Tag Archives: God

God Cannot Lie

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Crossing out Lies and writing Truth on a blackboard.God cannot lie.

That’s a big thing to understand and remember. He cannot lie. It is not part of His personality and nature. It is not part of who He is.

He cannot lie.

Every promise He has made to us will come true. Every Word of His that we stand upon is sure.

Jesus, who is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life. So, God is truth. And God cannot lie.

Today, trust in that.

Listen to what it says in Hebrews 6:18-20:

so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

We, who have turned to God for refuge, can have that hope and encouragement. God cannot lie. He will keep His promise.

He will not leave us or forsake us. He will not turn us aside. God is with us.

He has promised us that. His word has echoed that truth in our ears. We know it, we read it, we have heard it preached.

But, know this. It is truth. He cannot, will not lie. He will not leave your side. He loves you, He cares for you, He will not forsake you.

You are His.

No matter the weather, the context, the mistake, the failing, the hurt, the pain, the whatever.

God loves you. He has promised. And He cannot lie.

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 Remembers

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One of the things that I’ve written about many times is that God forgets. He is a forgetful God.

What do I mean by that?

When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. He will forgive, and forget.

That gives me, that gives us, great confidence.

In our reading today, through, we see that God actually does remember through. Listen to what it says in Luke 1: 72-75:

to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

rememberZechariah is praising God for His faithfulness, and he says this in his song of praise. He says that God is a God that remembers His promises.

He doesn’t forget. He remembers what He said that He would do. He remembers His covenants. He remembers His promises.

He remembers that He promised not to leave or forsake you.

God remembers. He remembers His word. He remembers what He said that He would do.

He has promised to deliver and save us.

And He will.

Today, rest in the knowledge that God forgets our sins. And live in the hope that God remembers His promises!

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 Let the Rocks Steal from You

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God will be worshiped.

God will bring honor and glory to His name. He will be worshiped.

The heavenly hosts were created to worship Him. The angels sing His praise all the day long.

One day, in heaven, we will join that unending chorus, singing Holy, Holy, Holy to the Lamb.

God will be worshiped. He will be given His honor. It’s all about Him. In life. In death. In everything.

We have been given this great calling; this great task. As the church, as Christians, we have been given this mission to cry out, to sing, to worship, to give glory to God.

But, what if we refuse. What if we say that we will not? Listen to what Jesus says will happen if we don’t worship in Luke 19:37-40:

As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.

If we don’t worship, the rocks will cry out. He will raise up the rocks to give voice.

God will be worshiped. That’s our job. That’s our calling.

And here’s the thing. When we do that, we find the life that we need, the life that we seek, the life that we want.

We find what we were created for.

Worship, glorifying God, giving Him praise, it’s what we were made for. You were made for that, to glorify God.

Don’t let the rocks steal that joy from you. Live into God made you to be. Life for that calling.

And in that, you’ll find the life that you seek!

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.

Forgiveness is Freedom

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Forgiveness is hard. It is not easy. We don’t always like it. We don’t always want to do it.

Some folks have wronged us in some big and bad ways. They have hurt us, angered us, cause harm to us.

We don’t want to forgive.

It’s never easy. And, even the most devout saint, they never enjoy it.

But, we must forgive. Listen to what Jesus says today in Luke 17:3-4:

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” you must forgive him.

Forgiveness. It doesn’t free “them.” It frees “us.” When we don’t forgive. When we hold on. When we keep grudges, when we keep old hate, old wounds, old hurts, when we hold onto them for years and years and years, the only person it hurts is us.

We forgive. Because that forgiveness is freedom. Forgiving them doesn’t release them. It releases us. It frees us. It set us loose.

If you haven’t forgiven them, you are captive to them.

Know it’s hard. It’s not fun. And it’s not done magically with one simple word or wish.

It’s done over and over and over again. Daily. Day after day after day. We take it to the cross and we give it.

Today, forgiveness is freedom. When we forgive, we set ourselves free.

Today, may we know that freedom. Today, may we forgive.

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.

What Does it Look Like to be Holy

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What does it mean to be holy? What does it look like to chase after God? What should that look like in the scope of our lives?

God calls us to follow Him, to become more like Him, and to live the life that He calls us to live, that He has created for us.

Ok, we all know that. That’s a given. But, once again, what should that actually look like in our lives? What should that cause to take place in our lives?

Listen to what Paul tells us today in Romans 13:9-10 for an answer.

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

He tells us to fulfil the commandments this is what we do – love. Love fulfils the law.

He said if we love, we will not murder. We will not steal, we won’t break any of the commandments.

Love fulfils the law.

That is what it means to be holy. That’s what it looks like to be holy. To love.

Loving your neighbor equals being holy. Because when we love, as it says, we will fulfill these things.

So, how do we do that? How do we love our neighbor in that way?

We love God. We let God’s love fill us. We focus on Him, and His grace will call us to love each other fully and completely.

Today, be holy. Today, fulfill the law. Today, be obedient to what God would have you to do.

Today, love your neighbor. And in that, you will be fulfilling the law.

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.

Quiet

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I don’t like being quiet. It’s not in my skill set, not is it my spiritual gift. I’m a big fan of talking and running my mouth.

I don’t know if I’m any good at it, but I sure do enjoy doing it.

So, the notion of being quiet is not something that I look forward to or enjoy. For me, it seems more like a punishment than a reward.

But listen to what the text says today in Zephaniah 3:16-17:

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

It says that the Lord is a mighty one who will save. That He will rejoice over us with gladness.

