The Desires of our Heart?

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

One of the things that it is important to do when reading the Bible is to understand the context of a verse or a passage before taking it and running with it. What does that mean?

The best way that we can make sense of verses in the Bible is to look at verses that are around it. As we look at verses that are around certain passages in the Bible, we can understand those passages.

What does that even mean? Let me show you. One of the passages of the Bible that can most often misunderstood is a passage from our reading today, Psalm 37: 4, where it says this: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Boom, Ole Miss is winning the national title next year. That would make my heart happy.

See, I’m pretty sure that is not what that passage is talking about. This passage is not saying that God’s only purpose is to make us happy and grant us wishes. So then, what is it saying? Let’s look at the context and read this passage. Listen to Psalm 37: 1-4:

Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Trust in the Lord. Do good. Befriend faithfulness. And even part of that passage, delight yourself in the Lord. And, He will give you the desires of your heart.

God will give you the desires of your heart when (and this is the key) when He has changed your heart. God will give us our hearts desire when His spirit has changes our hearts desire.

This verse is not about us getting what we “want.” This verse is about God changing us. God making us more like Himself. God growing us. And when God has changed our heart, our hearts will long for Him. And when our hearts long for Him, we will only be satisfied with Him.

See that’s the problem sometimes. CS Lewis said that we are far too easily pleased. We settle for less than the absolute best. What is the absolute best? God.

He desires to give us Himself.

And in truth, that should be our hearts desire. Because nothing else will satisfy our hearts. But Him.

Today, He will give us our hearts desire. But first He wants to change our heart. And we that happens, we will see that the only thing that can truly give us life is not the stuff of this world.

But Him.

Today, may we delight our hearts in God. And in that, may we find all that we seek.

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What Happens Next

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

What’s next is always a key question for me. I guess I’m the kind of person that’s always looking ahead, but when I know something, or understand something I always want to know, what do it do with it?

What’s next? What happens next?

I’ve told the story before about worshiping in a church for while that really stressed the reality of human sin and brokenness. I left worship every Sunday thinking, ok, I get it. I’m messes up. What do I do about it?

What’s next? What happens next? For me, that’s always a big thing. What is our response to what happens? What do we do about it? How do we handle it, how does it impact us?

Today, look at Luke 4:38-39 and see what happens next:

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

Jesus heals Peter’s mother in law. What happens next? She immediately got up and began to serve Jesus and the others. Notice that word, immediately. As soon as she could, she got up and went to serve others.

I wonder why?

Perhaps she realized just how much she had been given; she saw the length that Jesus went to, to give her a fresh start from this illness, and the way that she could say thank you, the way that she could respond was this.

To serve.

Perhaps today, that’s us. Has Jesus moved in your life? Has He given you grace, mercy, forgiveness? Has He restored you in some way? Shown you mercy? Given you grace?

What happens next?

How do we say thank you? How do we show Him how thankful we are for what He has done for us? Perhaps we follow the example of Peter’s mother in law.

Perhaps today we serve someone. That’s our thank you. That’s our response. We show that love, the way that Jesus has shown that love to us.

Today, may our “what’s next” be to show God’s love to someone through our lives!

May We See Jesus

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

One of the things we see a lot of in the Gospels is Jesus casting out demons, waging war against evil, stopping the powers of wickedness in this world. Now, there’s a lot of things within these concepts that we could talk about or focus on, but you know me, I think one of the best things we can do with scripture is to sometimes focus on the big picture.

For instance, look at today’s Gospel reading from Luke 33-35:

And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha!What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

Ok, there’s a lot happening here. But here’s something that I want you to notice. When Jesus comes, this unclean spirit immediately recognizes Him and acknowledges Him for who He is.

He says Jesus is the Holy one of God.

He calls Jesus who He really is, the unclean spirit actually gives Jesus the respect He is due.

