Tag Archives: Jesus

Listen

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Jesus talks a lot bout being the shepherd and us being the sheep. He talks a lot how the sheep know Him and He knows them.

The sheep know the shepherd’s voice. And they follow it. No matter where it leads them.

Listen to what it says in John 10:25-27:

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

windyThe sheep follow the voice of the shepherd because the sheep know that the shepherd has their best interest in mind. The sheep know that the shepherd loves them, cares for them, and will protect them.

The sheep know that the shepherd will protect them.

So do we. We know that our Good Shepherd loves us. Cares for us. Will protect us. Has our best interests in heart.

So we know that we can follow the voice of the shepherd wherever it is that He leads us. And it will be ok.

But, here’s the thing. We’ve got to learn to listen. We’ve got to learn to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd.

We’ve got to listen for His voice. In prayer. In study. In worship. In service.

The Good Shepherd will call us. He will love us. He will lead us.

We just have to make sure that we are listening.

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.

Control

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urlIt’s very easy in life to be live via our passions. What do I mean by that?

I’m not talking about things like I’ve got a passion for art. Or music. Or the outdoors, or things like that Those are “passions” that enrich our lives, things that give us joy, things we can enjoy with others, things that in many ways, we can see God in.

What do I mean?

It’s easy live to be live via our passions. To lose control of ourselves to our passions of anger. Or greed. Or pride. Or sloth. Or (my favorite) gluttony.

And the thing is, when we are living in these passions, we feel like we are doing what we want! We are in control! We are in charge! We can do whatever it is that we want to do, because it’s our life!

Here’s the thing about that. We aren’t really in control.

When we live a life of anger. Or hate. Or greed. Or lust. Or pride. Or well, a million different passions we struggle with, we are out of control.

We have given control of ourselves to something else. Listen to what Paul says in Romans 6:10-13:

For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Do not let sin reign in your body. Do not give it control.

Now, listen, we are going to make mistakes. We are going to mess us. We are going to fall. That’s the way it goes.

Here’s the thing. Don’t give into that. Don’t be satisfied in that. Don’t feel like that’s alright and good enough.

Don’t allow sin to take control. Don’t allow yourself to be controlled by these passions. Christ died to defeat that.

He died so that He can be in control. So, today, what will control us? Will it be sin? Will it be Jesus?

Today, may we not live out of our passions. May we live, via the grace of God. And may Jesus Christ have control over all our lives!

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.

The Good Shepherd

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In scripture, we are compared a lot to sheep. And that sounds great.

Because sheep are cute. They are fuzzy. The are sweet little lambs. And so, in the bible when we are called sheep we think that’s a compliment.

It’s not. Being called sheep is not a good thing. We are not being complimented.

Sheep need the constant care and guidance from the shepherd. Without it, they would not make it. Without the care, voice, and help of the shepherd, they literally would not survive.

They would get lost.

So, look at what happens today in Matthew 18:12-14:

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

urlWe see a shepherd that had 100 sheep. And 99 are fine. One is lost, sure, but 99% is a pretty good success rate. I think any of us would be happy with that. But, not the Good Shepherd. Not God.

He wants all the sheep to be found. So, He goes out, searching for that sheep. Until He finds it. And there is much rejoicing when that happens.

Today, little sheep, no matter where you are in your faith, God is searching for you. He is looking for you. He is pursuing you. If you are lost and don’t know where you are. Even if you can’t find your way. Even if you want to give up.

The good shepherd is looking.

And He won’t give up on you. Come home. He is looking for you now. He loves you more than you’ll ever know. Come home.

The Good Shepherd loves all His sheep. The 99. And the 1. But, He rejoices when that little lost one comes home.

And so should we. Today, we are thankful that we serve a God that seeks us out.

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.

Confidence

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self-confidence-300x300You can do it!

Whatever it is that you are facing today, you can do it. There is nothing facing you today that you can’t do. Nothing.

That statement is true. But, let me tell you why that statement is true. Let me tell you why today you can have such confidence.

Listen to what it says 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 competent 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 confidence today through Christ, toward’s God. Through Christ, we have been restored into right relationship with God. Through the work of Jesus Christ, we are made right with God.

Paul reminds us that we aren’t able to, in ourselves, have this confidence. In ourselves, we would find ourselves lacking. In ourselves and in our own strength, we won’t be able to do it. In ourselves in our own ability, we can’t do it, can’t be good enough, can’t be strong enough, just can’t do it.

But, through the life, death, and resurrection, through the grace of Jesus Christ, we can. We can have confidence. Through Him, we can do it. Through Him, it will all be ok. Through Him, we can know life. Peace. Hope. Joy. Victory.

Through Him.

Today, have confidence. But, know where the confidence comes from. Through Jesus. Through Him, we are restored and through Him we live.

Today, may we live fully, boldly, and with confidence. All through Jesus.

Today, you can do it!

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.

