Tag Archives: Grace

Something New

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lets-try-something-new-daytobeyou-com1The Bible always tell us that God is doing something new. Something big.  Something that we probably won’t be able to even understand.

That’s what God does.  He always does something huge.

And so, as we stand, one foot in this new year, what new and big thing does He want to do in your life?  What resolution have you started, that day two into it, you are already a little wishy-wash on? What life changing thing do God want to start right now, this instant, this moment?  God is wanting to do something big.  Listen to the words that were said by John the Baptist when he saw Jesus for the first time in John 1:29-30:

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

The Lamb of God that takes away the sins the world.  Takes away the sins of the world. Takes away the sins the world.

That is what God longs to do, not just for me and for you, but for the entire world.  Take away our sins. Start over. Start fresh. Begin again.  Begin a new.

God wants to take away your sins.  Do you really grasp that?  In a world that remembers and holds onto and lets go, never  forgives, God wants to take away your sins.  And the sins of the world.

What is that something new that you can start in this new year?  How about this?  Let go.  Let go.

Let Him do what He wants to do.  Let Him take away your sins.  Let Him let you start over.

Let’s try 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 phone

A Wasted Year?

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falseI was having a conversation with one of my staff members last week, talking about how 2013 has been a tough year.  This has been a busy year, a year where I felt like I haven’t stopped.  Now, most of that has been my fault, preaching too many revivals and never taking much time off.  But all around, it’s been a challenging year.  It’s been a rough year in a lot of ways.  And this was the phrase that I used.  I said that this year feels like a wasted year.

And that’s a strong phrase.  Why did I feel that way?  It’s been an odd year for me, for our church.  We’ve done so much.  We’ve sent more folks out in mission than any year in the history of our church.  We’ve got more ongoing small groups now than any time in the history of our church.  We have problems, sure, but all in all, thing seem good.

Plus, this has been the best year of worship, I believe, that we’ve ever had.  Our services have become so spirit driven and purposeful, I’ve never been around anything like it.

Yes, we’ve grown.  But not as much as in the previous few years.

Yes, we’ve baptized a ton of folks.  But not as much as in the past few years.

Yes, we’ve we are on pace to have our greatest year ever in giving. But, we aren’t just blowing out of the water, either.

After three straight years of exponential growth, we’ve simply grown this year.  Now, I know in a church culture that can be full of decline, this sounds very whinny, but, I think this has been symptomatic of other things.

I put a lot pressure on myself.  I always have, in everything that I do.  I sometimes take the words of one of my mentors too seriously, “Prepare like it depends upon you, preach knowing it depends upon God.”  I do the first part well, but not the second. 

So, what happens to me in ministry is I start taking things too personally.  This year, I took everything personally. I so want to see Asbury grow, so want to see people grow in their own faith, when it doesn’t happen like I want it to, then I get so frustrated.

Because of that, when others would leave Asbury to go to another church, I took it personally. When visitors did not return, I took it personally.  What did I do wrong? What did we do wrong?  Were my sermons not good enough?  Were we not friendly enough? How have I failed?  What could I have done better?  It hurt and bothered me.

Then when I saw folks not growing like I though they should (wow, what an arrogant statement!) I got frustrated. When I saw inconsistent worship attendance.  Or lack of volunteers for church efforts.  Or just what I perceived to be apathy, I thought what more can I do?  What can I start?  How can I help?  I had a combination of frustration/exhaustion going in a dangerous level.

And then, as every pastor (or most of us, I guess) deals with, I dealt with issues of jealously.  Look what other churches are doing. Look how they are growing.  The old green eyed evil of jealous crept slowly towards me. That’s one of the reasons that I so publicly support and pray for other churches, it is an act of the will for me.  I know that as competitive as I am, I want to the best, and yes, be the biggest. That’s my pride, my arrogance, my ego talking.   So, I make myself, publically and privately, pray for other churches.

