Daily Devotional for June 30, 2007

Proverbs 9
13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

Do you know someone who makes really bad decisions and seems to get out of one mess right into another? Sadly, this person seems just a little stupid at times. They may not be a bad person, per se… think Barney Fife, or Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy, but they just keep doing stupid things and dragging others along for the ride.

This passage tells us to avoid people like this. Oh, sure, Barney and Lucy were harmless enough, but quite often this sort of person can get us into some really big trouble. Think of that person who is always experimenting with drugs and wanting you to try some. Think of the person who drinks and drives. Quite often stupidity has a huge price… sometimes even death or irreversible injuries and damage. Be smart, choose wisely, and avoid foolish people and their persuasions.

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 29, 2007

Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

Remember the stories I told you about that come to me on e-mail… animals with two heads, incredible photos that are supposedly real, diseases from soda pop cans that are the figment of someone’s wild imagination? Some of these cause a real panic among people. Who hasn’t heard the one about the water that explodes after being heated in the microwave? Again, I refer to www.snopes.com, which reports that, if all of the conditions are perfect, this could possibly happen, but it is highly unlikely.

The point I want to make is that I have a choice when I get one of these messages. I can ignore it, and let it run its course. I can reply to everyone who is on the sender’s e-mail list and tell them the message is a scam and possibly embarrass the sender. Or, I can contact the sender, provide a link to the report on snopes.com, and let him/her decide how to proceed. Depending on the message and whether it has far-reaching effects or is just incredibly preposterous, I either ignore it or choose the latter.

We all make mistakes. Some can be ignored, while others need to be corrected. A very wise minister friend of mine told me once that many people “correct” others with fear, guilt or shame. A little fear…presenting the facts and letting the other person realize their error and potential consequences for themselves … can sometimes be healthy. Guilt is sometimes appropriate… if the mistake was hurtful to another, the person who made the mistake should feel remorseful and make amends. But shame is never appropriate. It serves no purpose, and the person who shames (scorns) another will themselves be making a mistake.

One other thing… bragging is also never appropriate. If you offer constructive correction to one who is mistaken, bragging about it is a mistake on your part and not a part of God’s plan.

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 28, 2007

Proverbs 8
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

Imagine the depth of God’s wisdom as He created the universe! In every detail of creation, God used His wisdom… AND… He instilled His creatures with wisdom, as well. In animals, we call it instinct… and their instincts protect them from trouble, enable them to find food and shelter, and to survive. Occasionally, we will see an animal act unwisely… think of a dog who chases a car or a cat who thinks she can jump from the table to the counter and doesn’t gauge the distance correctly, or the bunny rabbit that can’t outrun the coyote and becomes his dinner! But for the most part, their God-given wisdom enables them to move about and live a life of blessings and comfort.

We have choices to make, too. And based on how well we have “hearkened” to God’s influence and instruction… His gift of Wisdom in our lives… we are either blessed and obtaining His favor, or we are signing our eternal death sentence, and sentencing ourselves to an earthly life of heartache, difficulty, and one mess after another. God has given us everything we need to make the right choices… the WISE choices… it is up to us to exercise our free will and accept His gift. Where do you stand… are you at God’s gates, waiting at the posts of His doors?

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 27, 2007

Proverbs 8
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

Do you want to be rich and famous? Do you just want to have a good job, a nice family, a comfortable home and a happy life? How do you achieve these things … win the lottery? marry a rich man or woman? rob a bank?! The Proverbs tell us that Wisdom (God’s word and guidance) will help you get these things… and more! Do you want your leaders to be fair and honest? They must have Wisdom and her friend, Prudence (sanity and discretion). You’ve known political leaders who were not wise and prudent, and you’ve seen the scandals and failures of their leadership. You know religious leaders who were unwise and indiscreet, and their failings have been public, and brutally embarrassing… and terribly disappointing to those who trusted them.

So much trouble and heartache can be avoided if WE avoid pride, arrogance, and a “froward mouth” (gossip, cursing, backbiting and nasty criticism). The Proverbs tell us that God will reward those who love Him and seek His wisdom by filling their treasures. What about you… how full is your chest?

