Dying in Peace - Martin Wiles

Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior. Luke 2:28-29 NLT

“Preacher, Mrs. Mamie just died.”

“I’ll be right over.”

“Marty, your granddaddy wants to see you before he dies.”

“Okay, I’ll leave right now. I should be there in two hours.”

One a shut-in, the other a relative. Two of the many I’ve watched die or seen their bodies shortly after they have. Some struggle before taking the last breath. Others surrender peacefully. These two did. 
Mrs. Mamie was a long time member of the church I pastored. Her husband was still able to attend church, but she wasn’t. I visited them monthly. They would never let me leave without taking some junk food home for the kids. 

When I crossed the threshold the day of the call, she sat peacefully in her favorite chair—a calm look of assurance on her face. No struggle. No grief.

As I walked in my grandfather’s nursing home room, he smiled, raised his hands to heaven, and said, “I’m going up.” And shortly thereafter, he did. Peacefully. 

For some unknown reason, God had told Simeon he wouldn’t die until he saw the Messiah. On one particular day, the Spirit led him to the Temple. The day Mary and Joseph were presenting baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required. Simeon knew He was the Messiah. He knew deliverance for his nation and the world was on the horizon. He could die peacefully.  

Death is a doorway into eternity. Life doesn’t end with my final breath—actually it just begins. Life as God planned it. At least for believers. But the only way I can die in peace—regardless of the circumstances surrounding my death, is to prepare for it while I’m alive. Neglecting God and living for self won’t do. I may slip peacefully from this world, but I won’t live in eternal peace. Rather eternal torment. An eternity separated from God. 

Accepting Jesus as the Messiah who died for my sins allows me to die in peace as it did Simeon. Whether I struggle with a disease prior to death or succumb through a tragic accident won’t matter. Death will be peaceful, knowing I’m slipping into my Savior’s arms. 

When your time comes, will you die peacefully?

Prayer: Father, we thank You for the promise of a peaceful death and a joyous eternity when we know Your Son as our Savior.

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God’s Talking Donkey - Martin Wiles

Then the Lord caused the donkey to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me these three times?” Numbers 22:28 NLT

Although He has His normal means, God isn’t limited in the means He can use to get our attention.

My wife and I are the proud—well, sometimes proud, owners of a Deer Chihuahua. Since he was our daughter’s dog and has been passed around, I feel sorry for him and put up with his cantankerous ways. I’ve never heard him speak audibly—and would question my state of mind if I did, but he has his ways of making his wishes known. 

With his eyes or by snorting, our dog communicates, “I need to go outside,” “I want a treat,” or “Will you recline so I can snuggle?” Over the years, I’ve learned to understand which he’s trying to relate. There’ve been times when I’ve scolded him for snorting or staring even though I’ve done what he said. Perhaps there’s others messages.

Balaam heard his animal speak audibly. He was a sorcerer hired by a pagan king to place a curse on God’s people. God allowed Balaam to go but was angry he was going with a greedy spirit. So He sent an angel to stand in Balaam’s path. Seeing the angel with the drawn sword, the donkey stopped in its tracks. After Balaam beat him a few times, God allowed the donkey to speak.

Donkeys and dogs aren’t God’s normal methods of delivering messages. His Word, other believers, prayer, and a strong heart feeling are. God is God though and can talk any way He chooses. Who am I to confine Him by building boxes He won’t appreciate.

The method or messenger isn’t as important as the message. With Balaam, God was confronting his greedy attitude and warning him again not to do something foolish.

God’s message to all believers is “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” While crucial, that message is too general. He has a specific word—in fact, many words throughout my lifetime, I need to hear. If I’ll listen, He’ll direct my path every day. I’ll find myself praying for His will for me—as well as for others and the world—to be done on earth daily even as it is in heaven. And when I listen, I’ll experience true peace and joy.

Listen for God to speak. Don’t make Him use a donkey to get your attention. He can.

Prayer: Father, tune our ears to hear You so we won’t miss a single opportunity You place in our paths.

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

The Power Of Vision

He was only trying to help. Now it appeared it would cost him his eyesight.

Hawkeye Pierce was a top notch physician and lady’s man on the long running sitcom, M*A*S*H. Currently this entailed lighting a cantankerous gas stove in the nurses tent. BAAM was the next sound he and the entire camp heard-followed by complete darkness for him. The stove had exploded, burning his eyes in the process. After carefully wrapping his eyes, the optometrist said they’d just have to wait. But during this sightless journey, Hawkeye gained renewed appreciation for his vision. Read more...

