Monthly Archives: April 2014

The Glory of God

Posted on by

0

One of the things that Paul talks about a good bit in his writings is that whatever is behind us is not as great as what is to come.  All the stuff of the past, it doesn’t hold a candle to the stuff that is to come.  And we often think of that as negative.  The past is done. The future is great.  God will take away the past mistakes, the past failings, the past stuff, and give us amazing, full, life.

That’s how I think about it, a lot. But listen to something that Paul writes today in 2 Corinthians 3:9-10:

For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.

glory-sunshine-from-the-edge_1152x864_71915He’s talking about the old law, how the people used to have live, what they ate, how they washed, all the stuff that they had to do under the old covenant. And Paul says what had glory before, now has no glory. Because of this glory that surpasses it all.

What is this glory that surpasses it all?

Grace.  The love of God that sweeps us off our feet, the love of God that restores us.  The love of God that forgives us.  The love of God that makes us new.

Yeah, the past as good as it may have been, it really doesn’t compare to the future.  Even the best of the best, the things that were the greatest, the things with the most glory and most purpose, they are not what really matters or counts.

What does?  The glory of God that comes through grace.  The glory of God that comes through relationship.  The glory of God that comes through His life.  The glory of God.

Today, no matter how great the past was, the glory of God is better.  No matter how dark the past was, the glory of God redeems.  No matter how unworthy you may feel, the glory of God restores.  Today, may matter how drift less you may feel, the glory of God gives purpose.

This glory, it is the anchor for our life.  You were made for 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.

 

Freedom

Posted on by

1

Freedom is an interesting thing.  In Jesus, today, we are free.  We are free from the past, we are free from our sins, and we are free from having to earn our salvation.  Through grace, through the love of Jesus Christ, we are free.

Free to live, free to serve, free to worship, free to just live.

Through Jesus, you have been set free.  You have.  You are free.  Don’t live under the yoke of slavery.  Don’t feel like you’ve got to earn anything, just life.  Live free.  Live forgiven.  Live with grace.

Ok.  So, we are free. What are we to do.  What next, then is next.  What happens with this freedom.  Well, listen to what Paul says in  Galatians 5:13-14:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Freedom-9-11So today, you are free.  You are a new creation in Jesus today.  You are forgiven.  You can breathe.  You can live.  You can laugh.  You are free.

Don’t miss use that freedom.

We have been given grace, to give grace to others.  We have been forgiven, so that we are can forgive others.  We are loved, so that we can love.  We have this freedom, this grace, this mercy, so that we can fully live free.  We are free today.  Yes we are.  We are freedom.

Don’t exchange you freedom for slavery.  Don’t give up the freedom of grace for the slavery of sin.  Don’t give up the freedom of mercy for the slavery of judgement.  Don’t give up the freedom of love for the slavery of hate.

You are free today.  Live free.  Let go of the past, no matter what it is.

But, live in that freedom, so you can love others in that freedom.  Love, serve, give.  Live.

In this, we are truly free.

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.

When you Doubt

Posted on by

0

Just because you have faith, it doesn’t mean that you’ve always got it figured out, or that it always makes sense.  Just because you believe, it doesn’t mean that all of life will always make sense, and that everything will always be easy.

Sometimes, you will believe.  Sometimes, you will know that things are right, or that things are going to be ok in the end, or that God is going to work everything out.  You know it.  Really, you do.  You believe.

But, you still have doubts.  You still worry.  You still are afraid.  You believe. But, it’s hard.  Today, in Mark 9: 23 – 25, we see one of my favorite passages that deals with this.  Listen to what it says today:

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

help-my-unbelief_t3-doubtThis dad came to Jesus and said, please help my son.  Jesus said, if you believe, all things are possible. And dad says, I do, I believe.  But, help my unbelief!  What can we learn from this passage about the times when we believe, but struggle.

First, do what’s right.  This dad was struggling but unbelief, but He went to Jesus anyway.  He knew that Jesus was truth and was help. He didn’t really understand it, or have it figured out, or really know what to do.  But he knew that Jesus was life.  He did the right thing.

So should we.  If you struggle, keep reading.  Keep praying.  Keep worshiping.  Keep doing the things that draw you close to Jesus.  The dad struggled, but he was faithful.  And good things happened.