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 26, 2007

Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

I get a lot of e-mail from friends and family, and I get a ton of group messages like one I received recently that warned me about a lady who drank a can of soda pop that was supposedly contaminated with rat urine, and she later died of leptospirosis, a potentially deadly disease caused by bacteria from the urine of diseased rodents, snakes, and even dogs and pigs. I immediately got on the Internet and went to www.snopes.com, a great website that has information about hundreds of internet rumors and tells you whether they are true or false. I never forward on a message like this without checking snopes.com first. It is my source for “Internet wisdom” and protects me from looking foolish to others by circulating inaccurate, if not preposterous, information and stories.

In our daily living, we have our own snopes.com – the Bible. God’s word is our source of information and truth and will help us to determine if what we are seeing and hearing in our lives is the real deal or something that others (and Satan) are circulating without validation.

I encourage you to double-check Internet stories/rumors you receive at www.snopes.com. For your daily check of the facts, consult God’s word and receive His instruction, which the Proverbs tells us is “more valuable than rubies!”

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 25, 2007

Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

The book of Proverbs is full of references to avoiding adulterous and seductive women, and the consequences if you don’t. And this is certainly one of those chapters! But today I would like to use the adulterous woman in these scriptures as a metaphor for deception of any kind. You see, we all are an “adulterous woman” at one time or another… or we are seduced by one. Your friend says, “my parents are out of town, I’ve got booze, and everybody is coming over, so you come, too!” Or your mom tells you that the clothes you want to wear are too revealing and the makeup is too heavy, so you dress to please her until you get out of the house, and then you find a restroom or a friend’s bedroom or a car and change into the clothes you like and add more makeup (or if you are a guy, you put on that muscle shirt and the torn jeans your parents forbid).

If you are a little older and out of the house, your seduction may be the ice cream treat you know you shouldn’t have. Your doctor has told you to avoid rich sugary desserts, but you drive past the local fast food place or ice cream store, and it seems to say, “Your doctor isn’t here… he/she will never know… stop and have some!”

Or maybe you’ve been convinced to go with friends to a casino for a weekend of “innocent fun.” You find yourself being lured by the slots and the gaming tables and the lights and the noise and the laughter (and maybe a drink or two), and you’ve blown the $100 that was to be your limit, but a voice inside you keeps saying that your “big win” is just around the corner. You’ve got your ATM card or your credit card in your wallet or purse, and you can almost feel it calling to you. You think of a million things you could do with a chunk of cash if you win and probably a half dozen reasons why you should not tap into your savings.

What will you do? Will you say a prayer and ask God to give you strength and resolve to resist the temptation, or will you give in to the seductions of whatever stubborn and loud “adulteress” is calling your name. Remember what this scripture says… many a strong man has been slain, and the road to the adulteress’s house leads straight to hell, so choose carefully!

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 25, 2007

Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

The book of Proverbs is full of references to avoiding adulterous and seductive women, and the consequences if you don’t. And this is certainly one of those chapters! But today I would like to use the adulterous woman in these scriptures as a metaphor for deception of any kind. You see, we all are an “adulterous woman” at one time or another… or we are seduced by one. Your friend says, “my parents are out of town, I’ve got booze, and everybody is coming over, so you come, too!” Or your mom tells you that the clothes you want to wear are too revealing and the makeup is too heavy, so you dress to please her until you get out of the house, and then you find a restroom or a friend’s bedroom or a car and change into the clothes you like and add more makeup (or if you are a guy, you put on that muscle shirt and the torn jeans your parents forbid).

If you are a little older and out of the house, your seduction may be the ice cream treat you know you shouldn’t have. Your doctor has told you to avoid rich sugary desserts, but you drive past the local fast food place or ice cream store, and it seems to say, “Your doctor isn’t here… he/she will never know… stop and have some!”

