Just Ask - Martin Wiles

Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:14 NLT

Ask, and you might receive; ask not, and you probably won’t. But one needed to just ask. 

Driving in unfamiliar terrain was once more frightening than now. Since there was no internet, I could not pull up directions on my computer or smartphone. My only options were to ask someone who had already been where I was headed or to purchase a map and figure it out for myself. 

And maps were readily available. The most popular place to find them was the local filling station. A place where attendants pumped gas, cleaned windshields, checked tire pressure, and monitored oil. And in the center of the pump island or just inside the station were maps. 

Having a map reduced—but didn’t eliminate—the possibility of getting lost. Names and numbers were crunched into small areas. Despite my best efforts, I’ve gotten lost. And being a typical man, I hated to stop and ask directions from anyone in the area. It was an admission that I couldn’t figure out my dilemma ... that I was less than an adequate follower of direction. I’ve wasted gas more than I care to admit while riding in circles—or sent my wife in to get directions more times than I care to remember. 

The solution was simple: stop and ask someone who lived in the area. Jesus provides such a simple solution for life in general. Have any kind of need? Just ask him. He’ll be glad to assist. 

Jesus’s help is never wrong. Others have given me faulty directions—though not intentionally. Maps have concealed information I needed to see, and GPSs and smartphone apps have sent me to the wrong place. Since Jesus is omniscient—all-knowing—I don’t have to worry about this with him. 

Jesus is always willing to help. While technology is readily available, it’s not foolproof. Others are sometimes too busy to mess with our life issues. Jesus, on the other hand, wants to be involved in every detail of our lives.

Jesus’s help is also free. Maps weren’t—and still aren’t. And although I can download a free direction app on my smartphone, the phone wasn’t free. Even if it was, my monthly service isn’t. Jesus charges zero. We ask; He comes to our rescue. 

Life issues present us with physical, emotional, social, and spiritual quandaries. But none are too difficult for the Savior of the world. 

Need a hand? Just ask Jesus.

Father, thank you for your continual readiness and willingness to help me with life issues. 

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Following Directions - Martin Wiles

They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 31:32b NLT

Before I took on the task of driving, my dad made sure I knew how to read one.

Back in the day, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, things called road maps existed. And everyone who wanted to go somewhere they’d never been before—or had not been in a long time—used one. Unless you knew someone who could give directions, no other way of knowing existed.

Maps were interesting. Squiggly lines covered them, along with symbols of various types. A key told the reader what the symbols stood for and gave a mileage chart so the traveler could determine how far one point was from another. All of this seems mighty out of date now.

Now that GPSs, Google Maps, Siri, and other satellite-based applications have taken over, knowing how to read a map is almost an extinct practice. If I want to travel somewhere, I plug the address into Google Maps and let the voice tell me every turn to make to get there. The app also calculates my arrival time, tells me about traffic conditions, and lets me know the fastest route to my destination.

Whether reading a map or using technology, I must follow directions to arrive at my destination. Ignoring them will take me in the wrong direction and to the wrong place. It did for God’s people of old. After delivering them from Egyptian bondage and leading them to Mt. Sinai, God instructed Moses to climb the mountain. God gave him and the people the Ten Commandments and other ceremonial and moral laws there.

By Jeremiah’s time, the people had done a miserable job of obeying. God told of a future time when He would make a New Covenant that He would write on their hearts, rather than stone tablets. In the meantime, He would send them into captivity as punishment for their disobedience.

Just as the lines and symbols on old maps had a purpose, so do God’s principles. God has recorded them in the Bible. 

When we follow His road map, we end up at the right places: forgiveness, salvation, peace, abundance, and joy. 

We discover the opposite when we ignore them or go in the opposite direction.

God’s rules are not His opinions. We can debate them, but we won’t win. They are absolute truths He won’t change His mind about. What culture says, or what we think, doesn’t matter. And if we choose to ignore them, consequences follow, as they did for the ancient Israelites.

On the other hand, obeying them gets us where we need to go and where God wants us. Life is always better when we follow God’s directions.

