Tag Archives: Paul

When They Frustrate Us

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frustrated-faceAre you ever tempted to look at someone and say – you know better! Why are you doing that? Why do you keep making the same mistakes? Come on, man, you know better than to do that!

I’m sure each of us has felt that way. We may have felt that way with our kids before. Maybe someone in our family. Or with a friend. A co-worker. Someone.

We can get so frustrated. We want to give up on them, don’t we?

What do we do then? What do we do when we want to give up someone?

Listen to what Paul tells us 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 this – when you want to give up one someone, remember. We don’t live for ourselves. We live to serve and help others. We don’t live for us.

It’s so easy to get frustrated with others. With their weakness. With their mistakes. With their stuff. They can really irritate us. But remember what Paul said. We don’t live for us.

We live for Jesus. And we live for others. We live to point them to Jesus. And that’s one of the keys. As Paul says, Jesus didn’t live to please Himself, He lived for His prose. To point us to His Father.

And you know, you know Jesus must get frustrated with us sometimes, huh? At our weakness. Our faults. Our mistakes. Our stuff.

And how does He respond? He loves. So should we.

He loved us in our weakness and mistakes.

We are to love to love them, in their weakness and mistakes. Because love points to Jesus. And only Jesus can help. Only Jesus can change.

Be patient. You can only do that through Jesus and His spirit. Love them. Point them to Jesus.

And let Him change them. That’s not your job. That’s His job. Let Him do His work. Your job is just to point to Him, in all things.

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!

SOAP – Day Five– 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

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324904370_640Today, we do day five of our SOAP challenge.  I really do hope that you will continue to use this method of studying the Bible in your daily lives.  I will continue, from time to time, to use this method for these daily reflections.  I may do it every day, but I will use it again.

Let’s begin!

S – scripture

Listen.  Focus.  Read each word deliberately.   Don’t get in such a hurry to get done that you don’t focus on the word you are reading.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Listen for God’s voice in each word.

1 Corinthians 10:11-13:

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

O – observation

What did you see in this text?  This is what stood out to me.

Be careful

Paul warns us here, if you think you are standing firm, be very careful.  It’s the pride that goes before the fall.  The moment we think we’ve got it all figured out, the moment we believe that we are above temptation, and it could NEVER  happen to us, that’s when it happens.  Be very careful.  You are not as strong as you think that you are.  If we think we are standing on our own strength, we will fall.

Temptation will come

The reason we have be careful and not get arrogant is this.  Temptation is coming.  Write it down.  It will come.  You will face temptation today. I will face temptation today. It’s coming. Be ready.  Be aware.  Know this. Today, tomorrow, each day, you will face temptation.  It is going to come.  You are are not the first to face it, and you won’t be the last.

It’s coming.  Be ready.

There will be a way out

In temptation, know this though.  There is a way out.  Yes, you will face temptation, sure you will.  But it won’t be worse than anyone else.   You’re temptation is not more than you can bear.  It’s not.  Hear that.  Yes, it’s tough, but  you can do it.

And there is a way out.  God will open a door.  He will make a way.  You can get through this.

A – application

How can we apply what we noticed to our life today?

Remember that you are not perfect

If pride goes before the fall, one of the ways to deal with this is to remember that you are not perfect.  Yes, you’re awesome.  But you’re not perfect.  Yes, you are made in God’s image.  But you are not perfect.  Yes, you are gifted.  But you are not perfect.  It’s ok.  None of us are.  But, don’t forget that.  Don’t get prideful.  Don’t look down upon others.  There but by the grace of God go I.  Remember that, any goodness in us comes from God.

In short, stay humble.  Don’t get cocky.  Remember, that none of us are perfect, and the moment we start thinking that is the moment we get ourselves in trouble.

Be on the look out for temptation

So, you aren’t perfect.  And temptation is going to come.  So, be on the lookout. Be aware.  Keep your head up and on a swivel. The devil will love to trip you and get you in trouble.  He know where you are weak and struggle. And that’s where he will hit you.

Be looking.

What is it that you struggle with?  Where are you weaknesses? What are you temptations?  Be aware of yourself. Be looking. Be aware.  Know it’s coming. Be ready. Don’t be surprised when trouble comes your way.  Just get ready.

Have a plan

You temptation, it has a way out.  The word promises that it is not too much to bare.  It’s not too much.  You can do it.  Seriously.  You can do it. There is a way out. There is.

What is your plan?  Here’s some good ideas – have some scripture memorized to beat back temptation.  Have a friend to call/text.  Go for a walk.  Count to 10 and breathe.  Pray.  Any of these will help.

And if there is an area of your life where are prone to fall into temptation, as best you can, stay away from it!  Avoid temptation, as best you can.  Stay away from ares where you are weak.

Temptation is going to come your way to day. What will you do about it?  The word promises you can do it.

P – prayer

Loving God, as we face temptation in our lives today, help us remember our great need for you, and help us to know that whatever it is that we face, you will make a way out for us.  Give us that strength and hope today.  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.

Jealousy

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Paul is the man.  He was faithful.  Seriously, he started tons of churches.  I jokingly say that he wrote half the New Testament (he did write a large part of it!).  If anyone in the Bible served God to the fullest, we see that Paul did.

