Flashback Friday - Why Is It So Difficult to Live the Christian Life? - Martin Wiles

Why Is It So Difficult to Live the Christian Life?

Series: Hey God…I Have a Question

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. Romans 7:15 NLT

Effort normally leads to success, but the battles along the way may be intense.

I suppose I never understood why I chafed any time someone told me I was wrong, that I should do something a different way, or that the quality of my work was unsatisfactory. Somewhere along my educational journey, I discovered the term Type A personality. Then I understood. I was one, and one characteristic was distaste for criticism and correction. Type A’s thrive on perfection…doing their best. When their best is called into question, they cringe. I was among the cringers. Age has tempered this trait in me, but occasionally I still find myself bristling when I’m criticized…even if it’s constructive. Read more... 

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Need Some Space? - Martin Wiles

He (God) is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Peter 3:9 MSG

Everybody needs space—some more than others.

Personal space. That area around me wherein if someone steps in I get uncomfortable or nervous. I fear, back away, or enjoy. The width of the space varies by individual. And usually by how well I know the person. The need for personal space is heard in the old saying when confrontation arises: “I dare you to step across this line.” And then the person draws one with the tip of their shoe.

Writers fear the white space. The area on paper we must fill up with something we want to write or have been contracted to write. And when we get brain block and can’t think of words to put on the paper, our panic level rises.

Prisoners have their space. Measured in small increments of feet, they exist there until their sentences are served.

Houses have space. Depending on the needs or wants of the owner, the amount is large, medium, or small.

Even gangs have their space. An area of town they control. People who enter without invitation face danger—perhaps even death. A space the gang controls and feels comfortable with.

And God has space—but of a different kind. He gives us space. According to Peter, He does this because He wants people to repent. He gives us space to believe—as much as we want. But not without consequence. If the end comes and we haven’t filled that space with belief, our eternity won’t be pretty. If we have, our eternity will be beyond our wildest imagination.

God gave this space from the very beginning when He gave Adam and Eve the choice to obey or disobey Him. He wanted to have a relationship with them, but He wanted them to want the same thing.

God doesn’t force us to fill up our space with Him. If He did, He’d have only robots—and these wouldn’t provide the fellowship He desires. He wants us to willingly choose to let Him into our personal space.

Experience the most enjoyable life by allowing God into your personal space.

Prayer: Father, may our lives always be filled with the beauty of Your presence.

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Working for Whom? - Martin Wiles

And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do! Psalm 90:17 MSG

I wondered if what I did really made a difference.

I am a teacher—or so it says on the outside of a door leading into my classroom. Middle School. Language Arts. Five days each week, more than one hundred students enter my door because the law says they must, and so do their parents. And when they enter, the law and their parents expect me to teach them what I’m paid to teach them. In my case, writing, literature, spelling, and grammar.

Since I’m also a writer, I love the subjects I teach. Not much preparation required. I teach with enthusiasm, wanting them to understand how important good communication is…desiring that they love good literature which can take them to worlds they may never visit and open their minds to things they’ve never considered.

But I’ve not always enjoyed my jobs. Some titles I hated. I worked there because I had no other choice. I didn’t like whom I worked for, the place I worked at, or the salary I drew. In some cases, I didn’t even care for the people I worked with. I labored with a frown on my face and dreaded every day I had to enter the doors.

My perspective hasn’t always been a good one. According to the psalmist, however, I don’t work for a person, but for God. When I have that perspective, the possibilities are limitless and so is the way I conduct myself at my place of employment.

Rather than a job, my employment becomes a mission field. In my present case, that’s easy. I teach at a Christian school and can say God’s name and teach biblical integration as often as I want. Not so with every job I’ve had. Speaking about Christ could have gotten me laughed at, warned, or even fired.

No matter what we do, God can confirm and affirm that work. We work for the Lord, not the one who signs the paycheck. God can help us transform the atmosphere of the environment. We can smile, even when doing unpleasant tasks. We can show kindness, even around unpleasant work associates. And in so doing, we shine the light of Christ into our work world.

If your working world is dark, bring in the light of Christ.

Prayer: Father, may we be Your shining lights with every job You give us.

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Throwback Tuesday - Will We Know People in Heaven? - Martin Wiles

Will We Know People in Heaven?

Series: Hey God…I Have a Question

In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. Luke 16:23 NLT

Good-byes are difficult; heaven is for hellos.

