Tag Archives: Jesus

How to Be Forgiven

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Today in our passage, we are going to look at two people praying.  Let’s look at their prayers, and see what we can learn about our own walk with God.  

Luke 18: 10-14:

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayer thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

How to GuideWe see two men pray. One was a Pharisee, one was a tax collector.  Just a little back ground, Pharisees would best be understood as sort of like preachers.  They were educated, they knew the law and the customs of the people and part of what they did was they taught the law to the people and made sure that it was kept. 

A Pharisee felt like his calling was to make sure that people correctly followed God and His law.  

A tax collector was someone that was Jewish and worked for the Roman government. They quite often would use the power of the government to extort money from their own people.  They were seen as traitors by other Jews, they were literally hated. 

So, here we see a religious man that should be looked up and respected by his peers, and someone that was literally hated.  

And yet, in this parable, who walks away forgiven?  The tax collector.  

Why?  Why was he forgiven?  

He asked for it.  He admitted his need, and asked forgiveness for it. And he received forgiveness for it. 

Why was the Pharisee not forgiven?  He didn’t ask.  

So, how are we forgiven?  First, we have to realize that we need forgiveness.  Don’t think we are perfect. Don’t think we’ve got it all figured out. Understand our need.  

And then, ask for forgiveness. And we will be forgiven.  

Today, no matter who you are, where you are, what has happened, you can be forgiven. Really.  Just ask.  It will happen. 

Today, live in the forgiveness. Live in new life.  You are forgiven. 

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.

Glory (SOAP)

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Today, we’ll take a look at John 17:1-5.

S – scripture

Remember to ready slowly.  Pay attention to what you are doing.  Focus.  Listen.  Calm your soul.  In this moment, tune out the world, and listen for what God wants to say to you in His word.

John 17:1-5:

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

glory-sunshine-from-the-edge_1152x864_71915O – observation

Jesus’ desired to glorify the Father

Jesus desired to glorify the Father.  There were many reasons why Jesus came to earth.  To die for our sins. To defeat the power of the devil.  To show the depth of God’s love for us.  To show the church how we should care for the ones that are forgotten.  To show us that no one is unloved. Many, many reasons.

But, one of the main reasons, we see over and over again, is to give glory to God the Father.  The Son desires for the Father to be praised, to be loved, to be honored.  Jesus says this – in this moment that is beginning, may you receive glory. All things work for the glory of God, even the cross.  Jesus knew that. And He teaches us that.

Eternal life is knowing God

Jesus asks the Father that we many know eternal life, and that life is knowing the Father, and the Son that He sent.  Heaven will be many things, but above all, in heaven, we will know God fully, as He has fully known us (1 Corinthians 13).  Heaven isn’t just to come, but through knowing God, we can taste it right now, through His grace.  When we experience something powerful, something holy, something good, that’s a taste of heaven.

Jesus wants us to know that.  Jesus tells us, that is what eternal life is, at it’s most full, knowing God.  So, eternal life is not just a “future” thing, but it’s also a “right now” thing.  For those of us that know God, we don’t have have to wait to know things that are eternal, we can know them, right now, in this moment.

Jesus is God

It says in this text that Jesus will know the presence of God, as He knew before the world was created.  In the Bible, glory is the essence of who God is.  So, Jesus knew God’s essence, in John 1, it says that was with God, and was God.  Jesus Christ is God.  He is part of the glorious Trinity, the very being of who God is.  Jesus wasn’t just a good man.  He wasn’t just a good teacher.  He was God.  You must know this.  You must understand this.  He is God.

And He died and rose again to save us.  And life is found only through Him.

A – application

If Jesus desired to give glory to God in all things, do I?

Jesus Christ knew that part of His purpose on the earth was to give glory to the Father. That was part of what He was here to do.  What about us?  If that was part of what Jesus desired to do, what about me and you?

