Tag Archives: Life

Thirsty

Posted on by

0

Ever been thirsty before?  I mean, really thirsty?  Give out?  Worn out?  Tired?

Listen to what the Word says in Psalm 42:1-2

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

a toddler drinking water from a garden hoseThat is what will satisfy you today.

Not work.  Or power.  Or success.  Or fame.  Or money.  Or anything else.

No religion.

No hobbies.

Nothing.  Only God.  Only God will satisfy.  Only God.

Today, drink from the well that won’t run dry. Drink from God’s goodness and mercy. Drink from His life, His power, His grace. Drink from the living waters.

And you will never thirst again.

Today, are you thirsty? Today, drink from God’s living water and never thirst again.

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.

Freedom

Posted on by

0

imgresOne of my professors in college used to say this about freedom.  You have the right to swing your fist in as much as it does not hit your neighbors nose.  At that point it turns from you swinging your fist around to hitting your neighbor.

We go from looking at ourselves and our stuff, to harming our neighbor.  In that situation, we aren’t using our freedom for the right thing.  We are free, not to do what we want. But we are free to do what is right.

Listen to what Paul writes today in Romans 15:1-3

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.  For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.

Paul says that those us that strong, we should look out for those that are weak.  Why?  Shouldn’t they take care of themselves?  Shouldn’t I just do what I want to do because I can?

No.  We don’t live for ourselves. We live for God.  We live for His glory and for His purpose.

We are here for Him.  And for each other.  And to use what we have, who we are, our freedom, to love God and love our neighbor.

Today, you have freedom.  You do.  You can do what you want to.  There is no one to make you do anything.  You have freedom.

But remember, that freedom is not given to you to do what you want to do.  Its given to you to do the right thing.

Today, use that freedom for God.  And for good.  Take care of each other. For God’s glory.

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.

This World and the Next

Posted on by

0

One of my favorite quotes is by my man CS Lewis.  This is what he says in his book Mere Christianity.

“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”

I thought about that when I read today’s scripture from John 13:1-4

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

nature_clouds_heaven_019281_In John, Jesus gets up, and He washes the feet of the disciples.  This is an act of great service, one of the greatest acts of service that any would could possibly perform, and our Lord and Savior willingly does it.

This is a great example to us.  Why did He do it?  Because He knew that the Lord had given all things into His hands.  And that He had come from God and was going back to God.  He knew that this world was not His home.

As it for us. This world is not our home. This is not where we belong.

We don’t live for this world.  We don’t live for this world’s praise or honor. We don’t live for this world’s recognition.

We live for our real home.  Our true home.  Our true place.

And because we know that this world isn’t our home, we can live with no fear.  Or worry.  Or stress.  The next world, that’s what we were made for.  And that’ where we are going.

So, live boldly. Live for your real 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.

Friends

Posted on by

0

I tell folks that one of the reason that church matters is that in our live, we’ve got to know that there is someone who is on our side. That there is someone in our life that cares for us, is pulling for us, and will be there for us.

There’s got to be someone in our life that is on our side.

We all need friends.  We all do.  You do. I do. We each do. We need a friend.

Listen to this story of friendship that we find in Matthew 9:1-2:

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

FriendsThese guys so their friend in need, and they knew that only Jesus could fix it. So, what did they do? They took their friend to Jesus. They did everything in their power to make sure that their friend met Jesus.

Man, don’t we want those kind of friends in our lives?  I think that we all do.  Someone that will be there for us and do all that they can do for us.

How do we find those type of friends?  We become those kind of friends.  We be that person.  We be that friend.

So, today, do you have those type of friends in your life?

Our we being those type of friends for others?

Today, may we be the friends to others that God is calling us to be.

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.

An Arrow

Posted on by

0

In our life we don’t live for others, right?  We don’t worry about the approval of other people.  We live only for God’s approval.  We all know that, we that God’s approval is all that matters.

So, don’t live your life with your eye to “them.”  Their approval doesn’t matter.

That is truth and we should live by it.

But, here’s the rub.  How we live does matter, through. And how we carry ourselves does matter.  The things we do, the impact we have, the difference we make, it does matter.  It really does.  The way we live matters. Listen to what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31-33:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

fv-cross-art-gbg829ep-1fvcross-crr3Paul hear is talking about things “don’t matter.”  The are stuff won’t saved you or condemn you.  They aren’t salvation matters.  So, they don’t matter for our eternity.  But, they do matter.

And what others think does matter.

Why?

It reflections upon Jesus.  Our lives, the way that we live, the choices we make, they really do reflect upon Jesus. And we want to make sure that what we do, how we live, the choices of our lives, they give God the glory that He deserves. That they draw people to God, not push people away from God.

We want to make sure that our lives reflect the grace of our Lord.

And that our lives point to Him.  Today, you are an arrow.  Pointing to heaven.

Today, may our lives point others to the goodness and grace 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.

Shine Bright

Posted on by

0

Today you have a chance to make a difference.  Today, you have a chance to shine bright the love of Christ.  Today, with His spirit within you, you have the chance, the moment, the ability to make a huge difference for the kingdom.