One of the beautiful assets of eyesight is recognition. I’ve lived in numerous locations and had the privilege of knowing hundreds of people. Some of the names I’ve forgotten, but when I see a particular person I’ve known I recognize their face. The thought of not knowing people in heaven that I’ve known on earth is troubling— particularly if it’s a family member. To be incapable of recognizing my parents, grandparents, children, or spouse would be disturbing. Read more...

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Looking Through the Optimist’s Lenses - Martin Wiles

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NLT

I saw things one way; she saw them another.

Two weeks of late fall rain had finally ended. Muddy grounds, flooded rivers, and ill temperaments had characterized the southeastern United States for longer than most wanted. Finally, the rains ended. The forecast called for a week-long stretch of above-average temperatures and several days of dry, sunny weather.

I was glad. My daily late-afternoon walks had suffered. I longed to get outside, soak up some Vitamin D, and clear my mind. As I walked into a neighboring subdivision, I noticed an elderly lady with her walking cane taking a short walk.

As I passed her, I remarked, “Sure is good to see the sunshine.”

Her response perplexed me, “Yea, but it won’t last long.”

I chose optimism about the day; she chose pessimism. Sure, I knew another front bringing rain was due to arrive in three days, but I planned to enjoy the sunshine in the meantime. So I kept walking with a smile on my face and my eyes lifted upward at the cloudless sky.

I don’t know what type of weather characterized the psalmist’s world when he penned the above words, but it probably didn’t matter to him. Reading everything else he has written causes me to believe he was an optimist. Regardless of the weather—or the circumstances—he viewed the day as one God had made. That in and of itself was enough to make him rejoice.

God gives us the power to choose our perspective. We can see the sun—or think about the rain that’s coming. We can accept that life will throw difficulties our way and face them with a smile, or we can let depression, disappointment, and despondency rule. We can choose optimism—or pessimism.

God also gives us the ability to choose our attitude. A good one will attract others to us and to the God we serve and believe rules our circumstances and the world, but a bad one will shoo them away. 

God can help you see life through an optimist’s lenses. Just ask Him.

Prayer: Father, give us the faith to choose optimism, even when pessimism would come easier.

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Holding Hands with the Greatest Lover - Martin Wiles

God stands up for his people, God holds the hands of his people. Psalm 135:14 MSG

He sat at a small-town café drinking a cup of coffee and looking out a large window at a couple walking down Main Street.

“Isn’t that sweet? Still holding hands after all these years,” the friend who sat with him remarked, seeing the elderly couple holding hands.

“They’re just holding each other up,” the first said, taking another sip of coffee.

Both friends spoke the truth. The couple steadied each other. Age had caught up with them, and they were not as sure on their feet as they once had been. But steadying each other wasn’t the only reason they held hands. I know, because I knew them too.

I remember the first girl I held hands with. I also recall the sweaty palms and fluttering heart when I reached out to take her hand. And I remember how my wife and I held hands continuously before and just after we married. We don’t hold hands as much now, but I still reach for her hand regularly and still feel a flutter throughout my body when the soft skin of her hand touches mine. I care for her and love her, and holding her hand is one way I show it.

The psalmist says God does the same. He loves His children beyond what we can imagine and proves it by holding our hands throughout our life journey.

M. Scott Peck began his book, The Road Less Traveled, with the following simple yet profound words, “Life is difficult. Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we truly understand and accept it—then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

Peck wasn’t a Christian when he wrote those words—though he later became a believer. I’m sure he could then look back and see that the reason life’s difficulties lessened was not only because our perspective on life changed but also because we started believing God held our hand through them.  

When we hold God’s hand, we trust in Him, we believe He knows what’s best for us, we believe He has a plan for our life, and we believe He knows all things from the beginning until the end. This, after all, is what holds us up.

Make sure you’re holding the most dependable hand in the world.

Prayer: Father, we hold Your hand because we know there is no other that is more secure.

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Flashback Friday - Why Did God Make Us Weak - Martin Wiles

Why Did God Make Us Weak? 

Series: Hey God…I Have a Question

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years…He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna…to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:2-3 NLT

In spite of our best efforts to be strong, our weaknesses frequently raise their ugly heads.

On a recent vacation in the Tennessee mountains, my wife and I and another couple encountered someone who succumbed to one such weakness. As my friend waited in a crowded line to pay for gas, he witnessed an older man ranting and raving at one of the cashiers. He belittled her with curses because she wasn’t waiting on customers quickly enough. Even though every Southern gentleman present gave him “the stare,” he continued his tirade. Read more...

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Never Out of Date - Martin Wiles

God, your name is eternal, God, you’ll never be out-of-date. Psalm 135:13 MSG

Twice a year, I find myself rummaging through bottles, creams, and boxes, looking for a date.

