Accepting God’s Will - Martin Wiles

Kings’ daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir! 

~Psalm 45:9 NLT

Being told to submit wasn’t as easy as the process itself.

Like most children, I chafed at times under my parents’ authority. I accepted that they were always right, but as I got older, I questioned some of their rules and regulations. Dad was a preacher, but how did that relate to my being forced to go to church? And there were occasions when I was convinced my parents were wrong, yet they never apologized when I brought it up. During my period of rebellion and questioning, I tired of hearing, “As long as your feet are under my table, you’ll do as I say.” Though the hippie within me often rose up, I accepted their will until I moved out.

The Bible is filled with stories of individuals who willingly and unwillingly accepted God’s will. God told Noah to build a large boat, and he did. He told Abraham to leave his hometown, and he did. He commanded Jonah to preach to the Ninevites, but he ran. He instructed Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel, and he did. Now David was that king because he accepted God’s will.

That some choose to rebel against God’s will enforces what the Bible teaches. God has given us free will. He is sovereign and has decreed certain things will happen, but in some unexplainable way, we still have the freedom to make choices that take us away from his plan.

Though God allows us to refuse His will, he encourages us to accept it. His will is best. Choosing him over Satan is wise, as is choosing heaven over hell. Choosing the abundant life he offers is better than choosing the temporary pleasures of sinful activities. As his child, when we choose to depart from his will, he sends conviction along with discipline. For Jonah, it was three days inside a large fish’s stomach.

Accepting God’s will takes intentionality. Our sinful, fleshly nature prompts us to go the other way. And God’s will often takes us away from the comfortable and familiar, as it did Abraham and Moses. Yet, it’s better to be uncomfortable and anxious and be in God’s will than to remain where we are and miss his blessings.

When you discover God’s will for your life, accept it and leave the consequences to God.

Father, make your will known to me, and then give me the courage to accept it. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Life’s Best Comforter - Martin Wiles

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT

My wife and I are now the matriarch and patriarch of our family.

My youngest brother and I discussed the concept not long ago. Although our mom is still living, her Alzheimer’s keeps her from managing her affairs, leaving me as her POA to take that responsibility. And meaning that her three boys are the patriarchs of their respective family branches.

I remember the sorrow I felt when my father died, but at least I had my mother left. When she’s gone, there will be no parents left. My wife’s parents are gone, as are her two older brothers. The day has approached when our children and grandchildren must look to us, as we did to our parents. How we’ll handle the last parent dying, I’m not sure.

According to Paul, God is life’s best comforter, and he needed comforting. Since trusting Christ as his Savior, he had faced turmoil and trials. They hounded him like dogs on a rabbit’s trail. Beatings, stonings, jail time. He faced them all. Yet he found comfort in knowing that God was in control and that he was doing God’s will.

God hasn’t changed roles. As he comforted Paul, he comforts us. And not only when we lose a loved one, but also as we face daily life’s challenges. Paying attention to how God comforts us helps us be better comforters.

God’s comfort never runs out, nor does he tire of giving it. Giving comfort to others can be taxing and drain our emotions. God can handle the task, for he is all-powerful. Nothing we face is too difficult for him to know how to comfort us.

Comforting others is often inconvenient. Jesus’ ministry was filled with interruptions from others. When we choose to comfort others, we, too, will have to deal with being inconvenienced. Death, accidents, and broken relationships never happen at a convenient time.

Comforting others takes time we could use for something else, perhaps something more enjoyable. True comfort is more than shooting someone a text or email. Or posting a prayer comment on their Facebook post. It involves hands-on activities when possible.

While comforting others is time-consuming, doing so brings us comfort. God designed us to be involved in others’ lives. Doing so fulfills part of his plan for our lives. We can only fully appreciate God’s comfort when we channel it to others.

Don’t soak up God’s comfort without squeezing out some for others.

