 

In this sacred room was the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. On this sacred day, the high priest confessed the sins of the people and begged for God’s forgiveness. 

Happily no doors or curtains presently separate me from God. The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross. My sin debt was paid, thereby removing the barrier between me and God. 

Now I—along with all other believers, am a priest in my own right. God gives me the privilege and loving invitation to enter boldly and confidently into his presence as often as I desire. His guidance, love, and listening ear are available regardless of the time or my location. 

Nothing separates me from his love unless I voluntarily—or rebelliously, erect it. How often are you walking into the holy?

Prayer: Father, thank You for making it possible for us to enter Your presence at any time and any place.
(Photo courtesy of letsmakeadeal.com)

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Speak Less - Martin Wiles

Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. Proverbs 10:19 NLT

Dan was a man of few words. His brother Phil said even less. I met them in my late twenties when I became pastor of the church where they were members. When in private conversation with them, Dan would talk while Phil just stood and listened—occasionally offering a comment. In meetings where disagreement ran rife, neither said a word until they had listened to everyone else’s take on the subject. They always worked for unity and actually believed it could be achieved—but with few rather than many words. Dan’s favorite saying was, “There’s always common ground if we look for it.” I appreciated the wisdom they offered in their few words.   

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, and his tidbits of wisdom about speech will save one from arguments, promote unity, and enhance relationships. Ruling a large kingdom and having hundreds of wives and mistresses, he surely knew a little about when to talk and when to keep his mouth shut.    

Wise lips avoid slander. Slandering others is foolish and never results in anything beneficial. All people have some good in them, and I’ll see it if I look deeply enough. Tearing them down with my words only makes me look bad to the person who is listening to my gossip. Wise lips articulate less rather than more words. The old saying, “less is more,” is true when it comes to speaking. When I talk excessively—and without thought, it is almost inevitable that something will be said that should have been left unsaid. Wise lips speak godly things. What’s on the inside will come out—often in my speech. Making sure my inside is clean before God ensures my speech will be also. And wise lips give advice that enhances other’s life journey. Life isn’t all about me, and I’m wiser when I encourage others rather than seeking praise and approval myself. 

When you speak, ask, “Is what I’m about to say kind, necessary, and true?”

Prayer: Father, may the words of our mouths honor You and build others up.

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Flashback Friday - Martin Wiles

Barriers To Benevolence

Our first year was busy with requests for assistance. Since our driveway connected with the church’s parking lot, it was a dead giveaway I was the pastor.

Things got so bad I stopped answering the front door. But it didn’t work. They went to the back door. We couldn’t even sit in our back yard without people walking around shouting “Is anyone home?” I started classifying them by how they looked, what they wore and what type of vehicle they drove. Some we helped; others we didn’t. A few had legitimate needs; many were scamming us. Unknowingly I erected barriers to the church’s benevolence. Read more...

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Foundations Are Essential - Martin Wiles

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jude 20

While most attention focuses on its height, what’s below is crucial. On January 4, 2010, the Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai. At 2,717 feet, it is the world’s tallest building, doubling that of the Empire State Building. While the height is impressive, the foundation is even more so. For one year, workers laid 58,900 cubic yards of concrete 164 feet beneath the surface. Without a solid foundation, however, this impressive building could easily crumble into a pile of rubble.

Jude—brother of Jesus and James, cautioned early believers to remember the warnings of the apostles. False teachers would attempt to infiltrate the church and pull Christians away from the truth. Only as they built their lives on a foundation of holy faith and allowed their lives to be directed by the Spirit could they survive.

Faith is the foundation of my connection with God. I can try other ways, but without it I cannot please him or hope to experience forgiveness. I’m saved by grace, not works. If it were works, I would have some reason to boast—and I don’t. God’s grace is sufficient, and without it I’m doomed. Because of his grace, all of my sins are cast aside and no longer held against me. Christ has taken my sins upon himself so I wouldn’t have to pay for them. Along with forgiveness, God presents me with the gift of his Spirit. Through the indwelling Spirit, I’m able to know the mind of Christ, obey his commands, and experience the growth of my faith. I don’t have to wander aimlessly through life. Rather, I can know and live out God’s plan. Through the power of his Spirit, I can successfully obey his directives for my life. Yet, God doesn’t expect me to do this alone. I’m responsible for encouraging others who are on this same journey that I am. 

Don’t build your life on anything else but the solid foundation of faith. 

Prayer: Father, enable us to build on the faith You have given us.

