When God Has Other Plans

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

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Sometimes there are things that we really want to do; things that we really believe that we should do. Things that may even be good things. Noble things. Even important things. But they aren’t what God wants us to do.

And that can be frustrating for us. That can make us even doubt sometimes. Come on, this is a good thing; an important thing. Why can’t I do it?

Listen to what happens today in Luke 8: 38-39:

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus healed this man, brought him back to life. Brought him back to wholeness and completeness. And all he wanted to do was follow Jesus.

Wow, what a great story! Now this man who Jesus healed will follow Him and become a disciple. Wow, that’s awesome!

But that’s not what happens. He goes to Jesus and wants to go with Him. And Jesus says no. He had other plans. Instead of following along with Jesus, the man was to go to his own hometown, and tell everyone what had happened.

Jesus had other plans. It wasn’t that the man’s plans were bad or wrong. But Jesus had other plans.

What do we do when God has other plans?

We trust. We know that God’s plans for our lives are better than our dreams for our lives. If God says no to something that we want to do; even a good thing, it’s because He has something better in mind. When we don’t understand, we trust.

We obey. We don’t obey God because of what we get out of it, we obey because of what He’s done for us. Here’s the thing, when we obey, God does amazing things through us, even if we don’t understand why or how or what. It’s not for us to always understand, it’s for us to always trust and obey.

We are thankful. Because here’s the thing. God has a plan for you. The almighty God of the universe has a plan for you. Look what happened in this text. This entire city heard the good news of Jesus because of this man. Wow!

Why God’s plan for you may not be your plan for you, know this. God has a plan for you!

Wow.

Today, may we follow in that plan.

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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.

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.

52 Weeks (Week 9)

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

This week as we continue memorizing the last verses of Romans 8, we take a look at Romans 8: 31-32. As we have mentioned, these last verses of chapter 8 in Romans are so encouraging, some hopeful, just so good. Listen to what we see here in 31-32:

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

We see here this reminder. If God is for us, then who can be against us? If God is on our side, pulling for us, calling us, leading us, pushing up, then what in the world do we have to fear?

Nothing.

If God is for us, then who can be against us?

No one.

This is how much God loves us. He loves us so much that He didn’t even spare His son so that we can know life and know life eternal. So how much more will He be with us and for us in all things? All things.

Today, no matter who you face, no matter what trials come your way. No matter what is happening, hear this.

No really. Listen. Listen to this. Know this to be true. Because it is. It is really and truly true.

God is for you. God is on your side. He is. He really is. No matter what happens today, God is for you. No matter what happens today, God is on your side.

Trust that today.

God is for you. Don’t lose hope!

52 Weeks (Week 7)

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

This week in our 52 Weeks, 52 Verses, we get one of my absolute favorite verses in all of Scripture, this is one of those verses that I’ve built my life around. This is one of those verses that gives you hope, gives you confidence no matter what you are facing.

If this year of memorizing the Bible does anything, it’s for weeks like this and verses like this. This is one of those that you need to hide close to your heart, and pull out when you need that hope.

Listen to and learn Romans 8:28:

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.

All things work together for good for those called according to His purpose. All things. Here is the hope that this vese gives me. All things in life, the bad, as much (maybe even more so) and the good work together for our good, if we are called to God’s purpose.

What does that mean? First, it means this. God has a purpose. God has a plan. And while we have free will within that, God is at work, guiding, calling, challenging, pushing, prodding. God is at work in all things, to bring something good out of it. God has a plan that is bigger than our human choices.

Now, I don’t understand that and am not going to claim to. But I know it’s true. God has a plan and a purpose.

And for those of us that love Him, all thing will work according to that plan.

All things. They will.

So, today, trust. God is at work in all things, for His purpose. And for our good. In all things. He really is.

Memorize this one today. Write it on your heart. Write it on your soul. Cling to it. For all things will work for our good. And for His purpose.

Open Our Eyes

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

Sometimes we need to have God open our eyes. We can miss so many amazing things. We can miss the beauty of creation. We can miss the simple joys of life. We can miss the things that God wants to show us, the things that God wants us to see.

We can miss His truth. We can miss the things that in life that are true. Things that are good. Things that are pure. Things that are noble.

We can miss the things, the real things, which we need to see.

Now, I don’t think we miss these things because we want to miss them. We miss them because we are busy. Or we aren’t looking for them. Or our attention is elsewhere.

We just don’t see.

Today we need to pray for our God to open our eyes. Open our eyes to see what is really real. Open our eyes to what we see in Ephesians 1: 16-20:

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

We need to have our eyes opened (or I like how it says here, the eyes of our hearts enlightened) to know the hope that we’ve been called to. The riches of our inheritance. The greatness of His power to us.

We have so much power at our disposal. We have so much strength on our hands. We have so much that we can do. We have the very God of all of heaven on our side, working with us; working for us, calling us.

We have hope in every situation. We can believe, no matter how dark it is. We can have peace, no matter how bad it may seem. We can live, even when we don’t know how.

We have all these things. All of them.

Not through our power or might. But through Jesus. Through His power. His might. His strength. His grace.

Through Him.

It’s there. We just have to open our eyes to see it.

Today, may He open our eyes. May we see what we can do; what we can be, all through Him.

Today, may we see things, as they really are. May we see.