My doctor says medicines and medical creams never go out of date. So why do pharmaceutical companies put dates on them? Perhaps as a money-making endeavor so we’ll buy more of that medicine whether we need it or not? I, for one, don’t like to use medicine—or eat food—that’s out of date. If it’s food, I look for mold or feel for freshness. With medicine, I wonder whether taking it is going to do what it originally was supposed to do. So, if it’s only out of date by a few months, I keep it and take it or use it if I need it. If the date range exceeds that, I toss it in the trash can.

The psalmist says God’s name never goes out of date. It is eternal. He has existed before anything, He brought everything into existence, and He will be around when time ceases and there’s nothing left but eternity. He never goes out of date.

Nor do the commands he left. While many of the commands and regulations of the Old Testament were dietary rules in a time when medicine had not advanced to its present form—and while many of the commanded practices concerned only the worship practices of the Jews at a time before Christ—the moral principles God gave never go out of date. Lying broke God’s command in the beginning, and it still does. So does hate, murder, lust, and all of the other commands. Especially the one that says we should worship no other gods except the one true God.

God’s commands may not be politically correct for some, but they are still applicable. Obeying them demonstrates our love for God and leads to the most fulfilling life we could ever want. Jesus says if we love Him, we’ll obey His commands.

Others may laugh at us for choosing to obey God’s commands, but God will honor us. Obey God’s commands—regardless. They never go out of date.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that Your moral commands and principles are always in date.

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Feeling Forgotten - Martin Wiles

Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. Genesis 40:23 NLT

People surround them, but they are still the forgotten.

Thousands of them across the world languish in their personal homes, nursing homes, or assisted living homes. Doctors, nurses, and other residents surround them … but they are forgotten. They are not the sole survivors in their families … but they might as well be. Too many miles. Wrong priorities. Busyness. Unforgiveness. Whatever the reason, their family members stay away or only visit rarely.

Bobbie Smith, a professional caregiver, places the blame on the modern trend of a breakdown in extended family relationships. Family units have spread across the country, separating grandparents from grandchildren—and causing many of the elderly to feel pushed to the side and forgotten. Distance makes visiting difficult.

And consequences follow. A University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study found people 60 and above who feel lonely experienced a forty-five percent increase in their risk of death and a fifty-nine percent greater risk of mental and physical decline (https://www.agingcare.com/articles/loneliness-in-the-elderly-151549.htm).

The following poem expressed the pain of feeling forgotten:

Mask
© Matt

I was once sad and lonely,
Having nobody to comfort me,
So I wore a mask that always smiled,
To hide my feelings behind a lie.

Before long, I had many friends;
With my mask, I was one of them.
But deep inside I still felt empty,
Like I was missing a part of me.

Nobody could hear my cries at night,
For I designed my mask to hide the lies.
Nobody could see the pain I was feeling,
For I designed my mask to be laughing.

Behind all the smiles were the tears,
And behind all the comfort were the fears.
Everything you think you see
Wasn't everything there was to me.

Day by day
I was slowly dying.
I couldn't go on,
There was something missing..

Until now I'm still searching
For the thing that'll stop my crying,
For someone who'll erase my fears,
For the person who'll wipe my tears.

But till then, I'll keep on smiling,
Hiding behind this mask I'm wearing.
Hoping one day I can smile,
Till then, I'll be here...waiting.

(https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/my-mask-that-always-smiled)

Joseph knew all about being forgotten. Over a period of thirteen years, he experienced being sold by his brothers—who hated him—being falsely accused of sexual improprieties, being imprisoned, and being forgotten by the person whom he’d interpreted a dream for. Perhaps, he even felt forgotten by God. But he wasn’t.

In spite of Joseph’s trials, God never forgot him. In fact, his trials made up a part of God’s sovereign plan to use him and his family. And when the right time arrived, God elevated Joseph to second in command and used him to save his family from a severe famine in their homeland.

Others may forget us—and circumstances may make us feel forgotten—but God never forgets who or where we are. He has a plan for our lives, which may include some tough times, but if we’ll keep the faith He’ll show us just how much He loves us.

If you’re feeling forgotten, turn to the One who never forgets anyone.

Prayer: Father, when we feel forgotten, help us remember You never forget us.

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Throwback Tuesday - When Do We Go to Heaven? - Martin Wiles

When Do We Go to Heaven?

