Ashley Wesleyan Church

10/13/2026

Here's the Bible verse most likely to be recognizable by anyone:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Sometimes I wonder if we're so familiar with it that we don't really think about it anymore. We tell everyone, "God loves you!" - but do we really think about this verse in reference to ourselves as well as others? Let's try looking through it a bit:

Why did God give His one and only Son? Because He loved the world so much.

Exactly who is included in "the world"? Everyone. Every person, including you, me, everyone we know, people we've never met, AND the family member/co-worker/neighbor/whoever who annoys us so completely. Everyone.

What outcome is God looking for? That we might believe in His Son so that we won't perish but instead receive eternal life.

This means that God sent Jesus to live on earth (and die on the cross) for your sake. For my sake. For the sake of each individual human who has been, is, or will be on the face of the earth.

Like the Nicene Creed says, "For us humans and for our salvation He came down from Heaven." It was all for our sake.

And most people don't even realize that.

We gotta tell them!!

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10/07/2026

John says about Jesus, "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4-5)

Life is pretty commonplace in this world. Humans are alive, animals are alive, plants are alive - even bacteria are alive. But the life that John describes in Jesus is distinctly different:

Jesus is eternal and the life He offers is eternal life. It's not just existence or awareness. It is an aliveness that is spiritual instead of merely physical. It also involves becoming part of a community that stretches across the ages from the far past to the as-yet-to-us-unknown future. It is impossible for death to s***f out.

John says the life in Jesus "was the light of all mankind." It acted as a beacon to those who were spiritually aware and drew them to Him. But that life is also in us, when we're followers of Christ, and we have the privilege and responsibility of bearing beacons that will also draw others to Jesus.

And, remember, "the darkness has not overcome it." Nor will it - praise the Lord!!

Is His light shining brightly in you today?

(Photo courtesy of Tara Winstead and pexels.com)

09/30/2026

In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asked the most important question we can answer in life: "'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?'"

Peter, so often the talkative one among His disciples, jumped in with the answer: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Peter affirmed Jesus' divinity as well as His identity as the Anointed One, the Long-Awaited One, the Savior. Peter was explaining in a single statement his foundation for placing his trust in Jesus. If you read on, you can see the position Peter's understanding and his faith placed him in with respect to Christ's mission here on earth in Jesus' reply:

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:17-18)

As believers, we want to be like Peter. We want to be chosen to do great things for God, to be used by Him in amazing ways! But do we share Peter's foundation of faith? "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Is He? In your life, in ways that other people can see?

Jesus is asking, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?"

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09/23/2026

We so often find ourselves seemingly at the mercy of the evil one and his tools of depression, addiction, strife, and deceit. The battle we live in can distract us and make us take our eyes off of Christ, Truth, and Hope. But John 16:11 says that the prince of this world is already condemned - his fate is sealed! Revelation 20:10 tells his final fate:

"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Yes, Satan can still act, but he won't win in the end. So, fight him! Hold onto Christ, hold onto Truth, hold onto Holiness with everything you've got and don't give in to the devil who will be defeated at the end of time. God will vanquish him and we will all say, "Hallelujah!!"

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09/16/2026

Here in America, we love to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We celebrate self-made men and ambitious women who go for what they want, secure in their own capabilities.

But the Psalmist has a different take on things in Psalm 33: 16-17 and 20-22:

"No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save . . .

"We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you."

No one actually makes it to his or her goal completely on his or her own ability, wealth, or power. Regardless how amazing, rich, or powerful we are, we can't do it by ourselves. Pinning our hope on our own arrangements, our own power, or even our own friends creates so many opportunities for disappointment.

If we want to be sure of success, we must hope in the Lord. Of course, that means that we walk in His way, striving to be like Him, and surrendering our lives to Him; it won't look like other people's success. But by trusting in our Hope we can become God-Made men and women.

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09/09/2026

Matthew 26:26: During the Last Supper, " . . . Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.'"

What did Jesus mean? Why was he talking about eating His body?