Do we desire to give God glory through our work?  Our families?  Our faith?  Our hobbies?  Our everything?  Jesus came, for many reasons, but giving God glory was one of the main ones.  Today, do we desire to honor God and give God glory through everything?

How can I see glimpses of eternity today?

If eternal life is knowing God, today, we have eternal life.  It’s not just something that we look forward to, but its something that we can know, right now.  So, today, are you looking for heaven?  Are we aware of all the places, and all the ways, that we can see eternity?  Every movement of the spirit, ever act of grace, every time that God moves in our life, that’s a glimpse of heaven.

Today, are you just living life, or are you looking for heaven in every moment?

Have I given Jesus my all in all?

Jesus Christ is God.  He is part of the glorious Trinity.  He was there before the world was created, and all things were created through Him and for Him.  He is God Himself.  I don’t fully understand the beauty of the Trinity, but I know that it is true.  Jesus Christ is God.

Have we given Him our all in all?  Does He have our everything?  Does He have every bit of our lives?  Because that’s where peace and hope and life will come. Through giving Him our all.  Jesus is God. Do you honor and worship Him as such?

Does He fully have you?

P – prayer

Today, Blessed Father, may we glorify you in all that we do.  May we look for glimpses of heaven, in all of life, and my we give you our all in all. Today God, may we seek to give you glory, in all things.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

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.

Like a Child (SOAP)

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Today, let’s reflect upon Matthew 18:1-6 together!

S – scripture

Matthew 18: 1-6:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

O – observation

Jesus exalts a child as the example of faith

Jesus tells us that we should have a faith like a little child.  And that sounds nice and sweet to us, but in Jesus’ day, that wasn’t the case.  Children were not important.  They were little more than property in that day.  The number of kids you had would show the wealth that you possessed, but it was not a child friendly society like ours is.

So, Jesus takes a child, of little worth in the culture, and says, be like this.  Humble yourself.  Don’t be proud.  Be humble. And in that, you will find the kingdom.

Jesus tells us welcome little children

Jesus doesn’t just tell us to humble ourselves like a little child (which is bad enough!) but He tells us that we should welcome children.  In His day, that simply was not the case.  Children were to be seen (rarely) and never heard. They didn’t matter.  They didn’t have value in that day. They were simply not important.

First, He tells to be like someone not important. And now He tells us to welcome someone not important.

Jesus is challenging us to consider our values of who is important and who is not important.

millstoneJesus warns us to consider out actions

And finally, Jesus tells us that if we cause one of these little ones to fall, our fate would not be good.  A mill stone is HUGE stone.  Bigger than any stone that you have ever soon. There is  no way that you could tie it around your neck, it’s simply too big.  Jesus is making a point here.  It would be better for you to do something impossible than for your actions to hurt one of these.

He reminds us that our actions have consequences that we can never even see.

A – application

Who is not important to us, that is important to Jesus?

Jesus calls us to pay attention to those that don’t “count.”  That don’t “matter.”  That aren’t “important.”  Why?  Because they count, the matter, and they are important to Him. They matter to Him.  He loves them, wants us to love them, and they may have something to teach us about faith.  God may be wanting to use that one that you think doesn’t matter to point other to Him.  He may have a high and lofty purpose for them, that we’ll never understand.

But He does. And He wants us to respect, love, and care for them.

Today, who are we missing, that Jesus isn’t?  Today is not important to us, that is very important to Jesus?

How can I humble myself?

CS Lewis said “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”  We have to learn to humble ourselves, and take the focus off of us, and put it on Him.  But our vision, our plans, our lives on Him.  He calls us over, and over and over again to humility.

Every wondered why?

If we are focused only on us, we will never be able to see Him.  Today, may we take the focus off of us, and place it upon Him.

Have I considered the consequences of my actions?

My life, my decisions, my actions, they have have consequences.  They affect others.  I don’t live only for myself.  I live for God, and I live for His plan.  The choices I make today, they will affect others in ways that I can’t imagine. Today, in our lives, may we remember that the choices that we make, the have a great affect on others, than we realize.  May we live with that knowledge.