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Peace in Turmoil - Martin Wiles

“It is all right,” the LORD replied. “Do not be afraid. You will not die.” Judges 6:23 NLT

Elsie and Connie grew up in a home with little peace. Their father was a stern man desperately trying to eke out a living on a small farm with less than 100 acres of open farmland. With only one small tractor, tending crops through their various stages of growth was difficult. Finding money to hire workers was even more challenging. If this wasn’t enough, he had to hire wealthier farmers with larger equipment when the time came to harvest his crops. Unfortunately, his manner of dealing with his lot was unsettling. Through late nights of whiskey drinking, he attempted to forget his difficult situation. With gambling, he hoped to win the money necessary to transform his circumstances. Elsie, Connie, and their mother would run and hide when they saw his truck pulling into the driveway. They knew he was drunk—and perhaps mad if he lost at cards, but couldn’t ever determine what his reaction might be when he entered the door. Peace in his presence was rare for the small country family.

Gideon wasn’t feeling much tranquility either. An angel of the Lord appeared to him telling him God was going to use him to defeat a formidable enemy of his people: the Midianites. After offering a sacrifice and watching the angel evaporate into the flames, Gideon realized he had been in God’s presence. Fear engulfed him, but God assured him he wouldn’t die. He managed to unearth peace in God’s presence. 

Finding peace in God’s presence is simple when I understand forgiveness, acknowledge his power, and accept his love. Forgiveness removes the fear of condemnation, giving me freedom to serve him. My past is immaterial; the future is bright. Realizing I serve in his power removes all fear of failure. I can do all things through the indwelling power of his Spirit. And accepting his love gives peace regardless of life’s situations. Nothing can ever separate me from the love of Christ. 

Let God’s presence bring you peace. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for the peace we can find in Your presence.

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

What Jealousy Does

She dreamed of being a concert pianist, but her dream never came true.

Diane* started piano lessons while in the fifth grade. Before graduating high school, she was playing for a local dance studio and using her talents in church, but her big dreams changed when she met Bill.*

Bill was in the Army and about to be shipped overseas. They married, and after his mobilization, Diane returned home to finish high school. But she never became a concert pianist. God called Bill to be a minister, and a few years after his discharge Bill followed the call and took Diane with him. Diane’s favorite phrase became, “It must be nice.” Read more...

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Clean Outside and In - Martin Wiles

The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger. Job 17:9 NLT

As a young boy, clean hands were important to me—a trait that has obviously been passed down to my grandson. As he attempts to master eating with a fork and spoon, his awkwardness often takes over, and he resorts to using his hands to retrieve what he can’t stab or scoop. Inevitably, this leads to dirty hands. When he notices the food clinging to his small fingers, a frown creeps across his face, followed by an extended hand and a cry for help. Either my wife or I quickly come to the rescue. Cleans hands are important to him. 

Job knew a great deal about clean hands, but his fair-weather friends didn’t. Job was the unfortunate recipient of Satan’s assaults with God’s permission. Instead of consoling him, his friends bombarded him with accusations. Evidently, he had sinned. His wife tired of the entire situation and encouraged him to curse God, die, and get it over with. Job, however, maintained his heart and hands were clean before God. He was not concealing sin or ignoring God. 

Thoughts produce feelings, which in turn carry the power to evoke actions. Allowing God to control my heart (thoughts and feelings) is the only way to assure my actions reflect association with him. Simply cleaning up the outside won’t change the inside. Jesus repeatedly warned the religious leaders about looking good on the outside only. A whitewashed tomb still contains deteriorated bones. If I only clean up the outside—turn over a new leaf, without letting God transform my inside, my hands will continue to get dirty again. Much better is letting God renovate the inside first. Then the outside will remain clean because the inside is. 

What’s on your inside that needs cleaning up?

Father, help our clean hands be a reflection of our clean 
hearts.

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Eternal Health Care - Martin Wiles

This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. Titus 1:2 NLT

My wife and I were among the thousands who had no health insurance. After five years of working at a place that offered it, I had left for a ministry position that didn’t offer it. Due to health concerns, my wife had also resigned her position where she had it. Finding a physician who would see uninsured patients and affording him or her if we could find them—as well as the medicine we needed, was a challenge. Needed surgeries and other preventative procedures were postponed and off-brand medication welcomed. After a long four years and new government regulations, we were finally granted long term health care at a reasonable cost. Not having to worry about paying full price for surgeries, doctor visits, and medicine was a refreshing relief. 

Paul, in his letter to Titus, also speaks about a health care plan—one that’s free, doesn’t terminate with a change of jobs, doesn’t have a co-pay, and doesn’t disqualify based on pre-existing conditions. The name of the plan is Eternal Life, and it’s available to all who are willing to sign up. 

God doesn’t lie about his plan or place disqualifying clauses in small print at the bottom of pages no one reads. He is open and up front. The cost of the plan has already been paid by God himself. The only requirement is that I sign on through faith, obedience, and a promise to love him with all my heart, soul, and mind. When I build my life on faith in Jesus Christ, eternal life is mine for the asking. I can trust the premium’s promise because it’s underwritten by a God who doesn’t lie. 