Father, use me as an instrument of comfort to those who are hurting. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Blankets - Lynne Phipps

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6 NIV

While watching television, I often busy my hands with crocheting baby blankets.

Over the years, some have gone to individuals, while others have gone to groups and churches. The ones I remember best, however, went to an orphanage in Guatemala. Missionary friends had let me know that newborns, in the poorest sections of the country, were sent home from the hospital wrapped in newspapers to keep them warm. Having delivered newspapers for many years, I remember how black my clothes got from touching the newsprint. They truly did look like filthy rags. Surely the babies of Guatemala deserved something better. Eventually, with the help of our missionary friends, we delivered handmade blankets to those hospitals. Many newborns were no longer wrapped in the equivalent of filthy rags.

Scripture also talks about filthy rags. Isaiah says all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). How, though, can the right things, the good and lovely things which we do, be classified as filthy? In fact, they are not.

When we seek to wrap ourselves in the blanket of them, however, with the belief that they will make us acceptable to God, they become as pitiful and useless as filthy rags. Our good deeds mean nothing to God when it comes to preparing us to stand before Him. They all fall short. No amount will cover our sins or make us righteous before Him. So what are we to do if our good deeds are not enough to gain us entrance into heaven and fellowship with God forever?

Righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, but we can be justified freely by God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

Blanketing ourselves in God’s grace—believing in Christ and the work He did when he shed his blood on the cross—is the only way we can stand in righteousness before a holy God. Our righteousness does not come through good deeds but through the righteousness of Christ. 

Examine yourself to see what you are blanketed in. 

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More, Christian Devotions, and Love Lines from God. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

Fear Not Life’s Noises - Martin Wiles

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1 NLT

I dropped the pans on the floor. A loud scream followed.

When my son was an infant, my wife and I worried that ear infections had affected his hearing. Rather than take him to the pediatrician, we decided to perform a home test. As my wife sat at the kitchen table with him cuddled in her arms, I dropped a heavy pan. His screams reassured us that his hearing was okay.

Humans are born with two innate fears: falling and loud noises. I saw the second in my son; I witnessed the first in one of my grandsons. After he started walking, I noticed he hesitated when approaching a ledge or when he got too close to the edge of a chair or the couch. I didn’t have to say, “Watch out. You’ll fall.” He naturally knew something was different.

I’m sure David was frightened by many things, but he had the sense to know he shouldn’t be. God saved him from lions, bears, enemies, and a jealous king. He lit his path and provided a protective wall.

I may have been born with only two fears, but I’ve accumulated many more: fear of those who can harm me physically, fear of financial failure, fear of relationship demise, fear of not being loved, fear of emotional abuse, fear of unemployment, fear of depleted retirement savings. Yet I’m reminded of what Paul told Timothy: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

Fears seem to come naturally in our human experience, but if we’re only created with two, they shouldn’t. As with David, experience should teach us to depend on God for salvation and protection. He has saved us from the greatest fear we could ever have: eternity apart from him in payment for our sins. But even if our lives are taken by others, our souls are secure.

We can also depend on God to guard our daily steps. We may incur sicknesses—even life-threatening diseases—but He provides ultimate protection. Since the imperishable part of us is safe in his arms, we can live without fearing the other things that assault us during our life’s journey.

Don’t live with a spirit of fear when God says, “Fear not.”

Father, I thank you for allowing me to live life free of fear. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Sustained by God - Anita van der Elst

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. The LORD protects and preserves them — they are counted among the blessed in the land — he does not give them over to the desires of their foes. The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness. Psalm 41:1-3 NIV

As I peeled apples for an apple crisp I intended to serve at my women’s small group in my home the following morning, I noticed how my hands and finger joints ached more than usual. My head felt heavy, and not long after I put the dish in the oven, everything ached, and the chills began. 

When the oven timer buzzed, my body seemed to echo the sound. I set the glass baking pan on a rack to cool, and took myself to bed. The thermometer indicated a fever, so with disappointment, I notified my small group that they all needed to stay far away the next day.  

