About Me
- Jason Ashley
- I am a Husband to the most loving and beautiful woman in the world. I am the father of 3 kids that continue to challenge me in so many ways but they are awesome. I am also a child of the most high God and I am striving to live out The Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am also Co-Founder of The LOT Project. My home church is Newspring Church Anderson Campus. My prayer for you and I is that we are encouraged and challenged by the writings on this page. Some writings may be stories and some writings may be what God is teaching me from day to day. SO GRAB YOUR FORK AND LETS EAT :)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
He is all powerful and sufficient!
First let me say ministry went great yesterday and people excepted Jesus as there Savior. Thats what it's all about! Now for my post!I am going to be getting very personal with you this morning. I fail sometimes to do the very thing I’m going to be writing about this morning! If we were all honest many of us fail to do so. You see we limit God sometimes! Jesus is bigger than anything, any problem we face, any unexpected bill we get in the mail, any sickness we may encounter or doctor report we may receive that didn’t go exactly like we wanted it to! So why do we “myself included” limit God in our lives! In all the gospels we see a very familiar story about a little boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish! You see this boy had little to offer but when put in Jesus hands he made it a lot! We could look at this story in a lot of ways but one that sticks out to me is how little faith the disciples had! They had been with Jesus and seen him heal the blind, lame and sick but when they seen all these people following behind sit on the mountainside in Galilee, they questioned themselves how will we feed all of them. They looked at a problem instead of a solution! Jesus Christ was sitting right beside them probably resting because he had been teaching all day! Scripture says in John 6:9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” The disciples questioned themselves! This is such a problem in our everyday journey through life. We serve a humongous God and he is all powerful and supreme! So why do we limit him! You see we as believers do the same thing the disciples done. We look at how big our problems are instead of how big God is! We all have done this at one time or another! If you say you have not you probably have a problem with lying! I’m convinced if the disciples had been concerned with feeding there spiritual hunger this problem would not have seemed so big! You see Jesus wanted his followers to seek him for himself, and not for what he could do for them. You see we serve an in control God in an out of control world! We all need to believe that through the lowest of lows we serve the highest of highs! In John 16:33 Jesus said in this life we will have trouble, notice he said we will, not we might! So when a problem comes your way look up and smile for Jesus is with you do not fear! Joshua 1:9 Have a Jesus Christ filled day! With Love Jason
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Monday, September 15, 2008
Digging for dirt or gold?
I would like to start out today’s post with a question I think we all need to answer. Are you going for dirt or gold? Please! Let me explain. Encouragement is a great thing; we all like it and want more of it. In a very negative world encouragement is hard to locate. It seems like everyone’s out to get dirt on somebody. We see it in Hollywood everyday, it also happens in the workplace and yes even churches all across this country. The fact of the matter is some people would like to see you screw up more than see you succeed! I know it’s sad but these types of people are not happy and they screw up so much they like to see you screw up just to make them feel better! Thank God not all people are like this! There are still people out their willing to look past the dirt to what’s behind it GOLD! You see gold miners often have to drill through tons of dirt to get to 1 ounce of gold. They are determined to find something great! Lets face it we are all not good people, but we all have positive attributes about us! So realize this, we all have gold behind our dirt but often people would rather see your screw ups than your success! Jesus Christ makes no mistakes and when he created you he created something beautiful and he has an incredible plan for your life. YOU HAVE A PURPOSE! So try today to look at the positives in each other; people you work with, family, friends. Look past the dirt “We All Have It” and look for the gold. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up….” We must encourage not discourage! Let me hit you with a rhyme for one second “You see Jesus is the up not the down. Not the bottom, he’s the top. He’s the left, he’s the right. He’s the go, he’s the stop. He’s the light of the world that never burns out; he’s the author of the book so he knows how it turns out!!!” This rhyme or rap as some would call it is so true. Jesus is the up so look up today. Encourage one another and smile with love in your heart at someone today! Your smile may be the only one they see all day! Well I’m off to G-ville or as my pastor would say G-vegas. I’m pumped lives will be forever changed today through Jesus Christ! With love to ALL! Jason
Friday, September 12, 2008
Alcohol/Stumbling Block?