Series: Hey God…I Have a Question

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. II Corinthians 5:8 KJV

Two recent books have made the subject of heaven popular. 90 Minutes in Heaven recounts the story of Don Piper, a Baptist minister, driving home from a conference when his vehicle collides with a semi-truck. Piper is pronounced dead at the scene but for the next 90 minutes inhabits heaven. Back on earth, a fellow conference attendee is passing the lethal scene. Even though Piper is dead, the minister prays for him. Piper miraculously comes back to life. Read more...

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Death of a Church - Martin Wiles

Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Matthew 16:18b NLT

I admired her beauty, but she had died.

A few weeks before Christmas, my brother and his fiancé married. They held the wedding at the church they attend. As my wife and I drove up to the church and then walked in, I marveled at her beauty.

Several pieces of antique furniture lounged in the foyer. Four swinging doors led into the sanctuary. An old pipe organ sat nestled in the front corner, along with a round piece of furniture that once contained water for sprinkling individuals at their baptism. Only six unadorned chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making pictures dark. Two rows of pews led to the front. Small slats of wood made up the walls and ceiling. All the wood was mahogany colored.

Everywhere I walked, the odor of old greeted me. But the folks from the church who gathered for my brother’s wedding weren’t from the original group. The original name outside was covered with a new name. The plaque on the outside wall said the church had been established in the late 1800’s—a Presbyterian church. But now, another group rented the building.

Since my sister-in-law originated from this area, I questioned her about the original church. She didn’t know what had happened. I suppose the older ones died and no younger ones joined to keep it open. Whoever owned the building decided to rent it out to another church group.

What a shame, I thought, that such a beautiful building, which a group of folks no doubt had sacrificed for and slaved over, would shut down because no one cared. But how fortunate that another group could come along and benefit from their sacrifices.

When a church closes its doors, how do we explain what Jesus told Peter in this verse? Was He wrong? Hardly.

Jesus knew nothing of denominations when He said the gates of hell would not prevail against His church. They didn’t exist then and won’t in heaven. Jesus referred to the church universal. The entire group of people who follow Him.

Despite persecution, misunderstanding, closed doors, and anything else that comes against her, God’s church will remain and grow until the end of time. Her work is fueled by God Himself, and no one or thing is more powerful than He is.

Take heart. Although individual churches may close, God’s church will march on triumphantly.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that what You died for will be victorious.

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Show a Little Gratitude - Martin Wiles

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

Creeping down the middle aisle of the school auditorium, they prostrate themselves before their teachers, then rise to present them a bouquet of flowers.

The above would be strange in the United States of America, but in countries such as Thailand, China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, the custom is well … customary. But in Thailand, students don’t only do that for their school teachers. According to the Thai culture guidebook, The Thai and I: Thai Society and Culture, “Every person … if he is to be truly Thai, should feel and express gratitude to mother and father teachers, and those who have supported or patronized him in any way.”

But in other countries, entitlement is the word of the day. According to the British Journal of Social Psychology, only twenty percent of American adults rated gratitude as a constructive and useful emotion. Indulgent parents and TV commercials are named among the culprits making our children ungrateful. American children see 40,000 commercials every year.

By failing to show gratitude, children miss out. Scientific data shows gratitude leads to psychological, physical, and social gains as well as happiness, healthy self-esteem, optimism, sleep quality, enhanced life satisfaction, decreased anxiety, lower depressive symptoms, and less body dissatisfaction.

Gratefulness releases a brain chemical known as oxytocin which promotes trust, attachment, empathy, intimacy, relaxation, generosity, calmness, and security (www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/we-dont-appreciate-the-value-of-gratitude).

Scientific research proves we should do what Paul said in the first century: “Be thankful in all circumstances.”

When gratitude isn’t the norm for me, I’ll fall into the entitlement trap—thinking I deserve every good thing that comes my way or that everything I experience in life should be good. If I think someone owes something to me, I probably won’t show much appreciation for it.

Avoiding the entitlement trap isn’t easy—but necessary to see life in the proper perspective. Nobody owes me anything, including God. All good things that come to me ultimately come from Him and constitute His blessings—the icing on the cake.

Showing gratitude places us in God’s will and helps us view the things we have … material or not … through the lenses of thankfulness, not expectations.

We can only live with an attitude of gratitude for God’s forgiveness and for God’s blessings—in whatever form they come—by appealing to God’s help, which He gladly provides.

Rather than thinking you are owed what you have, live believing anything you have is a blessing.

Tweetable: Do you have an attitude of gratitude? 

Prayer: Father, make us grateful so that we can enjoy life and appreciate You and others.

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