Because of how driven I am, I wanted to see us do the very best we could do.  So I pushed.  And I pulled.  And I fussed.  And I did everything I could think I could do to help us grow. And I was growing more and more frustrated.

As well as missing the great things happening all around.  I was actually missing the growth.  The families healed.  The moves of grace.

I saw only problems.   And felt like most of the problems were because of me. What I’d done wrong.  Or could do better. If I was a better preacher.  Or pastor.  Or leader.  Or teacher, then people would grow.  We would see more lives changed, more things happen, more move of the spirit.

If I was just better. 

The best analogy I can make is in baseball, when a batter comes up to bat in a pressure situation, say for instance, there is a runner on second base, with two outs, and a hit ties the game; there is an old saying that the batter can squeeze the bat so tight, it will turn it into saw dust.  They put so much pressure on themselves that they get so uptight, and they can’t do the job.

I think that happened to me this year.  I think I squeezed the bat too tight.  I think I put too much pressure on myself.  I got inside my own head. And that’s a dangerous place to be.  I got too busy, we go to busy.

I think I forgot. 

And I think I missed the point of why it is that I do what I do, and what God has called me to do.

I forgot about grace.  I so wanted to see our church be faithful and grow in this past year, that I forgot why we do what we do. Grace. God loves us, not because of what we do, but because of what He has done, because of who He is.

I so wanted to see people grow, that I would grow frustrated, and put aside the only thing that really matters: relationships.  And because of that, I actually wasn’t able to help them do the one thing that I really wanted them to do, because I was so frustrated!

I wanted to preach the perfect message every Sunday, that I forgot the only message the really matters. Grace.

I found that I didn’t talk a lot about grace this year.  I talked a lot about doing. And going. And serving. And all that. Which is good.

But, I didn’t talk a lot about what truly IS GOOD.  Grace.  God’s love for us.

That’s what matters.

And I kind of forgot it.

And because of that, I think I wasted 2013.

So, I’m ready for 2014.  I’m ready to recapture grace.  I’m ready to hit on all cylinders about God’s love for us.  I’m ready to bask in the goodness of His amazing grace.  I’m ready to stop grabbing the bat so tight, and just breathe.

How about you?

Older Brother Syndrome

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18prodigalsonThe story of  the prodigal son is a story that most of us know and love.  It’s a story that we are familiar with, a story that makes us feel better, that teaches us grace, that allows us to know that God love us, no matter what!

We love reading that story.  We love hearing that story.  And for many of us, when we read or hear that story, we picture ourselves as the older brother, returning home, feeling the love of the Father.  But, the prodigal isn’t the only brother in this story.

There’s an older brother.  And, for many of us that are believers, we have what I call the older brother syndrome.  Listen to what happens in Luke 15: 25-32:

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’  And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

The older brother did everything right.  He behaved.  He acted like he should have.  He had his stuff together.

He is the one that we want our kids to grow up and be like.  He is a good guy.

But yet, here he is as well when his brother comes home and says, huh.  That’s not fair.  My no account, good for nothing brother comes home from wasting his wealth, and he gets a party.  And yet, here I work, and nothing. I get nothing. It’s not fair.

And the father reminds him that his brother was dead and is now alive. And that is to be celebrated.  Not resented.

So, today, to those of us that may be tempted to be older brothers, tempted to look down in judgement at the prodigal coming home, tempted to think, huh, why them?  Look at all that they have done!  And look how good I am!  I’m the good one!  I’ve got it all together!  What about me!

Let’s stop. And breathe.  And remember. That we too are saved by grace. That we are all prodigals. That we can’t earn it. And that God loves us.  No matter what.

Let’s be slow to judge. And quick to give grace. Let’s celebrate the when the lost come home, and when the messy, broken, prodigal comes home, let’s be thankful.  Not full of judgement.

Because as much as we older brothers are tempted to think that we have earned it and have it all figured our, remember this. We are just sinners saved by grace.

We are just prodigals coming home.

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.