An unpleasant few days followed, as the virus ran its course. The ensuing weakness, fatigue, and residual cough continued weeks longer, curtailing several activities and events I’d looked forward to. At least I was in good company, as my husband quickly followed suit with all the same symptoms.

With thankful hearts, we accepted our daughter-in-law’s offer to bring us groceries while we convalesced, including a surprise treat of M&M’s. Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy those colorful, sweet candies. May God bless her in her regard for us in our weakness.

How reassuring to read the biblical announcement that God sustained His loved ones even on their sickbed and restored them. As I read this passage in my recovery time, I realized He delivered, protected, and preserved my husband and me through the challenge of illness.

Depend on God when you experience illness. Then, look for ways to bless others who are ill. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Trust God When You Can’t See the Way Forward - Martin Wiles

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

Just trust God, and everything will work out for the good.

The Porters were college friends with whom we had a common bond: we were both from South Carolina. They also had two children who were close in age to our two. One of which was our daughter’s “boyfriend.”

As so often happens, we lost track of them after graduation. Several years later, I received devastating news: their daughter had been killed. She was riding a bicycle, which was a little too large for her, rolled into the path of an oncoming truck, was struck, and died from the impact. Our family was stunned … and heartbroken. When I called to express my sympathies, the mom, with a broken voice, said, “We’re just trusting God to get us through this.”

I’ve heard enough religious platitudes in my lifetime to fill a small book. Some of them biblical, some not. Some well-timed, some ill-timed. But telling someone to trust God and that everything will work out for the good is true. But how, when, and where we say it, we must carefully consider.

Everything that comes into our lives won’t be good. I’ve experienced enough regretful things to fill a book. And actually, they have. Several, in fact. Having good things happen consistently wouldn’t necessarily make me trust God more. When things go well all the time, I tend to trust myself rather than God. Bad things turn my focus on him. Some turn a bitter focus, but others, me included, turn a longing focus. A longing to know why and how I should respond.

As I look back on the unfortunate things I’ve experienced, I also see how God brought good from them. The lessons I learned from correctly responding are innumerable. My trust in God rose, as did my faith. Since the consequences of bad events tend to hang around, sometimes for years, I’ve been able to continually see God bringing good things from bad circumstances.

God is a good God who wants us to experience good things—even if they have to come through unpleasant circumstances.

Trust God to manufacture good out of the bad times in your life.

Father, I have faith that you will turn the bad in my life into good that will spur me on to spiritual growth and bring glory to your name.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Series: The Things We Say - Forgive and Forget - Martin Wiles

But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15 NLT

If we still remember, we haven’t forgiven. The philosophy behind the phrase, forgive and forget.

After seventeen years—nineteen if you count the dating part--Sarah called it quits. Walked out and left her husband and two kids. She couldn’t explain why she did it, but she did. Maybe it was because she never wanted to be a preacher’s wife in the first place. She had endured for sixteen of their seventeen years together. That seemed more than fair. Now the lifestyle was getting to her. She had wild oats to sow that she’d never had a chance to sow before.

John, her husband, was bitter. He couldn’t believe she would do what she had done. Leave it all—everything they had built together. And leave him with the bills and the kids. He knew what the Bible said about forgiveness—and forgave her. Forgetting was another story. Occasionally, one of his church members would remind him if he didn’t forget he hadn’t forgiven. He wondered how you could consciously forget something.

The Bible, and Jesus particularly, has a lot to say about forgiveness. One thing it doesn’t say is that we have to forget what others have done to us as a part of the forgiveness act. Forgiveness is releasing someone from a debt they owe because of a sin they have committed against me. Period. Forgetting is impossible unless we experience brain damage or contract a brain disease such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.

What we can and must do is stop dwelling on the infraction. In our own power, we can’t even accomplish this, but God’s power in us can. John eventually moved beyond what Sarah had done to him and the family. He never forgot it because he couldn’t, but he no longer sought revenge. Neither did he stew over the situation all the time.

