Monthly Archives: November 2011

Not of this World

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Sometimes as Christians we get too caught up in the stuff of this world.

Now, I’m not just talking about silly stuff that takes up too much of our time (i.e., trying to figure out who Ole Miss’ next coach is going to be), but stuff that is really important. I’m talking about the big things. Stuff that really does matter.

Politics. Money. Our job. The economy. The future. These things are all really important. These things really do matter. These things should concern us.

It’s easy to let all of our time, our efforts, our energy get devoted to these things. It happens to us all. But today, listen to what Jesus says in John 18:36-37.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

First, He is a King. Our best friend, our savior, He is a king. The very one who hears our prayers, who walks with us daily, who advocates to the Father on behalf; He is a King. That should give us confidence and security.

But, His kingdom is not of this world.

And for us as His followers, the subjects in His kingdom, this world is not our home. As much as we love it here. As great as it is. As much joy as it might give us as times. This world is not our home.

We have a better home. We have a better place. We have a place of true life awaiting us. Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world. And those that know the truth listen to His voice.

Today, listen to His voice. Calling you deeper. Calling you to Him. Calling you past the things that take up all your time and energy and give you such stress. These things that you think offer you true life; but don’t. The things of this world, both good and bad.

Listen to Him. Listen to His voice. Live in your true home.

And today, as Christians, our job is to make this world as much like our true home, as possible. So, we work for good. We love. We serve. We give. We encourage. We forgive. We want to make this earth as much like heaven as possible.

As we pray, Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven. May we work for this today.

But may we remember, that as great as this life is, this world is not our true home. Today, may we live with eternity in our eye.

It All Comes Down to Jesus

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What matters in life? What matters in faith? What is the most important thing that we can talk about deal, with with, focus on?

For each of us, we have different answers. It may be family. It may be work. It may be million different things.

For some it may be something like politics. It may be something like hobbies or sports teams. It may be something like church denominations or theologies. It could be a number of things for us.

And these things are important to us. But, they are not what is most important. They are not what what matter the most most. What matters the most? What is most important?

Jesus.

Listen to what Pauls says today in Colossians 1:15-20:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For byt him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

This is what Paul tells us today. Jesus is all that matters. He is the visible image of the invisible God. So, in other words, to see God look at Jesus.

Do you want to really know who God is? Look at Jesus. He shows the heart of God. He reveals who God is.

In Him we see God’s mercy. God’s love. God’s grace. God’s heart. We see the desire of God for all to know Him, and to feel their worth. Through Jesus, we know that no matter what has happened in our lives, God really does love us!

Jesus holds all creation together. Everything was made through Him. All things hold together through Him. He is the head of the church. And through Him God is reconciling all things to Himself.

It all comes down to Jesus. Everything. In life. In faith. In church. In family. In everything. He is what matters the most. He defines it all. He is life.

He is life. Not anything else that we may try to hang our hat on. Jesus.

Today, is He your everything? Does everything come back to Him? Is He your life, your light, your source, your strength?

He is where life is found. In Him and through Him. Today, may He be the foundation of our lives and of all that matters in our lives.

It all comes down to Jesus. Today, may we make Him, and nothing else, the center of lives.

Another Church Word

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We see John the Baptist enter the scene today in scripture with a simple, but profound message.  Listen to what John says in Matthew 3:1-3:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'”

John says this – repent.  Repent, or repentance, is something that I call a “church word.” It’s a word that we use in church and we Christians can say at lot, but we don’t really know what it means.

It’s just a word that we hear used, or we used, or we say when we want to sound Christian. We hear preachers say it, we talk about, but sometimes we really aren’t sure what it even means.

So, today, John says repent. What does He mean by that? Repentance is a turning away from you sin.

It’s not just feeling bad about sin. That’s conviction. The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and cause us to realize that there are things in our lives, sins we are committing that we need to stop. That’s conviction.

Repentance is turning from these sins. It’s stopping, and walking away. Fleeing. Doing a 180. Going the other way. Getting out of dodge. Whatever phrase you want to you use.

That’s what it means to repent. And that is what God wants for us today. There are sins, things we are doing, that are causing us great harm and pain, and causing great harm and pain to those that we love.

That’s not God’s will and plan for us. That’s not what He wants. And today, He us to, and He will help us to, turn from those things. He will give us strength. He will give us courage. He will help us.

Repentance leads to life. Which is God’s plan for us. Life.

Today, what are the ares you need to turn away from? What are the areas that you need to give fully to Him. Today, John talks about repenting. Today, and each day, may we turn away from the things that cause us harm.

Getting Ready: Waiting Podcast

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The sermon podcast for Sunday, November 27, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website.  This is the first sermon in our Advent 2011 worship series “Getting Ready.”  In this series, we talk about the things that we have to “get ready” for with Christmas.  The things we prepare for. In this sermon we talked about getting ready for His birth, and the waiting that was required in that. And God has us wait still, today.   The text for this sermon is Galatians 4:1-7.  Also by clicking on these verses you can see my notes from the sermon as a note in the YouVersion online Bible.   You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking the link below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

CLICK HERE

Getting Ready: Waiting

Being Thankful: God Wins Podcast

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The sermon podcast for Sunday, November 20, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website.  This is third and last sermon in our series “Being Thankful.”  Of all the many things we have to be thankful for, we talk about one of the greatest things – God Wins. And through God, we can win and be redeemed as well.  The text for this sermon is Revelation 21:1-7 and 22:1-5.   Also by clicking on these verses you can see my notes from the sermon as a note in the YouVersion online Bible.   You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking the link below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

CLICK HERE

Being Thankful: God Wins

Closer than You Know

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Jesus Christ walks with us through every day of life. Every day. There’s not a day that passes that He is not part of. He never leaves our side, in the good and in the bad. He is our closest friend, and closest companion.