Make up your mind to learn and obey God’s directions, regardless.

Prayer: Father, give us the courage to obey Your road map for our lives. 

Tweetable: Are you following the right map?

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Follow Directions - Martin Wiles

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22 NLT

“Well, you told me to call if we got lost.”

My mom and stepdad were the recipients of a free time-share week in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Their friend who owned the timeshare was in the hospital and couldn’t use it, so she offered it to them for free. Not having been anywhere recently, they jumped at the offer.

But Mom and my stepdad had been having problems each time they went out of town: they would get lost. I sent her step-by-step directions. She printed them. My wife sent her turn-by-turn directions from Cherokee, North Carolina, to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We thought we had the bases covered. Surely, they wouldn’t get lost.

When she called, they were going the wrong way on Interstate 40. When they got to Cherokee, they got lost again. My wife stayed on the phone with my stepdad until she got them on the road to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. They finally arrived—one hour past check-in time—which meant they had to find another place to get the key. As I write this, I’m wondering if they’re going to make it home without getting lost again.

Mom and my stepdad listened to the directions we gave, but somehow something was lost in the translation when it came to actually doing what we said. First-century Christians must have had the same issue. James warned them not to merely hear God’s Word but to obey and do it.

God’s directions have purpose. He didn’t give them to make our lives miserable, but enjoyable. Knowing what’s best for us—whether we think so or not—God instructs us to follow His directions. I don’t always do a good job at that, but every time I go awry of them unfavorable consequences follow.

Although God doesn’t enjoy disciplining His children—as a parent doesn’t enjoy disciplining theirs—He will when He knows it’s in my interest. His disciplinary measures are designed to get me back on the right road—the road I’ve veered from.

As my wife and I were willing to help when Mom called, so God is eager to help us get back on the right road when we’ve taken a wrong one. All we have to do is ask. He’s never too busy to answer our cries for help.

Don’t risk traveling the wrong road in life. Turn to God for directions.

Tweetable: Are you following God's directions?

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving us directions that will always get us to Your desired destination. 

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Just Ask - Martin Wiles

Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:14 NLT

Ask, and you might receive; ask not, and you probably won’t.

Driving in unfamiliar terrain was once more frightening than it is now. Since there was no internet, I could not pull up directions on my computer or smartphone. My only options were to ask someone who had already been where I was going or to purchase a map and figure it out myself.

And maps were readily available. The most popular place to find them was the local filling station. A place where attendants pumped gas, cleaned windshields, and checked oil. And in the center of the pump island or just inside the station, were maps.

Having a map reduced—but didn’t eliminate, the possibility of getting lost. Names and numbers were crunched into small areas. In spite of my best efforts, I’ve gotten lost. And being a typical man, I hated to stop and ask directions from anyone in the area. It was an admission I couldn’t figure out my dilemma…that I was less than an adequate direction follower. I’ve wasted gas riding in circles or sent my wife in to get directions more times than I care to remember.

The solution was simple: stop and ask someone who lived in the area I was going to. Jesus provides such a simple solution for life in general. Have any kind of need? Just ask Him. He’ll be glad to assist.

Jesus’ help is never wrong. Others have given me faulty directions—though not intentionally. Maps have concealed information I needed to see, and GPSs have sent me to the wrong place. Since Jesus is omniscient—all knowing, I don’t have to worry about this with Him.

Jesus is always willing to help. While technology is readily available, it’s not full-proof. Others are sometimes too busy to mess with my life issues. Jesus, on the other hand, wants to be involved in every detail of my life.

Jesus’ help is also free. Maps weren’t—and still aren’t. Nor are GPSs. Though I can download a free direction app on my smartphone, the phone wasn’t free. And even if it was, my monthly service isn’t. Jesus charges zero. I ask; He comes to my rescue.

Life issues present me with physical, emotional, social, and spiritual quandaries. But none are too difficult for the Savior of the world.

Need a hand? Just ask Jesus.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your continual readiness and willingness to help us with life issues. 

Looking for a wide selection of genres in inspirational books at discount prices? 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.