We know we’ve forgiven when we don’t dwell on the injury, when we’re not out for revenge, when we can interact with the person who has offended us if we must, and when we don’t get angry when we think about the injustice committed. We’ll never forget others’ wounds against us, but we can forgive and move on.

Stop trying to forget the infractions others have committed against you. Just forgive.

Father, as you have forgiven me, enable me to forgive others who harm me in various ways.

I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World. No one escapes life's hurts, but quiet places help us regain our perspective. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Series: Oh, the Things We Say: Fear the Lord - Martin Wiles

You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Deuteronomy10:20 NLT

Being around something or someone I’m scared of is not my favorite thing to do. Nor was my favorite thing being told to fear the Lord.

I have real and perceived fears. My fear was real when bears entered a fellow camper’s campsite and devoured their food—twice. My son and I were camped in a three-sided shelter a mere fifty feet away. The same bears could have easily walked into our shelter and devoured us.

As a child, my fear of the dark could have been real or imagined. Although Dad was fond of saying there was nothing in the dark that wasn’t there in the light, I never believed him. Some dangers are present at night that are not present during the day. But I did imagine some of my fears associated with darkness.

Early in life, Dad taught me to fear the Lord. At the same time, he wanted me to love the Lord. I don’t typically love or choose to be around those I fear. If I fear them, I perceive that some danger hangs around them. Loving and fearing God seemed like an ironic situation, and I was unsure of how to do both.

The command combines fear, worship, and association. If we usually avoid what we fear, but God wants us to worship and associate with him, fear must have another definition. And it does. Fear can involve being afraid of something or someone. Defined in such a manner, we would avoid that person or thing. Fear can also mean to reverence. And this is the definition God has in mind when he tells us to fear him.

When we reverence God, we stand in awe of him. In one sense, we should fear him. He has life and death power over our existence. With the utterance of one command, our hearts would stop and our breath cease. He is sovereign over people and the universe.

Although fear can involve fright, God wants us to love and revere him. So great was his desire for fellowship with people that he allowed his Son to die for our sins on Calvary. We should stand in awe of Him, but we also consider him as our Savior and friend. He has accepted us into his family and invited us to come into his presence as often as we like.

Let your fear of God lead you to him, not away.

Father, I love you for who you are and for what you’ve done on my behalf. 

I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World. No one escapes life's hurts, but quiet places help us regain our perspective. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Act like a Child - Martin Wiles

They gathered around their teacher with wide-open eyes, eager to hear what she’d say.

Our annual Vacation Bible School had arrived. Things were a little different this year since our classroom building was under renovation, and we were short on teachers. Our director planned to step in as a teacher, combine two classes, and share her Bible stories in the auditorium.

Following the pledges to the flags and the Bible—and the receiving of the offering—the director dismissed the older children and invited the two younger classes to circle her at the front. Like starving animals, they herded around their teacher. After she settled them down, she began her story. Each night, the process repeated itself with the same anticipation. When question time came, they were eager to respond.

I watched with amazement from the back of the building, thinking how I had never witnessed such a sight with adults—me included. I pondered what happens that causes us to lose our childhood excitement about learning about Jesus and being his followers. But Jesus says if we’re to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must become like a little child.

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” 

~Matthew 18:3 NLT

Acting like a child means having childlike faith. When the leader told the story of Jonah and the great fish, the children didn’t question whether the event was actual or a legend. Nor did they debate whether it was a large fish or a whale. They took the story at face value and learned the lessons: disobedience has consequences, and Jesus wants us to obey Him.

Acting like a child also involves giving our all: money, time, and possessions. Boys and girls competed to see who could bring the most change. The charitable organization that their money would support had been announced the first night. Though competition drove the total, the children gave to help others.

