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. But I ended up where I didn’t want to work and, for the next three years, endured the noise and dust of 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: 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. 

Although 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 also wants us to finish his work well—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. We can finish our task well when others are looking or if it’s a part of our 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 we don’t seem to have, wisdom we don’t appear to possess, courage we can’t seem to muster, and obedience we sometimes don’t want to give. God, however, can provide all of this and more so we can move ahead to the finish line. 

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

Father, give me the grace, courage, faith, and stamina to finish well for you. 

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.

Toys in the Tub - Martin Wiles

Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 2 Samuel 11:2 NLT

Baths may clean us up, but sometimes toys in the tub get us into trouble.

Resting outside the bathtub in our spare bathroom is a plastic container with numerous bath toys: a rubber duck, a sailing boat, several balls, a bar of Ivory soap, and cars. The normal toys kids play with when they bathe. 

And when they were young, all our grandboys loved to play with them when they bathed. They loved the bubbles MeMe put in the tub. They hid the toys under the bubbles, then held them in the air and watched as the water squirted out, hollering and laughing. Occasionally, they splashed water on the floor, which drew a sharp rebuke from MeMe. 

King David also knew a little about bathing and getting into trouble. He wasn’t the one bathing. Bathsheba was, but he was the one who looked when he shouldn’t have. The play on words is interesting: Bathsheba bathing. Some suggest she bathed here on purpose because she knew the king’s practice of walking on his roof. Whether or not she intentionally provided the temptation, David fell into the traps of lust, adultery, lying, and murder. One year—and several consequences—passed before he finally confessed.

Our world is filled with play toys—not that we bathe with but that we encounter daily. Technological gadgets, possessions of all sorts, hobbies—and the things we need to enjoy them—sporting activities—and the money we can spend watching them—movies, video games. The list of play toys available to those who live in developed countries is endless. 

Some of the play toys are sinful—and others have the potential to be. Bathsheba’s bathing wasn’t a sin, but if she did it hoping the king would do what he did, then it became sinful. David’s accidental glance wasn’t a sin, but when he lusted and acted, it became one. Satan is a master at wrapping innocent things in sinful paper. 

Only God can give us the wisdom to play with the right toys and to keep them in the proper perspective. We can’t trust our own judgment. It’s skewed by our sinful nature and our propensity to gratify our selfish desires. 

God may not ask you to throw your toys away. He may simply want you to see them with different eyes or use them more productively. 

Father, guide me in using my toys so they won’t grab my attention away from you and more important things. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing 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.

Praising in All Seasons - Abigail Skelton

Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:1-2 NIV

There are countless books and self-help guides about what to do in periods of crisis. Even in the church, we hear far more sermons on grief and hardship than on joy and rejoicing. Praising in all seasons challenges the best of us. 

Yet, sometimes for me, in seasons of blessing and wonder, my focus on the Lord seems to drift. Life is good. Life is easy. Relying on God for everyday help is less of a necessity until something bad happens again. But what if I could rejoice like those in Scripture, who focused on God and whose prayers multiplied in the good and easy seasons?

Hannah longed for a child. Not just on occasion, but for years. God answered her prayers the way she wanted. And what was her response? She gave her greatest gift back to the Lord. And even as she fulfilled her vows, she rejoiced. 

Hannah wasn’t the only one in the Bible who remembered to praise God when things went right. Miriam, King David, Zechariah, Mary, and numerous others celebrated God’s goodness in seasons of blessing. If God is the giver of all good gifts, we should accompany everything we receive, large or small, with thanks.

Paul reminded the early church to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). This command sounds simple, but in our own happiness, it’s easy to miss unless we take intentional time to dwell on our Savior’s generosity. Maybe this looks like taking a break from work and thanking God for the spring flowers outside the office window. Perhaps it’s thanking God at the end of yet another wild day for a family or for small children.

God doesn’t owe us anything, but he gives us so much. Thanking him—rejoicing over seasons of blessing—should come naturally. But even when it doesn’t, we can honor God by intentionally praising him—like those in Scripture—and by living a life of rejoicing.

Make a plan to help you praise God in all seasons. 

