October 21 ~ Psalm 119:73
With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you. When they see me waiting, expecting your Word, those who fear you will take heart and be glad. I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what's true and right. Oh, love me - and right now! - hold me tight! just the way you promised. Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to. Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds; they tried to sell me a bill of goods, but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel. Let those who fear you turn to me for evidence of your wise guidance. And let me live whole and holy, soul and body, so I can always walk with my head held high.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
If you haven’t seen the movie” Men of Honor,” you should rent it. Here is the synopsis presented at www.Netflix.com:
“Against formidable odds, Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding Jr.) sets his sights on becoming the U.S. Navy's first African-American master diver in this uplifting true story. Brashear's biggest obstacle? Leslie Sunday (Robert De Niro), an old-school diving instructor embittered by the Navy's new, less prejudicial policies. Ultimately, fate conspires to bring the men together into a setting of mutual respect, triumph … and honor.”
Trials and troubles will come. Challenges most certainly will come. But God will show you the way… what is true and right… if you will listen! God DOES love you, and He wants you to be happy, whole and holy, soul and body, and to always be able to walk with your head held high. Keep your mind fixed on God’s counsel… read your Bible, pray, spend time in worship and fellowship with other Christians, and just simply stop, sit still and LISTEN to God from time to time. He WILL show give you wise guidance. He will hold you tight and comfort you.
I pray that you truly will walk with God each day, and that you really do dance to His tune. Now go and live in Him – and may He live in you!
©2007 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------
October 20 ~ Psalm 91:1
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you - under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing - not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
On a cold Sunday morning in December, just a few days before Christmas 1981, my grandmother fried sausage for breakfast for herself and my grandfather. They were up early this cloudy winter morning, getting ready for Sunday School and church. They never missed, even in bad weather. Christmas packages were piled under their little tree by the front door, and I’m sure my grandfather had stoked the fire in their wood-burning stove to warm their small home.
As my grandmother turned the sausages in the skillet, she heard a crackling noise and asked my grandfather if it were sleeting outside. He opened the door to check, and hurried to tell my grandmother to get out of the house… there was no sleet… the house was on fire! My grandfather raced to remove their two vehicles from under an attached carport, while my grandmother raced to grab clothing from the drawers, ironically returning to turn off the flame underneath the sausages.
My grandparents lived on a fairly quiet and seldom-traveled roadway, but that day, a passerby stopped and helped them carry out drawers of clothing, a chair, the family Bible, and their treasured clock that graced the fireplace mantel. The fire truck did come, but since this was a rural area, the volunteer firemen from in town initially missed the turnoff, and all my grandparents could do was listen to the screaming sirens as the truck drove past and looped around while they watched their house go up in flames. In the end, the house was leveled. Even the cast iron skillets and a large claw-footed cast iron bath tub were reduced to ashes. It was determined that the fire was electrical in nature… a combination of an old house and old wiring, maybe. We will never know for sure.
Gone were my grandmother’s beautiful hand-made quilts. Gone were their photos, and the porcelain china my grandmother had scrimped and saved to buy years ago at a local dime store. Gone were their eye glasses and wallets, their furnishings, and nearly 30 years of memories. But my grandparents were spared. The things they lost were just that – THINGS… but they were irreplaceable. That my grandmother didn’t continue cooking breakfast and assume the noise was sleet is the refuge of God. That my grandfather, at age 71, was able to get both vehicles away from the house and save an explosion was the refuge of God. That friends from church were wintering in another state and offered the use of their home for the next few months was God’s refuge. That their church members “pounded” them with food, clothing, household goods, etc., to get them back on their feet was the refuge of God.
Evil and harm came to the door and knocked, but God protected my grandparents. They literally went through the fire, but the operative word is “THROUGH!” Other 70-something couples might have folded, said “that’s it,” and moved into a nursing home or assisted living center. But not my grandparents! By spring, there was a new house on their property, and they were moving into a comfortable, safe new home, planting their garden, and regrouping. Because they were faithful servants of God, He was faithful to them. He shielded them from countless trials and challenges through the years, and they always gave Him the credit and the glory. Can you say you would do the same?
I challenge you… as your life unfolds, walk with God in a way that you can claim “…because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door.” May God always be your refuge.
©2007 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------
October 19 ~ Psalm 37:21-24
21-22 Wicked borrows and never returns; Righteous gives and gives.
Generous gets it all in the end; Stingy is cut off at the pass.
23-24 Stalwart walks in step with God; his path blazed by God, he's happy.
If he stumbles, he's not down for long; God has a grip on his hand.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Dictionary.com defines stalwart as “firm, steadfast, or uncompromising.” So the person who is stalwart in their Christian walk stays firm, steadfast and uncompromising, no matter what happens.
I am reminded of a little boy I have met via e-mail and the internet - Job McCully, from Bigelow, Arkansas. Job (pronounced “Jobe,” like in the Bible) is 9 years old, and he is a leukemia/bone marrow transplant survivor. Unfortunately, the treatments/transplant have weakened his lungs, so that now he needs a lung transplant. He has been hospitalized since last February in Little Rock, then Houston, and now St. Louis. His faithfulness and the Christian witness of his entire family through all of this suffering – and oh, has there ever been suffering! – is truly inspiring.
