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.

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, and you thought our app, you can now watch our worship services from Asbury too!

52 Weeks, 52 Verses

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Andy Stoddard

I had a moment recently where I needed to know a Bible verse. I was in a moment where I really needed to be able to encourage someone, and I didn’t have my Bible with me. And I wasn’t, in that moment, able to pull up my cell phone.

I needed to be able to quote a verse. And I needed have hidden the Word in my heart so that at that moment, I could share it.

We each need that. Each of us, as believers, we need to be able to pull a verse from our heart, from our mind, at that moment.

As a pastor, that’s a gift that I want to be able to give to my church. I want them to be able to know the Bible so at the moment when they need it; they will have it.

So at Asbury, in 2015, we are doing 52 Weeks, 52 Verses. Each week of 2015, we will memorize a different Bible passage together.

Would you join us? Will you take that challenge? Will you take the time this year, to over the course of a week, memorize a different passage.

Think about all the song lyrics we know. Or sports statistics. Or movie quotes. I know a bunch of all those, cause I’m a geek. But how much more should we know and hid God’s Word in our hearts?

Will you join us? Each week this year, one of these days I’ll share our verse for the week. This week it’s Daniel 2: 20-21:

20 Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;

Let’s learn this together. And let’s see what God will do with it in this year, and for all eternity!

God With Us

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

One of the promises that we hear in this season is this Immanuel. God with us. And we think of that most during this time. We associate that with Christmas. We think of it Jesus. With Mary. With Joseph.

And that is the truth of Christmas. God is with us. Listen to what we are told in Matthew 1: 20-23:

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us)

We hold tight to those words. We love those words. And those words are at the heart of Christmas. But here’s the beauty of that. Those words aren’t just for Christmas. Those words are always. And forever. And for all our lives.

God is with us in this season yes. But God is with us throughout all the year. God is with us in our good times. God is with us in our bad times. God is with us in our victories. God is with us in our defeats. God is with us when we feel healthy. God is with us when we are sick.

God is with us when we are laughing.

God is with us when are crying.

That’s Christmas. God entered into our world, into our lives, into our good times, into our bad time. God entered into our world. Into our day-to-day.

To show us love. To show us grace. To save us.

That’s the truth of Christmas. That’s the truth of today. God is with us. No matter what you are facing today, good or bad. God is with you.

That’s Christmas. That’s what it’s all about. Remember that. God with you. Today. He loves you and is with you today.

No matter what. That’s Christmas.

Refreshment

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

There are seasons in our lives when we just feel exhausted. Or worn out. Or tired. Or just, just done. We don’t want to keep going; we don’t think that we can keep going.

We just want to quit. We feel dry. We feel like things will never change, never get better, never be different.

Ever felt that way? Feel that way now? We’ve all been there at some time. Everyone one of us had been broken and burned out at some point.

Today, we read one of my favorite passages that deals with this. It is one of those just encouraging passages. Listen to what it says today in Acts 3: 18-20:

But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

When we repent and ask forgiveness, our sins are forgiven. And times of refreshing will come. I love that phrase. Times of refreshing. Such a great concept.

Today, there is a time of refreshing that awaits you. You can rest easy. You can feel life. You can feel forgiven. You can feel new and restored.

You can know that. Through the appointed savior, that has taken away your sins. Through Jesus.

Feel that today. Seriously. Let that wash over you. Let that grace and mercy wash over you like rain. Let it drench you. Let it refresh you.

You are forgiven. Through Jesus, you are forgiven. Really. You are.

Be refreshed today. Be renewed today. Be reborn and remade today. Today, feel that refreshment. No matter how tired or beaten down you are, feel that today.

Faith is Like Rebounding

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

One of the comparisons that I’ve made many times about faith and life is this. Faith is a lot like rebounding.

Wait, what? Faith is like rebounding? Exactly.

In basketball, one of the things I always enjoyed doing was rebounding. I guess as a football player, I like the physicality of rebounding, of going for the ball, of trying beat the other guy for it. That was always my favorite part of playing basketball. Rebounding.

And I don’t know much about; there are many, much smarter basketball coaches that could tell you a ton about rebounding. But this is what I do know. It’s about positioning. It’s about getting between your guy and the ball.

If you put yourself in the proper position, something good will happen. If you put yourself in the position between your guy and the ball, you will either get the ball or your guy will jump “over the back” and foul you, and you’ll get free throws (if you are in the bonus #basketballgeek).

