I’ve always heard of God’s people referred to as sheep. That picture, in my mind, is not too bad, all things considered. To me that image conjures up visions of green pastures, still waters, and a gentle Shepherd, keeping watch over his flock.

But God also refers to us as mules. Sometimes, I think that’s a better analogy. I know some people like that and I’m sure some people may have thought of me as a crazy mule at times.

Don’t be like a balky mule! Don’t be stubborn when God speaks to you. Don’t continually fight and resist Him and His ways. Don’t keep running away from Him so that He can’t speak to you. Don’t force Him to lasso you before you’ll let Him draw near.

Why do we resist such a great and magnificent God who loves us so much? It makes no sense!

Foolish indeed is the person who considers himself safe and sound because he has money…..

And another reason it’s foolish to trust in riches for security is that money, in the final analysis, brings no lasting satisfaction,
certainly not in the area of things that really matter.
There are many things that no amount of money can buy. Think of it this way:

_ Money can buy medicine, but not health.
_ Money can buy a house,but not a home.
_ Money can buy companionship, but not friends.
_ Money can buy food,but not an appetite.
_ Money can buy a bed, but not sleep.
_ Money can buy the good life, but not eternal life.

It is God (alone) who is able to supply us “with all things to enjoy.” As Seneca, the Roman statesman once said: Money has never yet made anyone rich.”

Until next time,
Keep on singing!

Dr Wally Liles

Our Lord understands our limits. He realizes our struggles. He knows how much pressure we can take. He knows what measure of grace and mercy and strength we’ll require. He knows how we’re put together.

Frankly, His expectations are not nearly as unrealistic as ours. When we don’t live up to the agenda we have set, we feel like He is going to dump a truckload of judgement on us. But that will not happen. So why do we fear it could?

Until next time,
Keep on singing.

Dr. Wally Liles

I came across this poem a few days ago and I thought I should share it with you.

DON’T QUIT

“When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you”re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile,but you have to sigh,
When cares are pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must,but don’t you quit!

Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
and many a failure turns about,
When he might have won if he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,
It’s when things get worse that you must not quit!”

I don’t know who wrote this poem, but it seems very appropriate for many of us
as we negotiate the paths of our life.

So until next time,
Keep on singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for Your presence within us on this,another beautiful day when we can lift our eyes toward You in song and praise.

O God, in so many ways, through so many influences You reach out to us until we respond and have a relationship with you that is wonderful.

In this world where there is so much hurt, You have come, O God, to offer salvation from life’s aimlessness through Your son, Jesus Christ. How we thank You!

You adopt us into Your family.
You give us sanctified pride.
You give us exciting dreams.

We ask now that You lift our thoughts to higher levels, expand our faith, clarify our thinking and renew our strength.

In Jesus” name we pray,
Amen.

Until we meet again,
keep on singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

What is true prayer? Let me paint this picture to try to explain:
You are in a boat.
You approach the shore.
You throw the anchor out until it digs into the sand.
You take hold of the anchor rope and pull on it until your boat slides onto the sandy beach.

What have you done? You have not moved the shore to the boat. You have moved the boat to the shore.
The whole purpose of prayer is not to give you what you want when you want it; but to turn you into the kind of person
God wanted you to be when He put you on Planet Earth.

Until next time, keep on singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

So many lives are empty and without love. I’ve talked with many people with this problem and said to them, “But your father loves you and your mother loves you!” And they reply, “My parents had no choice, they had to love me, I was their child.”

When somebody comes to you who is not a blood relative and sees you and treats you like a beautiful jewel, precious and unique, then you suddenly realize, “I have been chosen to be loved!” It is not a chance , it’s a choice! And something happens at a profound level then and there. That experience with love begins to put the “wonderfulness” into life.

God wants you to know that you are beautiful. He will treat you as you are– a unique, unparalleled human being unlike anyone who has ever lived before. This is why Jesus came. He made you and He died for you on a cross. That means His love for you isn’t a chance. It’s a choice! It isn’t love unless you have the freedom to choose not to love. So repeat this phrase over and over, “I have been chosen to be loved!”

Until next time, keep on singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

The Bible says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of faith,and love and a sound mind.” God does not give us a spirit of doubt, anxiety or worry. God does not give us negative thoughts. Fear produces anxiety, anxiety produces insecurity and soon you have a negative cycle going. You have built a chain that binds you. That is bad!

But you have a choice! Chains or change? God is love and He wants to break the chain and bring a great change into your life. Someone once said, “Love is becoming aware of the highest possibilities in someone.” But who can love that way? Can you or I love that way? My opinion is that only God can love like that! He is love! Love is becoming aware of the highest possibilities in you. And you are set free in His love!

So, you can face the future with courage because you know that in Jesus you have true freedom! I’m thankful for freedom!

Until later, keep on singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

The center to the solution of every problem is finding what God wants you to do and then doing it. We must come to the point where we can say, “God I will not stew over my problems any more. But I will not grab at just any suggested solution to my problem simply because it seems like a way out of my situation. I will chew on those suggestions. And if I feel the solution is Your solution, I will do it.” It takes courage to pray such a prayer.
I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than attempt to do nothing and succeed!

Until next time… Keep on singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

As a christian, I believe that we are to help others. We are not called to make every-
one like we are, but we are called to help them see Christ in us and possibly teach
them about His life, grace, and salvation. We should take the time to listen to people
who need advice and comfort. Everybody needs a counselor at some time in their
lives.

Recently, I read a story about a minister that had decided to become a bartender.
(I don’t know if I would want to do something like that!) After years of college and
seminary, he went to school to learn how to mix drinks. Now, before you condemn
his actions, listen to his reasons. He had found that most people who have problems
don’t talk to ministers, psychiatrists, psychologists, or professional counselors. He
discovered that many people with hurts in their lives often try to escape through
drinking alcohol at the local bar. He decided that he’d have to get close to them, so
for three years he worked as a bartender. He became a good, decent influence upon
the lives of many people. He uplifted, guided, and taught the people who came to
him for advice….and he led many to Christ and the church.

Now, I probably won’t try to sing at the local bar, but if the invitation or opportunity
to sing in a secular or non-church setting arises, I will be there singing about His life,
death, and resurrection and the gift of eternal life. I will talk to the people who need
help and point them to the cross of Christ. By communicating to the listener through
song about the “Grand Old Story”, I might influence them to find and accept the
greatest “Song” in their heart, “The Song of the Redeemed.”

Until next time, keep on singing!
Dr. Wally Liles