Good morning everyone! I hope everyone’s morning is going great! I am going to be talking about being a stumbling block today. If you’re a Christian reality is this we all have bulls eyes on our backs, people are just waiting on us to mess up. Here is the kicker it’s not always worldly people either sometimes its people inside the church! So what does Jesus Christ say about being a stumbling block? Are we held accountable for causing a young Christian to fall by our actions? These next verses should answer both questions! Luke 17 verses 1-3 Jesus said “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.” See we need to be aware of the FACT that non-believers, seekers and even new Christians are watching our lifestyle. Should they be watching us? Absolutely not! But it is a reality! You see people watch Christians to see if they are living as they say they are! In reality some don’t live as they claim to live, notice I said some! We need to be on guard at all times that we don’t cause anyone to fall! I remember when I was a young Christian I had a Godly friend invite me to a Clemson game and the night before we went out to supper! Our conversation was based on Alcohol and what was my opinion on Christians that drink? I was wondering why he asked me this so outright! But I told him alcohol had been a problem for me in my past and that I had actually had some addiction to it and I did not like to be around it! He smiled and said ok that’s cool. Then he asked me what I believe as far as drinking goes? I told him that if a believer wants to have a drink in my opinion its up to them as long as they are not a stumbling block for someone else! Jesus did turn water into wine! YES IT WAS FURMINTED WINE! That was his first miracle! So is it wrong to drink? No! It becomes a sin when you cause someone to fall or indulge yourself in drunkenness! Back to my story that Saturday we went to the game we did not even go near alcohol! Come to find out later, my friend usually had a beer or two while he tailgated before the game, but because he knew alcohol had been a problem for me he chose not to even take me around it! Praise God for him! He was obedient to Gods word and watched himself! He stayed guarded! So I ask you this morning are you being a stumbling block. If you are you may not even know it! Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ and follow him wholeheartedly! Please listen to what Jesus said! I Love you Guys and Gals! I’m off to Fusion Warehouse to get ready for tonight lots of teens coming! Jason
Thursday, September 11, 2008
September 11th prayer!
Good morning everyone! Today marks the 7th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. As I woke up this morning I was thinking about what to write today. Today there will be lots of people that remember this day 7 years ago was one of the worst days of there lives! Many lost Fathers, Moms, Children, Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, and Uncles as well as close friends. So I want to say thanks to all who helped that dark September morning! Thanks to all of the Fireman, Policeman, and Citizens that risked there lives to help rescue people and Thank you to the ones who lost there lives you are forever remembered! One verse in scripture that fits what happened on September 11th is this one John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” You notice Jesus did not say you might have trouble he said you will have trouble! I remember the week of September 11th like no other week; you could not find a seat in church. People turned to God when that happened and many said why would God let that happen why? God why? I can’t answer this question but I can tell you this, our country has turned our back on God. This country was founded on values and respect and frankly we have lost both! We live in a country that says killing Gods creation is ok. Abortion is murder it’s not ok! We live in a country that has the highest divorce rate than any other country! We live in a country that allows homosexual marriage and that’s not how God intended it! God did not create Adam and Steve, he created Adam and Eve! I am proud of our country on some things but these I am not! We have people starving on our streets and homeless everywhere. Yet we will not help them! We have the best medical facilities and doctors in the world yet no one can afford it! Our county is no longer built on values and God it’s built on GREED! With that being said I pray that our country turns back to God and not away from him! “Father in Heaven I pray for mercy to fall over this country. We don’t deserve it. We have turned our back to you and give you the middle finger! But God we need you now more than ever. I pray for the sins we as a country have committed and Jesus I ask for forgiveness! Help this Nation! I pray that the Church in America wake up and reach out like never before! I pray for our troops that are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and all the others serving our country. Father protect them and guide them! Jesus we need the grace and mercy only you can provide! Please forgive us in Jesus name I pray amen!” Have a great day and do not be PASSIVE today! With LOVE Jason
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
No RUSH!
Good morning everyone. I encourage you to slow down today and just tell God Thank You. We have so much to be thankful for and sometimes or should i say all the time we rush through our day without a smile on our face and peace in our souls! Stop and listen, Listen to your spouse and your children today. But most of all listen to God, he is everywhere. He is in the wind, the rain, you see his beauty through the flowers and the sunsets. You will be amazed at what you will learn and what impact you will have on others as you go through your day not rushing! So smile and have a Blessed day! Love Jason
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Shining bright!!!