Today, you can shine bright the light of Christ with all that you do.

Listen to what it says today in Luke 8: 16-18:

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

6568967-bright-light-bulb-standing-isolated-over-a-black-backgroundIt says here, no one, when they have this light, will hide it. They won’t put in a jar or under the bed, but they will put it out for everyone to see.  The will place this light in a place where everyone can see it and live into it.

So is it with the light of Christ within us.  If we know His grace, have tasted His mercy, felt His power, experienced His love in our souls, we can’t hide it.  We can’t ignore it. We can’t pretend like it’s not there.  We can’t.

Don’t hide that light.  Let it shine in your hearts and let it shine in your lives.

Let His light shine today in our words.  In our actions.  In our relationships.  In all that we are, all that we do.  Let it shine.

For His life in our lives, it will make all difference in our life, and in the life of others.

Today, you’ve been give life, been given light.  Let it shine.

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

Posted on by

0

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.

What Matters

Posted on by

0

There are so many things that I don’t understand about faith and the Bible.  Now there’s a good bit that I do know, that I do understand.

But, if you want someone who can explain all the book of Revelation to you, I’m not your guy.  You want a complete and total understanding of free will versus God’s sovereignty?  I don’t understand it perfectly.

Now, on these, as well as other issues, believe me, I’ve got my opinions (I’ve got them on my every issue!). But I’m not going to claim that I perfectly understand these things.  And you know what?  I’m ok with that.  Listen to what it says in Colossians 2:8-11:

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ

jesus-neon-sign-5What we don’t know pales in comparison to what we do know.  Jesus Christ.  Him crucified.  Him resurrected.  Him returning.  Living, breathing, dying, rising, and returning.

So, for us, the thing is this. We often spend more time worrying about what we don’t understand than focusing on what we do understand.  I had a professor in college that put it like this.  Jesus isn’t hard to understand.  He’s just hard to follow.  Loving your enemies is not complicated.  It’s just hard.  Forgiving those that hurt you is not complicated, it’s just hard.

Today, there’s a lot that you and I don’t know. But there’s a good bit that we do know. Focus on that.  Focus on what matters.  Focus on Jesus.  His life.  His death.  His resurrection.  His return.  Seek to live out His grace and love.  Seek to know Him and know Him better.  Seek to show grace to all that we meet.  Seek to pray.  To serve.  To care.  To give.

To be salt and light.

Today, be faithful.  And leave the stuff that we don’t understand to God.  He can handle 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.

How to be Happy

Posted on by

0

Question-MarkWant to be happy today?  I mean, really happy?

Have life and peace and joy and purpose?

Want to have a life that is truly worth living for?  Let me show you how.  Listen to what Paul says this morning in Philippians 2:4-8:

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Paul is talking about Jesus, and how even through He is God Himself, He humbled Himself to death, even death on the cross.  He is God.  He is the creator of everything.  He tells us in Colossians that through Jesus Christ everything that’s ever been made was made and that all things are held together through Him.

In other words, there is no bigger deal than Jesus.  Seriously. He’s the biggest deal in all the universe.  He’s it.  There’s nothing, no one  higher than Jesus.  He’s at the very top.

And so, how did the highest of the high, what did He choose to do?  He humbled Himself.  He served.  He didn’t live for His plan, but for His father’s plan.

You want to be happy today?  You want peace today?  You want to have purpose today?  How?

Follow Jesus – humble yourself.  Serve someone today.  Live for a purpose bigger than yourself.  Live for plan bigger than yourself.  Serve someone today.

That’s where happiness is found.  Not in serving yourself.  Serving someone else.  Not in living for yourself.  Living for Him.  Not in making yourself king or queen. But in making Him king of your life.

You want to be happy today?  Serve someone. Do something for someone else.  Live like that, as Jesus commanded us to do.  And in doing that, you’ll find more happiness that you can ever imagine.

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.

Where Else Could We Go?

Posted on by

0

Ever been really frustrated? I mean to the point that you don’t know what to do, what to say and just want to give up? Ever been there?

I know that I have. And I’m guessing almost every one of us has at some point in our lives and at some point in our faith. Sometimes we can just be tempted to lay down and not keep going.

Today in John 6:66-69, we see many people walk away from Jesus. Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks them this:

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

long_and_lonely_road_by_safuanstyx-d3b0tcnPeter (bless him, we make fun of him a lot, but he knew what he was doing, most of the time) said – Lord where else could we go? You have the words of life!

It could be tempting to quit. To lay down. To stop. To not keep going. To walk away. To give up. But, there’s not life in that.

No matter how hard the road you are walking, Jesus is with you. He is the life. He is hope. He is peace.

Where else could we go? We can’t find life anywhere else in Him.

So today, don’t give up. No matter what. Don’t quit. No matter what. You can do it. Keep going. Keep walking. Keep praying. Keep pulling. Keep trying.

Don’t quit. No matter what. You can do it. Or better said, He can do it through you. Keep being faithful. Know that greater is He who is in you than He is who is in the world.

You can do it. He life. And you won’t find that life anywhere else. Keep going.

Through Him. 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.