And He will quiet us with His love.

Sometimes in life, we do a lot of kicking. A lot of screaming (literally or metaphorically). We can get really, really, really worked up sometimes.

Listen to this. God will quiet you with His love. It’s ok. It’s alright.

No matter what you are facing. No matter what you are going through. No matter what is happening.

God loves you. He is here for you. He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. He will quiet you with His love.

You are loved today. Breathe that in. Understand it. It’s going to be ok, no matter what you are facing. God will not leave you.

He will quiet you with His love.

Today, in this day, may we rest in His love. May we know that love, that mercy. That grace. May we rest in His love today.

And may we know the peace that comes from resting quietly in His grace.

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.

Whom Shall We Fear?

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Jesus never promises us in the bible that things will always be easy and perfect. He never tells us troubles will not come.

In fact, what He says in scripture is quite the opposite. He does not say that troubles will be absent, but in fact, He goes the complete other way.

He says – you will face troubles.

You will have trials.

There will be tough times. There will be tears and worry and stress and pain.

There will be.

But, that’s not all He promised us.

Look what is says today in Matthew 10: 26-28:

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

We will have these things happen. But do not fear. Do not fear those in life that can “hurt” you. For they can’t. Dont’ fear the one that hurt the body.

Fear the one that will judge the soul.

We should not fear any other human. We should fear (i.e. respect) God.

Why should we not fear any other human? As a great picture on the internet put it, you’ve got an all-powerful, all-knowing, all loving, in control, three in one God on your side.

Now act like it!

I love that. It’s actually my phone background right now. God is on our side. God is for us. God is with us. Whom shall we fear?

No one. We can have NO FEAR today.  For God is with us! Rejoice. Be strong. Do not fear.

For God is with us. Whom shall we 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.

God Hears Your Prayer

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God hears our prayers. No matter when or where we say them, He hears them.

He doesn’t just hear the prayers we pray in church.

He doesn’t just hear our safe, happy prayers of life being good.

He doesn’t just hear the prayers of blessings for ourselves or for others.

He hears the prayers of pain. Of anguish. Of hurt. Of regret.

Of loss.

Listen to what happens today in Jonah 2:1-3:

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.

Jonah had run from God’s calling on him. God had told him to go and preach to people that he didn’t like.

So, he ran. He ran away, got kicked off a boat, and swallowed by a great fish.

And here in the belly of this fish, he prayed.

I’ve been in some bad spots, in some tight places, prayed in some odd places but I’ve never had to pray there.

Jonah did. And what happened? God heard his prayer. God heard what he said. God heard his plea.

And God freed him from the belly.

Today, no matter where you are, God will hear your prayers. He will. I promise you, He will.

God hears every prayer that we pray. Every one.

No matter how dark it may seem. No matter how dark it may be. No matter how lost the case may seem, know this. God hears your prayers.

Today – you are happy – pray.

If you are sad – pray.

If you are hurt – pray.

If you are lonely – pray.

If you are angry – pray.

No matter what is going on in your life today – pray.

And know that God hears your prayers. And He will be there with you, and for you. No matter what.

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.

Who Are We Aiming to Please?

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Today, in your life, who are you trying to make happy? Who are you trying to please?

Whose praise are you trying to ear?

The answer to that question will determine a lot of things in our lives.

If we live to please ourselves, we will become selfish, seeking only our pleasure, our gain, our stuff. We will place ourselves over others.

And in that, we will push others away, time and time again.

Living for ourselves will cause us to live alone.

Perhaps, through, we don’t live to please ourselves. We live to please others. And, while this sounds good, what happens is this.

We follow the crowd.

We given into peer pressure. We lose ourselves.

And, in that, we live more for the applause of man, than for what really matters.

Listen to what Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:1-4 today:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

We are soilders of the cross. And our aim is not to please any human. Our aim is to please God.

Today, how are you living? Are you aiming to please yourself?

Are you aiming to please others?

Or are you aiming to please God?

Only one option will truly give us joy and peace.

Today, may we aim to please 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.

What Would You Ask For?

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Today in a passage we are reading, we see the Lord tell Solomon, whatever you ask for you, you will get.

Wow, that’s something to think about, huh?

What would you ask for? If you got the chance to ask for something or for one thing, what would you ask for? What would it be?

Well of course, I know the first thing we’d all ask for would be for an Ole Miss national title. Duh, that’s a given, right? 🙂

What next. What after that? Something personal? Something for others? What would it be?

Listen to what Solomon does today in 1 Kings 3:9-12:

Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

He asks for wisdom. He asks for the ability to see things as God would have him to see. That’s, after all, what wisdom is. Seeing thing through God’s eyes. Seeing things as God would have us to see.

So, today, what would you wish for? What would you desire? What would you long to have?

Is it wisdom? Is it that ability to see, to know, to understand as God would have us to?

If so, then today, today is your day. For the Word tells us in James 1:5 – If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Today, you can have it. You can see as God would have you to see. You can know as God would have you to know. You can understand as God would have you to understand.

You can have wisdom. Now, will you know all things? No, you want. But God will give us wisdom. We can discern His will. His way. His plan.

Today, you can. Ask. Pray. Listen.

What is He saying to you right now.

In this instant, what is God saying to you. Listen.

May we have the grace to ask. To listen. And to obey.

Today, if we ask for wisdom, God will give. Today, may we follow in God’s plan for us. And may we be salt and light with all we are!

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.