Or maybe you’ve been convinced to go with friends to a casino for a weekend of “innocent fun.” You find yourself being lured by the slots and the gaming tables and the lights and the noise and the laughter (and maybe a drink or two), and you’ve blown the $100 that was to be your limit, but a voice inside you keeps saying that your “big win” is just around the corner. You’ve got your ATM card or your credit card in your wallet or purse, and you can almost feel it calling to you. You think of a million things you could do with a chunk of cash if you win and probably a half dozen reasons why you should not tap into your savings.

What will you do? Will you say a prayer and ask God to give you strength and resolve to resist the temptation, or will you give in to the seductions of whatever stubborn and loud “adulteress” is calling your name. Remember what this scripture says… many a strong man has been slain, and the road to the adulteress’s house leads straight to hell, so choose carefully!

©2007 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 24, 2007

Proverbs 6
20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

The media seems to have given adultery a “good rap” in movies, novels, television programming, etc. At the very worst, they portray it as having potential dangerous consequences (think Fatal Attraction), but mostly, it is portrayed as just part of the fabric of our society these days. The Bible tells us that you can’t walk across hot coals without being burned and that adultery has similar consequences. The Bible says that those who commit adultery destroy their own souls.

Can adulterous behavior be forgiven? If a person is genuinely repentant and remorseful, I believe so. But think about a bad burn… it usually leaves a scar, doesn’t it? The wound may heal, but the mark is always there. It is much that way with adultery. The wound may heal, the relationship may seem to mend, and God will even forgive you if you are sincere in asking for forgiveness. But the scar may linger for a long, long time… possibly forever. If you have a scar on your body, seeing it probably reminds you of how it came to be. The scar of adultery may show up in different ways… a broken relationship, persons with hurt feelings, the loss of a friendship, a sadness when you think of certain people or experiences, to name a few. It’s pretty certain the memories attached to this scar won’t be happy.

So pay attention to this passage. And remember that adultery can take other forms, as you betray your friends, your co-workers, your family. When you look at a scar, think of the emotional scar that being unfaithful… in marriage or in life… can bring, and live your life above reproach.

©2007 Debbie Robus

June 23 Devotional from Proverbs

Proverbs 6 (Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

There really is no point to try to sugar-coat this. God is warning us to stay away from people who lie, cheat and steal. He is warning us about the person who is continually “into something” – and we all know somebody like this. This is the person who cheats at school or steals from Wal-Mart or “does drugs” or can always score alcohol and cigarettes for teenagers. This is the adult who maxes out credit cards at the casino, cheats on his/her taxes, and says things like “don’t tell my husband/wife about this.” This is the person who always has some grand scheme or story about this or that. This passage says that people like this will be “broken without remedy.” Another translation says they will be “broken beyond repair.”And lest we wonder, this passage spells out completely seven things God hates: pride; lying; murder; con artists; chasing trouble; perjury… swearing to be truthful, then lying (or breaking your word); stirring up trouble in your family.

Now, we all know the Ten Commandments. We know that breaking those laws angers God. But did you realize how much He hates the behaviors of prideful people, con artists, and family troublemakers, or those who are just “mischief makers?!” We must all search our hearts and see if any of these traits even remotely apply to our own lives, and if so, we must take whatever steps necessary to clean up our act. As the scripture says, to do otherwise could lead to a “calamity” beyond repair or remedy. We know what to do to avoid this… now it is up to us to “git-r-done!”

©2007 Debbie Robus

From "As The World Turns" to "Father Knows Best" -- A Study in 2 Samuel

2 Samuel 11
1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

If you watch any television at all, I am guessing you watch at least one soap opera! If you watch CSI, or even Lost or Star Trek, there is a theme - a thread running through them. You get to know the characters. Most of these programs include at least one or more of the following: lying, cheating, murder, deceit, violence, injustice, disease, death, and yes, sex! Today I want to show you that nothing truly is new under the sun, and that soap operas were around before the time of Christ. I also want to show you how we are all characters in our own soap opera, of sorts, and I want to do so through the story of one of God’s favorite people… David. I believe that we are all modern-day Davids. Maybe we haven’t done all of the things that he did, but in our own way, we are all very much like him… AND… we all have the potential, at least, to develop a “David” heart… and the favor of God.

