Asbury Christian Fellowship

05/14/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 05.14.26

Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Have you ever said to a friend, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea, let’s get together this Friday night and confess our sins to each other. That sounds fun!”? “NOT!” But have you ever said to God, “Lord, please show me my flaws. Reveal my sins. Shine a light on where I’m failing You?” “PROBALY NOT AS MUCH AS WE THINK.” That’s exactly what David did in Psalm 139. After his repentance and reconciliation with God, David still asked God to search him, test his heart, and reveal even the hidden places in his life. What a great example of devoted piety to God. Though David knew that God has forgiven him and that God has redeemed him David still wanted to be held accountable, so he wanted God to search his heart, test his faith, reveal his weaknesses, and then show him the straight and narrow path. I was counseling with a couple earlier this week who both said to me that they knew they were committing sin, but they are trying to rectify it. I told them to not give up trying to rectify and to reconcile with God. David’s prayer is so important because sin can become so ingrained in our habits and daily life that we don’t even notice it anymore. That’s why we need God to open our eyes to it. When we allow ourselves to be numb to sin—that is called The "Callous" Effect. Much like physical skin hardens with repeated friction, ignoring the promptings of your conscience makes it progressively easier to repeat a behavior without feeling the sting. When your actions or lifestyle is continually excused or normalized, your mind no longer categorizes it as an issue or problem to you. But when you humbly ask God to reveals your sins, you respond with repentance and you will receive His forgiveness. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God gives you grace and mercy to turn from the “numbness” in your life and draws you close to Him. He doesn’t just show you your weaknesses, He also gives you the strength and wisdom to overcome them. Today, my prayer for you is to invite your best friend God to get together and to search your hearts, to test your faith, to know what you’re so anxious about and then lead you out. And when He shows you areas that need change, don’t run from Him, run to Him and face them with courage, knowing forgiveness is there. As the hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear…..” Amen

05/13/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 05.13.26

Isaiah 22:11 (NLT) says; “Between the city walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool. But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago.”

Philippians 4:13 tells us that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” But it doesn’t say we should do all things or anything for that matter without God first. Keeping God first does not mean we can't enjoy anything. Of course we can do things without God being consulted. When Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5), He does not mean you cannot do anything; you just cannot do anything that glorifies God, that edifies God, that honors God, that lifts others up to Him without the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also said that “you will do even greater things than I” (John 14:12), but only……. with God. You and I do things every day that ARE NOT spiritual. Yes, we have other interests that are not spiritual. But when trials come, when was the last time you consulted God first, when was the last time your heart had a need or a desire? Did you consult God? Did you ask for His guidance? As followers of Jesus, what should we do when trials come? My focus verse this morning recalls a story and is a powerful reminder. In this passage, Judah is facing an impending attack. They knew it was coming. They prepare in every practical way: storing water, gathering weapons, and strengthening their defenses. They did everything one would do according to the world’s standards, according to that logic, they did everything right. But they missed one crucial step. THEY DIDN’T CONSULT GOD. Instead, they relied on their own abilities, their own resources, their own knowledge instead of the One who had the power to save them and to not only bring them through but comfort them in the midst. It’s easy to do the same isn’t it? When problems arise, the ones you know are coming and the ones that catch you off guard, do you often try to fix everything yourself, turning inward instead of turning to God? I think we both know the answer. But Scripture reminds us that our first response should always be to seek Him. Exodus 14:14 assures us, ‘The Lord will fight for you; the only thing you need to do is be still.’ No amount of planning or striving can accomplish what God can. Your role is to trust Him first, then follow His lead with peace. So today, what is your plan? What projects are you taking on? What monumental decisions are you about to make? What problems are you facing? You can do it and it might work out or you could consider first the ONE who did all of this and who planned it long ago? Amen

