Tag Archives: Faith

What Matters is Jesus

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One of the struggles for the church when Paul was evangelizing and starting churches was this – how much of the old life and the old tradition should they hold to?  Many of the new believers had come out of the Jewish tradition, while many of the newest believers were Gentiles (non-Jews). So, the question emerged, what should all Christians do?

Should they hold to the traditions of their ancestors and keep the laws about what to eat and what to drink?  Should they hold onto the old?

Or, should they break away completely?  Should they start over and walk away from the old traditions of the past? What are they to do?

Listen to how Paul writes about this in Romans 14: 17-21:

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

cu_jesus_kidsPaul tells us this – what you eat or not eat, that’s not important.  What matters is Jesus and the Holy Spirit. What matters is being lead by the spirit, walking with the spirit, living by the spirit.

Not if you eat clean or unclean, if you wash or don’t wash.

It’s Jesus.

Now, Paul would say that if you choose to eat only certain foods, that’s fine.  Just don’t judge others (who love Jesus) that don’t have the same conviction as you.  If they love Jesus, that’s what matters.

So is it today.  Just because there is something in your life that you feel like is the most important thing in all the world, and someone else doesn’t share that same passion, or doesn’t agree with you, or doesn’t go to the right church, or listen to the right music, or do the “right” thing, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t Christian.

Point folks to Jesus today, not to your traditions or the things that are you preference. Do what you need to do for you faith. But don’t mistake the way that you live your faith out for your faith.

Love others.  Love Jesus.  Point to Jesus.  Live for Him.

And let God take care of the rest!

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.

Not Ashamed

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Listen to the Word of God as we see in 1 Timothy 1:8-9:

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began

432693939_640This is big.  Really big.  We are called today not be ashamed of our faith in Jesus. We are called today to live boldly, live with confidence, live with peace, live for Jesus.  We are called today to not be ashamed of the Gospel.

But, be proud of the Gospel.

The title that is most important to me today is not Reverend.  Or pastor.  Or even Husband.  Or Father.  Or Son.

The title that means the most to me today is Christian. Because the title Christian makes everything else possible.  For me to be the best pastor or husband or father or son that I can be, I must chase after Jesus with all that I am.

Today, the title that has to mean the most in your life is that title of being a child of God. That has to have the most meaning.  That is the title that everything, all things, they must flow from.

Don’t be ashamed.

Don’t run from it.

Don’t hide from it.

You are a Christian.  You are child of God.  You are His.

Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel.  It’s the power of God in you, through you, and for you.

Live boldly.  Live for Him!  Take His name with you, where ever you go.  Live.  Love.  Serve.

In Jesus name.

Don’t be ashamed, today, and each day!

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.

Grace

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Faith versus works. That’s an inside baseball, church phrase and argument.  It’s one that Christians have fussed about and struggled over for many, many, many centuries.

And its one that we struggle with, even if we don’t know it.  What do I mean by that?

It plays out in our lives when this happens.  When we think to ourselves, if I just do this, God will love me.  I have done some many things wrong, I know God can never forgive me.  I’m not good enough to go to church. I’m done too much. I can’t earn it.  I’ll never get it.  Surly I’m not good enough.

All those thoughts make our faith about what we do.  And that is wrong.  Our faith is not about what we do. It’s about what He has done.

Our faith is not about works. It’s about grace.  Listen to what Paul writes today in Romans 3:21-25

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

grace_candle_logoWe are all equally broken and sinful, we have all made mistakes in our lives, fallen, stubbled, made messes.

And God equally loves us.

And our salvation rests not upon us, what we have done, what we are doing or going to do, our salvation rests upon Him.  Upon what He had done. Upon the cross and the empty grave.

And our response, our only response is this. To believe.  To have faith.  To take that step.

We are saved by grace through faith. That’s it. That’s the list.

You don’t earn it.   You receive it.  Remember that.  Never forget that.  Cling to that.

And let that change your life.

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.

Thorn

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We’ve all go something that plagues us.  A sin.  A doubt.  A worry.  An illness.

Something. We’ve all got something that we wish we didn’t have. We’ve all got something that we’d give anything for God to take away, something that, if we didn’t have to deal with it, would make our lives much, much easier.