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Bottled Up - Martin Wiles

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. Psalm 56:8 NLT

They cuddle on the cabinet, snuggle on the shelf, and frolic on the floor, but none are doing what they were originally designed to do. 

Old bottles are one of my passions. I don’t go out of my way to find or collect them, but when I come across one at a decent price, I snatch it up. Many in my collection were given to me by people who saw no purpose in having them, and others I’ve bought at discount prices from store owners who didn’t know their true worth. They range from soda bottles to medicine bottles and everything in between. But they all have one thing in common: they’re empty. 

None of my bottles are filled with their original contents, nor are they presently being used for their initial purpose. The beauty is now in their historical significance and the unique designs and raised markings they display. I could bottle them up with something—water if nothing more, but they still wouldn’t fulfill their earliest purpose. They serve merely as reminders.

The psalmist was discouraged. Enemy troops were tracking him, slanderers were stalking him, spies were spying on him, and his emotions were raging. Appealing to God helped calm his nerves. He reminded himself that God took notice of his situation and could bottle up his fears, disappointments, and sorrows. 

Whatever was originally stored in my bottles could be uncorked or uncapped and poured down the recipient’s throat. Pleasure or relief from pain resulted. God can take sorrow, discouragement, and disappointment and bottle them up. But He seals them so tightly no one can release them again. 

Life can be overwhelming. Sin taints the world so thoroughly that the results of it are bound to touch my life repeatedly until I die. A range of emotions result when they do. Emotions that can lead me in unhealthy directions unless I remember God hasn’t abandoned me. When I feel overcome with peace destroying emotions and thoughts, I look at my empty bottles and ask God to do what the psalmist did—bottle them up. Seal them tightly. Cork them completely. And then I ask Him to help me to see clearly what I can glean from the confined contents. 

Are you feeling overwhelmed by life? Ask God to bottle up the things that baffle you. 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that we can come to You with our petitions and pains and count on You to bottle them up so we can live with peace and purpose.

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God and Strays - Martin Wiles

Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NLT

“If we can’t come up with $600, he’s going to jail.”

My normal day at work melted into not normal when the phone call came. It seems our teenage son had been arrested for public drunkenness. Fortunately, he hadn’t gotten his driver’s license yet or he might have been arrested for DUI. 

“I guess he’s going to jail,” I said. We didn’t have $600, and I wouldn’t have paid it had I had it. And I wasn’t being hard hearted. For the last several years, our son had strayed. Into bad relationships. Into unhealthy habits—some illegal as well. And onto a path that took him far away from God. Perhaps jail would teach him a lesson, I thought. 

His jail stint was short-lived. His girlfriend’s mother bailed him out. Jail time didn’t bring the wanderer home. 

Years later, he’s still a stray—of sorts. He has settled down, has a good job, is in a good relationship, and will soon be a father. My hopes were lifted not long ago when he asked, “Dad, do you think that once a person is saved they are always saved?” Evidently, his straying had him wondering also. “Yes, son, if they truly meant it when they accepted Christ,” I responded. My hopes that he’d wander back to God didn’t materialize. 

Jesus’ story of the two sons mirrors numerous families. Whether we call them strays, prodigals, wanderers, or black sheep matters not. Either way, they are gone…from us…from the faith. But the story also gives hope of their return and assures us God will accept them when they do. Many find hope in the verse, Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.

No path I wander away on is too far for God to welcome me home if I’ll come to my senses and repent. But I have to make up my mind to do so, be sincere in my desire, and turn around and head in the right direction. Home hasn’t moved; I have. 
My son remains a stray—spiritually. And like the father, God is still waiting with open arms to welcome him home. 

If you’ve wandered away, He’s still waiting for you as well. As He is for all strays. 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that Your arms are always open to those who decide to come home.

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Flashback Friday - Martin Wiles

Practice Gets You Closer

They were battling uncontrollable elements again. This time it was hurricane Sandy’s pulsating rain and relentless wind.

