Morning by Morning - Martin Wiles

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 NLT

I come from a family of morning lovers.

My paternal grandfather was a morning man. He had to be. His job demanded it. He delivered milk to people’s homes in bottles. People wanted their milk when they got up in the morning. If it wasn’t there, they would complain or take their business elsewhere.

My maternal grandfather also loved the morning, but not because his job required it. He was a farmer and could have gotten up any time he chose, but he got up early to enjoy nature. With a cigarette in hand, he retired to the front porch, listened to the birds, and waited for the sun to top the tops of the tall pines across the field. It was his morning tradition.

Dad also rose early. But for a different reason than his dad. Morning was his time to pray and read the Bible. It was a tradition he maintained until he died. And for many years, I followed suit. When my children were small, morning was the only quiet time around the house—except for later in the evening. Evening didn’t work for me. My mind shuts down after dark.

The psalmist was a morning person. He had no alarm clock to awaken him, but he rose early and took his requests to the Lord.

While God doesn’t dictate morning as the time we must come to Him, He does have a lot to say through those who followed Him about the advantages of coming to Him in the morning. Jesus Himself did.

Our minds are fresher in the morning. I may still be sleepy, but the clutter of the day hasn’t cluttered my mind yet. Some function better at night, but the advantages of the morning are weighty. Quiet reigns, which allows me to focus.

When I approach God in the morning, the day is before me. I’ve not made any mistakes or decisions yet. The potential, however, is there. What day doesn’t involve decisions, temptations, or potential mistakes? Coming to God in the morning allows me to petition Him for guidance, strength, and wisdom.

Regardless of what time I come before God, coming consistently is important. Just as regular communication with others stabilizes friendships, so spending time each day with God cements our relationship with Him.

Morning by morning—or whenever is good for you—spend time with God.

Prayer: Father, draw us to You daily to receive the spiritual nourishment needed to face each day. 

Tweetable: When is your time with God?

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Don’t Fear the Light - Martin Wiles

No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:15 NLT

He saw her standing by the hand-drawn well, and he knew his life would never be the same.

Community residents were converting an old school into a church. Marvin decided he’d visit to see if there was anything he could do. As he approached the construction site, two young sisters stood by the well house. Looking at one, Marvin’s heart skipped a beat. Summoning what courage he could, he approached her, introduced himself, and asked for a date.

The young lady’s response caught him off guard. “I’m a Christian,” she boldly stated. “I don’t go where a lot of young women go, and I don’t do what many young ladies do. Now if you still want a date, you can have one.”

Marvin did, and sixty plus years later, he and Gladys are still together. But he readily confesses he doesn’t know where he might be today had he not followed Gladys’ light.

The purpose of lighting a lamp was to get light. Light to read by, light to clean house by, light to do whatever one needed to do by. Covering the light would defeat the purpose. Covered lamps or candles go out, leaving one in the darkness. Jesus had a spiritual element in mind, but the lesson remains the same. Covering our testimony for Him leaves others in the dark.

Like Gladys, I should not be afraid to speak up about what I believe and whom I follow. My beliefs are based on the Bible which contains commands and principles God wants all people to follow. But many don’t know them. If I don’t shine my light into their lives, they may miss the greatest opportunity they’ll ever have.

Nor should I be afraid of holy living. Gladys wasn’t—even if it meant she might miss out on what others considered having a good time or even on a desired relationship. God is holy and expects His followers to be also. Living that way is not drudgery, but exciting. Holiness leads to abundant life.

Neither should I should be afraid to wait for the right person. Too many relationships end unhappily because they weren’t designed to be entered into in the first place. Pray, hold to your principles, and God will send the right person. He did for Gladys.

Don’t be afraid to let your light shine. Amazing things happen when you do.

Tweetable: Are you letting your light shine?

Prayer: Father, give us courage to let our lights shine brightly for You. 

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Flashback Friday - Confronting Doubts - Martin Wiles

Confronting Doubts 

I suppose I believed he could, but I really didn’t think he would. 

My wife and I accumulated a significant debt while working for a small religious organization. After three years, we left not knowing how to rectify our situation. We prayed diligently, but nothing changed. My wife had faith it would; I had doubts it could. Until the right person contacted my wife. In a matter of days, our debt was erased. Read more...

Tweetable: How do you deal with doubt? 

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Taste and See - Martin Wiles

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 NLT

I smelled, but I didn’t want to taste.

