The Source of No Disappointment - Martin Wiles

They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disappointed. Psalm 22:5 NLT

I thought we had a friendship bond—and perhaps we did—but they didn’t know how to respond. When the chips fell, they walked out.

Like most people, I’d experienced a few sour patches along life’s journey, but this one came without warning. Things moved along at a smooth speed—or so I thought. Then it happened. Words were spoken by a loved one. Words I thought I’d never hear. My world collapsed. My mind numbed. Overnight, things metamorphosed from good to bad . . . worse than bad.

Having friends and family to comfort you when life takes a downward spiral is important. My family did a good job. They came to my rescue more than once financially. They called regularly to check on me. But some of my professional friends—whom I thought cared about me—abandoned me. No calls. No visits. No, “We’re praying for you,” or “What can we do to help?” Only one of two stood bravely by my side. I was disappointed. Thankfully, I had my source of no disappointment to depend on.

Disappointment sprinkles life, but one person who will never disappoint is God. He didn’t the ancient Israelites—and He won’t me. They had spent 400 years in Egyptian slavery, but when they cried out for God’s deliverance, He didn’t disappoint them. He appeared to Moses in a burning bush and told him to lead His people to freedom. With God’s assistance, Moses succeeded.

I don’t always understand God’s workings in my life. His ways are higher than mine and beyond my understanding. My faith must take over during these periods of misunderstanding. Otherwise, disappointment will gladly move in. When I trust Him to move me through tough times—at His pace, in His timing, and with His methods—disappointment won’t taunt me.

Others can’t always be depended on. They’re human and will disappoint me. I’m sure I’ve delivered my share of disappointment to others unintentionally. God, however, doesn’t share this human quality. He is faithful to His promises. What His Word says, I can depend on. What He says He will do, He will do—and will forever. He is continuously by His children’s side, never leaving or forsaking them.

God will never disappoint you when you trust Him with your life. 

Tweetable: How do you deal with discouragement?

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your continual presence that guides us through every step of life—good and bad. 

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Giving from the Heart - Martin Wiles

“I tell you the truth,”“this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. Luke 21:3 NLT

“If that’s the best you can do, you need to find another church.”

Jerry heard the words as the church treasurer handed him his annual tithing report—but he couldn’t believe them. Jerry had been injured and was out of work, but his disability hadn’t started yet. He gave what he could—including working in the church. He simply couldn’t afford to give what the treasurer thought he should.

When the treasurer slid him the report and made his cutting remark, Jerry took him at his word. But Jerry didn’t find another church—at least not immediately. The comment disillusioned him so much with church and Christians that he didn’t attend church anywhere for quite some time. I’m glad to report that Jerry is now back in church and doing well. He and his wife are regular attendees and hard workers.

Obviously, the church treasurer hadn’t read Jesus’ story of the poor widow. As Jesus watched people drop their money in the temple treasury, one poor widow deposited two small coins that represented everything she had to live on. Jesus’ conclusion? She gave more than those who gave more.

Some of those whom Jesus watched gave legalistically—by the letter of the law. But for Jesus to say what He did means some gave with improper motives. Others could see the money and the expressions of the givers while Jesus could see their hearts.

God is more concerned with why we give than how much. I can give a legalistic amount and God not recognize it—or give me credit for it—because I gave with improper motives. I didn’t give cheerfully, or I gave because I wanted recognition—like many of the religious leaders.

My gift expresses gratitude for what God has done for me through Christ. I can never repay Him, but my monetary gifts help the church do its work of serving others and spreading the gospel. Judging others by the amount they give isn’t my place. My responsibility is to look at what I contribute. Do I give it gladly, do I give it expecting nothing in return, and do I give a reasonable portion of what I earn? If so, God is pleased with my gift—whether anyone else is. And He’ll never tell me to go somewhere else if that’s the best I can do.

Whatever you give, give it from the heart.

Tweetable: Is your giving from the heart?

