Surmounting the Insurmountable - Martin Wiles

The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” John 2:3 NLT

Surmounting the insurmountable can frustrate us.

Problems appeared insurmountable when I was a child—but solutions easily attainable. As tears streamed down my cheek, I offered my broken sucker to Mom. “Fix it,” was all I could manage to say. And she did. Opening the canister on the counter, she replaced my broken sucker with one that had no cracks.

If I accidentally broke a piece off one of my Matchbox cars, I took it to Dad. With a bit of super glue, he could make it as good as new.

I did the same for my grandsons. Whenever they said, “Broke Pop,” I fixed it. In their eyes, Pop could fix anything.

Of course, as I got older, the problems became more severe and not as easily solved. They won’t be with my grandchildren either.

Jesus’ mother came to him with a serious problem. Wedding celebrations were magnificent occasions. Running out of wine was a major faux pa. Perhaps Mary helped with the wedding. She knew her son possessed the power to fix broken situations. Initially, it didn’t appear he was interested in helping, but in the end, he did.

My wine has run out quite a few times since I was a child. The older I was, the larger the lack of wine appeared. No longer was it a broken sucker. It entailed a broken heart. Glue may have put the car back together, but it couldn’t seal my poor decisions. When the wine ran out, it was easy to substitute its absence with loneliness, depression, or unhealthy habits.

Mary’s solution was more appropriate, and it’s one I’m learning to replace my less-than-perfect ones with. She took the issue to the one who had unlimited power. The one who could intervene and truly fix something—not just patch it. And he did by turning several stone pots of hand-washing water into the best wine available. Amazing what Jesus can do with empty glasses when we get out of the way and let him accomplish his purpose and plan.

Don’t settle for lesser solutions when the wine runs out and the problems seem insurmountable. Instead, let God provide the best answers to your dilemmas.

What are some steps you can take when the problems seem insurmountable?

Prayer: Father, I thank you for refilling my glass when the wine runs out. 

Tweetable: What do you do when the odds appear insurmountable? 

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Meandering Monday - Greater Than… - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday, where we take a trip back to an earlier post and enjoy it again.

This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. Hebrews 1:4 NLT

Far back in my educational journey, I learned the symbols > and < meant greater than and less than.

Knowing that in itself meant nothing, but using them to compare numbers made a little more sense. If my income was greater than my outgo, I discovered myself in the red. If my grocery bill grew greater than the amount in my checking account, I would have to put something back. If my rent payment was greater than what I had left over after paying all my other bills, I might eventually be evicted. Practical stuff.

In many of the early churches, false teachers taught God could only be approached through angels. Some even thought Jesus was God’s highest angel. Angels shouldn’t be worshiped nor is Jesus one of them. He is greater than angels and also some other things I tackle.

Jesus is greater than all our fears as well as the things or people that arouse them. God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Greater is he that lives in us than anything the world can hurl our way.

Jesus is greater than all our anxieties. Numerous things can cause us to be anxious or to worry. Rather than do that, we can present our anxieties to God and experience peace beyond our comprehension (Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus said we shouldn’t worry because he is in control of all our tomorrows (Matthew 6:34).

Jesus is greater than any problem we will face. We must trust in him with all our hearts and not depend on our understanding. When we do, he will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Jesus is also greater than any temptation we confront. He’s promised not to allow them to become so intense that we can’t endure and conquer them with his help. A way of escape always exists (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Have you discovered that God is greater than anything you might meet?

Prayer: God of power and God of grace, we humbly trust our fear, worries, anxieties, problems, and temptations to You. 

Tweetable: Is God greater than what you are facing? 

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Meandering Monday - Running from Problems - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday, where we take a trip back to an earlier post and enjoy it again.

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life…There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. I Kings 19:3, 9 NLT

Jack was a runner…but not for exercise.

Jack ran from problems—or more accurately addictions. Nor were his addictions chemical. They were sexual. Though he was a happily married man, he had a habit of having affairs. His first was during his military career and with his best friend’s wife. His wife forgave him, but they changed locations by moving across the country. Moving didn’t solve his dilemma. Before long, he had suckered another innocent married woman into his deceptive web. When his wife discovered this affair, they moved back across the country.

Elijah was also a runner. When the wicked queen placed a death threat on his head for killing some of her pagan prophets, he ran for his life. His final destination was a cave. Here, God brought him face to face with his problems: unfounded fear and lack of trust.

Running from problems never leaves them behind; it just puts us in a different location. A better option is examining and admitting why I’m in the predicament. Like Elijah, I have to answer the question, “Why are you here?” Is it fear, lack of trust, a rebellious spirit, or unconfessed and willful sin?

Until I admit my problem, I’ll remain in the cave. Rather than running from my problems, I should run to them by facing them and securing the help I need. The help may come in the form of confession, a Christian counselor, or an accountability partner.

