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2023 The Power Of Patience 4 8 23 - Robbie 2021 From Grief To Joy 3 2 21 - Robbie |
2020 United With Love 3 26 20 - Robbie Where There Is God, There Is Good 6 26 20 - Robbie Acceptance 12 1 20 - Robbie 2015 Father, Help Me Follow Your Will Unconditionally 3 19 15 & 9 11 20 - Jim |
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Saturday, April 8, 2023 by Robbie |
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Scripture: Romans 15:5-7 (NLT) - "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Jesus Christ. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Message: As many of you will know, Romans was Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome. It was written and presented as a statement of his faith. As I was reading this Scripture it reminded me of the need to be patient and to encourage each other. Jesus provides us with the perfect model for how to be patient and how to be encouraging in our daily lives. How blessed I am that God always shows patience and gentleness to me, no matter how far I drift! Patience and gentleness truly have a greatest impact. Impatience leads to poor choices, while patience leads to wise choices. Impatience causes pain, while patience brings harmony. God shows patience, which brings peace. May we be like Him by offering His peace, which is always accompanied by patience. Family Activity: As we wait patiently for Easter Sunday, let the family make "Empty Tomb Rolls" or "Resurrection Cookies". Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to be that person who is fitting to be a follower of Your Son Jesus Christ. Help me to show this same patience that You have given to me. Your world does not always function with patience, but You call us to set ourselves apart through Your peace. I can't accomplish this on my own. Fill me with Your grace and presence to always show patience and reflect Your peace so I might become more like You. Amen. Robbie McNabb |
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Tuesday March 2, 2021 From Grief To Joy by Robbie |
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Scripture: Matthew 27:57-66 (GNT Extract 57-61) - "When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea arrived; his name was Joseph, and he also was a disciple of Jesus. He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate gave orders for the body to be given to Joseph. So Joseph took it, wrapped it in a new linen sheet, and placed it in his own tomb, which he had just recently dug out of solid rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, facing the tomb." (Please read entire text in your Bible)Message: Lent is a season of reflection, introspection, and preparation before the celebration of Easter. Lent invites us to make our minds and hearts ready for remembering Jesus life, death and body resurrection. In the past year we experienced the worst pandemic of our lifetime. I thought of the grief so many have experienced. Grief affects people in different ways, but it affects all of us. In the Scripture today, Joseph, Mary Magdalene and Mary were at Jesus' burial site. As I read this I thought of the grief they must have felt. Think of the situation... how would it feel to see the person you loved and followed die as if He were a common criminal? We see Joseph, Mary Magdalene, and Mary grieving in their own way. We can still feel grief over Jesus today. We grieve over the conditions of humanity today. We grieve over loses incurred by the pandemic. We can grieve. It is okay to grieve. We should grieve. By grieving we are clearing the way to rejoice and accept the joy that comes to us on Easter Morning...the day of promises fulfilled and the day full of hope. Through grief we are being prepared for the day of celebration... He is Risen! Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the beautiful season of Lent. May I use this time to grieve, reflect, and remember that I am not alone. Help me remember that this grieving time clears the way for the joy that You give to us in Your love for all. Amen. Robbie McNabb |
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Thursday, March 26, 2020 - "The Connection" Series United With Love by Robbie |
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Scripture: John 13:34-35 (NIV) – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Message: When I was training to become a school administrator, I was suddenly assigned to a new school. At the end of my first day I was frantically trying to get eleven hundred elementary students on eighteen buses for a safe trip home. In the mist of my chaos, I felt a tug on my skirt and looked to find an adorable 7-year old waiting for my time and attention. I thought “I do not have time for this child”. However I reached down to him and he placed a note in my hand that read: “I ‘dot’ know your name, ‘bot’ I love you.” Through this experience God spoke to me and taught me to remember the true meaning of love, unity and acceptance in action. This note stayed with me throughout my career as a reminder that this is a command from God. Prayer: Dear Father God as we prepare for Easter during this season of Lent may we remember love, unity, and acceptance are part of the foundation of Your church so that all will know we are Your disciples. Thank You for using a 7-year old to teach me to remember the importance of putting these words into action. Amen. Robbie McNabb |
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Saturday, June 27, 2020 - "The Connection" Series Where There Is God, There Is Good by Robbie |
