Sweating-Blood Scared - Martin Wiles

He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. Luke 22:44 NLT

He had proudly denied the existence of God and spewed nothing but hate for him. But that was before he lay on his deathbed, sweating-blood scared.

The movie, God’s Not Dead, details the story of a battle between a college freshman and an atheist philosophy professor who challenges the young student to prove God’s existence—a battle the student wins when he asks the professor how he can hate someone who doesn’t exist.

Having a change of mind, the professor hurries to a Newsboys concert, only to be hit by a car while crossing the road. Fortunately, a local pastor is nearby and rushes to his side. Fear washes over the professor’s face as he realizes that perhaps God is alive after all. Willing to take the risk, he professes his belief in Jesus Christ just before he takes his last breath.

Fear also washed over Jesus before his death as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane—so much so that his sweat became like blood (Luke 22:44). Although God in the flesh, he was also very much human. He knew the agony involved in crucifixion, but realized his would be even more painful. He would take the sin of the world upon himself.

God has created within us a fight-or-flight mechanism that serves us well. When we find ourselves unwillingly in danger, God gives us healthy fear, which leads us to run away. This mechanism can also provide adrenaline power that we don’t typically have when we need to fight.

Satan, on the other hand, is the master of burdening us with unhealthy fear. This spirit debilitates and keeps us from fulfilling God’s plan for our lives. We’ll make excuses instead of forging ahead. This fear can also prevent us from forming healthy relationships, causing us to dwell on those that weren’t. With this fear, Satan can steal, kill, and destroy God’s intentions for us.

Overcoming the fear of sweating blood is as simple as acknowledging it, reminding ourselves that it isn’t coming from God, and asking God to replace it with a sound mind that trusts him to lead us into his bright future.

Give your fears to God, and let him replace them with a sound mind. Don't be sweating-blood scared. 

Father, I place my fears in your hands and ask for peace of mind, soul, and spirit. 

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Bears or Gators? Believer or Non-Believer? - Melissa Henderson

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21 NIV 

“What do you mean there are gators in the neighborhood?” 

Moving from central Virginia to South Carolina's Lowcountry brought new adventures. Learning about alligators, blue skinks, armadillos, and other creatures led to excitement but also a bit of worry. One of the most interesting parts of living in a new state was adapting to the weather and different animals. Would we prefer the bears of Virginia or the gators of the South?

As my husband and I became accustomed to the humidity and scorching heat of the Deep South, we began referring to ourselves as “South Carolinians.” We laughed as we noticed folks wearing long-sleeved shirts and coats when temperatures reached sixty degrees in the Lowcountry. In Virginia, that temperature was great for wearing summer clothes. Our bodies soon acclimated to the climate, and we found ourselves dressing like the locals.

We settled into our new community and learned that alligators were a part of everyday life. Neighbors warned us, “Stay away from the gators, and they will leave you alone.” We didn’t have to be told twice about that. In the mountains of Virginia, bears could be seen crossing highways and looking for food at campgrounds.

In every state we have visited or lived in, we learned about animals. Just as there are bears and gators, there are believers and non-believers of God’s Word. Seeing the bears and gators proves they exist. Reading and studying the Bible deepens our relationship with God. Our hope and trust are found in him.

Although we don’t physically see God yet, as we do animals, we can still know He is real. He is the Creator. His love extends to all His creations. Yes, we believe he exists and will fulfill his promises.

Determine to find comfort in God's promises.

Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages, sometimes humming them with humor. Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. She is a contributor to many publications. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister. Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub, Youtube, Linkedin, and at http://www.melissaghenderson.com.

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A God My Size - Martin Wiles

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1 NLT

She was never a hoarder—and isn’t now—but sometimes, I wish she had been. Perhaps, I would have learned more about a God my size. 

Mom was known for throwing things away. As I visit antique stores and auctions and see the value of things I once had, I think, “Why didn’t Mom keep this?” She only kept a few of my baby items: my baby book, musical phone, musical ball, musical piano, and a baby blanket.

Looking at the blanket reminds me it was just my size. Had it been full, queen, or even king-size, it would have swallowed me. But since it was just my size, it covered me exactly and allowed my body heat to keep me nice and warm.

According to the psalmist, those who say there’s no God—atheists—are fools. They have made God their size. In fact, they have reduced him to nothing but a mere concoction by their minds—which are weak, superstitious, and unable to handle life. Since they feel they can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, without help from a higher power, they disregard him entirely.

Some people worship a small God. One who can handle the small details of their lives but not the major items. One who might intervene if it’s convenient or if he has the desire. One who is harsh and unfeeling. One who is just waiting for them to make a mistake so he can relish in punishing them.

I have chosen a larger size for my God. And not because I’m weak and afraid to face life but because God presents himself as a big God. He can tame the tornado and hush the hurricane. He can install leaders and bring them down. He can govern the world and nurture creation.

My God, however, is re-sizable. When I need him to be, he can be small. He can comfort me when I don’t get a promotion, drive away the fear of peer pressure, and help me decide my life course. God can give us the wisdom to rear our children, love our spouses, and care for aging parents. He can tell us which college to attend and where not to go on vacation. He can—and wants to—govern every detail of our lives.

