Monthly Archives: March 2013

This Can Change Your Life

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There are some things, that when we know them, they change our lives. There are some things, that when the truth of them really hits home, it will change our life, our understanding, our view of ourselves, of others, of God, of well, everything.

Listen to what Paul says this morning in Romans 5:6-8:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

urlWhile we were weak. While we were ungodly. While we were sinners. At the right time. At that time. At that moment. Then.

Jesus died for us. Jesus died for you. Jesus died for me.

When you were at your most unlovable. God loved you the most.

Not because we were good. Not because we had unearned it. Not because we were good enough. Not because we were perfect. Not because of us.

Because of Him.

Like I like to say at Asbury, at your worst moment. At your biggest failure. At the time when you fell the hardest and the worst. At the time when you were most embarrassed, most ashamed, most unworthy of love, at that exact moment, Jesus died for you.

You are loved. You are forgiven. You are redeemed.

Think about that. Seriously. Think about that big failure. How it stings. How it hurts. How it leaves a mark. How it kills your soul. Your joy. You energy. Your passion.

That thing. That failure. That moment.

That’s what Jesus died for.

And you are forgiven. Of that thing. It’s gone. Forgotten. Forgiven. Forever.

Today, you can walk away from it. Leave it. You free and clear. You are forgiven of it today.

At just the right time, Jesus died for you. And for me. Not because we had earned it. In fact, because we hadn’t.

When you were at your most unlovable. God loved you the most. Never forget that.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Confidence

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self-confidence-300x300You can do it!

Whatever it is that you are facing today, you can do it. There is nothing facing you today that you can’t do. Nothing.

That statement is true. But, let me tell you why that statement is true. Let me tell you why today you can have such confidence.

Listen to what it says in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6:

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

We have confidence today through Christ, toward’s God. Through Christ, we have been restored into right relationship with God. Through the work of Jesus Christ, we are made right with God.

Paul reminds us that we aren’t able to, in ourselves, have this confidence. In ourselves, we would find ourselves lacking. In ourselves and in our own strength, we won’t be able to do it. In ourselves in our own ability, we can’t do it, can’t be good enough, can’t be strong enough, just can’t do it.

But, through the life, death, and resurrection, through the grace of Jesus Christ, we can. We can have confidence. Through Him, we can do it. Through Him, it will all be ok. Through Him, we can know life. Peace. Hope. Joy. Victory.

Through Him.

Today, have confidence. But, know where the confidence comes from. Through Jesus. Through Him, we are restored and through Him we live.

Today, may we live fully, boldly, and with confidence. All through Jesus.

Today, you can do it!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Don’t Settle

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urlIn life, we can take the easy option and settle for good, but not great. It’s very easy to do, and something that each of us in life will be tempted to do. Settle for the good, but not great.

Settle for good enough.

Settle for nice.

Don’t settle. Don’t miss what matters. Don’t miss what really counts.

What does all this mean, and have to do with the Bible? Listen to what Isaiah says today in 55:1-3:

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Why do you spend our money on that which is not bread? Why do you labor for that which does not satisfy?

What is bread? What satisfies? The life that is found in God. The life found in Christ. The life that is found by walking faithfully with God.

Don’t settle for less that than. That’s the good stuff. That’s what counts. That’s what lasts and what is truly life-giving.

The other things? Nope. They are not truly life-giving. They may look fun for a while. But they will leave us feeling empty in the end. Or not completed. Or lacking.

Don’t settle for them. Don’t settle for the stuff of this world. Find the good stuff. The life found in God. The life that truly counts.

Today, don’t settle. Today, find that truly life, which is found only in God!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

A Holy Place

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Today is a holy day.

You are standing in holy place. This is a sacred moment. You are, right now, at a moment, in a place, in a space, that is holy.

How can this be so? You may be reading this on your phone at work. You may be reading this at your home. You may be reading this in a place that you may not consider “holy.”

How can this place be holy? This is just a place. It’s not church. It’s not a place of significance. It’s just a place.

Nope.

It’s holy. Why? Because God is here. If God is here, then any place is holy. No matter where it is.

Look at what happens to Moses today in Exodus 3:2-6:

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

urlThere he is, tending his sheep, minding his business. And he sees it. He sees a bush burning, but it is not consumed. He sees that something is happening. Something is different. Something is not as it should be.

So he goes to look. And what does he find? He finds the Lord. He finds that the Lord is there, that He is calling him, and that God has a mission for him.

God is there. So, since God is there, this place is holy. Even through it’s not church. Even through its plain. Even through there is nothing “holy” there, this place is holy.

Because God is there.

So is this moment in your life. So is this place where you are reading. So is this time. It’s holy. Why? Because God is here. Because God is with you. Because God will not forsake you.

This is a holy place. God is here. God is present. God is with you. God has not forgotten or forsaken. God is with you.

And will be. Through the Holy Spirit that lives in you and through you, as believer, God is present and with you. Never forget. Today, this moment, it holy.

Every moment, it is Holy.

God is here. That’s all that matters!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Home

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urlWhere is home for you? That question may evoke a lot of different emotions for us. I’m not talking about where do you live. I’m talking about, where is home for you?

Home is the place where we belong. It is the place where we are at rest, at peace, where we find ourselves, find our purpose, find our calling, find “us.” A place where we are complete, kick off our shoes, a place where we are safe.

For some of us, home may be the place that we grew up.

For some of us, home may be where we live right now.

For some of us, we may feel like we are still looking for home.

We each, we need a home. Not just a place to live. But a place where we are home and at peace.

Listen to what Psalm 84: 2-4 says today:

My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!

The verse that jumped out to me today when I was reading was verse 3, even a sparrow finds a home at God’s altars.

Even a small, insignificant sparrow (by the way, the reason scripture talks about sparrows and “worthy” so often is that sparrows where not considered important birds) has a home at God’s altar. Even the sparrow can make its nest there. Even the sparrow has a home there.

That’s home. That’s where we are complete. That’s where we are safe and at rest. That’s were we find our safety and our purpose.

In God.

Not in the world. Not in fame. Not in power. Not in stuff. In God.

Today, you have a home. A place of rest. Safety. Purpose.

You have a home. In God. May we make our home in God today. May we find our rest in Him today. And in that, may we find our lives today.

Today, may we be home in God and His life. Today, let’s come home.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.