Tag Archives: Trials

For Our Good and God’s Glory

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One of things that I know in life that is true, is that all things will work out for our good and for God’s glory.

All things.

God is going to use every circumstance of your life and everything that happens in your day today for your good. And for His glory.

Listen to what God says through Paul today in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1-all-things-markHe says that God will give us power to fulfill every good work, so that the name of Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him.

In other words, today, in what’s happening, God, through His power, will work it out, in some way so that He receives glory.

No matter what it is. Somehow, no matter what’s happening, He is going to use it for His glory somehow.

His name will be praised through the circumstance of your life.

I don’t know how all the time, but it will.

And likewise, even if you don’t understand, He will work it out for your good as well. Somehow, someway, whatever it is that you are going through, God will work it out for you good.

You may think it’s impossible. And it may not be immediate. But, this situation you are going through, somehow, someway, God is going to work it out for your good, and for His glory.

He promised.

And He is true to His word.

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 Trouble Comes

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When trouble comes, what is your life built upon?

Not if trouble comes. But when. We all wish that life was always perfect and easy and calm and fun.

And for many times in life, it is. There are always joyful times. Many, many moments in life are amazingly awesome. Times of great fun, times of laughter and joy.

These fun memories that shape our soul and stir us up. Those are the good times.

But, scripture makes us a promise. There will be times of trial.

The 23rd Psalm tells us “when I walk the valley of the shadow of death. . . ”

And today, in Luke 6: 47-49, listen to what Jesus tells us:

Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

When the flood arose. When waters come.

When trouble comes. What will we do.

Well, we quoted part of the 23rd Psalm, but we all know the rest. When we walk through the valley, we will fear no evil. For thou art with us. Even in the valley of the shadow, we don’t have to fear evil.

For God is with us.

And when the flood waters come. When the rain and the wind and the storms comes, if our lives are built on the rock of Christ Jesus, we will be ok. For He is the firm foundation. He is the rock. He is the life. He is the cornerstone.

We don’t have to fear the flood or the storm. We don’t have to fear the future. We don’t have to fear the unknown.

For, if our life is build on the rock of Christ Jesus, when trouble comes, we will be ok.

Trust in Him today. And He will take care of us. May we trust in Him in all of our lives, and with all of 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.

Trials and Blessings

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How ya doing today? How is your week going so far?

I hope good, but if you are like most of us, there are times of trial and worry and work and fret. Things that are tough to deal with. Things that are tough to understand. Things we don’t want to deal with.

What are we to do? How are we to deal? If we are looking down the barrel of a tough week, a trying time, a moment of fear and worry and stress, what are we to do?

Give up? Quit? Stop?

Listen to what James 1:2-4 tells us to do this morning:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

We are told to count our trials as a joy. That’s nearly impossible to do, to me. I don’t like my trials. I don’t like dealing with them. I wish they would go away. I wish they weren’t a reality in my life.

So, why should these trials be counted as joy? Why should I value them? Why should they be seen as good things?

Because they make us turn to Jesus. They make us turn closer to God. They make us reply on His strength, not ours. On His power, not ours. On Him. Not us.

Today, no matter what you are facing, allow it to turn you to God, not away from God. Allow it to draw you closer to Him, to His mercy, to His grace, to His power.

Allow it to be something that will bind you closer to God.

And then, it’s a blessing. Today, count these trials as a joy. They can, if we allow, draw us closer to God.

May everything in our lives today be a chance for us to get closer to 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.

The Blessings of Struggles

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No one like struggles. No one likes trials. We just don’t. They aren’t run. They aren’t a joy. They aren’t things that we like.

Whether it be tragedy, whether it be a an issue in family or relationships, whether it be something in your job, something in your church, none of like what CS Lewis called “the problem of pain.”

But, there are blessings in struggles. There are blessings in trials. There are. We may not see them at the time of these struggles. But there are things that can bless us, no matter what the trial may be.

What? What could that be?

Listen to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 today:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

The blessings of struggles are this. First, when we struggle, when we are low, when we are beaten down, God comforts us.

At our lowest moment, God’s grace is the greatest in our lives. At our weakest time and place, God is most there. When we are most downcast, heartbroken, distraught, depresses, ashamed, angry, embarrassed, whatever.