P – prayer

Dear Father, my I live today, keeping my eyes open for those that I normally miss because I am so busy.  May I seek to place the focus of my life upon you, and may I consider how my actions affect others.  Give me grace for this day.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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.

Take Up Your Cross (SOAP Method)

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Since it was so well received last week, we’ll continue using the SOAP method of scripture for some posts this week.

Let’s start!

S – scripture

Remember to read slowly.  Don’t worry about the things that you have to do today.  Don’t focus on the problems of the day, or the regrets of the past.  In this moment, slow down, and listen.  Listen for Gods’ voice in Mark 8:34-37:

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

O – observation

urlTake up your cross

Jesus tells us that His disciples must take up their cross.  That sounds a little unpleasant to us, and our western ears, but in Jesus day, to take up your cross would be a terrifying thing.  The cross was a means of death in that day, a terrible, painful, humiliating, awful death.  It was the means that Rome used to make a example of someone.  It was the public hanging of it’s day.

And that’s what Jesus calls us to do.  He calls us to take up our cross.  The cross, in Jesus day, was not the serene symbol of peace that we have made it to be.  It was a means of execution. And that is what Jesus calls us to.

Living for the gospel

Jesus doesn’t just call us to death (thankfully!) but He calls us to live as well.  He tell us whoever lives for the Gospel will find life, and is truly alive.  He tells us that if we live for our life, we will lose it, but if we live for the Gospel, we will find more life than we could ever again.

So, first, we die to ourselves, because if we are living for ourselves, we will not be able to focus on anything but ourselves.  And then, when we take the focus off ourselves, we find something really worth living for, the Gospel.

What is worth your soul

Jesus poses as question in the end.  Is is worth it?  Is what you are living for, it is worth losing your soul. Because in the end, we each must make a choice.  We can gain the whole world, all the power, all the fame, all the wealth, everything. But, if in that process, we lose our soul, what have we truly gained?  Jesus asks us to consider that question this morning.

A – application

What difficult thing is God calling me to?

Today, we are called to take up our cross?  What does that mean?  It means taking the focus off of us, and our “stuff” and focusing on what God is calling us to do. And, today, He may be calling us to something challenging.  He may be calling us to something hard.  He may be calling us to somewhere that we don’t want to go.

And hears the thing. He has promised us, that place that we may not want to go, if He has called us there, that place actually is the way of life.  By taking up our cross, we will find life.  He has promised us.  By dying to us, we can live for Him.

Am I finding my life in God or my my stuff?

Simple and sweet.  What are we living for today?  Where is my life?  What is the point of my life?  Is it for me?  My stuff?  My dreams?  My life?  Or is it for God. Scripture tell us that the only way for life is to live for Him. That’s it.  That’s the only way. If we live for ourselves alone, in time, we will lose our soul.  If we live for the Gospel, we will live.

It’s our choice.  Today, what are we living for?  Today, are we alive, or are we running the risk of losing our soul?

P – prayer

Holy God, help us each to remember where our life is found, and help us to make sure that today, and each day, we are living for the right purpose.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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.

SOAP – Day Four– Luke 22:24-27

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324904370_640Today is Day Four of our SOAP challenge.  I’ve head so much good feedback about this method, that I may continue doing it this way for a while longer.  I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Let’s start

S – scripture

Slow down.  No matter where you read this at, at work, at home, wherever, take this moment to breathe.  Take this moment to let the worries to this moment, the worries of tomorrow, the regrets of the past leave your mind.  Listen.  Listen to the Word of God.  Listen.

Luke 22:24-27:

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

O – observation

How leadership works in the world

The disciples are fighting about who will be the greatest in the kingdom that is to come.  And Jesus basically handles that question in two ways.  First, he poses the question, how does leadership work in the world?