05/12/2026

05/12/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 05.12.26

Luke 19:41-42 (NIV) says, “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

In this narrative, Luke reminds us that Jesus wept on the Mount of Olives. Do you know why Jesus wept? The answer is right there. “if you had known”. I will even go so far as to say what Jesus may also have been thinking, “if you would just open your eyes”. This daughter decided to take her mother who was recently widowed on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Grand Canyon. A place her and her recently deceased husband had planned to go one day. This was a trip to see something beautiful, big and monumental; to remember there is more in the world than just pain and to re-imagine what life was supposed to be, what it could be…in this new reality. As they stood at the edge of the rim and gawked at the artistry of God, the layers of rock in thousands of subtle shades of color. It was indeed beautiful but in a mean sort of way. It seemed to her mom that staring at this canyon made God, purpose, and hope feel so distant – everything meaningful just seemed so far away now. That night they went to a local restaurant locals had recommended ending the day with a memorable meal. As we were leaving the restaurant, there was a bat flying in a circle right on the porch that you had to walk through to exit the restaurant. The mother started freaking out and refused to go out that way. The bat was going bat-crazy (no pun intended, but maybe a little) and continued to fly in circles in this little area that they needed to go through to get to the car. So, the daughter asked and found another way out by cutting through the bar. Finally, when they get outside. It’s dark and they started giggling about how seeing the bat mess with the mom, swooping down and getting up so close to her ear that she could hear the bat’s wing flapping sounds. When they got to the paved path there was this young couple staring at them with shocked looks on their faces, their mouths gaped open. The guy says, “Did you NOT see the elk?” They point over to where we had just walked from. There on the grassy lawn were 2 full grown elk with amazing antlers on their heads just standing about 3 ft apart. They had walked RIGHT in between them. They were HUGE! Still trembling in disbelief, the woman said, “How could you miss them? They’re right there! You were inches from walking right into them. How did you not see?” Easy, they said, we were worried about…bats. No wonder Jesus wept. The prophet Daniel gave the precise day. Jesus said, “If you'd only known the things that belong to you on this your day.” “Open my eyes so that I can see your wonderful truth…” (Psalm‬ ‭119:18) The Israelites had been given a very specific warning, but they refused to see it. You and I must be careful that we also don’t miss the warnings of God that we have received. Miss the blessings that God gives. Miss the miracles that God has done. God has been gracious to reveal Himself to you; you must be careful not to ignore Him while staring at the bats in your life. Amen

05/11/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 05.11.26

John 14:27 (NIV) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

A bartender was hired to work in one of the toughest towns in the old west. The saloon owner gave him only one piece of advice: “If you ever hear that Big John is coming to town, drop everything you’re doing and run for cover.” One day, a cowhand rushed into the bar and yelled, “Big John is coming!” Immediately the saloon emptied with people jumping out of doors and windows. In the rush of the crowd, the bartender was knocked down. When he got up, he saw a giant man with a black, bushy beard ride up on a buffalo, using a rattlesnake for a whip. The man tore both doors off the hinges and walked into the saloon. With a single blow of his massive fist, he split the bar in half. He grabbed the bartender by the neck and demanded, “Give me a drink.” The bartender nervously pushed a bottle to the man. He broke the neck off with his teeth, downed it in one gulp, and smashed the bottle into the mirror. As the gigantic intruder turned to leave, the bartender asked, “Another drink, mister?” The stranger said, “No, I’ve got to get out of here. Big John is coming!”
We’ve all been through situations where we thought Big John had shown up, but Big John was still coming. You may be in fear of Big John coming in your life. The Big John for you might be unemployment, a serious health problem, a financial problem, or a strained relationship. Fear always makes the problem bigger than it really is. It doesn’t matter how big your problem may be, God is BIGGER, more powerful, and able to solve it. God is greater than your highs and your lows. He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10).
Don’t let whatever the Big John is in your life scare you. Your fears will cause you to run from your problems. I know it is hard, but I urge you what whatever it is put your trust in Almighty God to whom every knee will bow. Instead of saying, “Big John is coming!” say, “My God is bigger than Big John, He is here with me, and I’ll get through this.” Amen

04/22/2026

ALERT! This will be the last Daily Dose until Monday, May 11th. Please forgive me.

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 04.22.26

Matthew 18:2-3 (AMP, paraphrased) Then Jesus, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you change your inner self—change your old way of thinking, live changed lives and become like a kid again, trusting, humble, and forgiving, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Oh, to be a kid again!” We have a beautiful family in our church who are leaving on a vacation cruise this week. They went on a cruise as a family last year and when I inquired about this upcoming adventure, mom told me that their son, Andrew who is about to eighteen when asked what he wanted for his eighteenth birthday replied, “I want to go on a cruise one more time as a kid.” There are so many things to do for youth under eighteen and he wanted to experience all of those things once more before he no longer could. Jesus said you and I must return to the innocence of our youth, becoming like a kid again, placing our trust, our hope and our future in the hands of the Father. Enjoying His goodness, His mercies which are new every morning, His forgiveness, His guidance, His healing, the Kingdom of Heaven is an ocean far away and while we will go on about our daily lives, living, eating, breathing, loving, receiving, it is as if we will not get to enjoy what He has waiting for us as a kid. Jesus is trying to say them that they must cultivate humble dependence, trust, and openness rather than returning to immaturity of their youth and that involves embracing a "childlike" faith—marked by wonder, forgiveness, and trust—over "childish" actions. To live this out, one must let go of anxiety and trust God, as a child trusts a parent. My wife and I were enjoying time with our granddaughter the other day at the park. While watching her enjoy the slide, the climbing, being pushed in the swing and hearing that laughter, it reminded me of those things I enjoyed as a kid. “Oh, to be a kid again!” C.S. Lewis once said, “Christ wants a child’s heart, but a grown-up’s head.” Simply put, we must love Christ unconditionally while continuously learning about and sharing his love with others. Children don't stay children. They remember more and more about the things they didn't under¬stand as a child. Remembering them is one thing, keeping them is another. “Oh, to be a kid again!” Is your life so crammed with adult worries, pains, suffering, past mistakes, bad decisions, failure after failure after failure that you too would like to be a kid once more? What would it look like for you to return to that childlike faith Jesus offers? What unnecessary things, what burdensome things, what painful things do you need to rid yourself of in order to enjoy Jesus as a child? “Oh, to be a kid again!” Amen

04/21/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 04.21.26

Deuteronomy 15:6 (NKJV) says: “For the Lord your God will bless you as He has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.”