How can you let God be the size you need for your life’s decisions?

Father, I thank You that You are always just the size I need. 

Tweetable: Is God your size? 

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A Cup Too Small - Cathy Joy Hill

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Matthew 6:25 NIV

Maybe we’ve been given a cup too small.

I heard her behind me as I walked along the lake in Chicago. A young woman discussed going to New York to find her “perfect job.” Strolling in arguably one of the greatest cities in the world, where opportunities wait on every square block, she was dissatisfied and searching.

I would have turned around and scolded her if I had not once been her. I remember seeking perfection. My oldest son is busy now with the same pursuit, and my youngest son is also—the latter, the perfect grad school, the younger, the perfect role in the musical.

Is it because God formed us by perfection that we desire it so? We search long and hard for something we don’t yet have—fame, wealth, love, happiness, contentment, understanding, excitement, forgiveness, relationship. We always need one more thing, one more minute, one more day.

I am eternally grateful to look back and still have time to look forward. I tell my sons that what looks like failure is God-directed. And what feels like success is simply a steppingstone.

Perfect contentment, love, trust, and friendship are reserved for one relationship. That one that stole our heart at conception and keeps it under His watchful eye. God waits for us to find Him. He seeks us so gently we don’t even know He is there. After finding Him, we chase to go faster and farther and taller and better. But the best position we can hold is bent over in service or on our knees in prayer.

Our frustration over failure is replaced by the exultation of a grand director who gently leads with the whisper of angels and the tug of the intangible.

These touches from Him reverse and inverse everything we value. We realize the greatest is the least, the smallest is exceptional, and the cup that seemed so small only needs pouring out to grow.

The pressure to do, be, and have is replaced by the posture of grace. All grace. The breath, the life, the suffering. All grace to be a part of this grand prelude to the glorious finish.

I tell my sons to enjoy the ride because the finish line is incredibly worth it. Stay on the path, see the view, watch God work, and listen hard. I want to see God’s hand stamped all over the passport of my heart. Blessed indeed is the one who stops seeking and realizes what they have found.

Is your cup too small?

Tweetable: Is your God-cup too small?  

Cathy is a writer, teacher, and entrepreneur. She met her husband Brian while studying in Paris, France. They make their home in Geneva, IL, with their four children and their daughter-in-love. She loves writing about the wonder and whimsy of life and her love for Jesus. Her first book is Destination: Fierce, Moving from Fear to Fierce. Learn more about Cathy at www.cathyjoyhill.com.

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Meandering Monday - No Fool Here - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday, where we take a trip back to an earlier post and enjoy it again.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1 NKJV

A recent movie, God Is Not Dead, featured a college freshman who was welcomed to one class by a professor who instructed the students to write “God is dead” on a sheet of paper.

According to the professor, scientific developments had eliminated the need to believe in a Supreme Being. Admitting this would eliminate his need to even discuss the possibility of a Supreme Being.

One student, however, challenged him and was allowed the opportunity to engage the professor in a debate…a debate he won when he asked the professor if he hated God. When the instructor admitted he did, the student queried, “How can you hate someone who doesn’t exist?”

Calling someone a fool may be scripturally dangerous, but God defines just who a fool is.

Believing in a Creator is not foolishness. Rather, foolishness believes everything in the natural realm just happened to appear in some primeval cesspool and evolved over billions of years into what we observe now. It appears obvious that the natural order bears the imprint of an Intelligent Designer who ordered the natural laws.

Nor is it foolish to acknowledge sin. Every day, the actions of people bear out what the Bible pronounces as actions that result from sinful natures: crime, greed, immorality, dishonesty. Because of our condition, we need a Savior, and God provided him in the person of Jesus—the sinless Son of God. On Calvary’s cross, he bore the sins of the world so that we might be set free. Believing frees us from condemnation and returns us to God’s good graces.

Believing death is not the end also isn’t foolish. God has created eternity in our hearts. Since the beginning of time, people groups have worshiped various gods, proving they believed in someone or something higher than themselves. Christians believe this someone is the only true and living God who has prepared an eternal home for those who love and serve him with their entire being. Science hasn’t eliminated him; he still exists.

The fool says there is no God. What do you say?

Prayer: Thank You, merciful God, for providing the means of our salvation through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus.    

Tweetable: Are you a fool for Christ or one without Him?  

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Those Stubborn Doubts - Martin Wiles

When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Matthew 28:17 NLT

Some made promises, but I doubted they’d keep them.

No middle schooler wants to be uprooted and moved hundreds of miles from his friends—but that’s what happened when Dad decided to pastor a church in Jackson, Tennessee. Except for the first three months of my life—which I don’t recall—I’d never lived anywhere but South Carolina. All my friends lived there. Now I’d have to leave family and friends behind for an adventure I never asked to go on.

We’ll come to see you. We’ll keep in touch. We’ll write. I heard the promises, but I doubted any of them would come true. And except for my grandmother, they didn’t.