And we see another thing from scripture.  Paul suffered.  Paul went through a lot. It was never easy for Paul.  He suffered abuse, he suffered rejection, he suffered so very much for the sake of the gospel.

And, for many of us in our human skin, Paul had  to face the temptation for what may be the hardest thing for us to deal with as humans, jealousy

Listen to what he says in Philippians 1:15-18:

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

eggsPaul said, some folks preach for the right reasons.  Some for the wrong.  That doesn’t matter, what matters is that Jesus is preached.  And now, it would be very easy for Paul to get jealous of those that are preaching for the wrong reason.

Perhaps get a little righteous.  Perhaps get a little angry.  Perhaps get a little jealous.

After all, here he is, doing it the right way.  Doing it right. Living right.  Doing right.  Making sure everything is done the way that God wants.

And there they are, not caring. Doing it wrong!  That’s not right!  It would be very easy to get jealous or judgmental.

And as long as they are the focus, that will happen.  When Jesus it the focus, it’s all ok. Because then He will be glorified and proclaimed, in all things.

And that was Paul’s purpose and point. And that’s what he lived for.  He kept his focus on the right thing.

How do you fight against jealousy?  Keep your focus on the right thing.

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.

Hey Y’all, It’s Monday!

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mondaysHey y’all, it’s Monday.  Yep, all day long.  Monday.  The entire day.

So, what are we gonna do with it? What will do about it?  How will we handle it?

Well, this week, it starts now. And it starts with our attitude. It starts with how we choose to look at things. It starts with what our mentality is. We can choose today to only see the problems, the issues, the worst.

Or.

We can choose to today to look for the positive. The good.  The hopeful.  The joyous. The life giving.

Today, we can choose. We can choose what Monday will be like. We can choose what this week will be like.  It’s our choice.  What will we do?  Listen to the words of Paul today in Romans 8:6-8:

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Set you mind on the spirit.  On the things of God.  On what matters, what is good, what is holy, what matters.

This week is wide open ahead of you. Full of potential. Full of hope. Full of what is good.

What will you do with it?  Where is your mind today?

Focus on the good.  On the spirit.  On the holy. Focus on that.

And see what God does with 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.

Be a Barnabas

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Today, we read in the Bible about one of my favorite people. We read a little bit about Barnabas. Barnabas was a believer in Jerusalem and he had one of the greatest gifts anyone could have.

He had the one of the gifts that every family, every church needs to have.

He was an encourager. He believed in others. He didn’t just see folks mistakes, he saw what, through God, they could be.

Listen today to what he did in Acts 9:26-27:

And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

Quote-of-the-Week-EncouragementWhat he did was huge. He believed in Paul. Paul had just received been saved. He had gone from persecuting the church and trying to destroy it, to now being a believer and trying to preach about the grace of God.

And people were very, very hesitant to believe him. Why? Because literally a few days before he was trying to kill and imprison Christians. He literally was their sworn enemy, sent by the leaders of Jerusalem to destroy them.

And now, he’s one of them? Yeah, right. No way.

No one believed him.

Except Barnabas. Barnabas believe in him. Barnabas encouraged him. Barnabas saw Paul not for what he was, but for what he could be.

Today, remember that God sees you for what you could be. Not for your mistakes, but for your potential. You can do amazing things for God today.

And second, believe in someone today. Don’t see them just for what they’ve done wrong or their failures or their mistakes.

Believe in them. Be an encouragement.

In this, you can change their life. It’s a small thing. But it has a huge impact.

Barnabas did it for Paul. And look what happened. Today, you can be that for someone else!

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.

When Words Fail Us

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This past weekend at Camp Wesley Pines, all the families were sitting around eating ice cream and the camp director asked me if I liked to hunt.

I told him I have no problem at all with eating deer, or squirrel, or rabbit, or whatever. I just can’t think of a more miserable activity (for me) than hunting.

Because in my limited experience hunting involved a whole lot of sitting still and being quiet. And those are two thing that I do very, very poorly. The idea of being still and quiet for hours on end sounds like pure torture to me.

But, as much as I hate being still and quiet, there are times, times of prayer, times of reflection, times of awe, times of hurt, times of mystery when we just come before God, and we are quiet.

Our words fail us. We don’t know what to say. And you know what? That’s ok. Listen to what Paul says in Romans 8:26-27:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God knows your needs. God knows your hurts. God knows your pains. God knows your fears.

God knows.

When you are at a loss for words, God knows. When you don’t know what you need, God knows. When you aren’t even sure what to pray for, what do, what to say or how to say it, God knows.

Today, you don’t have to worry about what you have to say to God. Just come before Him. Sit before Him. Come into His presence.

And even be quiet, if you want. You don’t have to say anything at all.

Sometimes the most important prayers have the fewest words said. God knows what we need. May come before Him today with joy, hope, and 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.

Be Different

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We were talking yesterday at our Asbury staff day apart about what we are things we are to do as a church. What are we trying to accomplish and how are we trying to accomplish it?

Well, that made us talk about what God’s goals are for us? What does God want for us? What is God’s desire for us?