Satisfied

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We are never satisfied. It seems like today, we are always searching. Never happy. Always longing. Always looking.

Looking for more.

Looking for different.

Looking for something else.

We are never satisfied.

Why is that? Why are we not satisfied? I think sometimes we aren’t satisfied because we aren’t looking to the right things.

Look at what happened today in Mark 8:6-8:

And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

urlThis the tail end of the feeding fo the 4000 in Mark’s Gospel. Lot’s of things we could talk about here. The amount of people who Jesus feed.

The meager amount of food that Jesus used to do it.

The lack of faith that the disciples showed in not trusting.

But, to me, it’s a simple phrase found in verse 8. “They ate and were satisfied.”

I think in life we are not satisfied because we are looking to the wrong things. We are seeking life in work. Or hobbies. Or success. Or any of the things.

And we find ourselves, well. Empty.

We aren’t satisfied.

And in truth, none of these things will ever do it. None of these things will ever satisfy us.

Only Jesus will. And today, they ate until they were. He provided that for them.

And He will provide that for you today. Today, in Jesus, in Him, you will be satisfied.

You will find what you are looking for.

Today, may we find that life, hope and peace. May we be satisfied. And may we find that the only place possible.

In Jesus.

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.

You Will Face Temptation Today

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In his first letter to the church, Peter spends a lot of time telling the folks how they should live. How they should act. What they should do.

And so, when I saw today I was going to be reading from 1 Peter, I knew immediately. He’s going to be talking about holiness. And part of me when, ugh.

Because I don’t know about you, but most of life, I don’t feel very holy.

So, I began to thinking, ok, this is going to convict me and make me realize I’ve got a long way to go to being the person that God wants me to be. And then I read it. And something jumped out at me.

Listen to what Peter writes in verses 13-16:

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

urlIt’s that first verse that really jumped out at me. Prepare your minds for action. What a great concept. I think, at least in my life, I get myself in trouble, when my mind is not ready. When I’m not prepared. When I’m not ready. When my mind is not focused on Jesus.

Are our minds ready today?

Today, you will face temptation. It’s coming. It may be happening right now.

You will face discouragement. It’s gonna happen.

You will face troubles and trials and worries. It’s gonna happen.

Get your mind ready. Be ready. Don’t be caught by surprise. These things will come. Center your mind on Christ. Make Him your focus. Make Him your light, your rock, your hope, your strength.

Trouble will be coming. That’s truth. That’s the way that it is. Temptation will be coming.

Prepare your mind. Get ready.

And the God of all strength and comfort will give you what you need for this day.

And each day. Get ready. God will be with 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.

Come Together

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Jesus is always drawing us to Himself. The Bible says that when He is lifted up, He will draw all men to Himself. When He is the center of attention and the center of focus, we will be drawn to Him.

But today’s reading doesn’t just tell us that. It tells us about something else that happens when Jesus is in the center of it all.

Listen to what Paul writes today in Ephesians 2:13-16:

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

e72bde771d613f1e6e208766895c6af5In Jesus, those that were far off have been brought near, for He is our peace.

But, it isn’t just that we are brought near to God and given peace with God, it’s this.

We are brought together. We are one. We can be one. We can be at peace, not just with God, but with each other.

That’s God’s will for us, that’s God’s hope for us. Peace with God. Peace with each other. The wall of hostility has been broken down.

We can come together. With God. With each other.

When Jesus is in the center of all it. When we are in the center, when we are in the middle when our stuff is in the forefront, peace is hard to find.

When Jesus is in the center, He is our peace.

Today, may we live in peace with our forgiving, loving, merciful God.

And through Jesus, may we come together. We we live in peace. May He bind us to one another. May we be one. For when He is lifted up, He will draw us all to Himself.

May we come together. As Christians. As churches. As believers. May we come together. And may we live in God’s peace.

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.

Struggling with “Stuff”

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Jesus is having a conversation with the rich young man in a text in the Bible. Jesus tells him to sell all that he has, give it to the poor, and follow Him.

The young man can’t do that, and the disciples are stunned. They are unsure how to react. This doesn’t make sense.

So, they talk to Jesus, what are we to do? If that guy isn’t going to be faithful and follow, who can? Peter, as always gives voice to their fears and concerns. Listen to what happens in Matthew 9:27-30:

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

IHeartMyStuffZipperPouchPeter says, ok, we’ve done it. We’ve left it all to follow you. What will happen to us?

Jesus tells them, anyone that has left what they have to follow me, they will receive ten-fold in eternity.

For, this world is not our home. This world is not the end. This world is just the beginning.

One of my struggles is with my “stuff.” I love my “stuff.” I love my iPad, my iPhone, all my stuff. I’m a geek. I like stuff.

Stuff is not bad. Anytime we read these passages we are tempted to think that our “stuff” is bad.

That’s not what He’s saying. What He’s saying is this. You can’t love your stuff more than you love Him.