Confidence

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

We all know, we all believe that we are broken vessels. We know that we are imperfect. We know that we make mistakes, that we fall, that we fail, that we all mess up.

Seriously, we know that. And it’s good for us to remember that. It’s good for us to know that we can’t do it all by ourselves. We need to learn to depend on God. To trust in His grace. To lean on His mercy.

To know that we are sinners, saved by grace.

But, that’s not all that we are. As weak as we are, we don’t stand by our strength. If we stand by our strength only, we will fall. But we don’t stand by our strength. We stand by God’s strength.

And when we stand by God’s strength, we stand with confidence. Listen to what it says today in 2 Corinthians 3: 4-6:

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

We have great, great confidence in Jesus. We aren’t sufficient (or able) in ourselves. But we are sufficient; we are able in Him. You can do it today. Through Him, you can do it today.

No matter what it is. No matter what you face. No matter what you are dealing with you. You can do it through Him.

Have confidence. Have that trust. Have that faith. Have that hope. You can do it through Him.

Yes, your sin is great. His strength is great.

Yes, your weakness is much. His strength is more.

Yes, you feel that you can’t do it through yourself. But know. You can do it through Him.

This fact is true. As great as your sin is, the blood of Christ and the power of the empty grave, they are greater.

Today, you can confidence. Not in yourself. But in Him. Through Him, you can do all things.

Today have confidence.

A New Thing

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

Yesterday we talked about getting out of a rut, how God is in the midst of doing a new thing. In this season of Advent, we have to ask ourselves, do we really believe that God is, doing something new?

Sunday, at Asbury, I said this – don’t give me your Christian answer; give me your real answer. Your Christian answer is what you think we have to give as good people. Your real answer is what you really think and believe.

And here’s the thing. God knows what you are thinking. God knows what you believe. God knows what’s on your heart.

So, let me ask you, do we really believe that God is going to do something new in our lives? Or do we think that things are going to always remain the same, remain as they are now? Or could God possibly do something new in our lives?

Listen to what it says today in Revelation 21: 2-5:

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

God is making all things new. All things. Me. You. All things.

You know what the new work God wants to do is? You. Me. He wants to make us new. He wants to restore us. Remake us. Change us.

Remove the dirt of the past. Remove the shame and sin of the past. Remove the brokenness of the past. Make us new.

That’s what He wants to do for you and in you today. Not just forgive you. Make you new.

Today, you can be new. You can be different. You can start over. You can begin again. You can leave the past and the old behind. You can be new.

That’s where all this is headed. That’s what God wants to do. That’s what God will do. He will make all things new.

And He wants to start today with me and with you. Today, through grace, mercy, and love, God wants to make us new.

Today, will we let Him? Will let us, through His Holy Spirit, make us new?

Relax

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

Today, relax. Just relax. Breathe in deep. Be calm. Relax.

There is a balance that we need in faith. Sometimes, we need faith to be really intense. Really focused. Really looking, seeking, going, just at it hard. That’s a good thing.

Monday, I talked about how Jesus wants to make a choice. Sometimes, we have to just, in that moment and day, make a choice.

But we never need to forget what Psalm 127: 1-2 tells us:

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Unless it is God that is at work, we labor in vain. Unless God builds the house, it is not worth it. Unless God watches the city, the ones that watch it watch in vain.

We rise early; we go to work, we go, we do, we sweat, we toil, we do all these things. We are anxious. We are stressed. We are worried. We are afraid. We are tired.

And we are told God gives His beloved sleep.

We need to remember that. God has it. He is the one that makes it happen. He has it.

The weight of the entire world does not rest upon you. It doesn’t. It really doesn’t. Relax today. Breathe today.

God has it. He knows what He is doing. You can trust. You don’t have to do everything, be everything, go everywhere. God has it.

Trust. Relax. It’s ok. It really is. It’s ok. Today, no matter what is happening, what’s going on, what you are doing, know that God has it, He has you, and you can trust.

Relax.

When We Can’t Feel His Presence

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

One of the things that I believe that truly gives life, that truly changes us and gives us hope, is to be in the presence of God. To know that God is with us, to know that He is there, listening, loving, caring.

In our lives, we have all been there, at some point, knowing that God is with us, God is present, God cares.

Many of us can think of moments, right now, where we felt that way. I can; you can, we all can.

And in just the same way, we can think of moments where we couldn’t feel the presence of God. Where we didn’t know where He was. Where we didn’t think, He was there. Where we felt forsaken. We’ve all been there, too.

So, what do we do? What do we do when we don’t feel God’s presence? Today, in Psalm 105: 4-6 we are offered two suggestions. Listen to what it says.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

First we are told this. Keep seeking. Keep seeking after God. Keep doing the things where you experience God.

Keep reading His word. Keep praying. Keep serving. Keep looking. Keep listening. Keep seeking. And you will find Him. You will. He is there.

And second, remember what He has done. Remember where He has been faithful. Remember where He has shown Himself. Remember how He has loved you, saved you, called you, been there for you. Remember. Remember.

Never forget. Never forget who He is. Never forget what He has done. Never forget how He loves. Never forget.

He hasn’t left. He hasn’t. Even if you can’t feel Him. He is there. Keep seeking Him. He is there. Keep remembering. He is there.

Even if you can’t feel it, don’t quit. Don’t forget. He is there. Hold tight to that.

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