What long term health care plan have you signed up for?

Prayer: Father, we thank You for the assurance of eternal life with You.

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My Fear vs. God’s Sovereignty - Norma Gail Thurston Holtman

He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. Job 36:32 NIV

The bulging notebook tells the story of my fear. Article after article about lighting facts and safety are crammed in until nothing else will fit. When my dad was killed by a bolt of lightning under a clear, blue sky, my fear spiraled out of control. I pulled my kids off soccer fields, refused to use the electric appliances, or take a shower during a storm. Talking on the phone is forbidden.

As a child, my dad sat with me in his lap, telling me how beautiful it was, explaining how it showed the power of God. Lightning striking two of my parents’ homes erased any fascination he managed to encourage. It is a terrible, fearful thing, and I try not to watch it.

Living on the side of a mountain at 7400 feet puts us in danger of lightning sparked forest fires. I was carried away with the beautiful view and never thought about the storms. 

An in-depth study of scripture convinced me only God controls the lightning, but it hasn’t enabled me to see its beauty. So little is under human control. However, acknowledging God’s sovereignty gives me peace. I can accept that God took my father to heaven via a lightning bolt, but I don’t take chances by being out in a storm. 

I have heard it said that God’s man, at the center of God’s will, is immortal until God is finished with him. Love of God and the desire to serve wherever He leads makes me lean on His protection. Believing He is all-powerful frees me from concerns for self. Stepping out of our comfort zone grows and matures faith.

John says perfect love casts out fear, and I believe God loves me perfectly. Stormy times in life cause me to depend on God in new ways, and lightning storms should do the same. Whatever gives me concern must be submitted to God and left with Him. I will only experience triumph when I am trusting in God with all my heart, no matter what my circumstances.

Just as the lightning comes from His fingers, so do the events of our lives. Step out in faith, and see what He will do.

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams—set in Scotland and New Mexico, released in April 2014. She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. Her devotionals and poetry have appeared on ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 38 years. They have two adult children.

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Giving with Joy - Martin Wiles

I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. Psalm 116:19

As the offering plate passed, Nancy tossed in her envelope—but not willingly. What she had once easily and joyfully given now stung when it left her hand. Life had taken a sour turn and snatched her happiness with it. Two kids and a full-time job consumed her time. The husband who once loved her decided he wanted a younger version and no responsibilities to match. As she placed her money in the plate, all she could think of was how she needed it to clothe and feed her children and put gas in her car. She hated to admit it, but she often thought about grabbing it back—or not even giving it in the first place. 

The psalm’s author is anonymous, but if it happened to be David, he was no stranger to sacrifice and heartache. His military faithfulness was rewarded with jealousy from an emotionally disturbed king who hunted him down as he would have a criminal. Incest infected his family. He was even betrayed by his own son who ran him out of town and stole his mistresses to boot. In spite of his troubles—some self-inflicted and some not, David was able to offer a joyful sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. 

Thanksgiving may be a sacrifice I can offer, but no one ever said sacrificing would be inherently easy or joyful. Only as I understand that God is in control of my life’s situations and is working them for my benefit can I in turn offer him joyful sacrifices. When I question his motives or his power to turn around my circumstances, my sacrifice will be more difficult to make—if I make it at all. Even if I do, my motives will probably be questionable at best. Giving with joy is easy when I remember God’s unconditional love for me and that he always has my best interests at heart. Harming me is never on his mind. 

Are you giving God your sacrifices with a joyful spirit? 

Father, we offer You the sacrifice of praise with a joyful heart.

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Blessed by Blessed Out - Martin Wiles

What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. Luke 6:22

As the pastor, Jack had no input in the decision other than to give his consent to what the church leaders felt was a good decision. Don, on the other hand, didn’t see it that way. He had taken a new position in the church, and now he felt his honor was being attacked. A decision made by church leaders related to his position. Even though it just made good business sense to do what the leaders initiated, he received it as an affront to his credibility. Since the leaders who made the decision were long time friends, the pastor became the object of his anger. Don thought he should have stopped the decision. After all, he was the pastor. But he hadn’t. From that moment on, he lashed out at his leader in public and private. He didn’t hold back in letting him know how he felt about the decision and what he felt about him as a leader.

This verse falls in the middle of others referred to as the Beatitudes—Latin for “blessing.” What Jesus proposes, however, appears illogical. When others hate me, I should be happy? When I’m left out, I should be glad? And when others curse me, I should throw a party? Countercultural actions for sure. Actions that would definitely make others sit up and notice. How in the world could I receive a blessing from being blessed out? 

Only with a proper view of circumstances can a blessing out by others give birth to a blessing. The offended church member wasn't really mad at the pastor. His self-image was at stake, so he used what psychologists refer to as displacement—directing anger at a neutral subject or item. 