It’s Not Fair

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One of the things that we want to do when we are hurt or wounded is to strike back. That’s just our natural response.  Even when we don’t, even when it doesn’t happen, that’s our impulse.  It’s what we want to do.  It’s what happens.

We want to hit back.

I tell people one of the things of the things that gives us great hope in our lives and is our faith is this.  Jesus Christ went though everything that we go through.  Everything.  All the hurt, the pain, the loss, everything.  And in that, He gives us the strength to endure and be faithful in our lives.

Listen to what the Word says in 1 Peter 2:22-23:

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

its-not-fairHow you feel when you feel abandoned, hurt, betrayed?  Jesus felt that way.

You know how you feel when life is not fair?  You know that feeling of things unfair?  Wrong?  Cruel?  You know that feeling?

Jesus felt it too.

It wasn’t fair for Jesus to suffer and die.  it was not fair for Jesus to take our pain, or failure, our hurt, everything.

It’s not fair for Jesus to have done those things.

And in spite of being unfair, what did he do?  He didn’t respond with anger.  He didn’t strike back.  Even though it wasn’t fair.

Why?  Because He loved us.  Even though it wasn’t fair.  He still loved.  He still cared.  He still showed grace.

Even through it wasn’t fair.

May we do the same.  May we respond today with grace, mercy, joy, and love. Even when it’s not fair. Because it’s what Jesus did.  May, through His strength, may we do that same thing.

Let’s show grace. Even when it’s not fair.

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.

Love Much

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muchlove21Something I like to say is that I have to choose between law and grace, I choose grace.  I’m going to always choose grace.  Now, yes, there are things that are wrong and are destructive, and we should avoid evil and stay away from things that will destroy us, destroy others, and destroy our walk with God.

But, even folks that are far, far from God and acting in ways that are destructive, you know what?  I’m going still going to give grace.

I’m going to love much.

Why?

Because I’ve been forgiven much.  Listen to what Jesus says in Luke 7:44-47:

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

I have been forgiven so much in my life.  Jesus has given me grace after grace, hope after hope, love after love, mercy after mercy.  He has forgiven me so very much in my life, and the only response that I can make is to forgive others.  To give grace.  To show mercy.  To show love.  To show that hope.

Because He has shown that to me. And as I’ve been forgiven and loved, so must I forgive other and love.

I have been loved much.  So, I must love much.

Each of us have.  We have all been given grace and mercy today. We’ve all been given love.  And with that love we’ve been given, we much give love in return.  Today, we must love much. Because we’ve been loved much.

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.

Only God Judges

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One of the concepts that we see mentioned a lot and quoted a lot in the world today is “Only God can judge me.”  I know you’ve heard that saying, and in fact, so of us may have said that ourselves.

But, this does, in reality, have a scriptural basis. There are several passages of scripture that can point to this.  There are  many of the words of Jesus, and today, we read from 1 Corinthians 4:3-5, we were can see it.  But, I want us to really read this passage and see what we may notice this morning:

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

only_god_can_judge_me_by_canariias-d5bfbfhThere’s a couple of things that I want us to notice in this text. First, that saying is true.  Only God can judge.  Paul says that the Lord judges his for his actions, not any man, or any human court.  Our job in life is not to judge others.  Our job is to love others, to point to Jesus Christ with all that we do, to make a difference, to be salt and light.

That’s what God has us here for.  To point to Him.  Our job is be His ambassador, to show other’s His way and His life.  He doesn’t need us to be chief judge of the world.  That position is already taken.  Only God can judge.

But, here’s the thing. That statement is not a get out of jail free card like our society uses it.  Only God can judge.  And He is the judge.  He will one day pronounce judgement.  One day, we will stand before Him.  One day, we will hear well done, my good and faithful servant, or we will hear depart from me.

Now, this judgement is not based upon our “works” but upon His grace in us.  However, that grace will make itself know in our lives.  It will show itself in our actions, our grace, who we are, how we live.