Now let’s look at this… David is a highly respected and skilled military leader. His troops are out fighting the Israelites, but notice that David is at home, in Jerusalem. And while he is at home, piddling around or doing whatever he was doing, he notices this beautiful woman, Bathsheba, and he wants her. So, being powerful and important, and more than a little self-serving, he sends for this woman, whom he KNOWS is married – and to one of his soldiers – and he has her brought to him anyway, and he sleeps with her, and she gets pregnant.

How many times have we behaved just like David? Let’s not even go into the fact that he had time on his hands and was not where he should have been… which I believe contributed to his problem. And I’m not saying we have wanted someone else’s spouse and conspired to get them… although some have… but how many times have you wanted something you shouldn’t have… and you began plotting and planning a way to get it?

Let’s search our hearts today and see where we are behaving like David. Our problems may not be as big as his, but they are hurtful just the same… to us and to God. Let’s make sure we are where we should be, doing what we should be doing, and let’s ask God to help us to keep our focus and to be obedient in things great AND small.

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 11
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Some of you know that I *try* to sell things on eBay. And lately, eBay sales have really been in a slump. I mentioned this to someone else who sells on eBay occasionally, and they asked if I had tried getting a second ID and bidding on my own things to get the price up. I don’t know if I am naive or what, but honestly, that had never occurred to me. And the more I thought about it, I realized that I don’t want to do that… it’s dishonest, if not unethical, and against eBay policy for sure. I do a lot of writing, and recently I discovered a new website that pays $100 - $200 for personal experience stories. Sort of a “Charles Kuralt meets the Internet” venue, where people share their experiences for others to read and enjoy. I was really excited… I mean, I have lots of great stories I can share, and the prospect of $100 - $200 per story sounded great. The first story or two I read on this site were heartwarming… one about a young boy and his dog, and another about a man whose wife had a cat that never left her side as she battled cancer. “I can write those kinds of stories,” I thought, and so I submitted several.

As I checked to see if my stories were accepted and published, I discovered that the stories were taking a little less desirable turn. One was about a college student who seduced her professor. Another was about getting high on drugs. Yet another was about a man who fell for his wife’s best friend and told about it in sordid detail. Now, I had a choice… I could keep submitting my little stories and hope for the big bucks. But did I really want to be published alongside this type of material? I’m not passing judgment on these folks for their choices, but I can choose my associates, and we are judged by the company we keep!

You see, my point is that we have all, like David, seen something we want… sometimes maybe even for reasons that are not all that bad or selfish… but what are we willing to do to get it? Are we, like David, willing to throw the rules away and take what isn’t ours? For David, it led to some pretty big consequences, and an even bigger mess. I encourage you to search your heart today and pray that God will give you the wisdom and the courage to make good choices that please Him. It may seem at the time like you are giving up something that seems really great or important, but in the end, you will receive a bigger blessing for your faithfulness.

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 11
13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Okay, so it was bad enough that David took Bathsheba for himself and got her pregnant, but then, he panicked and tried to cover his tracks. If he could just get Uriah home and get him to spend some time with Bathsheba, everyone would think the baby was Uriah’s and he’d be off the hook! He even went so far as to get Uriah drunk, hoping THAT would cause him to go home to Bathsheba. WOW! We’ve all been there, haven’t we? We’ve all told our buddy, “If my mom calls, tell her I was with you all night.” Or we have made up an excuse or an alibi so we don’t have to go to a boring party. Or we’ve bought a new dress and hung it in the closet for a month or so, then put it on, and when our husband says, “Is that new?” we say, “Oh, no… I’ve had it a long time!” You know who you are!

Look, Satan will go to HUGE lengths to keep us on his side. He will convince us that “little white lies” are okay… and maybe even NECESSARY to survive in this “dog-eat-dog world” in which we live! That is “stinkin’ thinkin’!” If you find yourself in a situation where you even CONSIDER the possibility of covering your tracks, STOP! Ask yourself, “what is happening here? How did I come to this?” And realize that you are not in God’s will, and ask Him to help you find your way back to Him.