Prayer: Father, we offer our gifts to You with cheerful attitudes, open hands, and willing hearts.  

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Living Triumphantly - Martin Wiles

And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. Colossians 1:27 NLT

Until he drew the Excalibur sword from the stone, he was a back-alley dweller.

“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” was a high-tech production with a plot I couldn’t follow. Arthur’s father had been murdered. His uncle, Vortigern, seized control of the throne and had Arthur assigned to back-alley living.

Vortigern increased his power by sacrificing people and feeding them to an octopus who lived in the bowels of the city. Arthur, meanwhile, lived out his days as a ruffian, not knowing his heritage. Brawling and vile living was his style. Until fate led him to grasp the legendary sword. Once the sword was removed from the stone, Arthur knew who he was. He defeated his uncle and assumed his rightful place as king of his kingdom.

Paul gives the secret of living triumphantly. Most of the Old Testament Jews had failed to do so. Perhaps now that the gospel was going to Gentiles, they might discover the secret those from previous generations had not: Christ lived in them.

Why anyone would want to live less than triumphantly, I’m not sure. But even though I want to, I often have not. Living triumphantly means I must die to sinful practices. In another place, Paul told believers to consider themselves dead to sin (Romans 6:11). Although I’ll never be sinless, I can live in such a way that sin is the exception rather than the rule. This is possible because Christ lives in me and promises to show me a way out of every sinful temptation.

I must also keep my body pure and clean—and not just with hygienic practices. As a believer, my body is a temple of God’s Spirit. As the people of the Old Testament kept the Tabernacle and later the Temple clean, I should keep all things out of my body that would harm it—physically, spiritually, emotionally.

Walking worthy of my calling is the other key to triumphant living. Arthur didn’t until he discovered who he was. I’m a child of the King too. God sees me as holy and blameless (Colossians 1:22) because I’m in Christ. Walking worthy of my calling means living out in practice the person I am in position.

Triumphant living should be your norm, and God gives you the power to do it. Lean on Him and watch your life transform.

Tweetable: Do you know how to live triumphantly?

Prayer: Father, prompt us to depend on Your power so that we might live triumphant lives. 

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Healthy Habits - Martin Wiles

Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil. Jeremiah 13:23 NLT

Old habits are hard to break.

For four years, we lived in a small townhouse. Our Chihuahua, Twix, was accustomed to the way the doors to the bedroom and outside opened and would stand at the appropriate side of the door to enter or exit. Then we moved. Although the townhouse we moved into had the same floor plan, it was a mirror image of our previous one. Our dog was confused.

On Twix’s first trip outside, he stood at the left side of the door. That’s what he had been accustomed to. But now the door opened from the right. He repeated the same action for the bedroom door and had to change sides when I opened it. After a week, he managed to break his old habit and stand at the proper side for entering and exiting.

Being born with dark skin was a genetic habit for the Ethiopian. So was having spots for the leopard. An Ethiopian has no power to change his color, nor can a leopard become spotless. According to the prophet, humanity has a genetic flaw of sorts as well. We can’t do good because we’ve all done evil. The reason is the sin nature we’re born with which leads us down the wrong path to sinful behavior and attitudes.

My dog’s habits were neither morally good nor bad. They were just habits. I’ve had a few habits like that myself. Among them, biting my fingernails. It took my grandmother giving me $20 and one finger getting infected for me to break that habit. But I’ve also had some habits that were morally wrong and difficult to break. Those habits emerged from the sinful nature I was born with. By myself, I was helpless to do good.

In my own power, I can’t break the habit of doing bad and adopt the habit of doing good. 

But it is possible when I appeal to a Higher Power. Christ in me enables me to change the color of my skin and lose my spots. He enables me to consistently do good things instead of evil things. Accepting His offer of forgiveness opens up new possibilities for an abundant life.

Accept Christ into your life so you can break the old bad habits and adopt new healthy ones.

Prayer: Father, give us the power to throw away that which is damaging to us and others so we can adopt healthy habits that glorify Your name. 

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