We all have it.  I do.  You do.  Paul did.  Listen to what Paul writes this morning in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9:

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

600-02347969Paul has what he calls his thorn in the flesh.  We don’t know what it is, no one does.  All we know is this, that is caused Paul great pain, and he badly wanted to be rid of it.  And God told him no.  It would not be removed.

Why?  Wouldn’t it be better if it was gone?  No.

Why?  Because in his weakness, Paul would find God’s strength.  When Paul had to rely upon God’s strength, he’d find more power, strength, and might then he’d ever imagine.  When he was weak, God strength is made know for all to see.

So is it in all our lives.  In our weakness, when we rely upon, we find God’s strength.  When we rely upon Him, we find more power than we’ll ever know.

We He is our strength, then we all have all the strength we need.

Today, even with any thorn you may face, God’s strength is all that you need.

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.

Pray Hard

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You ever feel like you both God with your prayers?  Ever feel like you are praying for the same thing, over and over again?  Ever feel like God must be getting sick and tired of your prayers?  We probably all, at some point, have felt that way.

Today, in one on of my favorite stories in all the Bible, Jesus talks about that.  Listen to what happens in Luke 18: 3-7:

And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

prayerI love this story because it’s the story of  judge that is not just.  Not fair.  And this widow just wears him out by always going, asking, demanding justice.  And this judge didn’t respect God, no man, but finally he grants her wish, because she wouldn’t leave him alone.

Jesus said, pray in the same way. Wear God out.  Pray hard.

Seriously.  Pray hard about things. Take things to God over and over and over again.  Take it to Him repeatedly. And if this wicked judge, who didn’t care for people or for God, will grant this, how much more will your loving God, who loves you dearly and care for Him, how much more will He grant your requests.

Pray hard.  Today.  Pray hard.  Don’t give up.  Don’t quit.  Don’t give up hope.  Pray hard. God hears.  God cares.  God knows.  Don’t give up.

Keep praying.  Don’t quit.  Pray hard. God is there.  He will hear. And He will answer.

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.

Jumping into the Deep

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Man, I love to talk about things that I don’t understand. I love the mysteries. I love talking about the complicated things, the things that we can argue about, fuss about, come to strong and different opinions about.

We all enjoy that.

But, it’s also frustrating, because there are just some things, that as much as we want to, we’ll never know. We’ll never understand, we’ll never get, they will will just never figure out. And, I don’t, by nature, like that.

But, you know what?  I’ve come to be ok with it. Really.  Listen to what Jesus says today in Matthew 11: 25-27:

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Jake-Jumping-Off-Diving-BoardJesus says this, some stuff is just hidden from the wise and understanding. There are some things that are just beyond us.  Some things that we could just debate and ponder and argue and fuss about for years.

And we are never going to know and never figure out.

It just is.

So, he tell us, there ‘s stuff that God has literally hidden from the wise and the understanding.  But, if we come as a little child, in simple, honest faith, we’ll understand.

Yes, there’s stuff that we don’t know. There’s stuff that we don’t understand. But, there comes a point when we’ve got to just jump off into the deep and trust.  God knows. He understands.  He sees.  He has it all figured out.

And we’ve got to trust.  Yes, there’s some stuff I don’t understand. And you know what?  I’m ok with that.  Because I know God.  And I know salvation. And I know to trust Him.  And you what?

That’s enough.

Today, jump into the deep.  Today, trust.  And today, you’ll find life.

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.

More Faith?

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imagesThink about those spiritual rock stars.  You know.  CS Lewis.  Mother Teresa. Billy Graham.  John Wesley.  John Calvin.

You know, those folks that really got it. That really did it. That man oh man, did God.  Man, God did some amazing things through them and in them. And man, there’s no way that we can ever measure up to them.  Our faith is so small.  Our faith is so weak.  Our faith is so insignificant.

We just need more faith, right?  If we had more faith then surly we could do it.  If we only had more faith.

That’s not what Jesus thought.  Listen to what He said today in Luke 17: 5-6:

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

The disciples said, Lord, we need more faith!  And to this He said, no.  You don’t.  Use the faith that you have.  Use what you’ve been given.  You have more than enough faith.  You can do it. Even little bitty, tiny little mustard seed faith can do amazing things.

Amazing things.

You have all you need.  Why do I say that?

Because you have Him.  If you have Him, then you have all that you need.  Trust in Him.  Place that faith in Him.