©2007 Debbie Robus


2 Samuel 11
14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

I’m willing to bet that almost all of us have been dishonest or deceitful at some point in our lives and then tried to figure out a way to cover our tracks, and that’s just what David was doing on a much larger scale. And when he couldn’t get Uriah to comply, he had him killed. It was supposed to look like an accident of war … he just simply got too close to the front lines and was caught in the crossfire. And David might have gotten by with it, except for one thing… he didn’t realize how much he had angered God.

See, David was supposed to be a servant of God… a believer. Just like many of us, he “played church” on one hand, and served himself and the devil on the other. God had big plans for David… He wanted him, needed him, to fulfill His purposes. So He sent David a huge message.

Is God trying to get your attention? Are you “playing church” and serving yourself? Ask God to forgive you today, and start working on getting your priorities straight by studying the Bible, praying, spending time with Christian friends, and truly spending some time searching your own heart to see where you can improve. God doesn’t want to be upset with you. He loves you, and He will bless your efforts!

©2007 Debbie Robus


2 Samuel 11
18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Misery loves company, right? It’s bad enough that David did this horrible thing and Uriah was killed, but he involved others in his deception. Because Joab was David’s servant, he obeyed the orders, probably fearing punishment or death if he didn’t do as he was told. Notice he tells the messenger to be sure and tell David that Uriah is dead… because David will be upset about the skirmish and the way things were handled until he realizes that this was part of the outcome. So you see, Joab is caught up in this right along with David.

Have you ever been in this sort of situation? Have you ever covered for a friend? Whether you were the one who lied, the one who covered, or you asked someone to cover for you, all are wrong. And all have consequences. The next time you are even remotely tempted to travel this road, think of David and Joab, and ask God to help you to resist the temptation to deceive or provide an alibi.

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 11
22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Did you ever notice how one lie just seems to lead to another, and they pile up like dirty laundry on the floor? Then, just like that one nice shirt you can’t find at the bottom of the pile, you have a problem figuring out what is really true… if anything… and if you are the one telling the lies, you may have trouble stopping. Here was David’s dilemma. He couldn’t hide his sin with Bathsheba by getting Uriah drunk and making him think the baby was HIS, so he sent him to the front lines of a battle. Not only was Uriah killed, but also some of the king’s servants.Adding insult to injury, so to speak, David involved his messenger, Joab, and probably others who “aided and abetted” in this murder.

Do you see how this mess just gets bigger and bigger and worse by the minute? Does this parallel with anything in your life? Are you in a mess of sorts that seems to be growing with no end in sight? There IS a way out! You CAN stop the madness… and right this minute! Ask God to help you. Just say a simple prayer… “Lord, I need You.” He knows you are in trouble. He knows all of the details of your particular mess. He is just waiting for you to admit you need help and to call on Him, and He will come to your rescue.

Will your troubles all immediately go away? Not necessarily. BUT… God WILL help you find your way back… He will help you crawl up through the pile of dirty laundry and come out on top! I encourage you to ask God for help today. Then keep reading as we see what happened to David, and how God helped him to deal with his problems.

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 11
26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Well, well… David was surely a slow learner, wasn’t he?! Uriah is dead, and David is waiting in his home for the “appropriate” amount of time to pass before he calls for his lover, Bathsheba, to come to him. He has the “decency” to marry her before the baby comes, as if that will “legitimize” everything else. He seems to have covered all of his bases… right? The thing he didn’t consider was how much he had displeased God with all of this.

You see, we are often just like David. We do things we know we shouldn’t do, and maybe they don’t go just like we had planned, but in the end, we smooth them over and make it all okay… or so we think! But we don’t stop to consider how God feels about what has happened… or even that He is watching and KNOWS what has happened! We just bounce along through life, covering up our mistakes and messes and smoothing things over, and hoping nobody really notices.

