Choice Not Destiny - Martin Wiles

So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11 NLT

With a grunt and a heavy sigh, he asked, “Do we have to do this?”

Teaching students who have little interest in learning challenges the most creative and persistent teacher. I know; I teach some five days a week who couldn’t care less about school. One student came in every morning just before the late bell with a look on his face that said, “I just got out of bed, and I really have no desire to be here.” Five hours later, when he arrived in my class, his attitude hadn’t changed much. Now, he was tired of the work he had been doing for the last five hours. When he asked if he had to do a particular assignment, I said, “Yes.” The law dictates that he attend school, and the school dictates the curriculum he must pass to move from one grade to the next.

Sin sometimes feels like a dreaded assignment I must do, but Paul says otherwise. As a believer, I should consider myself dead to sin and alive to Christ.

The questions, “Do I have to complete this assignment?” and “Do I have to sin?” are similar. The answer to the first is “Yes” and “No.” Yes, if the student wants credit, but no if they didn’t.

Whether I have to sin depends on my situation as well. If I’m a believer and have the presence of God’s Spirit empowering me, then no, I don’t have to sin. Sinning is a choice, but it’s not my destiny. If I haven’t trusted Christ as my Savior, then yes, I do have to sin. My nature controls it, and I have no one to help me avoid it.

As believers, we choose to sin. God doesn’t tempt us; Satan does. God will give us the power to say no regardless of what the temptation is. And he will never allow the temptation to be so great that we can say, “I had to sin.”

Our destiny is purity and holiness. While this won’t be entirely achieved until we’re in heaven, we can make great strides toward that state of existence while on earth when we allow God’s Spirit to control our decisions and desires.

Let God give you the power to choose holiness and purity.

Father, help me understand that sinning is a choice and that you can give me the power to say, “No,” to any temptation.

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.

Dealing with Despair - Martin Wiles

There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. 1 Kings 19:9 NLT

Both men dealt with despair by overcoming it rather than succumbing to it.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was President of the United States during the worst economic time the country had ever experienced. Through the programs he spearheaded, the country eventually recovered. His large memorial in Washington, DC, depicts some of the incidents associated with his presidency. In one area, a man sits beside the radio waiting to hear what became known as “Fireside Chats.” In another, several men line up in front of a building, representing the thousands who stood in “bread lines” waiting for government help. And in still another, a caped Roosevelt sits in his wheelchair, reminding us that his handicap didn’t deter him from carrying out his presidential obligations.

The Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial is another testimony of one who didn’t give in to despair. His statue is attached to a large piece of stone that has emerged from a mountain, splitting the mountain in half. Despair for him could have easily come from dealing with the thousands who weren’t interested in giving Blacks or other minority groups their equal rights.

Unlike Roosevelt and King, Elijah let despair overtake him. After a major defeat over pagan prophets, he had a death sentence placed on his head by the wicked queen. With despair engulfing him, Elijah ran for his life until he finally took refuge in a cave. Then God asked him what he was doing there.

Despair is never a God-originated emotional state. If I’m feeling despair, Satan is capitalizing on an unpleasant situation or relationship I’m experiencing. His goal is to make me doubt God’s goodness or ability to help me face my circumstances.

While God doesn’t always remove situations that could lead to despair, he doesn’t expect us to give in to it either. If we respond with trust and obedience, he’ll teach us valuable lessons through the experience and also protect us from the damaging effects that despair can deliver.

Until God prodded him, Elijah had given up. Despair will lead us to the same place unless we trust God to show us how to use the lessons. When we do, they will propel us beyond the potentially despairing circumstances.

Rather than letting despair debilitate you, let God show you the way around and through it.

Father, thank you for giving me the strength to endure and overcome circumstances without succumbing to despair.

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.

Walk-on Wednesday - Seeing Beyond the Present - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. Hebrews 11:19 NLT

Sam couldn’t see beyond the present, and it almost cost him his happiness—and life.

His dad had left the family for another woman when Sam was a small child. Now, ten years later, his mom had decided to re-marry. The guy was okay, but Sam couldn’t focus on anything but his real dad. For years, he had dreamed and imagined that his mom and dad might get back together. But her present marriage sealed the coffin. Not only was she marrying, but he and his siblings would also be moving to another state with a different culture. New school, new church, new friends.

When they got to their new location, Sam didn’t adjust well. He needed something to help him get through. When one of his new “so-called” friends offered him a pill to help him do just that, he took one. And later, another. One day, he took too many and found himself in the hospital. He just couldn’t see beyond the present—and the picture was murky.

By faith, Abraham had the ability to see beyond the present. He and his wife had waited for years on the promised son God said would arrive. Now Isaac was a young man, and God was asking Abraham to do the unthinkable: sacrifice his son. Abraham knew God’s promise, however, and could see beyond the untenable moment.

I’m often more like Sam than Abraham. Life’s troubles bottle up and cloud my vision: finances, relationships, employment, kids, friendships. Life requires every bit of energy I have just to get through the day. I’m consumed with fighting daily battles and worrying about how it will all pan out tomorrow.

Only by a confident faith and trust in God’s guidance over our lives in the present and his concern for our future can we see beyond today. By faith, we can let God hold our tomorrows—and the next day, and the next day.

Let God help you see beyond your present struggles.

Prayer: Father, give us faith to trust You for the future we cannot see. 

Tweetable: Can you see beyond the present? 

Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

End Game - Cathy Joy Hill

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14 NIV

Weary? Me too.

It seems the more we get to do, the more there is to do. And I get sideways on what is important, what can wait, and what simply has no significance in the kingdom. 

When Jesus met the Samaritan at the well, He knew she was much the same. She was doing the same old, same old, not enjoying it, and sensing there was something more. 