God’s desire for us is to live by His grace, His mercy, and be faithful today with each step that we take.  Do our part to be as obedient as possible, letting His life, love, and mercy shine through us.

Today, you live, not to please man, but to please God.  And with that, may we live in a way that truly does seek 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.

I Choose Grace

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I tell people, if I have to choose what side to err on, it’s going to be on the side of grace.  If I have to choose between mercy and the law, mercy and grace win every time.  Each time.

I am going to choose grace.  I am going to choose mercy.  I am going to choose relationships and people over, well, anything.  Why is that? Because that is the way that God operates.  And that is the way that I truly believe that He wants us to live. That is what I believe that God truly wants us to do and to live.

Listen to what the word says today in James 2:12-13:

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

graceMercy triumphs over judgement.  Mercy wins in the end.  In the end, it is mercy that God will show to us.  It is mercy, for those of us that are in Jesus Christ, that we will receive.

We haven’t earned it. We haven’t done anything that makes us worthy of it. We haven’t caused it happen.  It is simply given by a loving, merciful God, because of the work of His son Jesus on the cross.

We are given grace time after time after time after time.

Grace for our sins, for our mistakes for our stuff, for everything.  Grace.

That is God’s gift to you.  Grace.

Now, the challenge is this. What will we do with it?  You are loved.  You are sacred.  You are valued.  You are.

Now, how will you choose to use that grace given to you?  Will you give it others?  Will you forgive?  Will you show mercy?  Will you show grace to others?

Or will you choose judgement?

Today, I choose grace.  I will show grace to others. For, I have been shown grace by my loving God.  So I must show it others.

I choose grace.  Today, what about 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.

Look Around

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Today, take some time to stop and look around. I know it’s Monday. I know it’s going to Monday all day long. I know that many of us have long weeks ahead, full of tasks and worries and stress.

I totally understand that.

And because of that, those of us that are extra busy or extra worried need to stop. And look around.

Listen to the words of Psalm 89: 5-11 this morning:

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

sunsetLet the heavens praise you, O God. You rule the raging sea. You still the waves. The heavens are yours. The earth is yours. All the world is yours.

Today, stop and look around at the wonders that God has made. Stop and look around at the glory of God that’s all around us.

The beauty and power of creation. The sun rise (for early folks!), the sun set (for later folks!). God’s glory is all around.

The laugher of children. The virtue of hard work. The gift of health and family. The grace of friendship and of love.

The joy of salvation.

Take a moment today to look around. See what God is doing. See the small blessings. See the quiet glimpses of grace. The small wonders of God’s mercy.

Look around. And you will be blessed. You will be stunned. And you will be thankful. For we will see just how, and how glorious our God is.

And we will see just how much it is that He loves us.

Today, take time to stop. To look around. And behold the glory and beauty of 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 Grace Looks Like

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What does grace look like? Let’s look at what David does in 2 Samuel 9: 6-8 today and see.

And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

royal-tableWhat happens here is this. David is now the king. And he wants to know if there is still someone from Saul’s family that is alive, so he can show them grace. But, wait, first remember what Saul tried to do to David repeatedly.

He tried to kill him. He threw speaks at him. He chased him around Israel. He did all in his power to kill him.

And now, as king, David wants to show kindness to a member of Saul’s family.

Why?

Well, David remembers his promise to Jonathan. He remembers his love for him, and he will honor his friend in this even though Jonathan’s dad (Saul) tried to kill him.

David will show grace.

Why? Because of his friendship with Jonathan. And because it’s what the people of God do. We have been given grace. We have been given mercy. We have been given forgiveness. We have been given so very much.

That we must give back. We must show it forth. We must give back to others out of the grace that we have been given.

David showed mercy to a man whose family tried to destroy him. He loved, because he had been loved by an awesome God.

That’s what grace looks like. To forgive when we don’t “have” to, to show mercy when there is no reason, and to see to show God’s love to all that meet each day.

That’s what grace look like.

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