In other words, if you are in the right position, something good will happen. You put yourself in the right position; you will either get the ball or get fouled. Something good will happen.

And that’s how it is with faith. Do you want to hear God? Do you want to know God? Put yourself in the right position. If you put yourself in the right position, something good will happen.

It’s just like rebounding. It’s about putting yourself in the right position. Here at Asbury we talk about praying, reading your Bible and going to church. In other words, putting yourself in a position to hear God.

And He will speak. He will.

Listen to what it says today in 2 Peter 1: 5-8:

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Make every effort to put yourself in the right position. Surround yourself with virtue. Knowledge. Self Control. Steadfastness. Godliness. Brotherly affection. Love.

Do these right things. Put yourself int hat position. These things don’t save you. But the strengthen you. They allow you to hear God. Don’t these things puts you in the right position.

And in doing these things, you will hear God. You will.

Faith is like rebounding. It’s about being the right position. Today, are you placing yourself in that right position. If you will, you will hear God. Today, let’s put ourselves in that position.

Seeking Peace

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

Yesterday at Asbury, we talked about how peace is not a concept that is not able to grasp, nor is a circumstance that change. Peace is a person – Jesus Christ. Peace doesn’t come through these things; peace comes through our relationship and our walk with Jesus.

I was thinking about that today when I was reading some of today’s suggested readings, and I read Psalm 34. Listen to what it says in 11-14:

Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

The things of faith, the things of peace in our lives really aren’t complicated to understand. They really aren’t.

They can be just really hard to do at times (at most times!). Today, the Psalmist talks about peace. And this is his suggestion to us today.

Keep your lips from evil. Turn from evil. Do good.

In other words, watch what you say. That’s a consistent Biblical command. Our words can do great harm or great good. It’s up to us, based off how we used them.

Turn away from evil. Don’t go looking for trouble. Seriously. Trouble will find you; temptation will find you. It will. Don’t go trying to find it. Stay away from things that you are that are wrong.

Do good. The quickest way to change our perspective, to changer our attitude is do something good for someone else. Serve someone. Give. Care. Be salt and light.

Seek peace. In others seek Jesus. For He is peace. Seek Him. Chase Him. Place your heart upon Him. Nothing else.

And in this, you will find life. See, not complicated to understand. We all know these things. But just hard to do. So, how do we do it?

We pray. We read the Word. We surround ourselves with those that help us be faithful. And keep doing these things. As we do them; as we seek; as we grow, find peace. We find strength. We find faithfulness. We find life.

Today, as you walk with Jesus, you will have more peace. Live out that peace with and before others. And as we do that, we will make a difference in our life and in the lives of others.

Don’t Admit Defeat!

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

I’ve heard it said before that there are no coincidences with God. I really believe that. Today is one of those small little moments that make me smile.

At Asbury in my Wednesday night Bible Study, we’ve been walking together through Paul’s Letter to the Romans. It’s been a lot of fun; we take our time; we chase rabbits, we laugh, we enjoy it.

Anyway, we finished chapter 6 last night an I spent a lot of time talking about verse 14. And lo and behold, what is our reading for today, out the Asbury bulletin? Romans 6: 12-14. Pretty cool. Listen to what it says:

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. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

For sin will have no dominion over you. That’s a powerful phrase. That’s a powerful thought. Sometimes, most times, we feel as through we are helpless against our sin.

We are going to sin, we are going to fall down, we are going to fail. So why fight it? Why push back? Why try? I mean, it’s going to happen.

That’s what we think. We build in excuses for our failure. We are going to blow it. It’s what we do. We are human. It’s going to happen.

And yes, there is truth to that. We do make mistakes. We blow it. We do fail. But.. . . we don’t need to admit defeat before we start.

I had a friend tell me this, and it’s always stuck with me. Yes, sin is powerful. It is. But, is it more powerful than the blood that was shed upon the cross? Is it more powerful than the resurrection and the empty grave?

No. It’s not. As powerful as your sin is, it’s not more powerful than the power of God. It’s simply not.

You don’t have live under the power of sin anymore. Yes, you will make mistakes. But hear this. Sin doesn’t have to control you anymore. It doesn’t. The power of God is great than the power of sin.

As believers, we can live with no more excuses. We can live in the power of God. Not in the power of sin. We will blow it sure. It happens. But have the power, through the Holy Spirit, to resist.

To fight back. To overcome.

Today, you don’t have to be defeated. You don’t. You can live under the power of God. You can.

Today we can be free.