Listen to what Paul says today in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

In this passage today, Paul says something – that Jesus Christ Himself, and God the Father, they will give us comfort, hope and through grace.

By the way, anytime you hear the word grace, think Holy Spirit. Why? Because we receive grace through the Holy Spirit. So today, we have the comfort and hope of the Father and the Son through the presence of the Spirit.

In other words, today, no matter where you are in your life; God is wrapping you in His arms. He is embracing you. He is pulling you to Himself. He is walking with you, He has never left you, He is with you, He love you.

Today, feel Him embrace you. Support you. Love you. Carry you. When you think it’s tough and troubled, stop. Breathe. And look for God’s presence. It’s there.

Even if you don’t see it at first. God is closer than you know. He is with you. May you know His power and presence today.

The Chief End of Man

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Paul today reminds us what we were made for by God. We were not created for destruction. God did not make us to condemn us. We were made for salvation, made for relationship with Him.

As the statement is said, What is the chief end of man? To know God and to enjoy Him forever. That is what you

were made for. That is what I was made for. That is what each of us is made for.

To know God. And to enjoy Him now upon the earth to to enjoy Him forever in eternity. That’s our purpose in being created.

Listen to what Paul writes today in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11:

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Now Paul reminds of two very important things this morning. First, that we receive this purpose and this benefit not through our own worth, but through all that God has done for us.

First, He created us in His image. Second, Jesus died (and rose again) for our salvation. The joy of knowing and walking with God is not because of anything we have done, it is all because of what He has done.

Jesus Christ purchased our salvation today.

 

That should encourage us. That should make us happy. That should fill us with joy and peace and life and just make our lives complete.

And that should then help us encourage each other. If God made me for that, He made you for that as well. And part of the reason why I am here today is to encourage you. If I’ve been saved and know His grace, part of my job isto encourage others. Help them to know that grace. That love. That mercy. That joy. Help them to know that God loves them.

So, today, you are commanded to be an encouragement to others. Who will you encourage? Who will you be an encouragement to? You’re created to know God and love Him.

Does that encourage you?

Will you use that joy you feel know to encourage others? That’s what we are here for. May we be faithful.

When I Hate

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Today, instead of my normal devotional thought, I wanted to pass a long a devotional from the Upper Room. The Upper Room is a daily devotional guide that my home church used to get that I read my all my childhood. And now you can get the daily devotional emailed to you each morning.  These daily thoughts are written by folks from all over the world.  You can learn more about the Upper Room by visiting their website.

Here’s is today’s devotional.  Hope it touches you like it touched me.

Whoever hates another believer . . . walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

– 1 John 2:11 (NRSV)

Today’s Devotional

While praying about abuse in my childhood, I felt intense hatred for those who had hurt me. Then I felt guilt–believing that as a Christian I’m not supposed to hate. Later when I came across the above passage from 1 John, I became even more convinced that if I hate, I’m walking in darkness.

In time I came to understand this differently. The feeling of hatred is neutral, as all feelings are. And feeling hatred as the memories of past abuse surfaced is natural. It’s what I do with those feelings that matters. Do I dwell on the hatred? Do I hold a grudge or grow bitter? All I wanted in my heart was to be like Christ. I realized then that if I didn’t ask God to help me let go of the memories of abuse and forgive those who had hurt me, I would be walking in darkness.

I struggled a long time with my feelings of hatred, rage, and bitterness before I could give them to the Lord. But eventually I realized that hating others hurt only me, not them. When I relinquished these feelings, God’s Spirit mended my soul and replaced my hatred with love for others.

Wanda Viola (California, USA)

Something Better

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This passage of scripture that is in our reading today was one of the first ones that I really spent any time reading when I first got serious about my faith. It was one of the ones that really sort of stuck with me. I really spent time chewing on this and thinking about.

It’s Matthew 25:1-13.  Listen to what it says:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

It talks about the fact that our Lord will return one day, at an hour that no one expects Him. When we think about this passage, and others that talk about His return, we tend to focus on one question.

When? When is it? It’s soon right? When?

A lot of folks spent a lot of time talking about when He’s coming back. Lots of mental energy is spent trying to unlock these mysteries. That no one is going to unlock.

So because I’ve always felt that why, I’ve never focused on the fact that no one knows the hour or day, I focused on another part.

This world is not our home. As awesome as this life is, and I love this life, this world is not our home. We were created for something bigger, something better.

We were created for eternity with God. We were made to fully know Him, as He has fully known us. We were made for the beauty of full relationship and communion with God.

So, if your life is just about as perfect as it can be, know this. There is something better. As good as it can be here, there is something better.

Don’t make this world your home. Don’t get too comfortable. Don’t forget that we are just pilgrims passing through. This world is not our home.

And if life is bad. If it is hard. If it is tough. Remember. It is going to get better. Our Lord suffered. And our Lord showed the way to true life. It is going to get better. There is something better.

Live today to the fullest. Be faithful. Love. Serve. Laugh. Share. Give witness to God and His grace. And know that as amazing as it can all be around here, there is something better.

Let’s never forget that.

Being Thankful: We Don’t Get What We Deserve Podcast

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The sermon podcast for Sunday, November 13, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website.  This is second sermon in our series “Being Thankful.”  We talk about in this message how we are thankful that we don’t get what we deserve.  The text for this sermon is Exodus 32:1-14  Also by clicking on these verses you can see my notes from the sermon as a note in the YouVersion online Bible.   You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking the link below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

CLICK HERE

We Don’t Get What We Deserve