Now, later in the Gospels, we see Jesus have many run-ins with the Pharisees and the religious leaders. They try to trip Him up, trap Him, and eventually work to have Him crucified.

Now, these are the religious leaders. And they don’t recognize Jesus for who is. They very ones that should know best don’t respond as they should.

And yet the unclean spirit here recognizes Jesus and gives Him respect.

So, when I read these passages of scripture sometimes I ask myself this. Which camp do I fall in to? Now, I never want to be on the side of the devil and the unclean spirits. But, at least in this instance they gave Jesus the respect He is due. The recognized Him when they saw Him.

The religious leaders did not. They didn’t give Him the respect He was due.

So, today, what about us? Do we recognize Jesus when we see Him? Do we feel the moving of the Spirit when we read His Word? When we worship? When we pray?

Do we heed the call of Jesus to love others as He would have us love them? Do we see Jesus in the call to serve?

And do we give Him the respect He deserves by obeying His commandments?

Today, I want to see Jesus. I want to give Him the respect He is due for saving me. I want to obey Him, follow Him, love Him. Today, I want to see Jesus.

Today, in all our lives, wherever He places us, may we see Jesus. And may we follow Him.

Ok, This is My Favorite Passage

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

It’s a running joke at Asbury that whatever passage I just read, that’s my favorite on in the entire Bible. Yes, I do have my favorites, John 10:10, Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28, or Romans 2:4, but today’s passage from our readings, this may be my favorite passage in all the Bible.

Really.

I think it is.

Listen to what we read today in 1 John 3:19-20:

And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

The toughest person in the world to forgive is ourselves. That’s why this passage is my favorite. That’s why I just love it so. So often, we are carrying around guilt that we shouldn’t. So often there is so much pain in our lives; so much shame; so much hurt because of past mistakes.

So many times in our lives, our main condemnation comes from ourselves. We are condemned by our own hearts. We carry that burden on ourselves. We can’t let go. We can’t move on. We just can’t let go of that past.

Yes, you can. You can let go. You can move on. You can forgive yourself. If you heart condemns you, if you past can’t escape your sight if you can’t let go, hear these words.

God doesn’t condemn us. For those of us in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. None. None. None.

You are forgiven. Today. You are. You can let it go. Yes, you can. You can let those past mistakes go.

Why? Because God has. God has moved on. So can you. CS Lewis said this – “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.”

If your heart condemns you today. If your past screams at you today. If you can’t let go of the past today.

Hear this. God has forgiven you. He has. Really. You are forgiven. Today.

He has forgiven you. You can forgive yourself. If you heart condemns you, know this. God doesn’t.

Forgiveness. That’s why this is my favorite passage.

April 16 – Don’t Be Scared

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

Today is April 16. Every year I write something in memory of my Mama Sarah and in honor of my mom, Maxine Stoddard. On this day 37 years ago, my Mama Sarah was murdered by my biological father and at that point, many lives were forever changed. She was murdered on my mom’s birthday (April 16) and buried on mine (April 18). You can read all the details of this day and some of the effects it’s had on me and my family through the years in any of the above posts, but the thing I always cling to in this, and any tragedy, is the truth found in Genesis 50:20:

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

And Romans 8:28:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

God is at work in all things. And the power of God is not that He always stops bad things from happening. The power of God is that He can (and will) bring good out of everything.

So, today, this is where my mind is going. I think about the fear that must have been in my Mama Sarah’s heart as she walked out of the house with me in her arms before she was shot. I think about the fear that must have been in hearts of Maxine and Connie Stoddard with the loss of their daughter and now the unknown future of adopting their 2-year-old grandson.

That fear that they faced could have paralyzed them. It could have kept them from moving or doing anything. It could have caused their world to crumble.

But you know what? They looked the fear that they faced in that moment, they looked it in the face and did the right thing anyway. They chose to not give into fear. They chose to do the right thing in spite of the fear in their heart. They trusted even in the darkness.

