Hearing Voices - Martin Wiles

The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” 2 Samuel 5:6 NLT

When I was a teenager, I found myself hearing voices.

“Let’s get drunk,” said the first voice. The 1970s were in full force. Drinking seemed to be a way of life, so I agreed. And since this voice represented acceptance by my peers, I justified my listening.

Then the voice said, “Let’s do some dope.” I listened again—although I was a little frightened this time. I agreed to the Mary Jane, but nothing more.

“Do you want a smoke?” the voice continued. I did, and for the next decade I kept listening to that voice.

Listening to the wrong voices hindered my walk with the Lord and kept me in chains when I could have been free. David was anointed king and needed a central location for his capital. His sights were on Jerusalem. Trouble was, the Jebusites weren’t interested in giving it up. When he approached the walled city, they told him he’d never get in. But he did because he listened to a more powerful voice.

Training our ears to listen to the right voices is essential for good spiritual health. Many voices vie for our attention—most of them attempting to lead us down paths taking us farther from God.

God’s voice comes through the inner presence of his Spirit and will always agree with what is taught in the Bible. Being familiar with the teachings therein is vital if we’re to hear the right voice. Listening takes a power we don’t have. God, however, can provide the power so we don’t succumb to the wrong voice as Eve did when Satan tempted her, causing her to question God’s directive.

Voices of discouragement are rife—as they were in David’s day. Finding friends and acquaintances who encourage us is important if we’re to make respectable spiritual decisions. We can find them through social media outlets, at churches, in small groups, and through good authors. Voices reminding us about who we are in Christ: a new creation, a masterpiece in the making, a child of God who has worth and has been accepted into his family, and an overcomer of unhealthy habits, addictions, and social mores. Voices that will encourage us to seek God’s guidance in every decision we make.

Hearing voices is acceptable; just make sure you listen to the appropriate ones.

Father, give me wisdom and understanding so that I might hear and listen to the right voices. 

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.

Don’t Worry; Be Happy - Martin Wiles

 

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down. 

~Proverbs 12:25 AMP

Worry and anxiety are bedfellows that often show up together.

Kelita sat in her car, gunning the engine but going nowhere. And there was a good reason. The gearshift was in neutral. She burned fuel and fogged up the garage where the car rested, but it remained in place.

Hearing the noise, her father finally came out of the door and asked, “What are you doing, honey?”

“Trying to get to work,” she huffed.

“But you have to put the gearshift in drive to make the car move,” he said.

Seems like a silly scenario—and it is—but often, we repeat Kelita’s mistake by worrying. Worry and anxiety will keep us in the garage—or mental prison—burning fuel but going nowhere. And in the process, we’ll pollute the world around us and accomplish nothing beneficial.

Jesus instructed us not to worry (Matthew 6:34), and the wisest man who ever lived said anxiety would weigh our hearts down. But situations in our lives and the world make both easy to do. And since they are first cousins, the first is typically followed closely by the second.

Worry and anxiety in small doses are good, not detrimental. If we had such an attitude that we never worried or felt the least anxious, we’d sit around and fail to respond properly to situations. If we didn’t worry a little about crime, homelessness, abuse, and corruption, we wouldn’t respond to opportunities to affect these circumstances as Jesus instructs us to do.

On the other hand, too much worry and anxiety will disturb us physically, spiritually, and emotionally. The human body is connected, not compartmentalized. What touches one part of us distresses the other parts. When we’re emotionally unbalanced, we’ll experience physical consequences.

Remembering that God is in control and a loving God helps us manage worry and anxiety so they don’t afflict us. As the sovereign ruler, God controls world events and the details of our lives. As a loving God, he won’t allow anything into our lives that he won’t give us the strength to face, conquer, and learn from.

Don’t let worry and anxiety keep you in the garage. God’s shoulders are strong enough to carry you wherever he wants you to go.

Father, I trust you to help me endure whatever you allow or bring into my life. 

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.

What's Stealing My Attention - Martin Wiles

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21 NLT

Getting shoppers sidetracked is a retailer’s dream come true. Who hasn’t had to ask, “What’s stealing my attention?” And not for the better. 

After a long day of sweating in the hot, humid temperatures of a South Carolina August, my wife and I showered and readied ourselves for church. Moving isn’t fun, but we had no choice.

