Tag Archives: Love

Be Holy (Gulp)

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One of the commands of for His people is one that I don’t like to hear, and is one that I’m just as likely to run away from as I am to want to obey.

Be holy.

Gulp.

That’s hard. And it doesn’t sound like fun. Or something that can do. Or something that we can achieve. Especially when we see each day how much we mess up.

How much we fall.

How many times we make mistakes. How many times we blow it. Surly God’s not serious. Surly He doesn’t mean holy, like you know, well holy.

Listen to what He says in 1 Peter 1:13-16:

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.”

Peter tells us don’t be conformed to the ways that we used to be. Be holy as God is holy. Be different.

And that’s it. That’s what holy is. Holiness isn’t perfection. Holiness isn’t being sinless. Holiness is not about never making a mistake.

If so, none of us could be holy or aspire to be holy. That’s not something we can do.

So, then, what does God expect? If He calls us to be holy, what does that even mean?

To be holy is to be different. To be changed. To be transformed. To not be the same person we used to be. To be different from culture. To be different from those around.

To be the kind of person that lives a life that makes others say – man, I want what they have.

Being holy isn’t what we’ve made it out to be. It’s not about “perfection.” It’s about being different. Standing out. Being the unique creation God has made you to be.

That’s what it means to be holy. To be different. To live in such a way that makes others want to have what have.

And today, you can do it. You can be different. You can stand out. You can live like that. You can be holy.

Today, let’s 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.

Tuesday of Holy Week 2012

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On Tuesday of Holy Week, we see Jesus do a lot of teaching. On this day, Jesus spends time teaching.

He teaches the disciples. He teaches the crowd. He teaches even the scribes and the teachers of the law. He knew that His time was drawing short. He knew what awaited Him. And He knew that in these last few days He needed to leave the people with core and the truth of His teaching.

So, on this Tuesday, He teaches on a variety of things. But listen to He really stresses today in Mark 12:28-31:

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Someone asks Him what is the most important of all the commandments. That’s a big question, there are a lot of commandments. But this is what He says in response.

Love. Love of God. Love of neighbor. That’s what the Christian life is supposed to look like. Love.

We are to love God with all that we are. Chase after Him. Seek to know Him better through study, through prayer, though worship. We are to seek to love God with every fiber of our being.

And then we are to take that love that we feel from God, and love each other in the same manner. Love each other, serve each other, forgive each other.

Love of God. Love of neighbor. That sums of the Christian life. The sums up the 10 Commandments. That sums it all up.

Today, may we take this teaching and apply it to our lives. May we love. May we love God. May we love our neighbor. And in doing that we find life, and may we live the way that our Lord intends!

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 Life is Found

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In John’s Gospel in particular, Jesus says over and over that if we love Him and follow Him, we will obey His commandments.

Ok, that we know what we are supposed to do. So, then, what are we supposed to do? He tells us today in this passage.  Listen to what He says in John 15:12-13, 17:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Love. Greater love has this than you lay down your life for your friends. That’s what He did for us. Through the cross, He laid down His life for us so that we can live.

He laid down His life for you. He loved you enough to choose the cross for you sake and for my sake. Because of His action, we can live, we can love, we can know the power of life.

And He tells us to do the same. As He loved us and laid down His life for us. We are to love each other.

Ok, well, what do that mean? We talk about a lot, but what does it mean? To do the same as Jesus. Place others ahead of ourselves. Value each other. Humble yourself. Put others ahead of ourselves.

That’s love. To serve. To care. To place others needs of ourselves. Jesus loved us enough that He sought to serve and to save.

And in doing this – this is where life is found.

We are to do the same. Let’s love each other. Let’s serve. Let’s care. Let’s live. In loving, serving, caring, and forgiving, we find life.

Today, let’s really find life. Let’s follow Jesus’ command for us. Let’s love each other. In that we show that we are His disciples. And in that we show the power of His love to 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 phones.

An Example

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Jesus Christ is Lord of all. He is the very Son of God. The Bible tells us in Colossians that everything in all of creation was made by Him and through Him. He holds everything together. He is the source of life, the source of strength, the source of everything that is good in life.

He sets the example for us. The word Christian means a follower of Christ, or sometimes “little Christ.” As Christians, we are commanded and called to live as Christ would have us to live.

