52 Weeks (Week 4)

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

Here at Asbury, we are in the midst of our 52 Weeks, 52 Verses. In 2015 we are going to be learning a different verse of the Bible each week, and over the course of the year, together we will come to a deeper and fuller understand of God’s word.

As we take time to memorize it, God’s Word becomes a deeper part of our heart and we are able to call upon it in times of need. It just becomes part of faith; part of us.

This week we are learning the next portion of Psalm 121. This week we learn Psalm 121:3-4:

3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

In the Bible times, the night was a scary time. It was a time of fear, a time when bad things happen, when robbers were out when dangerous animals were on the prowl. There were many Christian prayers that we have from these times which have the sole purpose of thanking God for surviving the night.

So with the night being so scary, how comforting is it to hear the words of this Psalm. The Lord neither slumbers nor sleeps. He is awake. He is aware.

He is protecting you.

He is with you.

So, sleep easy. Because God is with you. Don’t be afraid. The Lord neither slumbers nor sleeps. He is present and He is watching.

Have no fear.

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, and you thought our app, you can now watch our worship services from Asbury too!

52 Weeks (Week Three)

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

At Asbury this year, we are taking part our in 52 Weeks, 52 Verses challenge. Each week of the year, we are memorizing a different Bible verse. As we learn the Bible together as a church this year, I know, we know that God will bring us closer to Himself and show us more and more of who He is.

I heard a preacher say recently, if we don’t know God’s known will (the Bible) then we will never know His unknown will. If we want to know what God wants for us, calls us to, we need to listen and learn His word!

The passage for this week is the first of three weeks that we will spend memorizing Psalm 121. This week is verses 1-2:

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

This is a Psalm that the people would sing as they went up to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is on the top of a mountain, so no matter where you came from, north or south, you when “up” to Jerusalem.

So, we lift up our eyes to the hills, from where our help comes. Up the hills reminds of God, because God was associated with the temple and Jerusalem.

And our help comes from God, who made heaven and earth.

We look up. And looking up, we are reminded that God is our help. God is our savior. God is our strength. God is our hope.

Today, look up. Look up. Your help comes from God. The maker of Heaven and Earth.

Look up. And you will find your help in God, no matter where you are!

52 Weeks (Week Two)

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

In Week Two of our 52 Weeks, 52 Verses, our verse for this week is Matthew 9:13. This is on of those verses that can really change the way that we look at God, ourselves, and other people. Take time this week to think about it, pray about it, and listen to what God wants to say to you through this verse.

Listen to what it says:

Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Two things pop out to me when I read this passage.

First God says that He desires mercy, not sacrifice. That’s what God wants from us in our dealings with others. Mercy. This week, as we memorize this verse, will we make an effort to show mercy?

Mercy is something that is not deserved. We are merciful to folks that don’t deserve it, that may not even want to be merciful to. God shows us mercy, undeserved.

Let’s show that same mercy to someone this week.

Second, Jesus said I came for sinners. Jesus came to help the weak, the sick, the sore. When you feel like God can’t love you because of what you’ve done, remember this.

It was you He came to save.

This week, as we memorize this verse, let’s think about these things.

52 Weeks, 52 Verses

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

I had a moment recently where I needed to know a Bible verse. I was in a moment where I really needed to be able to encourage someone, and I didn’t have my Bible with me. And I wasn’t, in that moment, able to pull up my cell phone.

I needed to be able to quote a verse. And I needed have hidden the Word in my heart so that at that moment, I could share it.

We each need that. Each of us, as believers, we need to be able to pull a verse from our heart, from our mind, at that moment.

As a pastor, that’s a gift that I want to be able to give to my church. I want them to be able to know the Bible so at the moment when they need it; they will have it.

So at Asbury, in 2015, we are doing 52 Weeks, 52 Verses. Each week of 2015, we will memorize a different Bible passage together.

Would you join us? Will you take that challenge? Will you take the time this year, to over the course of a week, memorize a different passage.

Think about all the song lyrics we know. Or sports statistics. Or movie quotes. I know a bunch of all those, cause I’m a geek. But how much more should we know and hid God’s Word in our hearts?

Will you join us? Each week this year, one of these days I’ll share our verse for the week. This week it’s Daniel 2: 20-21:

20 Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;

Let’s learn this together. And let’s see what God will do with it in this year, and for all eternity!