Following church, we stopped by the local Wal-Mart for a few necessities: curtain rods and a gallon of milk. Tired from a day of moving, I said, “Now, we’re just going to get those two things and leave, right?”

“That’s all,” my wife remarked.

As we entered the store, we began walking in the wrong direction: the garden center. “Your mom said they had chair cushions on sale.”

And so our visit went. Although we only came out with four items instead of two, I had to continually keep my wife pointed toward what we came to get. My recliner was calling my name, but the retailer’s reputation for putting things in my wife’s path that attracted her kept sidetracking her.

God did his best to keep the nation of Israel on track. He sent prophets, priests, and judges who kept his ways before them, but they kept getting sidetracked. The pagan nations around them put more attractive things in their path.

I’m not much different than God’s people of old. In fact, I’ve been known to get sidetracked in Wal-Mart myself—just not over the same things my wife does. That’s how the enemy of our souls works. Through experience, he learns what attracts us. He won’t try to sidetrack me with clothes or shoes because he knows they don’t interest me. But he will throw up a few tech gadgets, a new backpack, or a recently released Kindle book.

I had to continue telling my wife not to get sidetracked. “Keep your eyes focused on what we came for,” I reminded her.

I must do the same for myself. If I don’t, Satan will lead me in sinful or unhealthy directions. And like a puppy on a leash, I’ll follow if I’m not clothed in my spiritual armor. By the power of God’s Spirit, we can say no, get what we came to get, and go home.

Don’t get sidetracked by Satan’s attempt to convince you that you need things you don’t.

Father, give me the power to say no to Satan’s attempts to sidetrack me. 

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.

Ignoring God - Martin Wiles

I warned you when you were prosperous, but you replied, “Don’t bother me.” You have been that way since childhood—you simply will not obey me! Jeremiah 22:21 NLT

Our challenge seemed simple, but proved more difficult than we imagined.

The final day of school is always a half day. Following breakfast, teachers and students head off to the gym, where eligible students receive various awards. Typically, this had been followed by two hours of dead time. But one year, we teachers decided to show a movie. As a Christian school, we are required to show only G-rated movies unless we have parental approval.

Our lead teacher picked Star Wars, thinking that none of the students would have seen the original and that it would interest them. She was correct on the first count but miserably wrong on the second. What we teachers hoped would be a relaxing time turned into a scene more challenging than the classroom.

Jeremiah, known as the “weeping prophet,” was also given a daunting challenge: deliver a message to God’s people, warning them of coming destruction by a foreign force (Jeremiah 22:21). A destruction they had brought on themselves by ignoring God, just as most of our students ignored the movie.

Most of the students ignored the movie because they had no interest in it. Since it was space-related and showed examples of techy stuff, we assumed they’d love it. The trouble was that our world has advanced so far since the movie’s production that the production itself was now dated. Without God’s intervention, we’ll respond to God the same way the students did to the movie. While we’re born with spiritual interest, we’ll ignore God because of our sinful nature unless we listen to the Spirit of God pulling us in the right direction.

As a believer, I’ve ignored God numerous times because I had my mind on other things. Had we shown the movie earlier in the year, the students might have watched. This was the last day of school, and they were moments away from the final bell and summer vacation. Unless we allow God to keep our minds on spiritual things, we’ll also find ourselves ignoring God.

Initially, a few students were interested in the movie but were eventually distracted by classmates who weren’t. I, too, have been led away from God by others. Going was my choice, but letting them influence me was also my choice.

Don’t let things or people lead you to a place where you are ignoring God. Doing so always has devastating effects.

Father, may I always give you my full attention so I can accomplish Your perfect plan. 

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.

Giving the Best - Martin Wiles

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 NLT

Doing again what I had already done thirty years before was a surreal experience. But after all, who said giving the best was easy? 

Five candidates and I sat in front of the presiding bishop. We were ordinands and would soon be ordained by the presiding bishop. But the difference between me and them was that I had already done this many years before in another denomination. Although the doctrine and governing style between the two denominations differed slightly, the ordination process was similar—yet still touching. The bishop instructed us on the seriousness of the process and related its purpose. Then, one by one, we were called to the stage for the presiding board to lay hands on and pray for us, separating us for the preaching and teaching of the gospel. Once again, I was reminded that God demands my best.