And, lucky for us, Jesus set the example for us. He showed us what we are supposed to do. Look at what we see in John 13:12-15 today:

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

What did Jesus do? He served. He served in the must humiliating, demeaning fashion. He served His disciples. He washed their feet. He set an example.

Today, our command as Christians is not to walk around beating our chests. It’s not to act like we are better than others. It’s not to look down our noses at others. It’s not beat other people up.

It’s to serve. Our calling today is to serve others. Our calling today is to follow the example of Jesus and place others ahead of ourselves and serve them, serve their needs, love them.

In loving them, we show them Jesus’ love for them. In serving them, we show them their worth. In serving them, we follow the example set by our Lord.

We will not be able to argue someone into the kingdom of heaven. But, we can love them in. We can serve them in. Jesus showed us that example. He showed us what we are to do. He served His disciples.

And He calls us to serve each other. Today, in your life, find a way to serve someone. And in doing that, you will be showing Jesus example of love. And in that, He will be glorified, and folks will know His love.

Today, he set an example for us. Today, may we follow.

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.

Little Things

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Life is not always about the big things. Sometimes, it’s about the little things. Now, little does not mean unimportant. It just means, little.

Little things, done well, done for Jesus, sometimes can be the greatest thing that we can do. Sometimes, yes sometimes, God calls us to amazing, big, gigantic things. Yes, that happens. And when it happens, we should celebrate. We should take courage. We should be brave, be bold, and do it with great joy.

Sometimes though the things that God calls us to aren’t big. Sometimes they are little. Or at least to us, they appear to be little.

Listen to what Matthew 10:40-42 says:

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Scripture tells us this. Nothing done in His name is little. Nothing done for His glory is little. Nothing done to further the Kingdom of God is little. All things, big or small, when done in His name and for His purpose are grand and glorious things. All things, big or small, when done for Him, are huge!

Today, God may be calling you to something big. If so, then do it. God gives us great dreams sometimes.

But today, God may be calling you to give a smile. A hug. A warm word. Just to be nice. Something we might not think of as “big.” But if these small things, this little things, are done for Him and His name, they are huge.

Today, in all things, big or little. May be faithful. And today, in all things, big or little, may God be glorified.

Today, in Jesus, and through Jesus, there are no little things. Today, through Him, may all things be for His glory. Today, through Him, may everything we do show His grace, His mercy, and His love.

Words for a New Year

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I write this on January 2, 2012. There’s no telling when you will read this, it may today, or it may six months from now. Who knows. But no matter when you read it, this passage is a powerful call to a great New Year’s resolution, a great daily resolution, a great goal for each day.

Love. That’s the call of Christianity, that’s the command of Jesus Christ to His followers. Listent to what Jesus says in John 15:12-13:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

In this passage, it isn’t too much longer until He would be betrayed and handed it over for the cross. He wanted to leave His follower with a clear and concise understanding of what He wanted from them.

He could have said go out there and strive to be perfect with everything you are. He could have said be the more religious person you can think of. He could have given a variety of different commands.

He didn’t. He said this – Love.

But that was always His commandment. What was His greatest commandement for us? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.

Love. That’s our command as Christians. And that’s a great resolution for us in 2012, and each day of our lives. To love God with all that we are. And to love each other.

Today, will you love? Even the ones that are hard to love? Even the one’s that don’t make it easy to love? Even the ones that create a challenge to love?

That’s Jesus’ command for us today. And in doing that, we will show the world that we are His disciples. Today, may we follow His command.

Today, may we love.

Some Important Things to Remember

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It’s good to be reminded of things sometimes. I always joke with folks at church, if I don’t set a reminder in my phone for things that I’m supposed to do, then things won’t get it done.

And even those of us with exceptional memories can at times forget things; forget things we are supposed to do; forget what is on our agenda; forget all kinds of stuff.

Today, this passage from Revelation is a good baseline reminder of some important things that we, and the church, need to be reminded of.  Listen to what John writes in Revelation 1:4-6:

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

First, He loves us. The text describes all that Jesus is, and it say this – “to Him who love us . . . ” Today, no matter where you are, what you have done, are doing, or will do, Jesus loves you. Today, no matter what has happened in your life, Jesus loves you.

Today, in this moment, you are loved. You are loved by an amazing, powerful, awesome God. You are loved. Don’t forget that. You are loved.