“Old Guard”-the name given to the 3rd Division Infantry Regiment in 1847 by General Winfield Scott, is the official Army Honor Guard. They have escorted Presidents since World War II and serve as military funeral escorts for those buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Perhaps their most touching and honorable duty is guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier-a feat they have continually accomplished since 1948. I’ve witnessed this “walking the mat,” heard the boot heels click when the 63-foot mark was reached, listened as the wind whispered through the cemetery, and wiped away tears that meandered down my face as I marveled over their dedication. Read more...

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Change is Good - Martin Wiles

Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God. Ephesians 4:17-18 NLT

Change was the norm; I merely had to adjust.

Some preachers remain at churches for lengthy periods of time. Dad never did. At least not until he reached mid life and decided to stay put for 20 years. By that time, I had long ago left home and established my own family. His moving didn’t affect me anymore. While I was growing up, five years was the longest he ever remained at one church—and that was to let me finish high school in the same place. Prior to that, it was three years at one church, four at the next, and one at the following. I never established many friendships, and I was tired of saying good-bye to the ones I had. Change became the norm I accepted, but didn’t like. 

Believers at the church in Ephesus had undergone a change. They had discarded their immoral lifestyles and no longer worshipped a multiplicity of pagan gods. Yet the temptation to return to the lifestyles they had put aside was always prevalent.

Change is peppered with negative connotations. “We’ve never done it that way before” and “I’m not sure the people will like it” are two common objections heard when change is suggested. Some rebel against change and leave the organization. Others accept it grudgingly, sticking around to cause friction. A few embrace it and enjoy the new opportunities it can bring. 

Salvation ushers in the most radical change possible in my life. God removes my old nature and replaces it with a new one. This is change for the good. While Satan still works through my old human tendencies, I now have God’s power giving me the ability to live a pure and holy life. And I should. What I’ve been changed from is in the past; what I’ve been transformed into is in the present and future. 

This change allows me to live with the peace of knowing my Savior and I are okay. He’s wiped the sin slate clean, accepted me into His family, and established a friendship with me that won’t ever be disrupted by change. 

Enjoy the change God can bring into your life. Any change He brings is for your good. 

Prayer: Father, give us courage to live by the standards of the changed natures You’ve given us at salvation. 

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Making a List - Martin Wiles

Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!” Numbers 14:4 NLT

Making a list and checking it twice—or three or four times, enhances productivity. 

I’m the king of list making. I’ve been making lists since I was a young boy and never outgrew the practice. Since I have a good memory, making lists is probably unnecessary, but I feel more confident when I do. I list what I plan to accomplish weekly on my calendar—of which I keep three. I also list my monthly goals and sometimes my yearly goals. After all, there are those things that only occur annually.  

My wife follows suit. She makes a list before going to the grocery store, a list of announcements to give to the IT men at church, and a list of things that need to go on the church calendar and in the monthly newsletter. 

Occasionally, things that shouldn’t creep onto my list. Perhaps not sinful, just unhealthy or unwise. Like grabbing that bag of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. They weren’t on the list…at least not the written one. 

God’s people once let something slither onto their list that shouldn’t have. Egypt. They had just left 400 years of slavery, but the challenges of the wilderness and the dangers of the anticipated Promised Land lured their eyes backward. They didn’t go, but it took 40 years of wilderness wandering for God to convince them to strike Egypt from their list. 

Jesus says loving Him totally and then others as myself should be the top two things on my list. Family follows. God created it long before He did the church. Healthy and intact families are the foundation for a thriving society. Church comes next. God has given me gifts and talents He wants me to use in and outside of the church to further His Kingdom. That’s why I’m a member of the 5 a.m. writing club. Then come hobbies. I need time for myself. Time to unwind. Time to enjoy something I’m not going to be graded on, tested for, or paid money to do. 

If I do all of the above and in that order, it’s doubtful I’ll have time for anything else. But if I do, it should come last. 

How does your list stack up against what God says should be on a life list?

Prayer: Father, help us put our life lists in the order that would please You. 

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

Maintaining Our Energy Level

I was in my late thirties and overweight. Something had to be done. So I thought, “Why not run?” And I did.

Running requires training the body to endure, and I was preparing to run 5K races. Winning wasn’t in the mix; I just wanted to finish. I ran several times each week, but too much weight, bad knees and shin splints slowed my gait. I ran for a while-and even finished several races, but eventually relegated my exercise to walking. I quickly learned that maintaining one’s energy level is vital if running-or any other vigorous exercise, is your forte’. Read more...

