Wayne Stiles's Blog, page 39
November 20, 2017
2 Ways to Find Balance in the Christian Life
Only when we know what to say yes to can we say no everything else.
One of our greatest challenges is finding balance in the Christian life. Think of a person on a tightrope. There’s never a point where they just stroll across effortlessly. Balance requires continual effort.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
Have you ever noticed that somehow Jesus balanced it all? The demands of His work and ministry left Him exhausted at times, of course—yet somehow He found time to get it all done.
Jesus perfec...
November 15, 2017
What to Do When God Fails Your Expectations
Jesus' words to John the Baptist at Machaerus are God's words to us.
We don’t say it out loud, but often we expect that if we believe and live correctly, we’ll have great marriages, healthy bank balances, well-balanced children, and freedom from major problems.
(Photo: Machaerus is where John the Baptist was imprisoned. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Of course, we know better—but we still lean on the side of expecting blessing for obedience.
The truth is, we have expectatio...
November 13, 2017
Cities of Refuge – Where to Run When You’ve Done Nothing Wrong
God still provides sanctuary when others misunderstand you.
You did nothing wrong. Still, those with influence and a voice have chased you out with accusations as agonizing as they were outrageous. You needed a place of refuge to run.
(Photo: Shechem, one of the Cities of Refuge. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
In ancient Israel, Cities of Refuge gave the innocent person a place of sanctuary so that those who presumed him guilty couldn’t harm him before the facts came to lig...
November 8, 2017
How Your Patience Can Protect You Like a Wall
The crumbling walls of Lachish illustrate a proverb you can apply today.
Sometimes piles of rocks speak great truths for our lives. I caught a fresh reminder of this as Cathy and I just returned from several weeks in Israel. The fallen walls of Tel Lachish tapped me on the shoulder.
If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.At Tel Lachish, I stood atop the ruins where the Assyrians laid siege to this fortified city during the reign of Hezekiah. The crumbling wa...
November 5, 2017
Kursi – How to Choose between People, Pigs, and Priorities
Why is it sometimes we regret the wrong things?
Sometimes in the swell of our emotions, we make promises we don’t mean. On one occasion, two individuals approached Jesus and declared they would follow Him wherever He went.
(Photo: The steep slope at Kursi beside the Sea of Galilee. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
But Jesus’ response to them indicated that their hearts were more devoted to comfort and to family than to Him (Matt. 8:19-22). It happened in Jesus’ day, and it h...
October 30, 2017
How to Understand God’s Plan for You in a World of Confusion
No need to miss the opportunity God has given you today.
Tough circumstances of life always change our minds about God. They either tempt us to doubt what He’s promised, or they draw us closer to Him in faith. But we never stay the same.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
God’s plan for your life is revealed and tested in times of struggle.
If you’re struggling today, don’t miss the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of God’s plan for you.
Better still, get my...
October 29, 2017
Why Facing the Facts Begins with Faith
Hezekiah shows you how your faith has more facts behind it than you think.
Today you will be told to face the facts. Usually, that means bad news. You don’t have the money. The doctor’s report looks grim. Time is running out on your biological clock. Facing the facts is hard.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
But think about it: facing the facts isn’t our problem. It’s that we fail to face all of the facts.
God has facts to factor into our thinking as well.
Better stil...
October 24, 2017
The Critical Question We Ought to Ask When Hurting
And why asking "why" never goes far enough.
When something or someone hurts your feelings, where do you run? The book of Psalms repeatedly asks God where He is in the midst of our pain. After all, we’d really love it if God would stop the hurting since He can.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
Amazingly however, the book of Job never answers the questions: “Where is God in my pain?” nor “Why does God allow such struggle in our lives?” Even Job himself received no answers to these questions—only el...
October 22, 2017
A Balm in Gilead—Your Solution is Nearer than You Imagine
Why suffer when the remedy is just over the river?
Have you ever missed seeing something only to discover it lay in front of you the whole time? Misplaced car keys are one thing. But ignoring help from God is something else.
(Photo: The hills of Gilead. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Few things seem more tragic than for someone to suffer when the remedy stood near all along. Why suffer when the remedy lies just over the river?
The Prophet Jeremiah asked similar rhetorical q...
October 17, 2017
3 Promises of God to Help Your Fear of Change
Would you be willing to follow God if you knew you couldn't fail?
Let me guess. You sit in the same spot in church each week. You drive the same route to work. You eat the same things for breakfast. And you pray the same way at meals. Right? Me too.
(Photo by Photodune)
As creatures of habit, we like the efficiency and security of rituals. But when our routine gets changed by someone or something, we get miffed. Here’s why:
The only change we welcome is the change we expect. Like the season...