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Scripture: Genesis 50:20a (NIV) - “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done,….” Message: As we navigate our way through this pandemic, I suspect many of us are wondering “what good will be on the other side”. A quarantined life isn’t easy for most of us. We miss the fellowship of Asbury, the community and life in general. We continually look for new ways to do old things. And I suspect we ask why. I believe that God is using these different times for good in many ways. I have “found” time to reflect and to remember friends I haven’t connected with for some time. I certainly have grown in the use of technology. And yes, just be still in the presence of God and use time to listen to God and how He wants us to serve. I think of how Asbury uses live streaming to broadcast our Sunday, morning worship services. I believe we are reaching people who may not attend church in “normal” times, but enjoy and are more comfortable with the streaming services. How wonderful this is happening! Asbury continues to be a light in the community through the outreach programs…. even though they may look a little different. How great it is to have you who are willing to shop for those who cannot get out to shop for themselves. How fortunate to have Mel Frye, Shirley Brietz, Dianna Bates, Teresa Cunningham and Eloise Hogue leading the way by making masks for those who need them most. As we continue to move forward in this uncertain time, may we all take the time to listen to God and respond as we hear Him speak to us. Yes, Asbury continues to do good in our community and in so many ways. I quote my North Carolina minister, Mary Brown: “There isn’t anything that God can’t use for good – even a pandemic!” Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for all the people of Asbury, for the leadership You have provided for us, and the loving members who are brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank You for being with us and helping us to learn new ways to do Your work. I ask that You continue to be with us and give us strength to follow what You would have us do. In Your name I pray. Amen. Robbie McNabb |
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Tuesday. December 1, 2020 Acceptance by Robbie |
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Scripture: Romans 15:5-7 (ESV) – “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Message: As we celebrate the Advent season, remembering this is a time of year for hope, preparation, joy, and love, may we extend our acceptance to all. I have been thinking and trying to understand why it is difficult for us to accept people different from us. It seems we see them as people to fix, or sinners to shun; not as brothers and sisters to love, listen to and seek to understand. Perhaps often our lack of acceptance and difficulty in loving others come from our own fears and/or ignorance. During this Christmas may we take time to remember that Jesus loves and accepts us all. What a perfect time for us to re-examine our lives so as to be more like Him. Let us ask ourselves: “Can we be more accepting of those who are different?”; “Are we as inclusive as Jesus?”; “Is there more we can do to be more accepting in our church?”; “Do we want to be more like Him?”; “In a simple thought, could we stretch our church to be more inclusive?”. Let’s take time to remember that Jesus loves and accepts all of us. Pray that we may all be more like Jesus and more accepting regardless of our differences. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, give us the desire to be more like You. Your birth is a gift to us. May we learn and strive to be more accepting and to welcome everyone as we enter into a New Year. These things we ask in Your Holy Name. Amen. Robbie McNabb |
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Thursday, March 19, 2015 & 911 Attack - Friday, September 11, 2020 - "The Connection" Series |
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Scripture: Luke 15:18-20 (NRSV) – “I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.” Message: The brief story of the prodigal son is among the most frequently read and discussed passages in the Bible. In its brevity it tells of falling short, of realization and recognition, of loss, reconciliation, and redemption. This story has it all. One evening years ago I suddenly saw in this passage a quality of God’s love in a way I had never known before. Seven short words of this text seemed to force themselves on me and command my attention with a power that was shattering. That night, the way I viewed God, and the way I understood what God expects of me, changed forever. “… his father saw him and was filled with compassion;” The father forgave. He did not wait until his son requested forgiveness, nor did he demand an apology. There were no conditions. The father just forgave, and his forgiveness was unconditional. This is way God wants and expects us to accept His commands. We are to love – unconditionally; to accept differences in others – unconditionally; to obey – unconditionally; to apologize for wrongdoing – unconditionally. There is no end to God’s exhortations, and we are to accept all of them unconditionally. When God commands our generosity, perhaps He also commands the recipient’s gratitude. But each command is independent and unconditional. God’s command for us to be generous, does not allow us to condition our obedience. Similarly, when He commands gratitude from the recipient of such generosity, there is no condition associated with magnitude of the giver’s generosity. Prayer: Dear Father God, help me learn to accept Your commands, fully and unconditionally. Help me to act according to Your will at all times, and with the right heart. Help me always to concentrate on developing and maintaining the right relationship with You, and to avoid judging the relationships that others have with You. In Your Holy Name I pray. Amen.
Jim McNabb |
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