If we scale our days around eternity, they shape something holy instead of hurried. I am ready to trade and give up going to the well a dozen times with my list for that one time with my Lord. I am ready to fill up with Him in exchange for the world that empties me of my peace. He is crazy good at simplifying.

I have mastered multitasking. My race needs to see Heaven in the distance. My pace needs to be full of passion. My attitude needs to reflect what He is instead of what I am not. My end game should be less of me and a whole lot more of God. He promises to carry the heaviest load, and His grace shines in the deepest water.

Don’t be weary. Be filled with hope.

Tweetable: Where do you find hope? 

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.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

Passing Through Trouble - Eric Swanson

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.” Job 2:10 NLT

I knew serving overseas in Niger wasn't going to be easy. 

Niger has a different culture, food, and language. But the frustration increased when I was left alone. Initially, I was with a team, but the married couple returned to the States for the summer, leaving me alone. The problem intensified when I had to take care of a dog with an obnoxious bark. 

A storm of trouble came from both inside and outside of my four walls. Then the figurative became real when rains came and added a new layer of misery as the rainwater came up through the shower drain and flooded the house.

I wondered how much more I could take. Then, more dreaded news came: my dad had passed away in the States. 

Grieving is hard enough to do with friends in a familiar setting but more difficult when doing it alone. I could have easily fallen into the sin of despair, thinking no one cared. 

Fortunately, I was not alone. A friend connected me to a family from South Africa who helped me experience some much-needed fellowship and took the time to visit me during my mourning.

Job's wife told him to curse God and die. Later, friends told him he had sinned. But Job knew we must accept both good and trouble for it all comes from God. 

Through my trouble, I understood the sufficiency of God's love and grace, no matter the situation. Trouble can drive us toward the only immovable Rock that can help us weather life's storms.

Is trouble flooding you like water coming in through the shower drain? Are you trying to figure out how to deal with things independently? Ask God to help you realize others can help you see God’s sufficiency. 

Tweetable: Where do you turn when passing through trouble? 

 

Eric Swanson lives in Niamey, Niger, where he teaches English to refugees. He has visited a wide array of countries, such as China, Vietnam, Ireland, and Russia. When he is not teaching, he enjoys reading or writing books. His mother and sister live in the States. 

Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

Dealing with Despair - Martin Wiles

There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. 1 Kings 19:9 NLT

Both men dealt with despair by overcoming it rather than succumbing to it. 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President of the United States of America during the worse economical time the country had ever experienced. Through programs he spearheaded, the country was eventually able to recover. 

Roosevelt's large memorial in Washington, DC, depicts some of the incidents associated with his presidency. In one area, a man sits beside the radio waiting to hear what became known as “Fireside Chats.” In another, several men line up in front of a building, representing the thousands who stood in “bread lines” waiting for government help. And in still another, a caped Roosevelt sits in his wheelchair, reminding us that his handicap didn’t deter him from carrying out his presidential obligations. 

The Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial is another testimony of one who didn’t give in to despair. His statue is attached to a large piece of stone that has emerged from a mountain, splitting the mountain in half. Despair for him could have easily come from dealing with the thousands who weren’t interested in giving African-Americans or other minority groups their equal rights. 

Unlike Roosevelt and King, Elijah let despair overtake him. After a major defeat over pagan prophets, he had a death sentence placed on his head by the wicked queen. With despair engulfing him, Elijah ran for his life until he finally took refuge in a cave. Then God asked him what he was doing there. 

Despair is never a God-originated emotional state. 

If I’m feeling despair, Satan is capitalizing on an unpleasant situation or relationship I’m experiencing. His goal is to make me doubt God’s goodness or ability to help me face my circumstances. 

While God doesn’t always remove situations that could lead to despair, He doesn’t expect me to give in to it either. 

If I’ll respond with trust and obedience, He’ll teach me valuable lessons through the experience and also protect me from the damaging effects despair can have. Until God prodded him, Elijah had given up. 

Despair will lead me to the same place unless I trust God to show me how to use the lessons. 

When I do, they will propel me beyond the potentially despairing circumstances. 

Rather than letting despair debilitate you, let God show you the way around and through it. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving us the power to endure and overcome circumstances without giving in to despair. 

Looking for a wide selection of genres in Christian books at discount prices? Use coupon MWiles for 20% off. Click here to see selections.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's encouragement through his love lines.

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 1970’s sitcom about a dad, mom, and three children who lived on the wrong side of Chicago. Every trip outside their home 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. Somehow, they always managed to scrape by—and with a smile on their faces. Their secret for happiness—in spite of their unwelcome circumstances, came through something the mom instilled in the family: hope. Hope built on a deep trust in God.

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

Hopelessness is a terrible state of existence. To believe nothing will ever get better. To believe the future will never be any better than the present. To look at the past and see it wasn’t any better than the present. But anyone can choose to live with hope instead of hopelessness. 

As Florida Evans discovered, hope is not built on circumstances. If it was, millions of people on any given day would have none. Regardless of one’s financial state, living consistently without anything going wrong isn’t the norm. Hope built on circumstances quickly materializes into hopelessness. 

I have hope because I trust the One who controls the circumstances and believe He can take what appears—or is, bad and form good from it. Believing He is the creator and controller of all things erects confidence. 

Living with hope is an inner attitude that results in an outward change. Florida Evans was able to transfer her hope to her family—even her unbelieving husband. Hope is transferable. If I live with hope, I can give it to those God puts in my path. My attitude will influence their attitude. 

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

Are you living with hope or merely surviving with hopelessness?

Prayer: Father, we have hope that You love us, control our circumstances, and will guide us through whatever You allow into our lives. 

Looking for a wide selection of genres in Christian books at discount prices? Use coupon MWiles for 20% off. Click here to see selections.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's encouragement through his love lines.