This is not to say that everyone in my story is perfect. That’s far from true. I’m not, Mama Sarah was not, my parents are not. But I do know this. In the midst of uncertainty and danger and fear, they chose not to give into the fear. They chose to do the right thing, even when they were afraid. They chose to trust that God had a plan, even in the midst of human brokenness.

They chose trust and obedience over fear.

So must we today. I have no idea what you are facing today. You may be very, very afraid. The future may be unknown. There may be great pain in your life. There may be things in your life that you have no control over. Things that make you very, very afraid.

It’s ok. We all are afraid at times. We are. But don’t give into it. Don’t. Faith is bigger than fear. Trust in the fact that there is a God bigger and smarter and wiser than you. That has a plan. Trust. God will bring something good out of it, even if you don’t understand what.

He will. That’s what He does.

Don’t be scared. No matter what you face. One of my favorite quotes from my favorite the shows, Doctor Who is this. The main character, The Doctor says, “Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened, you know. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.”

Yes, you may be afraid today. Believe me, I understand. I learned at very young age everything I hold precious could be taken from me. Relationships can be ended. Harm can come. I always have that fear in my belly. Always.

But I can’t give into it. I have to (by God’s grace) be strong and lean on God’s grace. I have to, and we have to, have faith, not fear. Because fear never wins. And faith does. It always does.

So, today, don’t be scared. Have faith. God has a plan. Trust. Obey. Move. And don’t give into the fear. All things will work for our God and His glory. I believe and know that.

Don’t be scared. It’s going to be ok.

Solving Mysteries

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

In life, there are a lot of mysteries. There are always things that we don’t know, that we don’t understand, that are unsure of. There are always mysteries.

What will happen in the future? What will happen to our kids, our grandkids? What will happen today? What decision should we make? What door should we go through?

Where do we find our answer? In Daniel, the king quite often had dreams, had things he needed/wanted to know an answer too. And he looked to the stars and the magicians of his day for answers. When they couldn’t answer he turned to Daniel. Listen to what Daniel says today in Daniel 2: 26-28:

The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.

The answers for the uncertain in our lives don’t come from this world, but they come through God. Now, God will often speak through other people, like He did through Daniel in this text, but Daniel is sure to say – the answer to these mysteries, they don’t come from any human, but they come only through God. How do we know the answers? How do we solve the mysteries?

God will speak to us and reveal these things to us when we seek Him in His Word. Reading Holy Scripture consistently is one of the ways that God will reveal the plans He has for us. So many answers will be revealed when we take time to listen through His Word.

God will speak to us through prayer. As we seek His face through our time with Him, God will show His face to us and allow to know only know which way to go, but better yet, to know Him.

God will speak to us through worship. As we gather together with other believers, through worship and the Word, God speaks to our souls and opens our eyes.

God will speak to us through His people. God will often place someone in our path that will have the word that we need to hear. The question is, will we be watching and listening for that word?

And know this, He will reveal the answers that you need, when you need to know them. So, if you don’t have the answer you seek yet, don’t give up. It will come. It will. Because God is faithful and true. And all knowledge comes from Him.

While the Nations Rage

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

Each day with the readings that I use for these reflections, there are Psalms that are suggested for that day. Today, one of the Psalms that is given is one of my absolute favorites. Psalm 2. Listen to what this great Psalm says:

Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs;

That’s not the whole of it, just part. But that is just such a powerful image. Why do the nations rage? They plot and scheme. There is so much chaos, so much trouble, so many things going on here in the world that stress us, that worry us, that cause us such great concern.

And the Lord in heaven laughs. All the stress and worry and chaos of this world are nothing to Him.

Let me say that again – all the stress and worry and chaos of this world are nothing to our God.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

Relax. Rest. It’s ok. Seriously. It’s all ok. The stress of culture. Of the world. Of this moment. All the things that are you worried about. It’s ok.

The stress of the personal. The things you are dealing with in your own life. In your family. In all this. It’s ok. Really.