Over the next three years, I made new friends. Then Dad decided to move back to South Carolina. I heard the promises again from our new friends, but I doubted they’d come true. I saw several friends on a couple of occasions after we moved, but the friendships were doomed once we moved.

Some of Jesus’ followers struggled with doubts too. After His resurrection, Jesus instructed them to meet Him in Galilee. When they saw Him, most believed … but some doubted.

Doubt isn’t a fatal sin unless it keeps me from believing in Jesus as my Savior … the one who can forgive my sins and reconcile me with God the Father. Those in this instance who doubted had earlier believed in Jesus as the Messiah and also possessed much biblical knowledge.  

Doubt accompanies our fallen nature. Even when given a new nature by Christ, doubt can linger. We pray for deliverance from a life trial, but doubt God will deliver. We pray for healing from a disease, but doubt God’s ability to heal. We pray for God to bring back a wandering spouse or heal a friendship, but don’t really believe He can.

God understands our doubts—He knows our nature. Although doubt in the form of unbelief keeps us from a relationship with God—and hinders our prayer life—God is a loving heavenly Father who never turns His back on us merely because we struggle with doubts. He wants to transform those doubts into faith so our spiritual fortitude can grow and so we’ll be prepared for this life of faith travel.

Give your doubts to God. What He does with them will amaze you.

Prayer: Father, we give our doubts to You and ask You to form them into faith.

Tweetable: What doubts do you struggle with? 

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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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When God Hides - Martin Wiles

He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. Psalm 18:11 NLT

I knew it was there, but I couldn’t see it.

When a New or Full Moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to the Earth, it is called a Supermoon. This happened recently and was the first occurrence since January 26, 1948. I wanted to see this one—but couldn’t. Several wildfires were raging nearby, and each morning and evening witnessed a thick coat of smoke that veiled the sky, shutting out my ability to see the stars or the Supermoon. Add to that the geography of our neighborhood—tall trees and other nearby townhouses, and my wish to witness this marvel of nature went ungranted.

The psalmist was hounded by enemies, one in particular—a jealous king. But he wasn’t worried. Using picturesque words to describe what was indescribable, he related how God came down to save him. Mounted on an angelic being, God soared on the wings of the wind with storm clouds beneath His feet. But He also shrouded Himself in darkness so His enemy couldn’t see His approach.

God has been known to hide. For 13 years, Joseph must have wondered where He was. Joseph was hated by his jealous brothers, and then sold by them to a band of traders who took him to Egypt and sold him again. Falsely accused of trying to rape the king’s wife, Joseph was cast into prison where he was promptly forgotten. For two more years, he languished in squalid conditions until God suddenly turned his situation around and promoted him to prime minister of Egypt.

Just because I don’t see the hand of God in my situation doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Jesus promised never to leave or forsake His children—and He doesn’t. He is working behind the scenes, orchestrating the events of my life, thwarting the schemes of the enemy, and manufacturing good for me. My duty is simply to trust in His sovereignty, His unconditional love, and His power.

When God hides I must wait for Him to show Himself. Biblical waiting is not inactivity. I continue to do to the last thing He told me to do until He opens another door and provides clear guidance for a change of direction.

God may appear to be hidden, but He is never absent from the details of your life. Trust in that promise daily.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for always being near, whether we can perceive You or not. 

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Cry Out - Martin Wiles

But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. Psalm 18:6 NLT

She raised up on the bed, writhing in pain.

I’d watched my wife suffer with kidney stones before. Over the course of a week, her abdominal pain had worsened to the point that it merited a trip to the local emergency room. After a shot of morphine and a CT, the doctors sent her home. No explanation—but no emergency either.

Four days later, the pain had intensified. We made another trip. As pains shot through her abdomen, causing her to almost come off the bed, nurses shot her with morphine—again. Nothing helped. After changing the pain medication, she finally found some relief. Seeing her pain—and hearing my frustration, the doctor finally consented to perform another CT scan. This time, the culprit raised its ugly head: diverticulitis.

I’ve watched others struggle with more pain than my wife experienced. Some cry out to God, and some cry out against God. Others curse and cry. Some bite their tongues and close their eyes. The psalmist chose to cry out to God. A jealous king—and other enemies--was after him. He needed deliverance. And David believed God heard him.

Jesus was God’s representative on earth. He said to see Him was to see the Father. He also proclaimed that He always did the Father’s will. One trait He demonstrated consistently was His concern for others. He continually went about doing good. As people heard of His love and miracles, they hounded Him when He approached their region or either left their homes to find Him.

Though no longer here personally and tangibly, Jesus still cares when I face distressing circumstances. And there is no end to the things that can cause us pain, sorrow, frustration, and confusion. Regardless of what it is—whether small or large, Jesus wants us to cry out to Him as David did. Time is of no concern. God is up continuously. He doesn’t rest or sleep. Nor is He confined by time. It’s never too late to call upon Him.

How God hears the thousands who pray to Him at the same time is unexplainable and takes a leap of faith to believe. But He does, and He demonstrates He does by answering our prayers according to His will—which is perfect.

When you’re in distress, call on the One who always cares and who will always answer.

Prayer: Father, thank You for coming to us and delivering us in our moments of distress. 

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