It is that moment that God most wants to give you comfort.

Today, God longs to comfort you. No matter what you are going through, God longs to give you comfort. He longs to console you. He longs to wrap you in His arms.

Let Him. He is there. Even if you can’t feel it. He is there. He will not leave you. No matter what is going on in your life today. He will not leave you.

Paul tell us though, that are are other blessing in our struggles. Because of our struggles, we can console others. We can tell those that are hurting that we have been there. They are not alone. We understand. We know.

God will you use the pain in your life right now, to be a blessing to someone else.

He will. That’s what He does.

If we can give that pain to Him, allow Him to have it, allow Him to give us grace, He will use that pain to help others.

That’s what He does. He redeems everything.

Today, no matter what you are going through, in time, God will use it for a blessing. Today, hold on. Hold fast. Cling to Him.

And know that in His time, He use it. Allow Him to comfort you today. And in time, you will be able to comfort others.

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 Can Do It

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Today, no matter what task is facing you, you can do it. In Philippians 4: 11-13 today, Paul is talking about the trials that he has faced in His life and in His ministry.

He recounts them all. Listen to what he says:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

He says I’ve had everything, I’ve had nothing. I’ve had abundance, I’ve been left empty. There is nothing that I’ve not gone through in some fashion in my life.

And he concludes, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Today, you can do it. Whatever it is you are facing, you can do it.

Or put, actually better, Jesus Christ, through you, can do it. Jesus, working through you, can accomplish whatever task it is that you have in front of you today. Jesus, working through you, can do whatever it is you face today.

There is no task too high, no challenge too great. You can do it.

Through His power, strength, and might. You can do it.

Through Christ’s power working through us, may we be faithful! And may we accomplish whatever it is God has for us today!

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.

Why We Rejoice in Trials

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There is a theme that imerges all across scripture. We see it in the life of the Israelites, we see it early in Jesus’ ministry, we see it in Paul’s writings, and we see it today in 1 Peter.

This theme is this – when you are tested, when there are trials and troubles, when there are worries, rejoice! Be happy! Be excited!

Don’t let the trials and troubles you face get you down. In fact, the more trials you face, the more excited you should be!

Israel was tested. Jesus was tested. Paul was tested. We see Peter reference that testing today.

Listen to what Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:6-7:

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Why? Why should we be happy about testing? Why should we rejoice in trials?

Two reasons. First, something better is coming. This world is not the end. This life is not the end. This trial is not the end.

There are times in our lives when we are going through a trial and we think that this time of testing will be end of it all. But you know what happens? It’s not. We survive. We move on. We keep going.

These times of trial are not the end. And in fact, something better is coming. Something more life giving is coming. This is not the end.

And we rejoice secondly because these times of testing, they are just that. A test. They will make us better. They will make us stronger. They will make us more faithful.

And they make us cling to Jesus. They make us hold fast to what matters most. They make us hold on to what matters.

These trials won’t last forever. But Jesus will. Life in God will. That will last for all of eternity. So, today, if you are going through a tough time, hold fast to what matters most. Hold onto life. Hold onto faith. Hold onto what is most important.

Today, rejoice in your trials. And know that something better is coming. And let this time draw you closer to God.

Today, rejoice!

Fear Not

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One of the things that we preachers try to do is share, present, and interpret scripture in a way that helps you. I want this daily reflection of scripture to a be a help to your day, an encouragement, a challenge.  I want it to be something that will enable you to know God’s love for you and to feel the challenge to go out and live in His grace.

So, sometimes I tell I story. Sometimes I try to relate it to your (or my) life. Sometimes I just talk about what it means to me.

Today, through, this reading is one of my favorites, and one of the most powerful in scripture.  So, I ask you right now to stop and listen.  Stop what you are doing (unless you are driving) and listen. Listen to what Isaiah 43 says:

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

God created you.  He formed you.  You are His.  He loves you.

Today, no matter where you are in your faith, whether you are where you need to be, whether you are walking daily with Him, or whether you have drifted.  Maybe you are just starting to come back to faith. Maybe you’ve never had faith before at any point in your life.

No matter where you are – know this. God formed you.  You are made in His image. And He loves you. He sent His son to redeem you.  And if wants to know you.  He wants a relationship with you. He wants to carry you.