Instead of facing his problem, Elijah threw a pity party. He thought he was the only one left following God when there were actually thousands more. Wallowing in self-pity or seeking sympathy from others won’t cure our problems. God gave Elijah a few tasks to complete that would take his eyes off himself and focus them on others. In the end, his running ceased when he began depending on God for success.

Are you running from your problems or running to God for help?

Prayer: Eternal and all-powerful God, remind us You are larger than any problem we may face. 

Tweetable: Are you running from your problems? 

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Aha Moments - Martin Wiles

God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. Genesis 45:7 NLT

I’ve tripped over it and almost hanged myself with it.

For three years, the cord in my classroom which runs from the projector to my computer has hung from an odd place in the ceiling. The first year, I dealt with it the best I could. I even put in a work order to have it repositioned, but somehow maintenance never got around to moving it.

One morning as I prepared for the day, a revelation hit. Why not lift the ceiling tile and pull the cord forward so it hangs down over my desk? I wouldn’t trip over it, nor would any students. Neither would I hang myself.

My solution took one minute to accomplish and was an aha moment I wondered why I hadn’t had before. Three years of misery solved in less than a minute.

Joseph had an aha moment as well. His brothers hated him and sold him to a band of wandering Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt and sold him again. For more than thirty years, he served as a servant and found himself in and out of prison. His father thought a wild animal had killed him, his brothers hated him, his master’s wife lusted after him, and his master believed a lie and threw him into prison.

In God’s time, Joseph was elevated to the second-highest position in the land to handle the effects of a severe famine. Among those who appeared before him wanting food were his brothers. After taunting them for a bit, he revealed who he was and told them God had sent him ahead to save them and the rest of his family. Joseph didn’t know God’s plan at the beginning, but somewhere along the line, he had an aha moment.

Aha moments are those instances when a solution to a dilemma suddenly becomes evident. We may think our education or common sense has led us to the answer, but as a believer, we should have a different perspective. God authors the wisdom we need to confront the problems when they come. We receive His wisdom through prayer and Bible study.

But the wisdom isn’t enough. We need courage. God’s solutions are rarely what ours would be had we thought of them ourselves. Faith leads us to trust God’s answers to our problems.

When problems come, go to God for your aha moment.

Tweetable: Are problems weighing you down?

Prayer: Father, help us see problems before they arrive. Then give us wisdom to know how to respond and the faith to do so.

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When Problems Pile Up - Martin Wiles

For I hold you by your right hand—I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” Isaiah 41:13 NLT

The news was bad . . . again.

For a large part of my working career, I’ve pastored churches. Because the Internal Revenue Service labels pastors as self-employed for Social Security purposes, I’ve had to pay the full Social Security tax percentage. Which means my taxes are higher, and I have to send in quarterly estimated taxes.

Whether I fill out the return or pay a professional to do it, the taxes I send in are never enough. I watched my mom and dad and other pastor friends struggle with this same dilemma. Every year, my wife—when she finishes with the returns—says, “Well, we owe…” Never, “Guess what, we’re getting back a refund.” 

This particular year not only did my wife give me the bad news about how much we owed the IRS, but she also sent me a picture of a letter from our leasing agency. Our rent would increase ten dollars a month (We’re already paying an outrageous amount.). 

This was after I had to tell my second employer to take one hundred more dollars in taxes from my check each month so I wouldn’t owe taxes again next year. On an already tight budget, we’d have to learn to do without more than a hundred dollars.

When the problems pile up—and I’m tempted to complain or get down in the dumps—I remember this and other verses. 

My understanding of God sees Him as sending or allowing my life’s challenges. With this perspective, nothing spins out of control for me. Since I believe He is a loving God, I hold to the fact that He’s with me, involved in my problems, and moving them to an end that will benefit me and glorify His name. This lessens the problems’ impact and strengthens my emotional fortitude.

God also sends His Spirit to indwell me. So as I face my problems, I don’t do so alone. Greater is He who resides in me than he who temporarily rules the world. With God in my corner, I'm assured of victory. The problem will resolve itself, one way or another. And if I respond correctly, my faith and trust in God will grow and a little more spiritual maturity will result. 

Don’t let problems overwhelm you. The God who lives in you is greater than anything you face.

Tweetable: What's your plan of action when problems pile up?

Prayer: Father, when problems pile up, remind us You’re in control. 

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

Treading on Problems

They had witnessed a miracle they didn’t understand; now they were about to observe another they wouldn’t comprehend.

What do you do with thousands of hungry people who come to hear your boss speak? Especially when you forgot to have a meal catered? And when you know some of them have ulterior motives for being there? You ask his advice, do what he says, and leave the rest to him. Which is what the disciples did. Read more...

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