Abigail Skelton is from beautiful Southern Oregon, where she grew up with an avid love for Jesus, chocolate, and writing. She has lived in three countries while involved in missionary work and frequently travels and studies foreign languages. You can connect with Abigail on her website: https://abigailskelton.com.

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.

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The Hidden Power of Taking a Break - Martin Wiles

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark1:35 NLT

I’ve never been one to sit and twiddle my thumbs. Sitting and doing nothing makes me feel lazy. Since I only have so much time in life, I want to make the best use of every minute. Having this tendency leaves me open to overcommitment and burnout. Thus, I needed to understand the hidden power of taking a break.

What others ask of me, I usually agree to do—often not pausing long enough to pray first. I love seeing how much I can accomplish in twenty-four hours. Not that I crave recognition or do things for that reason—well, sometimes, I do, until after I’ve prayed and asked forgiveness—but like most people, I enjoy being appreciated. Sitting for hours watching a movie or relaxing in conversation with company is difficult. My mind races with all the things I could be doing that seem more productive.

Jesus was a busy man, too. Knowledge of his ability to heal spread like a California wildfire. Crowds crowded him. Everyone wanted healing for themselves, a friend, or a family member. Had he taken advantage of every opportunity, he would never have gotten any rest or sleep.

After a long day and evening of healing, Jesus rose the next morning, went to an isolated place, and prayed. When some of the disciples found him and told him everyone was looking for him, he told them he had other places to go. He couldn’t stay in this one place forever.

Breaks from the daily grind of life are essential for good health—mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. We can’t do everything everyone might ask of us. There’s not enough time in the day, nor does God expect that of us. Jesus knew he needed rejuvenation, and it came through a quiet time with the Father.

Quiet times—whether in the early morning, late morning, or evening—are crucial in our service for God. Jesus’ Spirit received refreshing, and He received instructions from the Father about his next move. Ironically, it wasn’t where he was—even though many there needed His help. Rather, the Father told him to move to a different area.

Enjoying life and making sure we’re on God’s track only happen when we take a break long enough to discover God’s will. So go ahead, take a break—and don’t feel guilty about it.

Father, remind me that I need a break to refresh my spirit so I can do my best for you.

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.

Lukewarm Faith in a Hot-and-Cold World - Martin Wiles

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

The sign read: House for Rent. Hot and Cold Running Water.

Though laughable now, there was a time when having indoor plumbing was a luxury only the wealthy knew anything about. Water was drawn from a well or creek and carried indoors. Getting hot water meant cutting wood and placing cold water in pots in the fireplace or on a wood-burning stove.

On one mid-August trip through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, my wife and I noticed the leaves on the highest-elevation trees turning. Odd, I thought, this early, but then again, that’s what tree leaves do. As the summer season ended and the daylight hours got shorter, the leaves lost their luminescence and revealed their natural color. The yellows shone through beautifully. 

Christians shouldn’t run hot and cold or change like the leaves on a tree. Nor should we have lukewarm faith in a hot-and-cold world. Paul encouraged the early believers to be steadfast in their love for the Lord and in their work for him. Only by steadfastness would they be able to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and teach people how to be his disciples.

But we also don’t want to burn out doing God’s work—nor does God expect us to. Unfortunately, I’ve known quite a few believers who did. Burnout can come from trying too hard to alleviate feelings of guilt over past sins, from serving with the wrong motives, or from trying to boost one’s self-esteem.

Another entire set of people tends to drop out rather than burn out. Among 18- to 22-year-olds, around 70% drop out of church after graduating from high school. Reasons they give for doing so include life changes, needing a break, moving away to college, work interference, judgmental or unfriendly pastors or church members, a change in their views, or an acknowledgement that they previously only attended to please someone.

God’s work requires determination. The abundant life Jesus offers requires the same. Otherwise, we’ll change like the leaves or run hot and cold like water. The power to remain steadfast instead of becoming lukewarm doesn’t lie within us, but in the power of God’s Spirit. He provides the want that keeps us keeping on—and for the right reasons.

Don’t let a lukewarm faith cause you to turn like the leaves. Serve God with consistency and diligence.

Father, enable me to check my motives for serving you. Then, give me the staying power to serve you faithfully until the end. 

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.