Burdens and Why I Love the Bible

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

You know why I believe that the Bible is true? Well, there’s a million different reasons why it’s true. But one of the reasons why I hold to the Bible is that I think it just really lays out how we should live.

I can’t think of anything else that paints a picture of how relationships should go, with God, with each other, with family, with everything. The Bible just so clearly lays out how we should live and what we should do.

For instance, check out what we are told in Galatians 6: 1-5:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Now there’s a lot of thing that we could focus on here, but the thing that jumps out to me in the word “bear.”

First, we are told to bear one another’s burdens. Be there for each other. Help each other out. Support each other. Care for each other. Be there.

But wait you say, a few verses later it says each will have to bear their own load? So which is it? Are we to bear each other’s burdens? Or are we to bear our own?

Yes.

Yes we are. Wait, what? I think this lays it out perfect. We are each to bear our own burdens. We are to take care of ourselves. I am to take care of myself and my family, take care of those that I love.

And this is why. If my things are taken care of, then I am able to help you take care of your burdens. When I have taken care of my stuff, I can help you take care of your stuff.

And here’s the thing. You need to take care of your stuff. Because there’s going to come a time when I can’t take care of my stuff. And I’m going to need your help.

If you bear yours and your burdens are taken care of, then you can help me.

And if I bear my own and my burdens are taken care of, then I can help you.

That’s why we bear our own. So we can bear each others.

That’s beautiful. That’s what it should look like. That’s what faith, what family, is called to look like.

So, today, may we bear our own burdens. So that we have taken care of what we can take care of, and we can fully and easily bear each other’s burdens.

We need each other. Today and each day. May we never forget.

A Challenge

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

Yesterday in my sermon at Asbury, I walked our church through a method of studying Scripture that is called the “SOAP” method. In this method, the letters stand for this.

S – Scripture

O – Observation

A – Application

P – Prayer

My challenge to my people, and to each of you reading this, is to, each day this week, seriously take some time to really read the Bible. No rush through it. But, read it. Listen for God to speak to you through it. Take time to reflect upon it.

First, S, listen for God when you read. Don’t rush. Don’t get in a hurry. Don’t worry about having to read a lot. Just slow down, breathe, and listen for God to speak.

O. What do you notice? What words stood out? What caught your eye? What jumped out at you? What really grabbed you?

A. From what you read, what can you apply to your life today? What can you carry with you through the rest of your day? Your week? Your life?

P. Pray for the grace to carry through what you’ve learned today.

So, this is the challenge I have for you. Will you do it this week? Will you take the time to really read, listening for God’s voice in what you read?

Do it for a week. And just see.

And let me know how it goes for you. What did you you learn? email me, or post on my wall, or tweet me. I’d love to hear back from you on this challenge!

The question is always where do I start? Here’s some help.

One thing you can always do is just read through a book of the bible. If you’d like to do that, I’d suggest starting with the Gospel of Mark. It’s the shortest of the Gospels and, in my opinion, the easiest to understand.

If you’d like just daily suggested readings, you can use our Asbury Salt and Light bulletin. If you didn’t grab one yesterday, you can read it online by clicking here.

Or you can use plans from the American Bible Society, suggested ESV reading for the day, on of the many plans from Bible.com, or a whole host of other online options.

Or you can use the passages that I’ll reflect upon each day here!

I hope these are helpful for you. And I hope you’ll take the challenge!

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 phone.

Listening to the Bible

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

The next two weeks at Asbury, I’m going to be preaching on the Bible, as part of our series “The Path.” I’m very excited about these messages, as I think that for many of us, the Bible can be really scary.

There are so many things about the bible that we feel like we don’t understand. That we aren’t sure that we can understand. That cause us to throw our hands up and say, there’s no way that will ever “get it.”

If you’ve ever felt that way, we’d love to have you join us Sunday, or if you can’t, listen to our messages online or on our FREE mobile app.

As I prepare for these messages, I keep hearing God point me over and over to His word as I prepare for these. Listen to what I read today in 2 Peter 1:19-21:

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

I really, truly believe that God’s word will speak to us, when we listen. You don’t have to always understand it. God isn’t always speaking just to your head. Sometimes (most times) He is speaking to your heart.