Further, acting like a child entails never losing the excitement over serving and learning about Jesus. Some of the children attended church regularly; others never went. Regardless, they were all excited to hear and understand. God wants us to grow in our relationship with him—getting more rather than less excited as time marches on.

When it comes to serving Christ, act like a child.

Father, help me never lose my excitement over being your child and maturing in my walk with you.

I invite you to try my book Mastering English Grammar Basics. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Rehearsing God’s Word - Martin Wiles

Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Deuteronomy 6:7 NLT

Rehearsed materials tend to stay around longer. For the final two weeks of school, I required my middle school language arts students to rehearse what they had learned during the year. The final exam would cover the entire book, so I wanted to ensure they remembered all the concepts. As we encountered new ideas along the way, I reminded them of concepts we had already learned. By rehearsing material from previous chapters, they had a better chance of transferring that material from their short-term to their long-term memory. The grades revealed that some should have rehearsed a little more.

Rehearsing is essential with much of what we do. Those who plan to sing at church rehearse. Professional singers rehearse. Playing sports requires rehearsing before games.

Rehearsing is also a part of our Christian experience. God told the ancient Israelites to rehearse his commands. Not only were they to know them personally, but they were also to teach them to their children by rehearsing them daily in every situation. Rehearsing would lead to remembering.

Rehearsing God’s Word is essential and commanded by God, but we still have to choose to do it. God won’t force us to learn his Word. As a child, I was required to memorize various Bible verses, along with the books of the Bible. Children in my father’s church practiced sword drills, which entailed a contest to see who could locate a book of the Bible quicker. But as an adult, the choice is mine.

Rehearsing God’s Word forces us to meditate on it. What is on our minds, we will think about often. God will bring his Word to our conscience when it is embedded in our memory. This is beneficial when we’re tempted. God’s Word reminds us of his requirements and his ability to help us fend off my archenemy.

Rehearsing God’s Word also aids when we’re questioned about what we believe and why. When his Word infiltrates our hearts, we’ll be prepared to give an answer to the curious and to the skeptics.

Don’t let anything keep you from rehearsing God’s Word.

Father, thank you for your Word that calms my fears, lifts my spirits, and strengthens me for any circumstances I might face. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

When Dogs Are Coons - Martin Wiles

For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it. Ephesians 5:8 NLT

 

A deep growl reverberated from the terra cotta pipe extending under our driveway. But when dogs are coons, I get a little confused. 

 

I was a middle school student living in Jackson, Tennessee. As a couple of neighborhood boys and I played in my front yard near the road, we suddenly heard a deep growl from a roadside pipe. I quickly called Mom, and we all began calling what we imagined was a dog stuck in the pipe. When the calling didn’t work, we tried a little food to entice this frightened little pup. What emerged wasn’t a pup, though. We all stepped back when a raccoon walked out.

 

According to Paul’s philosophy, no one should mistake a child of God. Before Christ, we are sinners under God’s condemnation. After receiving Christ’s forgiveness, he fills us with the light of his love. As a result, our growls should make it clear to everyone that we belong to the Lord. But some things can lead others to mistake our identity.

Watch the Lifestyle 

Mistaken identity will occur when I’m out of step with God’s plan for my lifestyle. I was there during my teenage years. I was a pastor’s son who didn’t want his friends to think he was a goody-two-shoes. So I lived as they did, and, sadly, most of them never knew I was a Christian. A holy lifestyle will always give away who we are, but a wicked one can disguise our identity.

Watch the Gifts

Our identity can be hidden when we don’t use God’s gifts. All believers have one, and many have more. Using our gifts helps others see whom we belong to.

Watch the Focus

 

When our focus is off, others will also misidentify us. Just as I can’t see clearly when I remove my glasses, I also hide my identity when my priorities are out of focus. What’s important to us reflects who we are to others.

 

Falling in love with Jesus and relishing that relationship helps others identify who we are. Don’t let fear, rebellious living, or misplaced priorities hide your identity.

Father, help me shine my identity brightly to others.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.