I had a friend ask me once, what is the “goal” of salvation.

For many of us, when we were younger, the goal of salvation was fire insurance. We want to avoid hell and gain heaven.

But we find when we look at the Bible that God doesn’t just have intentions for our eternity, He has goals and intentions for today, as well as our tomorrow.

Well, what are they?

Listen to what Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 today:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God’s goal for us is to be different. To be “holy.” To not be like the world. To not model ourselves and our lives after the way that the world is living, but to model ourselves and our lives based off the way that God wants us to live.

Today, we are told renew your mind. Where is your head at? Do you think of the things of God, or the things of the world. Where does your mind linger. Where do your thoughts remain? Where do you spend your mental energies?

Today, let’s submit all we are to God. Our hearts. Our minds. Our lives. Our dreams. Our all.

That is how we are different. That is how we are holy. That’s how we are totally His. s

By giving it all to Him.

Today, be different. Be you unique. Be the person that He has made you to be. Give it all to Him.

And in giving it to Him, you will find all you need.

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.

Loving Other Folks is Hard

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There are things that other people do that drive me crazy. It’s one of my running jokes at Asbury that I just don’t have patience for being stuck behind traffic on Hwy 42.

I’m not saying that if I had a laser mounted on the hood of my car that I would blow everyone up. I’m not saying that.

But I would be tempted! 🙂

We all in our lives have something about someone who drives us crazy. Each of us. That something may be something a spouse does. It may be something a coworker does. it may be something that a family member does.

But there’s something that someone does that just drives us up the wall.

Listen to what Paul says here 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.”

Now your thinking, Andy, what does this have to do with those people who annoy you?

Good question. Paul says those that are strong have an obligation to bear the failings (weaknesses) of others. Please your neighbor. Build them up.

In other words, we don’t just live for ourselves. We live for the gospel and for the kingdom, we live to help others know God and experience His life.

And the more that you stir and stew about the thing that drive you crazy about that other person, the more angry and crazy you are going to be.

Look at what Paul says in verse 3 – Jesus did not please Himself. He didn’t live for Himself. He lived for us and so that we could be drawn closer to Him.

Why should I love folks that drive me crazy? Why should I look past their faults and weakness?

Loving other folks is hard! I’m not sure that I want to do it! Why should I care about them, when frankly they probably don’t deserve it?

Because Jesus did that exact same thing for me. He loved me when I was unloveable. He cared for me when I wasn’t worth caring for.

And He wants me (and you) to do the same thing for “them” no matter who they are and what they “do.”

He lived for others. We find only find our life when we stop living for ourselves, and live for Him.

Today, may we live for something bigger than ourselves.

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.

Be Nice

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The way most letters in the New Testament end is very practical. The letters, by the way, are the books that follow the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and Acts. The letters were written by Paul and other leaders in the early church. And were literally what they say they were – letters.

The letters are generally concerned with some issue going on in that local church, or with teaching correct belief.

But nearly every letter ends with just some plain, practical advice for the people. Today, as we draw near to the end of the letter to the Hebrews, we see more of that.

Listen to the advice we are given today in chapter 13:1-3:

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.

We are told to love. Show hospitality. Remember those in prison and are forgotten about.

In short, we are told, be nice.

Today, in your life, just be nice. Be nice to people. Smile. Be kind. Don’t fuss. Be nice.

Lots of stuff can be hard. But sometimes the easiest thing to do can also be the most important thing.

Today, God may not be calling you to move to a far away country. He may not be calling you to enter the full-time ministry. He may not be calling you to teach or lead.

But, He calling each of us, you and me, to this simple, and true advice.

Be nice.

Show His love to others by being nice. In that, we show how important others are to God, and to us.

And, believe it or not, when we are nice to others, we actually feel better ourselves.

So, today, be nice.

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.

Who God Uses

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The Apostle Paul, before the Lord changed and transformed him, was named Saul. And let’s get something straight right off the bat.

Saul was not a good dude. Really. He wasn’t a good dude. He, before the Lord changed him, had one purpose, and one purpose only.

To destroy the church.

Listen to what happens in Acts 9:1-7:

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

Today, in this passage, Paul is on a mission. He is going to Damascus to destroy the church there. He is going there, under the authority of the high priest to destroy the church and bring the Christians back to Jerusalem for trial.

The high priest picked his meanest, most ruthless, most determined man to complete this task. That was Saul. That’s who he was. He helped in Acts 7 with the murder of Stephen and he was out for destruction again.

But the Lord had other plans. The only thing that Saul had “earned” was judgement. God said not only was judgement coming at that point, but God said – I’m going to save him use him.

Saul became Paul. Saul persecuted the church. Saul worked against God. Saul tried to stop the movement of God. Saul was not a good dude.

And God used him for amazing things. Awesome things. Things no other person could do. God had a plan for Paul. And God was going to use him.

Today, no matter what has happened in your past, and in your life, God will use you. I won’t even say if your willing, because when we read this, Saul wasn’t even willing. But God had plans for him. God was going to use him.

Today, God will use you. That’s not the question.

The question is this. Today, will you let Him?

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.