If anybody could have tired of doing good things, Paul certainly could have. His zeal for spreading the gospel to the Jews and the pagan world was equally as fierce as his persecution of Christians before he met the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road. He traveled the known world on numerous mission trips, endeavoring to present everyone with the opportunity to trust in Jesus Christ. He gave his best until he was finally put to death for doing his best. 

Before meeting the risen Christ, Paul’s fervor was probably an attempt to earn acceptance with God. He was, after all, a Pharisee—a religious leader who had studied under a master teacher and who obeyed the Old Testament law zealously. New understanding, however, dawned on him after his Damascus Road encounter. Now he worked to tell others that they couldn’t work to attain salvation.

Salvation can’t be earned through good works, but we will want to do them when we choose to follow Christ. He is our example, and studying his life reveals that he spent the majority of his time serving others. 

Christianity is ironic. God promises persecution, but he also promises peace and abundance. Amid trying circumstances and persecution, we can find peace, joy, and fulfillment by taking our eyes off ourselves and putting servant hands on others. 

Give God your best by obeying him and serving others.

Father, as you have given your best for me, prompt me to offer my best to you. 

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.

Submitting to the Potter - Martin Wiles

When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? Romans 9:21 NLT

He was a restless individual, rarely staying at one place of employment for long.

In his younger years, one of my uncles changed jobs numerous times. I always wondered why he never stayed at one place long. When I asked my grandparents, they had no answer either. I assumed he didn’t like anyone telling him what to do. However, my uncle finally resolved the issue. He purchased his own feed and seed store. Until they retired, my aunt and uncle worked tirelessly and earned a good living in the process.

Evidently, the apostle Paul encountered some who were struggling with God’s control over them. He compares God to a potter and then reminds his readers of the similarities. Just as the potter has control over what he makes—having the ability to destroy the item and start over—so God has authority over His creation. We may think we’re doing our own thing--and we do have free will--but our thing stops where God’s sovereignty begins.

Like my uncle, I, too, have at times bucked others’ control over me. I attribute my resistance to a Type A personality, which makes me love being in control, setting the rules, and not having to answer to anyone. The trouble is, everyone has to answer to someone. Even though my uncle owned his own business and established his own rules, he was still accountable to the Internal Revenue Service and also had to abide by town and state ordinances.

God is our Potter. What makes this comforting is knowing that the person who controls us is not mean, angry, or unloving. He is a loving heavenly Father who has an excellent plan for the lives of his creations. When we submit to his plan, he will lovingly guide us to his desired end. When we mess up, either he has an alternate plan or the ability to reconstruct the mess we’ve made. He formed us in love initially, and he will continue to form us the same way throughout our lifetimes. But we must submit to his sovereign control.

Submit to the Potter’s control and be amazed by what he’ll do.

Father, I give my life to you and ask you to accomplish your will. 

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.

Stubborn Is as Stubborn Does - Martin Wiles

Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God. Psalm 78:8 NLT

Something magical happened when my grandfather whispered the words, “Giddy up.”

I’ve seen only a few mules in my lifetime. Yet being familiar with the saying, “stubborn as a mule,” gives me a clue about their personality. My grandfather knew mules and their nature. His father died when he was twelve, leaving him to run the family farm. An uncle helped him, but for some reason, mules didn’t appreciate Uncle Ransom. When he gave the command to “giddy up,” they didn’t budge—at least, most of the time. Or if they did, they stubbornly plowed a crooked row. When my grandfather asked, however, they plowed in straight rows. Something in Uncle Ransom’s nature brought out the stubbornness of the mule’s nature.

Later, after my grandfather gave up farming and began delivering ice, then milk, and finally ice cream, he encountered stubbornness once again—and benefited from it. Some business owners were quite challenging to work with because of their stubborn nature. What other salesmen couldn’t deal with and threw up their hands to, my grandfather confronted with his patient nature and won them over as customers.

God also encountered stubbornness, but not so much in pagans. He discovered it in his chosen people. The people he had called out from among all people groups of the world. The people to whom he delivered the Promised Land. The people He delivered from four hundred years of slavery. Instead of worshipping Him, they often stubbornly followed the wicked ways of their unbelieving neighbors.

I can name a few times when I’ve been stubborn as well. Wanted to do things my way instead of God’s way. Thought I knew best. God gave me good examples to follow, and I stubbornly chose the bad instead.