Second, not only does Jesus love us, but He also “frees from our sin by His blood.” Today, through what He did for us upon the cross, you are forgiven. You are forgiven of your sin, you are free to walk in grace, you are free to lay it all down.

Today, through what Jesus Christ did for you, you are forgiven. Don’t beat yourself up. You can let it go. Jesus has paid the price for you and you are forgiven. You can let go and let God have it!

And last, you were created for something bigger than you can ever imagine. It says “and has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father . . . ” You were made for a grand and glorious purpose. You were created for something special and amazing. You were born for some great thing that only you can do.

You are talented. You are made in His image. You can do it. God has made you for something amazing. Live into that today!

Today, these are some important reminders. May we never, in our lives, forget what truly matters!

Closer than You Know

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Jesus Christ walks with us through every day of life. Every day. There’s not a day that passes that He is not part of. He never leaves our side, in the good and in the bad. He is our closest friend, and closest companion.

Listen to what Paul says today in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

In this passage today, Paul says something – that Jesus Christ Himself, and God the Father, they will give us comfort, hope and through grace.

By the way, anytime you hear the word grace, think Holy Spirit. Why? Because we receive grace through the Holy Spirit. So today, we have the comfort and hope of the Father and the Son through the presence of the Spirit.

In other words, today, no matter where you are in your life; God is wrapping you in His arms. He is embracing you. He is pulling you to Himself. He is walking with you, He has never left you, He is with you, He love you.

Today, feel Him embrace you. Support you. Love you. Carry you. When you think it’s tough and troubled, stop. Breathe. And look for God’s presence. It’s there.

Even if you don’t see it at first. God is closer than you know. He is with you. May you know His power and presence today.

When I Hate

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Today, instead of my normal devotional thought, I wanted to pass a long a devotional from the Upper Room. The Upper Room is a daily devotional guide that my home church used to get that I read my all my childhood. And now you can get the daily devotional emailed to you each morning.  These daily thoughts are written by folks from all over the world.  You can learn more about the Upper Room by visiting their website.

Here’s is today’s devotional.  Hope it touches you like it touched me.

Whoever hates another believer . . . walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

– 1 John 2:11 (NRSV)

Today’s Devotional

While praying about abuse in my childhood, I felt intense hatred for those who had hurt me. Then I felt guilt–believing that as a Christian I’m not supposed to hate. Later when I came across the above passage from 1 John, I became even more convinced that if I hate, I’m walking in darkness.

In time I came to understand this differently. The feeling of hatred is neutral, as all feelings are. And feeling hatred as the memories of past abuse surfaced is natural. It’s what I do with those feelings that matters. Do I dwell on the hatred? Do I hold a grudge or grow bitter? All I wanted in my heart was to be like Christ. I realized then that if I didn’t ask God to help me let go of the memories of abuse and forgive those who had hurt me, I would be walking in darkness.

I struggled a long time with my feelings of hatred, rage, and bitterness before I could give them to the Lord. But eventually I realized that hating others hurt only me, not them. When I relinquished these feelings, God’s Spirit mended my soul and replaced my hatred with love for others.

Wanda Viola (California, USA)

The Simplest Command

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I was talking last night at Bible Study here as Asbury about the Bible and how we can get bogged down in certain passages or interpretations. We can get confused, worried, and upset about how to interpret certain passages.

That’s one reason I’ve always like something that John Wesley said – Scripture contains everything needful for salvation, and everything needful is made plain within. So, in other words, everything we need to know to be saved is found in the Bible, and if it’s so important that our eternal salvation depends upon, God will make it simple to understand.

There is so much simple truth in the Bible. So many simple things that are at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. The Christian life really isn’t that complicated. It’s pretty simple in the end.

Look at Romans 13: 8-10 says:

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

We see it laid out here. All the commandments, the whole of the Old and the New Testament is laid out for us – love. Love each other. If you love, you won’t murder, steal, or any of other hurtful things.

Love sums up the law. It’s the simplest of the commands. Love.

Today, in our lives, is every action guided by love? Is every word, every action, even every thought, is it guided by love? That’s our greatest command as Christians. To love.

It’s the simplest command.

But before we can fully love others as God wants us to, we must first know the power of His love. For us to fulfill this simplest command, we must first be fully loved ourselves.

Today, may we know the power of God’s amazing love. And may we love one another in the same way.