Series: The Things We Say - Money Is the Root of All Evil - Martin Wiles

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. Hebrews 13:5 NLT

Although my standard of living would be considered rich by third-world standards, by American standards, I’ve rarely lived a comfortable lifestyle. Making the monthly bills match the monthly income has constantly challenged me.

Despite that, I’ve made the mistake of buying things I didn’t need more than once. My grandmother and mother often said, “That money is burning a hole in your pocket.” All the while, I was thinking, Well, if I had more, maybe it wouldn’t. And somewhere along the line, someone would comment, “You know the Bible says, ‘Money is the root of all evil.’” And I would mumble under my breath, No, it doesn’t. I was a preacher’s kid. I may not have always abided by biblical principles, but I knew what they were.

This verse is like the often-misquoted one: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Frequently, we hear someone say, “Money is the root of all evil.” Money isn’t the issue; the love of it is.

The Bible says a lot about money—or possessions. And they’re both the same. I may not have cash in hand, but if I have possessions (even stocks and bonds), I have money. Liquidating my assets gives me spendable funds. Jesus had a lot to say about money, and the disciples and apostles who carried on His teachings continued the tradition.

One thing the Bible doesn’t teach is that money is the root of all kinds of evil. Omitting the word love changes the meaning and distorts the truth. To be sure, those who have significant amounts of money usually love it, but the principle remains: having money isn’t the root of all evil.

Loving my money—in whatever form it takes—causes us issues, not having the money itself. Money is necessary to pay bills and sustain our existence in a monetary economy. Loving our money, on the other hand, will lead us down roads to greed, selfishness, poor decisions, crime, unhealthy relationships, and possibly an eternity apart from God.

Instead of letting the love of money be a root of evil in your life, use it to help others and advance God’s Kingdom work. Give graciously, sacrificially, and with honorable motives.

Father, motivate me to use my money in ways that please you and better our world. 

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.

Follow the Son - Martin Wiles

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

The road was covered by shade, except for one spot.

The highway leading to the church I pastored meandered through miles of country. Acres of forest line each side of the road, making for a shady drive. One of the only two turns I had to make was often difficult to see because of the numerous trees—until I spotted a landmark.

As I drove along, looking for my turn, I noticed a stream of sunlight arch across the highway. This was the only break in miles of shade, and it was the exact spot for my turn. If I followed the sun, I never missed the road.

Isaiah reminded his listeners that God would do the same for them. God was behind, in front of, and all around them. If they would listen and look, they’d never miss or make a wrong turn.

My wife tells me I’m directionally challenged, and she’s right. At the time, our car had no built-in compass, so what seemed like east to me might be west, and north might be south. I travel by road numbers; she looks for landmarks. She can get us where we need to go; I can get us lost.

I’ve lost my way in life more times than I care to remember. My misplacement came because I wasn’t listening to or looking for the Son. When I turned where he told me, I always arrived at the correct destination, but if I turned where I thought it looked like a good road, I wound up at the wrong place and with the wrong people.

Since God sees the beginning, end, and everything in between, it only makes sense to consult him for life’s directions. He will shine the light where we need to turn and prompt us when we need to take another direction. His Word provides a road map, and his Spirit gives us wisdom to read it or hear his promptings clearly. Busyness, selfishness, and misplaced priorities will cause us to miss turns. But a sold-out heart to the Son will get us where we need to go every time.

Look for the light. The Son will never lead you in the wrong direction.

Father, as you shine your light to guide my path, give me wisdom and courage to follow where you lead.

I invite you to try my book Mastering English Grammar Basics. 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.

Serious about Serving - Martin Wiles

All night long I search for you; earnestly I seek for God. Isaiah 26:9 NLT

After nine years of floundering around in the work world, I became serious about an education and serious about serving.

From first to eighth grade, I was serious about school and enjoyed learning. Then the teenage-don’t-care bug bit. Joining in the movements of the time, I found myself rebelling against society and education. Why did I need it? Jobs were plentiful. 

After quitting my senior year and then returning six months later, I finally graduated a semester later than my peers and entered the workforce. The first few years went well, but then the economy turned sour, and so did my employment. After being laid off from the plant where I had worked since graduation, I found myself holding a string of unfulfilling jobs. Nine years after graduation, I finally succumbed to God’s earlier direction and went to college, but now as a married man with a small child. Doing so after graduation would have been easier, but I wasn’t serious at the time.