He loves you.

He has claimed you.

You are His.

He wants you to grow, closer to Him, and closer your neighbors, your family, your friends.

He has given us His Word as His love letter to us. Take time to read it. To listen.

He will speak through it you. I know He will. May we take time to read, and to listen.

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 phone.

Listen to the Word

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

Every day I try to share with you a biblical passage and a short reflection on it. It is my sincere hope that this is a help to you and your faith. I enjoy doing this, and I truly hope it is a blessing.

I always want the Word of God to be fresh and relevant to you, and I try to put some story or some take it on to help it sink into your life.

Today though, as I was reading this passage, it spoke to me so loudly, that I just want to let the Word speak. Whatever it is that you are doing, please take a moment, and read this. Listen to it. Ponder it.

And try to apply what it says to your life today.

I know that I am.

This passage speaks so loud, about what the Christian life should be. The Christian life is not a life of just Facebook statuses or Tweets or Christian music or anything like that. It is a changed life. It is about the grace of God wrecking us and changing us. We should be changed people, by His grace.

Today, no frills. Just stop for one moment. And listen to the Word.

Romans 12:9-21:

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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 phone.

Be Careful

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

All that glitters is not gold. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. These are phrases that we have each heard in our lives that teach us to be careful. To look. To listen. To dig deeper than outward appearances. To really search the trust of the matter.

To look deep.

Just because something “looks” good at first glance doesn’t necessarily mean that it is good, or is the right thing, or that it is true. Look. Listen. Dig deep.

In regards to the Bible. Just because some TV preacher said it, or just because a famous preacher tweeted it, doesn’t make it true. Dig down deep your self.

In relationships, just because you think someone is wrong, or you have heard that they have done something awful, take a moment to actually find out what happens. Don’t always assume the worst.

In temptation, something may look appealing. It may look like fun. It may seem like something that no one would ever know about, what’s it going to hurt?

Stop. Look. Listen. Consider. Dig deep. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Look deep. Listen to what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14:

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Paul is talking about false teachers, about how what they say sounds good, but in truth, what they say is wrong. Paul says be careful. Even the devil look right at first glance. But he brought destruction.

Be careful. Don’t assume. Dig. Learn. Listen. Look.

With the bible, look for yourself. Read yourself. Seek help and wisdom from those you trust, but you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to read and learn from yourself.

With others, seek truth, not just assume the worst. Truly get to know others before making a decision.

And be very, very, very careful with temptation. It may look appealing, but it will destroy, when left unchecked.

Be aware. Be careful. Trust in God. And follow Him, in all things.

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 phone.

Jealousy

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Andy Stoddard

Paul is the man. He was faithful. Seriously, he started tons of churches. I jokingly say that he wrote half the New Testament (he did write a large part of it!). If anyone in the Bible served God to the fullest, we see that Paul did.

And we see another thing from scripture. Paul suffered. Paul went through a lot. It was never easy for Paul. He suffered abuse, he suffered rejection, he suffered so very much for the sake of the gospel.

And, for many of us in our human skin, Paul had to face the temptation for what may be the hardest thing for us to deal with as humans, jealousy

Listen to what he says in Philippians 1:15-18:

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Paul said, some folks preach for the right reasons. Some for the wrong. That doesn’t matter, what matters is that Jesus is preached. And now, it would be very easy for Paul to get jealous of those that are preaching for the wrong reason.

Perhaps get a little righteous. Perhaps get a little angry. Perhaps get a little jealous.

After all, here he is, doing it the right way. Doing it right. Living right. Doing right. Making sure everything is done the way that God wants.

And there they are, not caring. Doing it wrong! That’s not right! It would be very easy to get jealous or judgmental.

And as long as they are the focus, that will happen. When Jesus it the focus, it’s all ok. Because then He will be glorified and proclaimed, in all things.

And that was Paul’s purpose and point. And that’s what he lived for. He kept his focus on the right thing.

How do you fight against jealousy? Keep your focus on the right thing.

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.

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Tag Archives: Bible

52 Weeks (Week 4)

52 Weeks (Week Three)

52 Weeks (Week Two)

52 Weeks, 52 Verses

Burdens and Why I Love the Bible

A Challenge

Listening to the Bible

Listen to the Word

Be Careful

Jealousy