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Overwhelmed - Martin Wiles

But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are.” Numbers 13:31 NLT

False accusations, anger, unkind remarks. They were all in the mix.

Ben was following in his father’s footsteps. His father had been a pastor for as long as he could remember, and he had felt God calling him to do the same thing. After four years of faithful service to his third church, Ben discovered his wife had been unfaithful. False accusations flew, among them that he knew about her antics but was covering them up. At the same time, he was leading the church through some needed changes. This was angering others—some of whom directed angry, unkind remarks toward him. 

Ben felt overwhelmed. Attacks were coming from the outside, and he was watching his family dissolve from the inside. The ruling board didn’t want to ask for his resignation, but they told him staying would probably split the church. He had to make a decision. He left. 

Moses—along with more than a million people who had recently escaped from slavery, was at the border of the long-awaited Promised Land. Spies surveyed the land so they could plan their method of attack. Of the twelve he sent, only two were confident they could take the land. The others were overwhelmed by the walled cities and the fierce people. Their fear crept on the remainder of the people. Instead of traveling on, they turned back. 

Like Ben and the ten spies, I’ve traveled through periods when I felt overwhelmed. Sometimes I was my own worst enemy; at other times, Satan was. I’m good at taking on too much, which can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed. But Satan is also an expert at capitalizing on my weaknesses and poking me at the very point that will make me feel overwhelmed. 

God would have given victory to the Israelites had they decided to enter the Promised Land. They merely had to trust Him. He wants to give me victory when I’m feeling overwhelmed as well. He can be trusted to help me set realistic priorities. He can also help me overcome the temptations that overwhelm me. All that’s required is putting on the armor He provides (Ephesians 6:10-18). 

Give God whatever is threatening to overwhelm you. In His power, you can overwhelm rather than be overwhelmed.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that we can trust You to help us overcome whatever might attempt to overwhelm us. 

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Unleashing the Holy - Martin Wiles

When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant. Exodus 29:35 NLT

They called him “deac,” but he wasn’t one.

By normal standards, my paternal grandfather didn’t have an impressive build. At five foot six inches and 165 pounds, he was comparatively small. But what he lacked in statue, he made up for in godliness. On one trip to visit him and my grandmother, my father told me of how people were accustomed to calling my grandfather “deac”—short for deacon. Interestingly, he wasn’t a deacon, but they associated him with the position because of his godly behavior. 

My grandfather wasn’t a vocal man, nor was he unusually bold in sharing his faith. He didn’t have to be. What he held onto on the inside naturally oozed out in his actions and speech. 

My grandfather himself told me of a time when he was visiting a local diner across the street from his house. As he drank his coffee, another of the usual customers took a seat beside him. The waitress came over to take his order and said, “Oh, have I got a joke to tell you…but not until Mr. Boyce leaves.” His life unleashed the holiness residing in him. 

After Moses visited with God on Mount Sinai, he lumbered down the mountain to tell the people what God had revealed to him. Unknown to him, his face shone because he had been in the presence of the Lord. So brightly, in fact, that his brother and the others were afraid to approach him. 

As a believer, God has set me apart and instructed me to be holy even as He is holy. This doesn’t entail walking around with a snobby attitude, imagining I’m better than anyone else. It simply means remembering who I am and who I represent. God has given me the righteousness of Christ, and my goal should be to reflect that to others. Jesus said, “Let your light shine.” Unleash the holy.

Living in a world that is often hostile toward Christianity means unleashing the holy takes a conscious effort. Fear, neglect, and busyness can keep it leashed if I’m not careful. But when I remember and nurture the person I am on the inside, holy living will naturally be unleashed to run free on the outside. 

Are you unleashing the holy?

Prayer: Father, give us strength to let our lights for You shine brightly before others.

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Flashback Friday - Martin Wiles

Dedicated to the Cause

She started in middle school and continued through high school-even when she couldn’t breathe.

My daughter loved all sports but was only involved in two-cross country and track. As soon as school was over, the team assembled for stretches before beginning their daily 5K or 3.1 mile run. She loved the “highs” and anticipated the competitions. I don’t recall her ever winning a meet, but she diligently prepared and usually finished near the top.

In high school, things changed. Asthma episodes suddenly pounced after she ran only a short distance. Her running days appeared over. Read more...

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