Tag Archives: Troubles

You Will Face Temptation Today

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In his first letter to the church, Peter spends a lot of time telling the folks how they should live. How they should act. What they should do.

And so, when I saw today I was going to be reading from 1 Peter, I knew immediately. He’s going to be talking about holiness. And part of me when, ugh.

Because I don’t know about you, but most of life, I don’t feel very holy.

So, I began to thinking, ok, this is going to convict me and make me realize I’ve got a long way to go to being the person that God wants me to be. And then I read it. And something jumped out at me.

Listen to what Peter writes in verses 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.”

urlIt’s that first verse that really jumped out at me. Prepare your minds for action. What a great concept. I think, at least in my life, I get myself in trouble, when my mind is not ready. When I’m not prepared. When I’m not ready. When my mind is not focused on Jesus.

Are our minds ready today?

Today, you will face temptation. It’s coming. It may be happening right now.

You will face discouragement. It’s gonna happen.

You will face troubles and trials and worries. It’s gonna happen.

Get your mind ready. Be ready. Don’t be caught by surprise. These things will come. Center your mind on Christ. Make Him your focus. Make Him your light, your rock, your hope, your strength.

Trouble will be coming. That’s truth. That’s the way that it is. Temptation will be coming.

Prepare your mind. Get ready.

And the God of all strength and comfort will give you what you need for this day.

And each day. Get ready. God will be with you.

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 the World Falls Apart

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What do you do when your world falls apart?

That’s a tough question. It’s a tough thing to think about. It’s not fun to ponder or think about. But, what would we do? What would you do?

Who would you turn too?

In some ways, we’ve all been there. In our lives, we are comfortable with the way that much of it is constructed. And things are good. We feel good. We like it.

And then, something happens. Some tragedy. Some loss. Some pain.

What do we do?

Listen to what we told in Psalm 46: 1-3:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

2c6b65earefuge3-bigGod is our refuge and strength. Even through the earth gives way. Even though the mountains move to the heart of the sea, God is our refuge and strength.

God is our help in times of trouble.

When our world falls apart, when things go wrong, when things go bad, know this.

God is there. God has not left. God will not leave. God is there.

He is our help, our strength, our hope, our help, our life.

Today, trust. Even when it looks bad. Even when it’s hard. Even when there is pain and loss. Trust.

God is there. When the world crumbles, He is there.

Your help is in the Lord. Even in days of little hope. He is there.

Today, no matter what is going on trust in Him. And you will no be disappointed.

He will be there. Even when the world falls apart.

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.

Whom Shall We Fear?

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Jesus never promises us in the bible that things will always be easy and perfect. He never tells us troubles will not come.

In fact, what He says in scripture is quite the opposite. He does not say that troubles will be absent, but in fact, He goes the complete other way.

He says – you will face troubles.

You will have trials.

There will be tough times. There will be tears and worry and stress and pain.

There will be.

But, that’s not all He promised us.

Look what is says today in Matthew 10: 26-28:

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

We will have these things happen. But do not fear. Do not fear those in life that can “hurt” you. For they can’t. Dont’ fear the one that hurt the body.

Fear the one that will judge the soul.

We should not fear any other human. We should fear (i.e. respect) God.

Why should we not fear any other human? As a great picture on the internet put it, you’ve got an all-powerful, all-knowing, all loving, in control, three in one God on your side.

Now act like it!

I love that. It’s actually my phone background right now. God is on our side. God is for us. God is with us. Whom shall we fear?

No one. We can have NO FEAR today.  For God is with us! Rejoice. Be strong. Do not fear.

For God is with us. Whom shall we fear?

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.

It’s All Worth It

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Christianity doesn’t promise the moon and the stars. It doesn’t promise that everything will be perfect. It doesn’t promise that everything will be great.

Paul says today that we will toil, we struggle we work. There are and there will be tough times in our faith and in our lives.

That’s simply reality. It’s what you and I know, it’s what you and I deal with. Being a Christian doesn’t make those tough times disappear.

But you know what? It’s worth it. It’s worth it all. Why?

Listen to what Paul writes in Colossians 1:27-29 today:

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Paul tells us today that we have the beauty of the mystery of God, Christ in us. That’s the hope of glory.

Our hope doesn’t like in jobs or careers or relationships or hobby or reputations or anything upon the earth.

Our hope is in this. Christ, the very Word and Truth of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, lives within. Our hope is not found in anything other than that. That is our rock, our hope, our faith.

That is the greatest thing we can can ever know. That’s the greatest thing we can possess. That’s the greatest thing that our minds, our hearts, our lives can know.