Stubbornness keeps us out of God’s will. Like a mule, we’ll refuse to budge toward God’s revealed will, or we’ll plow a crooked row of inconsistency in obedience. When we’re out of God’s will, paucity follows. God’s blessings can’t—or won’t—flow when we’re living in stubborn disobedience.

God suggests a cure: remember his blessings of the past and obey his commands. When we do this, we’ll “giddy up”—and gladly, when God whispers the command.

Don’t let stubbornness cause you to miss out on God’s best.

Father, deal with my stubborn nature, making it pliable, so I’ll willingly obey what you tell me.

 

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.

Unashamed - Martin Wiles

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes. Romans 1:16 NLT

Some things that I was ashamed of growing up, I’m now ashamed I was ashamed of.

Until my middle school years, I was proud of my parents. While they didn’t give me everything I wanted, they gave me all I needed. I never had to wear raggedy clothes or holey shoes. Mom prepared home-cooked meals, and our cabinets were never bare. Although my parents were not lovey-dovey, they always acted in ways that let me know I was loved. Abusive or negative words never flowed from their mouths. They wanted the best for their three sons.

When I reached the teenage years, my attitude changed. Suddenly, feelings of shame over who my parents were arose. I didn’t enjoy telling people my father was a preacher because then they labeled me a “PK.” They expected me to be good all the time. And the rules I had previously willingly obeyed now seemed foolish. Being made to go to church every time the doors were opened didn’t help either. Many of my friends never darkened a church’s doors.

Reflecting now, I’m ashamed that I ever was ashamed of my parents. Unfortunately, I was sometimes ashamed of what Paul proclaims loudly that he isn’t ashamed of: the gospel of Jesus Christ. I didn’t like others to know I was a preacher’s kid. I certainly didn’t flaunt my faith and rarely shared it.

Things changed when I was in my mid-twenties. I adopted Paul’s attitude—and for good reason. The gospel is good news, and people need to hear some good news. After all, bad news is almost all we hear from media sources. Telling people they are loved unconditionally and can be forgiven of their sins is encouraging news worth spreading.

I’m not ashamed to share something that includes an invitation for everyone. God excludes none except those who refuse on their own volition to come. Nor am I ashamed to share something that has eternal consequences. Refusing to accept God’s gospel means an eternity in a less-than-pleasant place.

Sharing news that has the power to change lives is something to be proud of, not ashamed of. When we receive the good news of the gospel, everything changes: our outlook on life, our priorities, our relationships, and our eternity.

Don't be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Father, give me the fortitude to boldly proclaim the best news I could ever share.

 

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, 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.

Doing Things the Right Way - Martin Wiles

So Sarai took her servant, an Egyptian woman named Hagar, and gave her to Abram so she could bear his children. Genesis 16:1-2 NLT

Turning the handle the right way produced gas flow; turning it the wrong way produced nothing.

Having a gas tank on his property was essential for my maternal grandfather. After all, he was a full-time farmer who lived twenty miles from a gas station. Getting fuel from the tank took a little know-how. And I didn’t. But my cousin, who lived next door, taught me. 

The large fuel tank was equipped with a pump and a large handle. The handle had to be reversed three or four times to prime the pump. Once primed, the pump handle had to be turned in the opposite direction. When done correctly, fuel flowed into the gas tank.

God’s plan entails a right and a wrong way. God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah. Both were elderly and past the age of having children. Abraham believed God’s promise; Sarah laughed at it. Sarah also suggested a plan to help God after the promised heir didn’t arrive quickly enough. Sadly, Abraham agreed. A son was born, but it wasn’t the son of promise.

God has a plan for each of us, as well as a world plan. He had a specific direction He wanted me to travel. I did, but not initially. At the same time, I’m not a robot. God gives me free will, enabling me to thwart his plan, at least to a degree, just as Abraham and Sarah did.

Since God is all-powerful and all-knowing, He can work around my goof-ups. He allowed me a few years of rebellion, during which I made many stupid mistakes. He also allowed Abraham and Sarah the opportunity to do it their way.

God’s love leads him to bless us in spite of our periods of disobedience. He blessed me with extended opportunities and gave Abraham and Sarah another chance to do things the right way. God works within the confines of our free will to bring about his purposes and plans.

Of course, when we ignore God’s plan, he will send discipline and punishment. Altering or temporarily postponing God’s plan can bring the same. God has a perfect plan and a permissive plan. And some parts of God’s plan are simply non-negotiable—like the Second Coming of Christ.