The Last Supper came about while Jesus and His disciples were celebrating Passover, the Jewish remembrance of the last meal of the Israelites before God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. The bread eaten during the Passover meal was to be unleavened, something that symbolized a traveling lifestyle, because the Israelites would be leaving almost immediately and traveling for years afterwards before they could settle in houses again. Yet they needed the sustenance of bread to give them strength as they traveled. This unleavened bread was preparing them for the life they were embarking upon. (Of course, we also know that God later provided manna for them as they spent 40 years in the wilderness.)

When Jesus said the words above, He was eating His last meal with His disciples before undergoing His trial and crucifixion, which would make possible the deliverance of all believers from the slavery of sin, eternal death, and hell. He knew that His followers would need spiritual sustenance to give them strength as they continued to live for Him. He was reminding His disciples to draw that sustenance from Him.

When we participate in Communion or the Lord's Supper, we are being reminded of Christ's sacrifice for our sins and we are receiving spiritual sustenance to nourish us on our journey of following Christ.

Jesus is the Bread of Life. Allow Him to sustain you.

(Photo courtesy of cottonbro studio and pexels.com)

09/02/2026

We know that God values generosity - but what does that mean? How much do I need to give in order to be generous? Is it a specific amount or a percentage - or do I just need to give more than the next person? Do I need to give it all to a single church or support lots of organizations? How will I know when I've done enough?

The ninth chapter of Acts gives us a marvelous example of generosity in the story of Dorcas:

"In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room . . . Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them."

Somehow, though Dorcas was a great example of generosity, I don't think she was asking any of those questions above. She was too busy seeing needs and lovingly meeting each one she could to worry about reaching a specific standard. Those women she helped knew they had been loved - which is really what generosity is all about, isn't it?

Like how God demonstrates His love as He gives us grace . . .

Look around you this week. How can you be generous like Dorcas?

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08/24/2026

Proverbs 30: 7-9 says, “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God."

You might want to read that part about poverty or riches again. Can you believe how counter-cultural it is for us to be content with ENOUGH ("only my daily bread") instead of sacrificing personal health, family, and other relationships (and, possibly, even integrity) to get everything we possibly can out of life? Or spending thousands of dollars trying to win the Lotto?

If I'm receiving "only my daily bread" I am forced to constantly depend on God. I may be working my tail off just in order to make enough - but I know that God is preserving my health and enabling me to do that. I may be at a time in life when my duties to family members (young children or elderly parents) require time I could otherwise spend earning money - but I know that without God's provision, I wouldn't be able to care for the people He's placed in my life and have my daily needs met. I must constantly depend on God.

And that's such a blessing!

Constant dependence on God has our minds attuned to every blessing He gives. Constant dependence on God has our eyes always on Him. Constant dependence on God draws us ever closer to Him - which is JUST where we should be!

Maybe winning the Lotto isn't the blessing everyone assumes it is . . .

(Note: Even with this mindset, saving for retirement is still wise.)

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08/17/2026

Does anyone else notice that the quality of stuff we buy seems to be declining? I mean, you can always get cheap plastic stuff that's likely to break soon, but even the more expensive items seem to be less long-lasting.

I find myself researching carefully when I'm going to spend my money. I want to find a good deal on something just right that will last for as long as possible. Anyone with me?

The downside of this is that ALL the stuff we buy to enhance our living experience will end up in a landfill someday. A rugged smartphone may last for 8-10 years (assuming a lack of planned obsolescence), a well-cared-for car may last for 20, or an heirloom-quality musical instrument may last through several generations - but there's only one bit of our experience on earth that will truly last forever: People.

People have souls and souls are eternal. There's also the fact that, no matter how much money you have, you can't buy a soul - and yet they're the greatest treasures in existence! After all, Jesus gave His life for them.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

This passage leads to some though-provoking questions for each of us:

1) Do I treasure my relationships? If not, how can I begin?

2) Is my life (attitude, etc.) such that God can use me to help these treasures see Him in heaven?

3) Will I take the challenge to allow the stuff of earth to fade in my heart so that my focus is on treasures that can be in heaven?

(Photo courtesy of PNW Production and pexels.com)

08/12/2026

This week, it's back to basics from Deuteronomy 6:4-5:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

We give all of us to only Him all the time. Simple, right? Not easy, but simple:

All of us

To only Him

All the time.