Christ in us, that’s the hope. That’s the rock. That’s the foundation. Christ in you.

That’s what all of life comes down to. As I’ve said before, everything in our lives comes back to our walk with Christ. Everything. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Today, if you are in Christ, if He is your hope, it’s all worth. Every trouble. Every slight. Every worry. Every defeat. Every pain. Every tear. Every broken heart. Everything.

Christ in you. The hope of glory. That’s what it’s all about.

Today, may we keep that the main thing in our lives. And may we know that it’s all worth 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.

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.

All Joy

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There are lots of things that we can be happy about.

I tell folks I’m about a lot things.

Time with family.

A good song.

A good jog.

Getting stuff checked of my to do list.

An Ole  Miss victory (ok, I’ve been sad a lot recently 🙂 )

We all have things in life that make us happy, that bring joy to our lives, that are things that just make our life better. Things we look forward to. Things we treasure.

James writes today in his letter (one of my favorite books of the bible, by the way) these words about what should bring joy:

2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

Of all things that bring me joy, I don’t tend to think of them as trials. Well, other than the 2010 Ole Miss football team.  But the things that bring me joy of those moments of life

My children. . . . my family. . . . . my church. . . . the good things. . . .

But James reminds us to be thankful in trials, because these time of trials produce endurance. These moments of trials and troubles bring forth maturity.

It’s old, it’s corny, but it’s true. That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

It’s hard to praise God in a storm. It’s hard to rejoice in a trial. It’s hard to laugh in the midst of tears. It’s hard to find that silver lining in the dark cloud.

But, it’s there. God is there. His strength is there.

He will never leave or forsake His children. He loves you. Today.  He will not leave you. Today.

No matter what you’re going through. No matter how dark the valley.  No matter what is happening.

You.  Will.  Survive.

God is with you. He will strengthen you.

Whatever trial you are going through right now, God will bring you through it.

He will.

He promised.

Count it all joy today. God will bring you through the fire today.  He is true to His word.

Don’t Waste a Crisis

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I am not fluent in many languages. Some many even argue I’m not too fluent in English!

But, there’s always been a statement about something in Chinese language that has intrigued me.

In the Chinese language, they don’t have “letters” like we do, but instead they have characters with represent words and concepts.

In that, I’ve always heard that the Chinese word for “crisis” is the same word as “opportunity.”  That’s not exactly true, there are two characters that make up the word crisis, one character is danger, and the other is opportunity.

But, we se in that language, the word crisis is related to the word opportunity.

What does that have to do with anything?

Listen to the words of Psalm 119:

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, *
that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is dearer to me *
than thousands in gold and silver.

Have you thought that about your affliction?  Have you allowed your trials, troubles, and afflictions to draw you closer to God?

Every moment we are alive, every moment we breathe, each of these events, they are chances to for us to grow closer to God.

Are you using the trials of life to draw you closer to God?  Are the moments of hurt, are they driving you to prayer? To read the Word?  To be in communion with God?

Trials and troubles, they will push us to God or away from God.  What is happening in your life?

Are you allowing your troubles to drive you closer to God? For only in Him will we find peace and comfort and hope in the midst of trials.

Every trial is an opportunity to grow closer to God.  They aren’t fun, they aren’t easy, and they aren’t something that we to go through.

But, they can draw us closer to God.

Are we allowing that happen?

In our walk with God, let’s not waste a moment.  Even these moments of trials and troubles, they can draw us closer to God.

Let’s not waste a single moment.

Our First Option? Or Our Last Option?

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Troubles come. That’s part of life. Times of trial come.  That’s part of life.

What will be our response to our troubles. What will be a our response to our trials?

What will we do when we are in these tough times. When those we love are in these tough times?

I was reading about Peter this morning in Acts. It had gotten tough. James had been killed.  Now Peter was locked up, and would probably be killed later.

He was in jail, waiting, when an angel of the Lord came and freed him.

Then this happens:

11Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’ 12As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying.

The thing that struck me this morning in this text was not Peter’s imprisonment.  It wasn’t the angel freeing him.  It was the response of his friends and family.  What did they do?

They gathered, and they prayed.

In our life, we sometimes have to respond to unpleasant situations. Things that happen to us. To those we love. To those we care for.

How will we respond?  Will we grow angry?  Bitter?  Resentful?

Or, will we do what they did in the text today?

Will we pray?  Will we turn it over to God? Will we seek His face?

When the tough times come, when the trials come, what will be our response?

Prayer should not be our last option. For many of us, we pray when we’ve done everything else.

Pray shouldn’t be our last options.  It should be our first option.

May we be a praying people.