I don’t know what your “mess” is. Maybe you slip things in your pocket at Wal-Mart and don’t pay for them. Maybe you gossip and tell half-truths about others to make yourself look better. Maybe you beat your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend. Maybe you have a drinking/drug problem. Maybe you are sleeping around and being sexually indiscreet. Maybe you’ve been chatting with someone you met on the Internet, and you are now talking about actually meeting. Maybe you are pitting one family member or friend against another… stirring up jealousies or hard feelings. It could be any number of things that seem far less “sinister” than a murder plot. BUT… to God… any deception is deception, and it grieves Him.

When it comes to your relationship with God, there is no such thing as acceptable levels of deception. He takes this very personally. Did you notice the first part of the word “sinister?” It is SIN… and in God’s eyes, there is no such thing as a rating scale for sins… lies are not a 1 and murder a 10. All sins grieve God, and once I truly understood that concept, I knew I did NOT want to cause Him any grief. Do you?

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 12
1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Have you ever had a friend you knew was in trouble or having a problem, and you said, “I’ll go talk to him/her… maybe I can get through.” And you went to talk to the friend and told them, “Look, THIS is what is going on here… THIS is what people are saying/thinking. You’re in trouble, pal, and I’m here to help you figure out what to do.” Sometimes this information is well received… sometimes it makes the person angry. It’s a gamble, but as a true friend, you sometimes have to take this chance and confront the person in hopes of getting through to them.That’s what Nathan is doing for David. HE is intervening for God. Instead of just coming right out and saying, “Look, man, you have really made a mess of things here!” he tells David a story. I guess you could say he sort of “sugar coats” the situation, which seems funny to us, maybe. But in the Bible, a story (or parable) is often used to make a point. I am glad that we are more straightforward today. I, for one, am not always quick to “get it” when people skirt an issue, and in this particular case, I think just telling David that he had messed up might have been better. But it was God’s call, and He chose to send Nathan to tell the story.

Knowing that God’s ways are perfect, I know He had a reason for approaching David like this. And as we will see in coming days, it really WAS the right approach. My challenge to you today is this… when you see a friend who needs a wake-up call, ask God to show you: 1) if you are the right person to confront this friend; 2) the right approach for getting through to your friend; 3) courage and a loving attitude as you speak to this person. Ask God to work THROUGH you… to use you as His agent, as He used Nathan. And trust Him to work out the details.

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 12
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

WOW! This is powerful! In other words, David was saying, “That’s an amazing story… shame on that man for doing what he did,” and Nathan says, “Buddy, YOU are that man!” Talk about being “hit upside the head”! AND…even though David does realize what he has done and how serious it is, there are still consequences. Nathan speaks for God and tells David that the things he has done to others in secret, God will now do to him in public! Yikes!

I hope this never happens to you. I hope that your “dirty laundry” is never publicly aired. We all know instances where this HAS happened… primarily to public figures who believe they are above the law or apparently forget they are under constant scrutiny, and they get into hot water big time. One that comes to mind for me is Mel Gibson. Another is the actor Alec Baldwin, and the now-famous telephone message he left for his 11-year-old daughter. Think Lindsey Lohan, Brittney Spears, and Paris Hilton… or even those involved in Watergate in the 1970's or the Iran-Contra Affair of the late 1980's. I could go on and on, but that would start to smack of finger pointing, when we ALL have dirty laundry of some sort… and as I pointed out a few days ago, to God, sin is sin.

The point is this… God WILL forgive us, but there may still be consequences… a price to pay for our actions. Every action truly does have a reaction… and every sin does have a consequence. Remember that God is not waiting to punish you, but to deliver you from your sins. The journey back may be a little painful, and you may not like what He “charges” you for your sin, but the ultimate reward of forgiveness is well worth it!

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 12
15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

Haven’t we all bargained with God? Haven’t we all said, “God, just do this or that for me, and I will never, EVER disappoint you again.” Or, “God, just heal my loved one this one time, and I promise, I will turn over a whole new leaf and spend the rest of my life serving you!” Or, “God, I promise, if you will just let me have this one last party, I will never, ever drink again!” OR… “God, if you will just help me pass this one course, then I promise, I will study from here on… I will never cheat, and I will never ask you to help me with school again! I’ll do it this time!”