It’s Going to Be Ok

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

I saw a cool thing yesterday about perspective. It talked about how vast the universe is and how truly small we are. It shows the earth in comparison to other planets, then the sun; then the sun compared to other stars. Then our galaxy. Then the knives.

It is truly mind-blowing to see how amazingly big the universe is, and yet how small we are in comparison. It really gives you some perspective than things are different that what we may think that they are.

Today in our reading, we kind of see the same thing with James 4: 13-14. Listen to what it says:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

The thing that you are worried about. That thing. That think that is consuming you. That is robbing your joy; robbing your peace; taking over.

Let me ask you. How important is it really? Stop right now, and ask yourself that question. How important is it really?

Will it be as important tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year? A year from now?

It’s going to be ok. Really. It is. No matter what. It is. There is a huge, mighty God that made all of this that we see, all that is going on, all that is around us. Made it all.

And He wants to know you.

Today, remember. This life is just a glimpse in eternity. Don’t be consumed by this moment. Don’t be consumed by this problem. Don’t be consumed by this circumstance.

It’s going to be ok. It is. Remember there’s a God that is bigger than us, stronger than us, mightier than us.

And He loves us.

Trust Him today. Trust Him for eternity. It’s going to be ok.

So, What Next?

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

One of the things that I stress a lot, that I talk about a lot, that I really believe is that we are all sinful. We are all broken. All of us.

And when I talk about that, I’m not talking about it in terms of us being the worst people who have ever lived in the history of the world, but all of us, me, you, each of us, we need Jesus. If we aren’t sinful, if we aren’t in need of saving, then why did Jesus come.

Our own experience tells us our need for Jesus and we all fall down. We just know that. We have all experienced that.

Ok, go it. But here’s the thing that I always come to when it comes to talking about our sin, our mistakes. What next? We get it. We are broken. We are messed up. We make mistakes. Ok, got it. But what next?

I want to know what I can do it about it. I don’t want to be just like I am. I don’t want to stay the same.

Listen to what it says today in Romans 6: 12-14:

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. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

There’s that last verse – for sin will have no dominion over you. That’s stuck with me since I’ve read it again recently. As many mistakes as we have made, as much as we mess up every day, as long as we fall down, remember.

As powerful as sin is. God is more powerful. Really. He is. As powerful as temptation is, God is more powerful. As powerful as your faults are, God is more powerful.

You can be more faithful today than you were yesterday.

Today is a new day. Yesterday is past. Done. Gone. Today is new.

Today, let’s be faithful. Let’s not let the mistakes of yesterday, the things that happen, the past, the old, the failings.

Today is a new day. I’m not saying that everything is going to be perfect. I’m not saying that you are going to be perfect. I’m not saying that there won’t be mistakes made.

But what I am saying is that it’s a new day. A today, we can be more faithful than yesterday. We can. We really can. If we are believers, then we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have the very power of God within us, pulling us, pushing us, helping us.

Today, you can do it. Really. You can. Or better said, God can do it through you. He can.

Jesus Demands a Choice

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Andy Stoddard

We have made a mistake with Jesus. We have made a major one. I don’t know that it’s on purpose, but I do know that it has happened over time.

It’s a mistake in understanding exactly who He is. We have made someone He is not. We have made Jesus something He is not.

What is this thing we have done? What is this mistake we have made about Jesus? What have we made Jesus, that He isn’t?

We have made Jesus safe.

Jesus is a lot of things. But one of those things is not safe.

We have made Jesus to be a safe little kitty cat, instead of being the roaring lion of Judah. We have made Jesus someone who is primarily concerned with our happiness and our fulfillment, instead of being the very Son of God, God Himself, creator of all.

We have made Him the one thing He is not. Safe.

Listen to what it says today in Luke 12: 49-53:

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Jesus basically says this – you have to make a choice. You have to make a choice about me. Follow me, or not. But you have to make a choice. You can follow me as Lord. Or you can walk away from me. But you have to choose.

And we don’t like to think about Jesus like that do we? We like to see Him someone who only wants us to be happy. But that is not who Jesus is. Jesus is not as concerned with our happiness as we are.

He is concerned with our life.

He don’t offers us happiness. He offers us abundant life. He offers something so much more than just simple happiness. He offers us life, today, each day, and for all eternity.

Happiness is fleeting. Life is eternal.

But the only way that we will know that life is we have to make a choice. Jesus wants us to make a choice. Choose to follow. Or not. It’s your choice.

It’s my choice.

It’s our choice.

Jesus demands a choice. What will we choose today?

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