Hello! To everyone yesterday was one of the best days of street evangelism we have had since we started doing outreach! People accepted Jesus and we had one man want help he cried out. He had a cocaine addiction and was homeless because of it! Praise Jesus I have a great group of Guys that are willing to put people like this in their program and help them get a fresh start. Thank you Curtis, Brian and all the staff at this blessed facility! We could not do anything without Jesus Christ and people like you who help so much! Now to my Blog entry for the day! In Matthew 5:14,16 Jesus said “You are the light of the world….Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and praise your FATHER in Heaven.” I have some things to ask you about today. These are questions I have asked myself and they have helped me tremendously! Where does light shine the brightest? The closer you get to the source of light the brighter it gets right! Like the sun lights up our world the closer you get to it, it gets brighter and you see the source in which the light comes from. In our case people see us and then see the source in which we do things JESUS! Your light shining starts at home! Leading your family and building strong relationships with your spouse and your children. I myself have made many mistakes in doing just this that’s why I am sharing it with you! A lot of pastors and evangelist put ministry before their family and most men put their work before their family as well. This will split up a family so fast! One thing I have done to help myself with what I call BALANCE. Balance of ministry, family and relationships is I have learned to say no to people when it takes away time from my family. We as MEN are called to lead our families, see 1 Corinthians chapter 7. The next question I have gets a little more personal! Are you letting your light shine in your community? If not get involved today, whether it be just a simple invite to church or something as great as helping someone cut their grass or plant flowers. Their may be people in your own neighborhood who are struggling so bad they may not be able to buy groceries or even keep all the utilities on. Help them I personally think it’s hypocritical to send money half way across the world but we want help our own neighbor who may need help! That bothers me, I see this happen all the time! This is how you see communities cleaned up and rebuilt! I wasn’t raised in a family who put Jesus first or got involved in the community. My parents did not even get things fixed at home first thus it ended their marriage and it wasn’t a pretty sight! Frankly it sucked for me and my sister. You see parents your decisions effect your children more than anyone else! I have had to learn how to build a strong marriage and relationships with my children and my community and it’s not easy but it takes putting God first to do it! Balance is what it’s all about. Folks it’s my PASSION to see my very own family be strong in the Lord and my community cleaned up, right now my community is in a state of ruin! However if people with Passion get together with Jesus leading, we can flip our communities upside down! So are you willing to get involved? Remember it starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ and leading your family! Let your light shine today! Love you people! Jason
Monday, September 8, 2008
What is a Pharisee!
What is a Pharisee? That’s the question I’m going to answer today. During Jesus Christ ministry on earth (which is still at work today by the way) he seen a person or groups of people that kept God in a box of rituals, laws and explanations. These people believed there was no more to be unearthed, revealed or discovered. It was there way or no way. Spiritual fulfillment that led to no questions, no new mystery, and no new promises. Jesus was very clear he doesn’t like this type of thinking. Thinking brings about action. This type of thinking was and still is hypocritical and lacks Love. Pharisees tried to lock people out of the Kingdom of Heaven basically! Jesus despises this type of attitude. He said in Matthew 23:13 “For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them” You see Pharisees think its all about them and the Hell with the rest of the world! You see the Kingdom of God is open to all who will accept the free gift of salvation. When I say free I’m saying Jesus Christ paid yours and my penalty through his crucifixion. A Pharisee is not Kingdom minded they are selfish, bitter, and if they can’t get the glory it’s considered wrong!! WOW! Did anyone pop in your mind when I said that? You see the Church was created for the lost and it takes change and staying in tune with culture to reach them. You have to meet the lost where they are! As long as it’s biblical and the truth of Jesus is being proclaimed it’s not up to us to say what goes on or who comes in! Last time I checked Jesus Christ draws man to him, so he is in charge of who comes and who don’t, not a committee or a Pastor or a Deacon. There are Pharisees all around us, inside the Church and some Preach behind the pulpit! I have seen racism taught which is non biblical. I’ve seen Pastors speak against interracial marriage that’s not biblical. Moses had an interracial marriage by the way! You get my point, things get taught inside the church that are not of God and those speakers will answer to God for leading people astray. So don’t put God in a box today! Love you Guys and Gals!
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