He formed you.

And He wants you to trust in His strength and provision today. So that when you pass through the fire and the water, you will be ok.

Not if you pass through them. When you pass through them. There will be fire. There will be water. We will go through trials in this life.

When we cling to the one that formed us we know we will be ok. He will be with us.  He will uphold us.  He will strength us.

Today, know that God has formed you.  You are His.

Today, trust in Him.  Trust in His strength.  His might.  His power.  His comfort. His grace.

Fear not.  He has redeemed you.  You are His. Today, may we trust in Him, in all things.

It’s All Good

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Today, you may very well have problems.

You may have tough things happen to you. You may have trials, you may have worries, you may have really serious problems pop up today.

Really.

Jesus promised us that He loves us.  He promised us that He’d never leave us.  He promised us that He’d always be there.

But He never promised us a rose garden.  He never promised that things would always be easy.  He never promised that we would not have our share of problems.

Like I tell folks in sermons, I wish I could promise you unicorns and gum drops. That’s not the case, though.

But you know what? It’s all good. Even in the problems, even in the pain.  Even in the worries.  It’s all good.  You know why?

Listen to these words from Romans 5:

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

The trials you go through today, God is going to use them for you good. The troubles you face, God is going to use them for your good. The problems that plague you today, God is going to use them.

It’s all good.

Everything you go through, God will use. Everything that happens, God will use. Everything you deal with, God will use. Everything.

There is no wasted experience, no wasted trouble, no wasted trial. Everything is something God can use. Everything.

So, today, in your life, just remember. It’s all good.  God is going to use everything for a great purpose.

May we give Him everything in our lives. And may we be blown away by the ways He uses it all.

Something Beautiful

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Hey, y’all, remember me?

Sorry I didn’t post any last week. Somehow I did something to my wrist and it made it hard for me to type.  I tried to type a little last Monday and it just hurt too bad. So, I took a week off from typing (nearly killed me!) and now I’m all better!

So, it’s all back to normal now!

One of the passages I was reading this morning was Isaiah 48.  In this passage, God talking about the sufferings the people had face, based off their sin.

He had told them before, if they break the covenant, if they wander from Him, trials and troubles would come. If they did the things He had warned them not to do, they would be punished.

And, as He knew they would, they did. The people worshiped idols, they wandered far away from God. They were now seeing everything they loved destroyed.  They were losing it all.

In our lives, there are times when our lives seem to be falling apart.  There are times when it seems like nothing is going right.

When everything we hold dear seems to be taken from us.

There are trails, there are troubles, there is hurt.

Life can be very, very, hard.

Listen to what God says in Isaiah 48 this morning:

10 I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.

These trials are like a fire.  They will, if we allow, purify us.

They will, if we allow, draw us closer to God.

They will, if we allow, turn our lives in to something beautiful.

The process of refining God is not easy, and it puts the gold through the fire. But, it comes pure and beautiful.

So will you.  Through your trials and troubles, if, in the midst of them, you allow God to work, you will too.

He will turn this into something beautiful. If we will let Him.

Today, may we let God do His work in our lives!

Days of Trouble

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I had a conversation with someone this week about our calling to God in hard times.

It seems like, and I believe it to be so, that there are two “types” of walks with God.

Type one is that one that has a good walk when things are good and smooth, but the trouble comes when there are rough seas and things are hard. The tough times try the faith and sometimes they wander away at that moment.

Perhaps that is you. Perhaps the tough time cause you to stray.

The other is actually drawn closer to God during times of trial, but the smooth road is tough to walk upon. The hard times make them cling close to God, but when things are smooth and calm, it’s easy to fall away.

That’s more how I’m wired.

Either way, there are times when we feel far away from God, no matter what is going on. There are times in our lives that are days of trouble.

Listen to the words of Psalm 50 this morning:

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and make good your vows to the Most High.
Call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.”

No matter when your trouble comes, be it a time of testing, or a time when things are “easy” God is there.  God is waiting on you to turn to Him.  To come to Him. To rest upon Him.

God is waiting on you today.

In this day, in this moment, God is waiting on you.

Will you turn to Him today, no matter trouble you are facing.

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.  Today, no matter what you weakness is, will you turn to Him?