And He will do it.

Right now, at this moment, you have all that you need.  You can do it.  You have enough faith.  Place that faith in Him, act on it, and see what He will do.

He will do amazing things.  Because that’s what He does.

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.

Praying

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Child PrayingPraying can be hard.  It can be a real challenge.  We can stumble over the words.  We aren’t sure what to say.  We aren’t sure how to say it. We don’t know what to do.

Praying can really be hard.

And then the notion of praying out loud for others to hear?  No way. That ain’t happening. It’s easy to leave the praying to professionals.

But, that’s not what Jesus wants. That’s not what He teaches.  That’s not what He’d have us to do.  In fact, the thing with praying, it actually has nothing to do with our words. And everything to do with our hearts.  Listen to what Jesus says today in Matthew 6: 5-6:

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

He is telling us, don’t worry about what you will say.  Worry about your heart. Words don’t count.  Your heart and your presence do. God wants you aware of Him.  His presences.  His love.  His grace.  His mercy.

Him.

That’s what prayer is.

Opening ourselves to His presence in our midst.  Just allowing our hearts to be drawn closer to Him.  Yes, there’s things we should say. But that’s not what matters most.  What matter is this. Realizing that the God of the universe is with you.  Present with you. And loves you. And wants to know you.

Don’t worry about what you are going to say. Worry about this.  God is with you.  Open your eyes and see.  Know that.  And allow His grace in your life and in your heart. And He will take care of the rest.

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 We Don’t Know What to Do

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Sometimes we don’t know what to do. We don’t know what decision to make. We don’t know what road we should choose.  We don’t know what door we should open.

Sometimes we just don’t know what we should do. We are at a loss. We just don’t know.

We’ve all been there. We’ve all had that happen. We all can be unsure.

What do we do?  Listen to what it says in James 1:5-6 when we are unsure:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

two_pathsJames tell us this morning that when we are unsure and don’t know what to do, what we should do is this.  Ask God for wisdom.  Ask Him for help. Ask Him and allow Him to lead us to what we should do.  I think that this verse shows us that there are two main things that we should in these times of indecision and uncertainty.

First, ask God for wisdom.  Ask Him for help.  Stop trying to figure it out on your own. Stop trying to think that you’ve got all the answers and have it all figured out.  Ask God for help.  Really.  I know it’s simple. But do it.  Stop.  And seek His face.

Many of us do that pretty well. The second can be a little bit harder.

Second, have the confidence of belief that God is going to give you that wisdom. Believe it. Claim it.  Know it.

Have faith. Even when it’s hard, challenging, or doubtful.  Believe.  Trust.  Hold fast.  He is going to give you wisdom.  He is.  He promised.  He has assured us in His word that He will.  Trust in it.

Trust in Him.

Believe.

So, today, if you are in a situation where you don’t know what to do, ask God for wisdom. And believe, truly believe, that He will give it. And hold fast, until He leads you in the way that you should go.

He will not fail 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.

Calm

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We talked yesterday in worship at Asbury about God’s promise for us to not be afraid. Fear can be a powerful thing in our lives. We can have thing that are “real” that make us afraid, and we can have things that are not “real” that make us afraid.

Our past experience can make us afraid, our context can make us afraid, the things in our mind can make us afraid. Fear is something that we all know, that we all understand, and that we’ve all dealt with before.

So, when we talk about fear, listen to what we see in Matthew 8:23-27:

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

1435669599_45ff54895b_oJesus and the disciples are in a boat. And what they face is a real fear. It’s something to really be worried about. These are experienced fishermen. They know a thing or two about about storms. This isn’t their first rodeo.

And whatever it is about this storm, it terrifies them. These normally brave fishermen, in their element are so scared that they think they are about to die.

And how does Jesus respond to their fear? Why are you afraid you of little faith. Then he rebuked the wind and sea, and their was calm.

This is a God that controls the wind. The sea. All of it. Every last bit of it. There is nothing in creation that He’s not in control of, that He doesn’t have power over, that He can’t calm.

Even us.

Calm.

Today, you don’t have to be afraid. You don’t have to live in fear. You don’t have to live in worry. You can be calm.

Because God is bigger. You can trust in Him today. You can rely on Him today. He’s bigger than the wind, the waves, the storm, all of it.

He has got this. So you can be calm.

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.