Several years ago there was a brokerage firm on Wall Street called E.F. Hutton. They ran this very creative advertisement commercials were people were in a crowded room or a restaurant, and someone would ask the broker a question about investing and the entire room or restaurant would go silent. People would stop moving and then you heard to tag line, “When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.” E.F. Hutton, once the second-largest U.S. brokerage firm famous collapsed in the late 1980s following a 1985 fraud scandal.
I guess they didn’t listen or they were listening to the wrong adviser. God's words are not empty. When God speaks, things happen. God spoke and brought you into existence. God spoke to the water and it birthed dry land. God spoke light into day and separated the darkness by night. God’s word will never return to Him void. Every word God speaks is powerful, purposeful, and guaranteed to accomplish exactly what He intends.
God’s promises to you are no different. God has blessed you today just as He has promised. God has blessed you to lend to many nations but borrow from none. Now, you may need to make some adjustments in life to realize this blessing, but the point is, you have it! God called you to rule! To rule over your life! To rule over the demonic forces that plague you! To rule over many nations and no one will rule over you. And if you ever need proof that God makes good on His promises, just look outside your window and remember….. He spoke that too! “Throughout our history God has spoken to our ancestors by his prophets in many differing ways. The revelation he gave them was only a fragment at a time, building one truth upon another. But to us living in these last days, God now speaks to us openly in the language of a Son, the appointed Heir of everything, for through him God created the panorama of all things and all time.” (Hebrews 1:1-2) God spoke to so many in so many ways over time and yet there are still so many lost. God spoke to miracles, signs and wonders. God spoke through creation. God spoke through dreams and visions. God spoke through plaques and pestilence. God spoke through tragedy and triumph. God spoke even in death and is still speaking. Throughout your history God has spoken to you and you listened (most of the time…..some of the time). God spoke through the Holy Spirit to call you into His presence, not just for a little while, but for all eternity. Which advisor are you listening to most? Are they capable of eternal conversation or destruction? Today, maybe right now, God is speaking to something in your life. Are you listening? Amen

04/20/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 04.20.26

Matthew 8:28-30 (WE) Jesus came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarene people. There were graves in that place. Two men came from among the graves to meet him. They had bad spirits in them. They were so bad and strong that people feared to pass that way. They shouted, `Jesus, Son of God, what do you want to do to us? Have you come here to punish us before it is our time?'

Tales from the Wild West. The story goes that one day a bartender was hired to work in one of the toughest towns in the old west. The saloon owner gave him only one piece of advice: “If you ever hear that Big John is coming to town, drop everything you’re doing and run for cover.” One day, a cowhand rushed into the bar and yelled, “Big John is coming!” Immediately the saloon emptied with people jumping out of doors and windows. In the rush of the crowd, the bartender was knocked down. When he got up, he saw a giant man with a black, bushy beard ride up on a buffalo, using a rattlesnake for a whip. The man tore both doors off the hinges and walked into the saloon. With a single blow of his massive fist, he split the bar in half. He grabbed the bartender by the neck and demanded, “Give me a drink.” The bartender nervously pushed a bottle to the man. He broke the neck off with his teeth, downed it in one gulp, and smashed the bottle into the mirror. As the gigantic intruder turned to leave, the bartender asked, “Another drink, mister?” The stranger said, “No, I’ve got to get out of here. Big John is coming!”
We’ve all been through situations where we thought Big John had shown up in our life and then realized that Big John was still coming. You might fear that Big John is coming in your struggling marriage, or in a strained friendship, or that unexpected bill, or your teen’s rebellion, or that test result you have an appointment for this week. Fear always makes the problem bigger than it really is. But know this, it doesn’t matter how big your problem may be, your God is BIGGER, your God is more POWERFUL, and your God is MORE THAN ABLE to solve it. He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10). There will always be spiritual bullies and ‘Big John’s’ in your life. Don’t fear in anticipation of his arrival and don’t let your fears cause you to run from his problems. Yes, I said “his” problems. Problems never existed until he showed up. They are his creation, his tool, his scare tactic. He feeds on fear! “….stand up against the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) At the very mention of His name every knee………will bow. Instead of saying, “Big John is coming!” say, “My God is bigger than any Big John.” Amen