In the prophet Isaiah’s song of praise to the Lord, he expresses his sincere devotion to serving God. Though I doubt he actually stayed up all night every night seeking God, his word choice relates how much he needed God in his life.

Perhaps there was a time when Isaiah, too, wasn’t serious about serving God. After all, it took a hot experience to set him on fire for God (Isaiah 6). While God didn’t have to touch my lips with live coals to convince me I needed to get serious about serving him, he did use a series of disappointments to get me pointed in the right direction.

Through the payment Jesus made on Calvary’s cross, God demonstrated how serious he was about humanity’s salvation. He wasn’t under obligation to deliver us from our sins, but he didn’t want us to be a lost cause. Christ went all the way for us, and we should do no less for him.

Getting serious about serving God is a decision we can make through an act of our free will. God desires this decision and gives everyone the power to make it. 

Decide today to be serious about serving God.

Father, focus my heart, mind, and will on serving you to the best of my ability. 

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.

When God Gives Extra Time - Martin Wiles

So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Joshua 10:13 NLT

What could I do with an extra day or on other occasions when God gives extra time? 

Almost every four years, February gets an extra day. More than two thousand years ago, Roman general Julius Caesar introduced Leap Years into the Roman world, which at that time used the Julian calendar. Every year that was divisible by four was classified a Leap Year. This practice produced too many Leap Years but wasn’t corrected until the introduction of the Gregorian calendar.

Leap Years are necessary to sync the Gregorian calendar with the earth’s revolutions around the sun. The earth requires 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to make one revolution. Since the Gregorian calendar year only has 365 days, failing to add one day every four years would mean losing six hours annually and a total of 24 days over 100 years.

Joshua needed extra time, too. Daylight was waning, and he hadn’t finished defeating God’s enemies. He decided to pray and ask God for more time. God answered by allowing the sun to stand still.

I’ve often wished for more than an extra day. A few more hours in every day would do nicely.

Joshua’s reason for needing extra time was admirable; mine doesn’t always fall into the same category. I suppose when God gives extra time I need to reflect on why I have it. Is it because I’m lazy? Are there things I should do? Does God have plans I’m not following? Does he want me to rest?

Of course, the opposite may also be true. God might withhold extra time because I’m not using his allotted time judiciously. Jesus tells several parables demonstrating the necessity of using wisely what God gives along with warning about what can happen when I don’t.

Leap Year gives us an extra day for meditation—and perhaps action. A day that won’t surface for another four years. A day to meditate on some crucial questions: “What have I done with Jesus?” and “What am I doing for him?” A day to contemplate his goodness in spite of our badness as well as his undeserved unconditional love and forgiveness even when we don’t meet his expectations.

Leap Year re-aligns the calendar with the earth’s rotation, preventing the loss of time. Taking advantage of the extra time God gives can re-align priorities, decisions, relationships, and life in general.

Let God reveal extra time in your calendar and how he wants you to use it.

Father, enable me to always use the time you give wisely. 

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.

Stopping for a Recharge - Martin Wiles

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. Mark 6:31 NLT

After two hours, she heads for her docking station to recharge.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 put millions out of work. The government issued stimulus checks to individuals and families to stimulate the economy. Yes, they wanted us to use the money to help pay our bills, but they also hoped we’d spend some for unnecessary things to jump-start the economy.

And my wife had an idea about how we could use some of ours to contribute. She had had her eye on a robotic vacuum cleaner before COVID hit. Not the one that costs $500, but a cheaper version sold by America’s favorite retailer. I had ignored her hints for months, but now, since we had extra money—and since Mother’s Day happened to come along simultaneously—I gave her the okay to order one.

Having both grown up when The Jetsons’ was a popular kids’ show, we decided to name our new addition Rosie—after the household robot the Jetsons owned. My wife loves Rosie. I suppose because my wife is the one who does the sweeping and vacuuming. I, on the other hand, tolerate her. She’s a little noisy, and she always seems to be cleaning in the exact spot where I need to walk.