Second, ask for help.  Ask Jesus to help you.  Ask for strength.  Ask for belief.  Ask for that hope. When the dad, when he knew that belief was needed, he said – help me!   Help my unbelief. Help my doubts.

When you doubt, don’t turn away from Jesus, turn to Jesus.  Don’t run from Him, run to Him.  And when you do that, you will find that He will actually give you the strength and the faith that you need.

Today, we may doubt.  God is there to help us, in these doubts.  He won’t leave us there.  Today, even when we doubt, may we turn to Him!

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.

We ARE One

Posted on by

1

We ARE one today.  As Christians, as churches, we ARE one.  We are part of the same body. We are brothers and sisters. We are family.  We are.  We aren’t given another choice or option today.   We are one.

Even if we don’t like each other.  Even if we don’t agree with each other.  Even if we have different worship styles.  Or views of communion or baptism or church structure or any of these things.  We are one.

Listen to what it says today in 1 Corinthians 12: 12-14:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

2013-01-27-one-bodyPaul writes – “and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”  So is it with Christ.  We are one.

Now, it’s ok to have different views.  To say we are one isn’t to say that we always agree with each other.  Or like the same thing.  Or view it the same way.  But it means this. We are family.  We are on the same side.  We are on the same team.  We have the same goal.  We have the same purpose.

We have the same Lord, and are made to drink of the same spirit.

As John Wesley said “If your heart beats with my heart in love and loyalty to Christ, give me your hand.”

We are family.  So, let’s stop fussing with each other.  Let’s support each other as churches and as individuals.  Let’s show the world the love of Christ, by first loving each other.

We are one.  Really.  Lets love in that way.

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.

God Pulling You Closer

Posted on by

0

You ever felt like you aren’t doing enough for God?  Felt like you don’t measure up?  Felt like you aren’t good enough?

You know that you should read the bible more.  Or pray more.  Or whatever “more.”  You feel it.  You know it.  You really know that it’s something that God is calling you to, something you should do, something you need to do to be faithful.

But yet, something happens, and you don’t do it.  And, here’s the kicker.  You feel like a failure.  You feel further from God than you’ve ever felt before.  You are sure that He can’t stand you know.  You  just know it.

Listen to what Paul writes today in 1 Corinthians 12:1-3:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

31-jesus-embracePaul is talking about spiritual gifts in this section and in most of chapter 12.  But I want you to notice what he writes at the very end of this passage.  No one can say Jesus is Lord, except in the Holy Spirit.

That’s what I want to focus on here.  You can’t say that Jesus is Lord, unless lead by the spirit.  So, the very fact that there is anything in you that wants to know Jesus, follow Jesus, serve Jesus, that come from the spirit.

Anything in you today that wants to be faithful, that’s from God. Anything in your that desires to do “more” that’s from the spirit.

So, there’s two ways to look at it.  We can beat ourselves for not being as faithful as we should, or we can choose to realize that anything in us that wants to be faithful, that’s God pulling us to Himself.  That’s God pulling you closer.

Today, chase after God’s movement in your heart. Chase after His spirit.  Follow where He is leading.  If there anything, anything in you at all that wants to know Him, that’s Him calling you to Himself.

Chase after 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.

When Faith is Hard

Posted on by

0

I referenced today’s text in my message Sunday at Asbury, talking about the stories in the Bible can really really hit us where we are.  For me, one of the stories in the bible that really hits me, hits me hard, is the notion of wrestling with God.

Sometimes, faith is hard.  Sometimes, it is a real challenge.  Sometimes, we just have to hold one.  Sometimes, we wrestle with God.  Listen to what is says in Genesis 32: 24-30:

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”  Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

04-jacob-wrestlingDon’t be discouraged when faith is a challenge.  Don’t give up when it is hard. Sometimes faith can be a real challenge.  Sometimes it really is work to hold on, to believe, even when it is hard.

Just because faith is a challenge, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have faith.  Just because it is work, doesn’t mean that you don’t believe.  Just because you have challenges, it doesn’t mean that you are not a believe.

Sometimes, we are like Jacob.  We believe.  We have faith.  We know God. But it’s just hard.  A hard time.  A hard season.  A hard experience.  In those times, hold on.  Cling tight.  Wrestle with God.  He won’t let go.

You don’t either. Hold on.  No matter how hard it may be, hold on.  God’s got you.

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.