It’s about power, prestige, and money.  He says, they lord over you. The leaders act better than you, more powerful than you, they use that power to get you to do what they want you to do.  You do what they want you to do, because you don’t have any choice.  You have to.  That’s what the kings of Jesus day did.

How leadership works in the church

Jesus then asked, what about us?  How should it be for us?

Instead of power being the driving force of leadership for His people, greatness for us does not come from power, but from service.  Jesus tells us, that for us to be truly great in God’s kingdom, we must serve.  To truly be great or a leader or respected in God’s kingdom, it’s about how we serve.  How we love.  How we forgive.

That’s what greatness looks like for us.

How Jesus lived

Jesus asks, in their culture, who would be “seen” as greater?  The one “reclining at the table” would basically be the one at the seat of honor.  Jesus says, what do I do?  I serve you.  And yet, who is more honorable that Jesus?  Who is greater than Jesus?  No one.  So, Jesus doesn’t just tell the disciples that they should serve and love, He actually does.

He is the greatest.   And He is the servant.

A – application

Am I using my “status” for my good or God’s?

God has you where He has you for a reason.  Your friends, your job, your connections, everything.  He has you there for a reason.  Are you using the place He has you for His purpose in your life, or for you own?  Are you using your resources for His good and His purpose, or are you using them only for your power, or position, or appearance.

He tells us that that’s what the world does. And He has told us that as Christians, that’s not what we are supposed to do.  How are we using all that God has given us?

Am I serving today as Jesus would have?

Jesus tells us to truly be great for Him, we have to serve.  Today, are we doing that?  Are we serving others?  Are we placing them ahead of ourselves?  Are we placing their needs, their stuff ahead of ours?  That’s were true greatness, true peace, true purpose comes from.  Not from living for ourselves, but for living for God’s purpose.

Jesus modeled that, He lived that, He showed that.

Today, as His followers, do we do the same?

P – prayer

Dear Father, today, help us to use everything that you have given us for your purpose and for your glory.  Help us to be truly great in your kingdom.  Help us to serve each other, as you served us.  Amen.

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.

Something Unexpected

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One of the things we see so often in scripture is that one of the main things that Jesus will do sometimes is push us out of our comfort zone.  He will call us to a place that we may not want to go, He will ask us to do things that we may not want to do, He will place us in place that we would not place ourselves in

Listen to Luke 5:1-5:

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

imgresJesus tells Simon (Peter) to let down his nets on the other side.  Peter was an expert fisherman.  He had done it his entire life.  He knew what he was doing.  He was a pro.  Why would he do that?

He knew what would happen.  He knew this was a waste of time  He knew there was no point in this.

And then something unexpected happened.  Listen to Luke5:6:

And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

Peter did what Jesus asked, even through it looked a little crazy.  Even through he had no reason to expect that it would change things.  Even through he thought it was pointless.

He obeyed.  And Jesus did something unexpected.  He did something amazing.  He did something no one could see coming.

Because that’s what He does.

Today, will you do that thing that is different, that Jesus is calling you to do?  You have no idea what He may do with that.  Today, He wants to do something unexpected.

So, hold on tight. And see what He is up to.

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.

What is Truth?

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imagesWhat is truth?  That may be the question of this age, and every age.

When Jesus was before Pilate, one of the questions that he asked Jesus was this – what is truth?

In an age of conflicting ideas about truth, about revelation, about right and wrong, one of the things that we have to get right is this. What is truth?

Well, listen to the words of Jesus this morning in John 14:6:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus says this.  Truth is not a concept.  Truth is a person.  Truth is not an idea.  Truth is a person.

He is truth.  He is the way.  He is life.  No one comes to the Father, but through Him.  He is truth.

So, to know truth, here is the answer.  Know Jesus.  He is the source of our truth.  It’s not that He is a truth.  He is THE truth.

I told my folks at bible study here at Asbury that my goal is not to make them better people.  My goal is to help them meet and know Jesus better.  If we have met Jesus, I truly believe that He will take care of our actions. That’s what He does.  He will burn away the things in life that we shouldn’t be doing. And He will increase in us the things that we should be doing.