Not being the most expensive kind of robot. Rosie can’t map out our house, so she plunders around from room to room until her battery drains. When I hear her noise level lower, I know she’ll soon be heading for her recharging dock. I must admit, I’m amazed she knows when she needs a recharge—when things are about to stop working if she doesn’t do something. Like a heat-guided missile, she aims for the recharge station, where she stays until we press the “clean” button again.

What builders have programmed Rosie to know, Jesus also knew: we need time to relax. Crowds regularly thronged Jesus and His disciples. So much so that they didn’t even have time to eat on this one occasion. Jesus invited them to join Him in leaving the crowds—and the work—so they could rest. In His earthly body, even Jesus needed downtime.

God demonstrated the need for rest at the beginning of time by resting for a day after He had created. God, of course, is God and didn’t need physical rest. Instead, He gave an example. Later, when issuing the commands to Moses, God designated one day as the Sabbath and instructed the listeners to rest and worship on that day. After Jesus’ resurrection, early believers changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. But the day is not as important as the ideas behind it. We need downtime, and we need worship time.

God did not create our bodies with the capacity to run continuously without rest, which includes more than getting adequate sleep. Jesus and His disciples may have slept during their rest time—perhaps they even took a power nap—but they more likely just relaxed.

My grandmother once warned me I was burning the candle at both ends and setting myself up for trouble. She was right. Not long afterward, I contracted a bleeding ulcer. A week in the hospital gave me time to rest and reflect.

Without proper rest—including sleep and downtime—our bodies break down, and things go haywire. We can also become legalistic about the one-day worship thing and forget that our worship can occur anywhere, but should occur daily.

God has work for us, and taking care of our bodies properly allows us to do His work and do it for a longer period than we could if we didn’t nurture our bodies. Our world is a busy place. To get the proper rest requires following Jesus’ example. He determined to rest, planned to incorporate it into His schedule, and then did it. He didn’t let the crowds—or their needs—stop Him. He knew the benefits of rest would far outweigh what the crowds perceived as urgent needs. Rest would allow Him and His disciples to do more later, and for a longer period.

God didn’t create our bodies to run continuously. Plan to incorporate rest into your daily schedule.

Father, guide me to those times when I can rest and reflect on my priorities and my relationship with You. 

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.

A Family Tradition - Martin Wiles

Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you! Acts 7:51 NLT

My family had many traditions. One was at Christmas. Mom either cooked a meal or prepared finger foods. When we all finished eating, we circled chairs among the furniture in the living room, and everyone sat. The younger members of the family busied themselves, passing out gifts. After the last gift was distributed, we selected someone to begin. They retrieved a gift, told whom it was from, opened it, and showed everyone what it was. Then, this same action was repeated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Our family has grown and changed. Some members are no longer with us because of divorce or death. Though the gathering is smaller, we continue the tradition, although in a modified form. For me, this tradition builds up our family. Since it is a slow process, it gives us time to tell stories and reflect on memories—especially when Mom takes ten minutes to open a present.

But not all traditions are healthy. Steven was a servant leader in the early church. When arrested for preaching about a resurrected Jesus, whom he claimed was God’s Messiah, he addressed the high council and gave them a history lesson. What brought down their wrath and resulted in his death was his accusation that they were repeating the traditional unbelief of their ancestors. Both had and were resisting God’s Spirit, who was pressing them to believe.

We had other traditions in my immediate home, along with the above Christmas tradition. Dad thought reading the Bible was important. We had family devotions, and I saw him and Mom read their Bibles daily as well, even down to the boring genealogical tables. My parents also thought praying was a good tradition. We boys were taught to pray before meals and before we went to bed. Talking to God was imperative. And even if Dad had not been a pastor, he and Mom would have made us attend church regularly and often. Any time the doors were open, we had to be there.

We should pass traditions that draw us closer to God down to our families but discard the ones that hinder the process.

Consider what family traditions you are establishing and passing along.

Father, guide me to godly traditions I can pass down through the generations. 

Tweetable: What family traditions are you establishing? 

I invite you to try my newest book, Mastering English Grammar Basics, in eBook or paperback. If you are an editor who wants to hone your grammar skills or someone who just wants to improve your writing or speaking, this is the book 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.