God has this. He really does. He has it. This nothing to Him. All the things that turn the world upside down, the Lord laughs. While the nations rage, the Lord has it.

Rest in Him today. He has it. Rest in Him.

An Easter People

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

One of the truths for us as Christians is this – we are an Easter people. For us, Easter is not just one day of the year, but it is a way of life, it is a truth, it is a hope, it is a peace, it is who we are.

We are an Easter people. Easter is why we worship on Sunday, instead of the Old Testament Sabbath – sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. But Easter was Sunday. And that changes things for us. We believe that life will win over death, good will win over evil, light will win over dark, faith, hope and love will win over all.

We are an Easter people. We believe that life is just waiting to erupt, everywhere. Life is just waiting to spring forth.

But see, that’s the way that it’s always gone with God. He is always bringing forth life in amazing ways. He is always up to something awesome. Listen to this story you’ve probably heard a million times, but listen to it in light of Easter. Listen to Ezekiel 37: 1-3:

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

God tells Ezekiel, I am going to bring life to these dead bones today. I am going to bring life to this dry, desolate valley. Life will spring forth from a place where there is no life, there is no hope, there is resurrection.

I will bring resurrection and life because I am resurrection and life.

And then you will know that I am the Lord. That is what is happening here.

That’s what can happen in your life today. Today, God wants to break through with life and hope and peace. Today, God wants to break into the dry bones of our life and bring Easter resurrection.

That’s what God does. That’s who God is. That’s what happens in Easter. Today, look for life. Don’t give up in the dry valley. Know that God is wanting to bring life. And when that life erupts, live in the glory and the power of Easter.

Because we are an Easter people.

Strength

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

Where does your strength come? That’s one of those questions we’ve got to answer in our life.

Does it come from our own ability? Our own talent? Will power? Knowledge? Connection? Goodness? Morality?

These are all things that we desire and want to possess to varying degrees. But are they really where are strength comes from? They aren’t, because these things can and will at times fail us. We don’t have all the will power. We will make mistakes. Sometimes our talent is not the right fit. Sometimes things can just go wrong.

What then? What do we do then? Where does our strength come from? Listen to what Jesus tells us today in John 15: 4-5:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Abide in me. The branch can’t bear fruit by itself. I am the branch. Apart from me you can do nothing.

Where does our strength come from? Not from us. We don’t stand on our own. We don’t do it on our own. We don’t just bow up on do it. It’s God who does it through us. It’s not our strength, it’s His strength. It’s not our ability, it’s His ability. It’s not our own efforts, it’s His efforts.

So, our mission today is not get better or stronger or smarter, our mission today is to be more faithful. To stick closer to the Good Shepherd. To love Him more. To love others more. To allow Him to work through us. For us to get out of the way, and let me Him do what He wants to do.

He is the source of our strength, our life, our hope, our all. Today, may we abide in Him.

And as we walk closer to our Savior, we will see the amazing fruit He wants to produce through us!

Darkness Falls. But Sunday’s Coming

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

Today is the wrongly named Good Friday. Today, our Lord breathed His last. Today, He suffered the penalty for the sins of the world; for my sins, for your sins. For all of us. Today, the world was reconciled to God through the suffering and death of our sweet Jesus.

Sometimes we get in such a hurry to get to Easter and empty grave that we do not stop and ponder. We do not stop and marvel. We do not stop and bow our heads.

We do not stop and cry at the fact that the babe born at Bethlehem today suffered not for His own mistakes, or His own misdeeds, but for our stuff. Our sin. Our rebellion. Our turning from God.

As we said last night in 2 Corinthians 5:21:

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Today, darkness falls. Today, the devil has his moment in the sun. Today, evil has it’s moment. Today, the entire creation cries out.

Today was a bad day. And we need to remember that.

But there’s one more thing we need to remember.

Sunday’s coming.

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Monthly Archives: April 2015