04/17/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 04.17.26

Psalm 40:1-2 (NKJV) says, ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.’
1. Are you?
2. Have you?
3. Has He?
4. Did He?
Yesterday while visiting a member in the hospital, I heard over the loudspeaker that there will be a prayer gathering in the lobby at 7:30 am for anyone who would like to pray. So, I did. The chaplain handed out a card with this verse on it. There were family members and staff together praying for healing and comfort of their loved ones and I also mean loved ones of the nurses who were there. They wouldn’t have been if they did not love what they do and who they care for. For them, their patients are their loved one while in their care. I asked myself those four questions from this verse and I encourage you to do the same. Are you? Are you waiting patiently? Waiting patiently on the Lord is considered one of the hardest aspects of faith because it involves "intense eagerness" while grappling with unknown timing. However, this season is not wasted, but rather a time for divine preparation, pruning, and strengthening your trust. It is a call to align you with God's perfect, rather than align God with yours. Have you? Have you cried out to God? Crying out to the Lord is a profound act of faith, born from deep distress, overwhelming circumstances, and total helplessness. It is a desperate plea for help that acknowledges your inability to manage life alone. It is a shift from being self-reliant to depending on divine intervention. Has He? We live in a part of the world where clay is very abundant and in the film My Cousin Vinny, Vinny Gambini who was from New York explained the difficulties of driving in Alabama clay: "...anyone who's been stuck in the clay in Alabama knows, you step on the gas, one tire spins, the other tire does nothing." By not aligning yourself with God means only one tire is spinning in your life and you are going in circles. Finally, Did He? When you waited, and when you cried out and when He brought you out of the miry clay you found yourself in….Did He set your feet on a rock? Did He provide you a secure, stable foundation? Did He rescue you from a/the "miry bog" or "pit of destruction" you found yourself stuck in? We all find ourselves in horrible pits of despair. We all need to cry out a little louder. We all need a firmer foundation to base our life and that rock, that foundation, that cornerstone is Jesus Christ. Don’t continue to let your life spin with only one wheel. Amen

04/16/2026

DAILY DOSE OF JESUS! 04.16.26

1 Corinthians 15:15 (NIV) says, “Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.”

Most of us will have done things that we are not necessarily proud of and I think it’s fair to say we probably all have some skeletons in our closets. Most of the time, they are just details that we would rather keep to ourselves, because they are kind of no longer relevant and just a part of our journey. Some other things are much bigger. And sometimes, what we don’t say and admit to other people is how deeply unhappy we really are, either because of something that happened in the past or because of our current circumstances. We are being dishonest. Not to anybody else but to ourselves. We pretend. We hide the truth and we do ‘the Ostrich’, burying our head in the sand, trying to believe that all is well and that it will get better when _________________ (you fill in the blank). We live in the expectation that something is going to change and that everything is going to be ok, but we don’t do anything to make that happen. We often believe that we don’t have a choice but to stay as we are. All these are signs that you are living a lie. And ultimately, it is going to hurt you. The longer you leave it and live it, the more damage and regret you will encounter. Facing the truth is something that starts with yourself. You don’t want to because You don’t want to get hurt. The disciples felt like they had been lied to, their lives had been wasted for three years, they lived in fear of what’s next. They themselves were considered liars. So, what happened? God Happened! The Holy Spirit of God to be exact happened! Were the disciples liars? Were they deceivers? If so, why? Why would they deceive? Why would they lie? What gain did they have if Jesus Christ was still in the grave? The disciples died as martyrs as did Paul. They were tortured, they were persecuted, they were burned at the stake, they were eaten by lions, they were stoned, they were crushed, and they were humiliated. Hypocrites and martyrs are not made of the same stuff! PEOPLE TELL LIES TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE, NOT TO GET INTO TROUBLE. A PERSON MAY LIVE FOR A LIE, BUT FEW, IF ANY, WILL WILLINGLY DIE FOR A LIE. The disciples said, “We have seen Him! We have touched Him!” Are you going to tell me Peter was a con man? That John the apostle was a crook? That the apostle Paul, a known perjurer, deceiver, murderer and a false witness? Of course not. But if Christ is still in the grave, preaching is profitless, faith is foolish, and disciples like you are a deceiver. You should stop trying to convince others to follow Christ if He is a lie. How does the willingness to die for the truth of the Gospel give a witness to the credibility of the Gospel to the world? How does your ability to overcome your pain, your desire to claim victory after victory, your willingness to stand in the face of evil give credibility of the Gospel to the world? You tell me! Better yet, you tell someone else today. Are you living a lie, or are you living in the truth? Take time today to ask God what you are holding back from complete submission to Him. Ask Him to help you let that go. And share that truth with someone else who may be living a lie or listening to one. Let God HAPPEN in your life. Amen