You can’t love your “stuff” more than you love Jesus. When you do that, that’s when you get in trouble. The stuff of this world is fading. It will not last. It will pass away.

The stuff of God is unfading. Everlasting. Full of life and hope and glory forever.

So, our stuff is ok. Our hope is in Jesus.

Today, where is your hope? In your stuff? Or in Jesus? Only one is everlasting and truly gives life.

Today, may we find that life in Jesus.

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.

Holy Land 2013 – Day Seven – Up From the Grave

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Today was our last day in the Holy Land. It’s been a great trip. I’ve learned so much. So much of what I have learned and experienced is because of the great work of our leader, Dr. Sam Morris. Sam has been phenomenal and I can’t thank him enough for what he has taught me in this trip.

DSCN0728Today was one of the days where we really walked where Jesus walked. We spent the entire day in the Old City. We started the day off by entering in the city through the Dung Gate. From there we went on top of the Temple Mount, seeing the Al-Aqua Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

Leaving there, we saw some steps at the bottom that literally go back to the first temple. Yep, the one that Solomon built. Cool, huh?

After that, we went to the Western Wall. This is the only wall left standing from Herod’s Temple after Rome destroyed the city and the temple. This is the holiest place in all of Judaism. We were able to go and pray there. It was pretty neat.

DSCN0786From there, we went to the teaching steps. This is where Jesus would have taught from, specifically the Seven Woes found in Matthew. So, standing here, we literally stood where Jesus stood. We know that we know that we know that we know Jesus stood here and taught. There is no doubt.

After that, we went to Bethesda where He healed the man on the Sabbath. And from there we walked down the Via Delarosa ending up at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is the actual site of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Hear me, y’all. This is the actual site of these things.

DSCN0845We got to touch Mt. Calvary. We got to see the place where the earthquake spilt open the mountain. We got to touch where the cross was put in the ground. We got to see the place that Sam feels very confident in the actual tomb, we got to see what a tomb would have looked like, and we got to the traditional spot of the tomb.

Wow!

And this is my take away from today, and really from the entire trip. As we were in a tomb that is next to the actual tomb, we read the story of the crucifixion and burial. We prayed. And then we sang together “Up From the Grave He Arose.” From next to the spot where He arose from.

It was amazing. I’m tearing up right now thinking about it. To sing of His death, and then to sing “Death could not keep its prey” is amazing.

And that’s my take away. As awesome as this place is (and you each need to come. Really. It will change your life and your faith) this is even more amazing. Up from the grave He arose!

Where oh death is your victory? Where oh death is your sting?

Sin, death, and the grave are defeated! Christ is victorious! Through Him, we have nothing to fear. We have won.

We are not a people of places or of churches. We are people of relationships. With each other. And with God.

I’ve been convicted of my sin this week by seeing the places where my Lord suffered from. I have felt that strong hand of conviction on my heart in this week. I have been reminded of what my sin cost my Lord.

Today, through, I was reminded of this – He is not dead. He is alive.

Death could not hold Him down. The grave could not keep Him.

My sin, your sin, it has been paid for. Jesus has paid the price. And the grave is empty. Death has been defeated!

We are not judged. We are not condemned. We are not forsaken.

We are loved. We are freed. We are given grace.

Today, I’ve seen the tomb. And hear me friends. It is empty! Life has won.

He is not in the ground. He is not here. He’s in us.

Up from the grave He arose! Wow! Yes! Praise Jesus!

Live forgiven. For you are. You are a forgiven child of God. Live in that grace today!

See you back in the good ole US of A.

Mary’s Response

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A couple of quick notes today before our reflection. First, if you are in the Petal area, we’d love you to worship with us tonight at Asbury for our Candlelight Christmas Service. We have services at 4:30 and 6 p.m.

Second this will be my reflection for a few weeks.  I’ll be out of pocket and with family most of this week, and next Monday, January 31, several of us from Asbury are leaving for a trip to the Holy Land.  While in Israel I am going to attempt to have a daily post and keep you updated on our journey, as well as share some photos.

Merry Christmas to you, and your family.  Now, on to today’s reflection.

theangelusI love Mary’s response when she is told that she will be the mother to God’s Son.

She has just had her world rocked. Everything that she had planned for her life is forever changed.

God has big plans for her. Hard plans. Challenging plans. Difficult plans.

Now, these plans will be for her good and for the good of the world. They are going to be blessing to her. To me. To you. And to everyone that’s ever lived.

But, they will also forever change her life. That’s the stakes. And listen to Mary’s response in Luke 1:35-38:

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Let it be to me according to your word.

She trust in God, and His plan, even when she knows that it will be a challenge.

Even when she knows that it will be hard.

She believed, even when God’s plan was not her plan. Because she knew God’s plan was the right plan.

Today, may we be the same. May we do the same. Today, may Mary’s response be our response.

Lord, let it be to me according to your word.

Amen, and 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.