A recent bout with the flu made me remember how much I detested cough medicine. I wondered why pharmaceutical companies couldn’t make a cough medicine that’s pleasant to the palate. That’s why I go for the capsule or tablet when they’re available.

I’ve always been a smeller. Mom often said, “Just taste it.” I repeated the statement with my children. Why we have the tendency to smell before we taste I’m not quite sure. But if something smelled offensive, I wasn’t about to taste it—unless I was forced to. Things like rutabagas, collards, turnips, and fish. Things so offensive that the smell wafts through a house and infiltrates every piece of furniture and clothing. Things so offensive that some choose to cook them outside. But Mom made me taste them, and amazingly I liked them. My smell had deceived me. I learned that smell and taste aren’t always equal.

The psalmist challenged people to taste and see how good God was. Granted, tasting a person seems a little weird. In fact, tasting a person could fall into the category of cannibalism. Jesus said something similar when He established the Lord’s Supper and told the disciples that drinking the wine was equal to drinking His blood and that eating the bread was the same as eating His body. The very reason why early Christians were accused of cannibalism.

Jesus never meant for believers to participate in cannibalistic behavior. We can’t; God is spirit. Yet, we can ingest Him into our lives. I taste and see how good God is when I acknowledge my sinfulness and turn to Christ for assistance. But that’s just the beginning of tasting the goodness of God. Sin may appear to taste good, but forgiveness tastes better.

I continue to taste the goodness of God through prayer, Bible study and meditation, and experience. Praying to God fills me when life gets tough, when I face difficult decisions, and when I need comfort. Meditating on God’s Word fills me by reminding me of God’s promises. And experience fills me as I remember how good God has been in the past and how He promises to be good in the future.

Some food may taste just as it smells, but God always smells and tastes good. Give Him a try.

Tweetable: Have you tasted God's goodness?

Prayer: Father, we acknowledge Your goodness in the pleasant and in the unpleasant times. 

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Good-Time God - Martin Wiles

Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, Lord. Psalm 4:6 NLT

Their good times certainly didn’t appear good.

“Good Times” was an American sitcom that aired from 1974 to 1979. The show portrayed the lives of Florida and James Evans and their three children, all trying to survive life. The show’s name is ironic because their lives were anything but good.

James struggled to keep a job and bring in enough money to pay the bills. Florida was a stay-at-home Mom. One catastrophe after another hit the family, and they always wondered where the money was going to come from to meet the need. But Florida was a woman of faith and led by example, teaching the family to depend on God to meet their needs.

In spite of their rough times, the Evans’ family was normally happy. They took each challenge in stride and believed they were living the good times—even though others might question their definition of good.

The pagan worship that surrounded the nation of Israel promised a better time than sticking to worshiping one God, as Israel did. But they couldn’t deliver on the promise. Only the true God could show anyone good times.

A prevailing attitude for dissing Christianity is that you can’t be a Christian and have a good time. God has too many rules and regulations. How could anyone have a good time while trying to obey a bunch of rules?

But God’s rules are not designed to make life miserable, and don’t when seen in the proper light and obeyed for the right reason. His rules are given to make life better, not bitter.

The Evans’ family discovered true joy comes from the inside and isn’t determined by outward circumstances. God wants me to learn the same lesson. Happiness may depend on circumstances or possessions, but joy is steadfast because of Whom I’m connected to.

Christians can have a good time. I’ve seen them do it numerous times during my lifetime—and I myself enjoy life. The inward joy comes from knowing all is well between me and my Creator. The joy of forgiveness makes for good times. The joy of knowing God is with me through all things helps me endure and overcome discouragement, disappointments, and depression.

God is a God of good times—ones that are permanent and don’t depend on my or anyone else’s fickle nature. Don’t miss out on serving this good time God.

Tweetable: Are you enjoying God's good times? 

Prayer: Father, we thank You for offering us abundant good times when we love You with all of our hearts. 

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Throwback Tuesday - Getting Dirty for God - Martin Wiles

Getting Dirty for God

Mom called it nice-nasty—a phrase she used to describe me even as a child. 

According to Mom, I despised getting dirty. When any substance got on my hands—be it dirt or anything sticky, I immediately wanted it washed off. I suppose that’s why I’ve always despised the beach. Clinging and sticky sand all over my body and in my hair is just not my cup of tea.

Mom diagnosed me correctly. While there are times I enjoy getting dirty—such as when I’m mowing the lawn, working in the flower bed, or tending to my garden, normally I enjoy being clean. Read more...

Tweetable: Are you getting dirty for God? 

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