Dog Determination - Martin Wiles

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Matthew 7:24 NLT

Dog determination helped my middle brother walk.

Gypsy was an ornery little cuss that, with the exception of one person, liked no one other than people in our immediate family. He was a Chihuahua-Manchester mix. Along with his ill nature came determination.

When my middle brother was ready to leave the crawling stage and walk, Gypsy was the item he chose to pull up on. Like the ruptured Titanic, Gypsy’s stomach sank as my brother’s weight pressed upon his back. Sometimes, his stomach would almost reach the floor, but he would never move until my brother was standing. Then, he scooted away, leaving my brother with a decision: walk or sit. He chose to walk.

Gypsy was a foundation that at times seemed almost ready to crumble, but he never did. When my brother realized the dog was reliable, he came back for more and eventually learned to walk without Gypsy’s help.

Jesus is the foundation we need to depend on as my brother did on Gypsy. When we obey Jesus’ commands, we build on this foundation and that makes us like a man who builds a house on a solid rock foundation. When the storms assault the house, it will stand—unlike the person who chose to build their house on sand that would easily wash away under heaven rains.

Obeying Jesus’ commands doesn’t just happen. It takes determination. As my brother had to rely on our dog to walk, and as the dog had to stand there while he pressed on him, so we must rely on Jesus’ power to obey. Otherwise, we’ll crumble like the house the man built on sand.

I normally accomplish what I’m determined to do. When I’m determined, I’ll put my all into doing whatever I’m determined about. Above all else, that should be obeying God’s commands. The secret is reliance on His indwelling Spirit. Not only is he our comforter, teacher, and guide, but he is also our source of strength. By his power, we can obey. By his power, we can continually build our lives on the solid foundation of faith in Christ.

Are you dog determined to obey God’s commands? Don’t let obedience merely be a matter of convenience.

Father, help me make my life’s goal to live in complete obedience to You. 

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The Payoff for Persistence - Martin Wiles

And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 NLT

The assessment of my writing disturbed me. I didn’t agree. The payoff for persistence appeared small.

One of my goals as a writer was to get on the permanent writing list of several publications. By doing so, editors would contact me regularly and offer me contracts. But the editor of one such publication didn’t, so I contacted him for an assignment. His answer disturbed me. He had looked over my previous submissions and thought I had done a poor job of applying the assigned Bible verses.

Over time, I have learned to respect the opinions of editors—and to deal with their quirks. After all, I am an editor. But I didn’t agree with his conclusion. I had written for many publications and had never had an editor accuse me of poor biblical application. After all, I have a degree in theology and have spent years studying the Bible.

Politely, I emailed the editor back, sharing my concern—and my disagreement with his opinion. I sent him my updated bio so he could see the places I had written for, and I asked him for another chance, which he gave me. I sent in a devotion on spec, and he loved it. Then, he thanked me for pushing back . . . for being persistent. He also loved the devotions I wrote for the new assignment. My persistence paid off.

Persistence in pursuing publication with writing is difficult, but not so difficult as with more serious things in life. Jesus gave a general rule for things we are pursuing: keep asking, seeking, and knocking. This translation shows the continuous nature of the verb He used.

When we’re persistent, we develop patience—whether we know it’s happening or not. Going after something that’s not easily attainable naturally develops this worthwhile trait. Along with our journey toward patience comes the pursuit of trust. Patience and trust go hand in hand. As we patiently wait on God to answer our requests, we learn to trust His timing, which is rarely ours.

Before asking, seeking, and knocking, we must ensure what we pursue aligns with God’s will. My requests in life have often been self-directed. If my request takes me away from God’s will, plan, or principles, He won’t answer regardless of how much I seek, ask, or knock. We may disagree with God, but He always has our best interests at heart.

When our persistence finally pays off with an answered prayer, we experience joy. Joy that we’ve put in the work, joy that we’ve honed our patience, and joy that the God of the universe gets involved in our life.

If what you want or need is in God’s will, go after it with all you have, trusting God along the way.

Prayer: Father, give us the persistence to pursue those things in Your plan. 

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Finish Well - Martin Wiles

He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. John 13:1 NLT

I knew I was leaving, but I had a job to do.

Working in a textile mill wasn’t on my list of places to work when I moved to Greenwood, South Carolina. Greenwood was a textile city with mills scattered all over the town and in surrounding towns. I ended up where I didn’t want to work and, for the next three years, endured the noise, dust, and aggravation of running looms in the weave room.

Then a layoff and call-back placed me in another department. Within a few months, I was promoted to third shift overseer. I was also hearing God’s call into full-time ministry, which meant leaving for college. I was excited about the venture ahead—and about leaving the job I disliked. But my parents had instilled in me a strict work ethic, so I finished well by doing my best until the last minute I was on the clock.

Jesus did too. The Father gave Him a job which involved coming to a sin-cursed world, demonstrating how God wanted people to live, inviting people to trust Him as Savior and receive His forgiveness, and finally dying on a cross for the world’s sins. Though He felt fear and anxiety over how His life would end—even asking the Father if they could do it some other way, He finished well by obeying the Father’s plan. As His followers, Jesus wants us to finish well the work He has left us: loving, sharing, and serving others in His name until the end of our lives or until He returns.

Finishing well involves doing the right thing. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy—but it’s the definition of integrity and manifests itself in a person of character. I can finish my task well when others are looking or if it’s a part of my job description, but integrity means finishing well when no one is looking. Just because it’s the right thing to do.

Finishing well also entails perseverance. Persevering is sometimes complicated. It takes energy I don’t seem to have, wisdom I don’t appear to possess, courage I can’t seem to muster, and obedience I sometimes don’t want to give. God, however, can provide all of this and more so I can move ahead to the finish line.

Don’t stop short of doing your best for God. Trust Him to help you finish well.

Prayer: Father, give us the grace, courage, faith, and stamina to finish well for You. 

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