Living with Hope - Martin Wiles

You lived in this world without God and without hope. Ephesians 2:12 NLT

The Evans family lived with hope despite living in what appeared to be hopeless circumstances.

Good Times was a 1970s sitcom about a dad, mom, and three children who lived on Chicago’s bad side. Every trip carried the risk of being mugged or raped. They lived in a rickety apartment building owned by a man who cared little for his tenants. Mom stayed home, cared for the children, cleaned the house, and cooked while Dad worked—at least, most of the time. Job layoffs came regularly. But somehow, they always managed to scrape by—and with a smile on their faces. Their secret for happiness, despite their unwelcome circumstances, came through something the mom instilled in the family: hope. A hope built on a deep trust in God.

Paul reminded his readers that they once lived without hope. They had it presently only because they accepted the Jesus he preached.

Hopelessness is a terrible state of existence. Believing that nothing will ever improve or seeing a future that will never be any better than the present. Looking at the past and seeing that it wasn’t any better than the present. However, anyone can live with hope instead of succumbing to hopelessness.

As Florida Evans discovered, hope is not built on circumstances. Millions would have none on any given day if that were the case. Regardless of our financial state, living consistently without anything going wrong isn’t the norm. Hope built on circumstances quickly materializes into hopelessness.

We have hope because we trust the one who controls the circumstances and believe he can take what appears, or is, evil and form good from it. Believing he is the creator and controller of all things instills confidence.

Living with hope is an inner attitude that leads to outward change. Florida Evans was able to transfer her hope to her family, even her unbelieving husband. Hope is transferable. If we live with hope, we can give it to those God puts in our paths. Our attitude will influence theirs.

Florida Evans’ hope was built on her belief in God. Ours must be, too. Nothing else will give us true, consistent hope. All other foundations will flounder.

Choose to live with hope, not merely survive with hopelessness.

Father, I have hope that you love me, control my circumstances, and will guide me through whatever you allow into my life. 

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Enough for the Day - Martin Wiles

But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. Exodus 16:18 NLT

At our age in life, I never thought my wife and I would be them … but we are.

“You know what we are?” I asked my wife one day.

“What?” she asked.

“Hustlers,” I said. And she agreed.

Our lives had taken on the nature of the 1970’s sitcom, “Good Times.” The family lived in one of the worse parts of Chicago, Illinois. The mom stayed home to care for the family while the father tried to make enough money for them to pay bills and maintain their rat-trap apartment.

Hustle can mean to hurry up, but in our case—and on the sitcom—it meant to hurry up and try to find a way to pay the bills before the services were cut off or before they were evicted.

My wife and I felt their pain. Health problems prevented her from working full-time, and my income wasn’t enough to cover the bills. So we hustled. Every little job that would earn us $10 here and $20 there, we took and applied to our past due bills. We lived—and trusted God—one day at a time. And He met our needs … one day at a time.

He did the same for the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. They complained because they had nothing to eat, so God sent them quail, and He provided manna daily for their bread. If they gathered more than they should have, it rotted—except on the sixth day when they could gather twice as much to get them through the Sabbath.

Every time my wife and I think we might get ahead, God keeps us at the one-day-at-a-time point. I suppose He wants us to trust Him as the children of Israel did. Perhaps He knows what I don’t know, such as what I might do with the funds if I got ahead. Perhaps I wouldn’t use them wisely. Maybe I would start trusting my own ingenuity instead of relying on Him.

Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow because each day had enough trouble of its own. Never a truer word has been spoken. I think Jesus meant for us to trust Him each day to provide us with what we need. And each day, He will give exactly what we need.

Trust God to give you just enough each day.

Prayer: Father, we trust You with our needs … one day at a time.

Tweetable: Do you trust God one day at a time?

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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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