You see, God knows us. He knows that when our back is to the wall, we will say and do just about anything to get His help. And it’s not that He doesn’t want to help us… He does! He wants it to be different. But until our hearts are truly softened to Him… until we are truly humbled and ready to serve Him completely, He knows our words are just like spit in the wind. And sometimes, in order to get our complete attention… and to truly capture our heart, He has to punish us. And that’s what He did to David.

REMEMBER… God is not punishing us to hurt us or to be mean or vengeful. He is trying to get us to realize how much He loves us and how important it is that we follow HIM instead of our own selfish desires (which in essence are Satan’s desires). He is reminding us that HE is in control, and we can live a far more abundant life on His terms than if we try to “have it our way.” Search your heart today and see where you need to line up more with God’s ways… then ask Him to help you make your way back to Him.

©2007 Debbie Robus

2 Samuel 12
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

See, it wasn’t about the baby. I had some students in Sunday School once who were very upset with me… “What kind of God would kill an innocent baby?” I mean, they were ready to turn their backs on God, because they couldn’t understand how I could talk about a loving God who would kill an innocent infant. I’m here to tell you, God did not hurt that baby! That baby left this earth to live in heaven forever. To my way of thinking, God rescued this innocent baby. Suppose He had said, “Okay, David, I’ll save your baby,” and then David, like so many of us, said to himself, “Whew! I dodged the bullet that time,” and over time he forgot his promises to God, and he went right back to what he was doing, and his young child grew up seeing his or her father live life on his own terms and choosing how and when to serve God. What kind of life would that be for the child… what kind of legacy would that be?

I think that God knew David well enough to know that if He truly wanted his attention, and his heart, he was going to have to use drastic measures, and so he took David’s baby. And God may have to use some pretty serious circumstances to get our attention. I’m not here to tell you that God causes bad things to happen, because I don’t believe that. But I do believe that when circumstances present themselves in an unfortunate manner, God often looks at the situation and sees a way to use it to help us grow, or to bring us around to Him, and He never wastes an opportunity to reach us… to draw us to Him. But that is NOT the end of this story… we will look at what happened to David next.

©2007 Debbie Robus


2 Samuel 12
24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.
29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.

When it’s over, it’s over. David knew that. Sometimes, we make choices that end badly, and we suffer consequences. Sometimes, God doesn’t answer our prayers like we would like. But God’s plan and His answers are always the right ones… ALWAYS… and when God answers, it is up to us to accept that answer and move on. We can’t change the past. We can’t go back and undo the things in our own soap opera. But, with God’s help, we can write new chapters. Our story can go from “As the World Turns” or “Desperate Housewives” or “Lost” to “Andy Griffith” or “Leave it to Beaver,”… or “Father Knows Best”. Because you see, our Father truly does know best. We are not so different from David… even those of us with the biggest heart for God will stumble and fall at times… but like David, when God shows us our faults and our sins, we can truly, humbly ask for forgiveness, and then get up, move on, and forge ahead.

One last thing… notice that after all of this, David and Bathsheba had another child, and this child was Solomon, who became a king whom God loved and blessed and prospered. You see, if God can restore David and Bathsheba, He will surely restore us. If God will bless David and Bathsheba, He will surely bless us. If we will humbly fall before God and ask Him to forgive us and change our hearts, He will do it. We are all “David and Bathsheba” in some way… the question is, where will you go from here? Will you continue to wander in the darkness and allow Satan to write your soap opera? Or will you invite God to capture your heart and start living for him? The choice will always be ours… but God really, really wants you to belong to Him, and I promise, the blessings He will bring you will far exceed anything you could EVER hope to accomplish on your own.

Where will you land? Will you be like the old David, or will you humble yourself as he did and start writing a new story… one that has Eternal value and the favor of God. The choice IS yours.

©2007 Debbie Robus