Make sure you are doing things the right way as they relate to God’s plan for you.

Father, give me the faith I need to do things your way.

I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods 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 Tasting - Lynne Phipps

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 NIV

My granddaughters enjoy baking. As they age, I am teaching them how to read and follow a recipe.  They need to understand what ingredients to use, how to read the measurements, and how to follow the mixing method. Knowing and setting the oven temperature and time is vital, as is choosing the right container or tray to use for baking.

As we prepare and bake the recipe, the girls comment on how good it smells. However, we only prove its goodness when we taste it. Unfortunately, two out of three of us are disaccharide intolerant. This means we can understand, follow, and complete a recipe, but tasting it is out of bounds if the product contains double sugar called sucrose. 

Just as one granddaughter and I have to miss out on this final tasting step, when it comes to baking, we believers can also miss out on tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.  Perhaps we have followed God’s recipe for salvation by believing and accepting Christ into our lives. Maybe we are regular church attendees. Reading our Bibles and attending Bible studies or prayer meetings may also be spiritual habits. 

Nevertheless, if we miss the vital step of trusting God and his Word enough to taste it by putting it into daily practice, we may only taste the Lord’s true goodness irregularly. We may know God’s Word by memory. We may even enjoy reading it. But it is only in the practical application that we taste the truth, goodness, and wisdom within it.

Although we may follow it and put it into practice, some questions arise--questions I ask myself. How often do we worry? Do we trust God enough to tithe and give generously above tithing? Do we talk to the person who has wronged us or instead talk about them? Do we do good to those who wrong us or only to those who do good to us? Do we unwittingly choose to only trust and put into practice certain spiritual teachings?

These are only a few of the questions we can ask ourselves. But in light of them, we must reconsider how much we taste and see the Lord’s goodness.

How about you? Think of some areas in which you might need to taste a little more of God’s goodness by putting all of his Word into practical action?

Father God, thank you that as I apply the truth of your Word to my life, I can taste and know how good you are all the time. In Christ’s name, amen.

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.

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.

From Sane to Senseless - Martin Wiles

When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Daniel 4:36 NLT 

I did it . . . went from sane to senseless.

 

As a young boy, I never questioned the rules my parents, grandparents, or other authority figures dished out. If they said, “Don’t lie,” I didn’t lie—and never thought about why I shouldn’t. I figured they knew why I shouldn’t and wouldn’t tell me to do anything that wasn’t right. If they said, “Don’t steal,” I didn’t steal—and for the same reason.

 

But when adolescence hit, things changed. For some reason, I began to question things authority figures said. No longer did I accept the dos and don’ts at face value. Instead, I critically evaluated the rules, wondering whether they were right. Something inside me rose up, making me want to disobey many of the rules I had previously obeyed.

 

For eight years, I decided which rules I would and would not obey. No one was going to tell me which ones to live by. And I lived by few—as did most of my friends. My sanity had turned into insanity.

 

Then something strange happened when I was a young adult. My sanity returned. Suddenly, the rules made sense again, and I wanted to obey them . . . at least most of them. Some of my parents’ rules I discarded. They were legalistic and didn’t align with my interpretation of God’s rules. But most, I kept because they did align. I pulled a “Nebbie.”

 

Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the great kingdom of Babylon, but pride got the best of him. He went from sane to senseless because he imagined he had built his empire. For a period, God let him live like an animal to show him differently. When Nebbie came to his senses, God restored the kingdom to him.

 

I made some of the same mistakes old Nebbie did. When I chose to rebel and go my own way, I did so because I forgot to whom I was responsible. Nebbie thought he was in charge. God showed him otherwise. Even though Nebbie wasn’t a God worshiper, God still controlled his rule over Babylon. After all, God is omnipotent and sovereign—a big word that means He’s in control.

 

Nebbie also forgot his sole purpose in life was to obey what God had planned, not what he wanted to do. I forgot that for eight years, too. When I remembered life entailed obeying God with my entire being, my sanity returned—like ole Nebbie’s.

 

Leaving God out—or relegating Him to a position other than number one—is insanity. Giving Him first place makes sense.

 

Examine your priorities and see if you have gone from sane to senseless.

 

Father, keep me sane so I can enjoy the life You have created for me. 

Don't forget to comment below. 

Tweetable: Have you gone from sane to senseless? 

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