When we identify with Christ, opposition will arise from various and sometimes surprising sources. Joy is possible, however. While there is no merit in suffering for doing something wrong, there is comfort when we suffer for a good cause…the name of Christ. 

Learn to count it a joy when others revile you because you stand for Christ. 

Prayer: Father, for the joy of suffering for your Kingdom, we thank You.

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

Imitation

My little nephew was at it again. I played the game and my children did too, but it can be very annoying. I’m not sure the game has a name, but imitation will do. It’s the game where the child repeats everything the adult says-over and over until the adult’s nerves are frazzled. 
 
I also played another game of imitation called preaching. My pulpit was a TV stand and my great grandmother was the audience. From my small vantage point, I preached to her what I heard my preacher father say. I didn’t understand everything I was saying. I was just parroting what I heard every Sunday morning and evening and Wednesday night. Read more...

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When God Writes - Martin Wiles

I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. Hebrews 8:10 NLT

Having something written on paper is one thing; having it written on my heart is quite another. My father was a writer. To my knowledge, he never had anything published, but he wrote nonetheless. For almost 50 years, he preached. Three times each week, he delivered sermons to his congregations, and three times every week he took pen and paper and wrote the words he planned to say. His spiral bound books of sermons—along with the many loose leaf ones he composed, are now snuggly tucked away in my possession. As time progresses, the pages will yellow and the ink will fade. Eventually, the words may become illegible, but his words will remain as long as I do. For most of those 50 years, I listened to his sermons. His words are written on my heart. 

God gave his original words to his people on stone tablets. His commands were clearly visible for them to view. Having them written on stone, however, carried no weight in matters of obedience just as my father’s sermons couldn’t force anyone to obey his pleadings. A greater force was needed. Under the new covenant Jesus established, words are no longer written on paper but on the heart. 

God has placed his laws in my mind and written them on my heart. No one has to tell me what they are; my conscience clues me in. Now that I have them on my heart, they aren’t cumbersome to obey. Rather, I willingly and enjoyably obey his demands and plans for my life. If every Bible and religious book in the world were destroyed, God’s word would remain in the hearts of his people. He has engraved it there. 

Enemies nor time nor torrential elements can remove it from where it’s embedded. What was once a set of external rules is now internal—a set of commands the Holy Spirits continually reminds us of and encourages us to obey. 

How are you reacting to the laws God has written on your heart?

Prayer: Father, we thank You for placing Your word in our hearts where it is always safe and available. 

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Choosing the Better Way - Martin Wiles

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God. Hebrews 8:6 NLT

Imagine how it would feel to be transported back in time. In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, this very thing happens when the ghost of Christmas past transports Ebenezer Scrooge back to his young adult years. Currently, he had all the money he wanted, but no happiness. She showed him what might have been his had he chosen a different route. Scrooge is permitted to view his first love. His mad pursuit of wealth, however, had led to their break-up. She released him to pursue the life he had chosen and wished him happiness. The ghost then revealed what might have been his: a house full of children nestled around his lost love. Scrooge chose what he assumed was the better way but discovered disappointment and loneliness instead. 

First century citizens struggled with accepting the new covenant Jesus had established through his death and resurrection or clinging to what they had known previously: a life of rules and regulations. Jesus offered a better way, but would they accept it?

Some decisions are tough. The advantages and disadvantages appear equal. The ultimate decision I must make is what I believe about eternity. If I choose to believe there is one that involves either punishment or rewards, I’ll likely choose the latter. But how do I get there? Is it by obeying rules and regulations as those in the Old Testament did? Is it by working diligently to make sure my good deeds outweigh the bad? Or is it simply by accepting what God offers? 

Jesus’ new covenant is starkly different from the old. Whereas the old was limited in scope, the new is open to anyone who wants to accept it. Guilt was never eliminated under the old, but under the new I can be freed from a guilty conscience. Under the old, millions of sacrifices were required. Under the new, all God desires are my sacrifices of praise and obedience. 

When I compare the two, the new certainly appears to be the better way. Is it the way you have chosen?

Prayer: Father, we praise You for offering a better way to You through Jesus Christ. 
(Photo courtesy of morgefile and ardelfin.)

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Flashback Friday - Martin Wiles

Model Living

Even though they were popular when I was growing up, putting one together wasn’t on my list of things to do. 

I’m sure technology has dampened the model car industry, but it was once a booming business that interested millions of young boys. Putting model cars together required patience, time and the ability to understand complicated instructions. Having some mechanical knowledge about cars also helped. Super glue had been invented but wasn’t sold commercially like at present. Model car glue was required, and it took hours to dry. Many of the parts were small, making it difficult to fit them in the correct places. Read more...

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