Chase Him.  He will take of the rest.

So, today, to know truth, chase after Jesus.  Seek Him.  Know Him.  Give yourself and your life to Him more and more and more.  He is truth. For the questions we face, the decisions in our lives, the choices we make, turn to Him.

Seek Him.

Know Him.

And in that, we will know truth. We will. Because He is truth.

Today, in all things, seek Jesus. And we will find truth.

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.

Impact

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You have no idea the impact that you can make today. Seriously.  You could change the world, today.

Today, through some action, through some word, through something you do, you can change the world. You can do something amazing. And the the thing is this, you can do this amazing thing, no matter where you.

How?  Look at what happens today in John 1:40-42:

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

impactAndrew was impacted by hearing Jesus.  He heard His teaching.  He followed Him, he allowed Jesus to change him.

And then, with the change that Jesus made in his life, he told someone about Jesus.  He told his brother, we’ve found the Messiah.  We’ve found the one that will save us, that will change us, that will redeem us.

And Peter was the one that preached the sermon at Pentecost, where thousands were saved.

And Peter would have never known Jesus if not for his brother Andrew, that took him to Jesus.

And Andrew would have never done that, if Jesus hadn’t changed his life.

Today, you can make a huge impact.  How?  First, understand this truth. God loves you.  More than any mistake you’ve ever made.  You are a loved child of the king.

Seriously.  You are.  Hear those works.  Believe that.  Let it impact you.

And, let the impact of grace in your life, bleed over into all your life. As one affected by grace, let that grace touch others.  Let it impact others.  And you never know the difference that will make.

Just like the difference that it made in Peter.  And through Peter.

Today, you can make a huge impact.  Let God’s grace truly warm your heart today. And let that grace, through your life, impact someone else.

Today, we can change the world.

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.

Silent Night

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BethlehemBe still.  Listen.  Listen.

In a busy, busy, season.  In a busy, busy place.  In a busy, busy time.  Be still.  Listen.  Tonight is the silent night.  Tonight is the night when the choirs of angels sang.  Night is the night when the shepherds heard.  When they saw.  Tonight is the night.  The silent night.

But, not at this this exact time.  Not at this moment.  Right now, we are waiting.  We are focusing.  It is almost here.  Almost.  Almost.

Silent Night.  Holy Night.  Get ready.  Get your heart ready.  It’s almost here.

David and Mary travelled.  The knew the day was close.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

The people of Israel had been waiting.

The entire world had been waiting.

Creation had been waiting.

Today, are you?  Are you waiting for God wants to do? Are you waiting for where God wants to bring life?  Are you ready. Are you focused?  Are you are ready to live.

Silent Night.  Holy Night. It is here.

Are you ready?

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.

Worthy is the Lamb

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There was a babe born in Bethlehem.  A simple child, born into a simple family, in a simple part of the world.

Common people.  Common place.  Common time.

And many people missed it.  Yes, there were angels in the sky, and they told the shepherds. And yes, people knew.  There was the town, and a eventually the wise men showed up.  But, for the vast majority of the world, no one knew.

King Herod had to have his scribes tell him what had happened and where it happened when the Wise Men showed up, looking for Him.  So many missed it.

I want to show you, this morning, who this babe is.  He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords.  He is Jesus.  Listen to how He is described in Revelation 5: 11-13:

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

3496835915_c691158dfb_zWorthy is the Lamb, who was slain.  Worthy is He.

It’s all about Jesus.  He is life.  He is peace.  He is everything.  Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing will satisfy but Jesus.

Not your job.

Not your hobbies.

Not your money. . . or success. . . . or home. . . . or children. . . . or fame. . . . or toys. . . nothing.  Nothing will satisfy but Jesus.

Nothing.

Nothing.

For He alone is worthy.  Please, live in that today.  Worthy is the Lamb.

It’s all about Jesus. Everything.

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.