One Friday last month, the doctors told Job’s mother that she should sign a DNR order (Do Not Resuscitate) because he would not live through the weekend. She listened, thanked them all, turned, and walked away. She decided not to “play God” with her son’s life and to let Him decide how the weekend progressed. Job recovered from his weekend bout with pneumonia and was better than he had been in weeks.
It seems that it is “two steps forward and one step back” with Job, but he continues to praise God. His parents, grandmother and big sister continue to praise God and wait on HIS timing. It’s hard to say what we would do if we were in the McCully’s shoes. It’s hard to say if we could be as faithful as they have been. But surely we can learn from their example. Think stalwart, and think of Job McCully and his family. What an amazing thing it would be to be able to exchange your name in the scripture passage for the word stalwart. The McCullys can.
Let this inspire you: “(Stalwart – firm, steadfast, uncompromising) Job McCully walks in step with God; his path blazed by God, he's happy. If he stumbles, he's not down for long; God has a grip on his hand.” Please pray for Job and his family, and pray that you can be as faithful in your own challenges.
To learn more about Job, go to www.caringbridge.org/ar/job
©2007 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------
October 18 ~ Psalm 23:4
Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Several years ago, my mother took a trip to Yosemite National Park. Her husband’s brother lives near Yosemite and is an avid hiker, and he introduced them to the use of a walking stick. They were so impressed that they bought sticks for themselves, and they presented my husband and me each a hand-carved walking stick for Christmas.
There is a walking trail very near my house. It has a fairly neat and clear walking surface, but along the way, there are rocks, tree roots, tiny limbs and nuts from the trees, and other obstacles. The walking stick comes in very handy as a stabilizer, and it gives me an extra layer of security when walking this trail. Several summers ago, my husband and I visited the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia, and we stopped at one trail where several “community walking sticks” were resting against a tree at the entrance for visitors to borrow while there. Walking sticks can definitely be a good thing, and I find them a source of comfort.
The “trail of life” is chock full of obstacles – and any one of them could put us on a path to destruction. But Jesus, the Great Shepherd, is with us always… His trusty shepherd’s crook (walking stick) is ever at His side. If we start to stumble, He reaches out to grab us, and steadies us with the stick, so to speak.
We have nothing to fear as long as we stay close to God. We don’t have to worry about being condemned to eternal death in hell. We don’t have to be afraid that bad things will happen to us. Whatever challenges we face, whatever obstacles present themselves to us, Jesus is right there with us to walk through it and lead us through to the other side and Eternal Life in Heaven. That is the goal… that is the prize… and walking with Christ is the way to attain it!
©2007 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------
October 17 ~ Psalm 15:1-3
1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?
2 "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.
3-4 "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Please note that this passage is in the Psalms. And everything that is said here is true. God does want us to walk straight, act right, tell the truth, not hurt our friends, not blame our neighbors, and despise despicable things and behaviors.
But please remember that there is MORE to salvation and “getting invited to dinner at God’s place – getting on His guest list” – and that is accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and inviting Him to live in our hearts and walk with us every day. We must invite the Holy Spirit to fill us and be an integral part of every part of our life!
I really want to be God’s dinner guest, don’t you? I have to admit, I am humbled and amazed that the “ticket” is so simple… the cost was extremely high for Jesus… but for us, it is FREE! Surely, if He can give me such a valuable ticket, the least I can do is to walk straight, act right, tell the truth, and love others in His name. Can you?
©2007 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------
October 16 ~ Revelation 22:12-15
12-13 "Yes, I'm on my way! I'll be there soon! I'm bringing my payroll with me. I'll pay all people in full for their life's work. I'm A to Z, the First and the Final, Beginning and Conclusion.
14-15 "How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they'll walk through the gates to the City. But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters—all who love and live lies.“
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I have to tell you, I really enjoy doing laundry. Oh sure, it’s time consuming and may seem a little like drudgery, but it gives me tremendous satisfaction. You take a couple of baskets of dirty, dingy clothing, put them in some soapy water and wash them clean, dry them, and then fold them neatly, then put them away to be worn again. Sometimes there are stubborn stains that require special treatment, and I am a little bit of a fanatic about ironing (no, I do NOT iron our underwear!), but there is satisfaction in wearing clothing that is crisp and clean and neatly pressed. I feel like it says to others that we care… or that I care about our appearance and taking care of our belongings.
As Christians, we “wash our robes” in the blood of Jesus. His blood cleans us of all sins and buys us the right to walk through the gates to Heaven. Those with the dirt and grime of sin and lies will be left behind and sentenced to an eternity in hell. Oh, sure, sometimes we fall or fail to be less than God calls us to be and our “robe” gets a stain that needs extra attention – a return to more time in prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. But our “laundry” will always be clean and neatly pressed if we trust in God. The Tree of Life (life with Christ) is ours for good!
I don’t know about you, but I am so excited about the day when I get to walk through those gates and enter Heaven for all eternity. I’m not the least bit afraid of death, because I know that what is waiting for me is more incredible than I could even begin to imagine. Everything will always be clean, stain free, and neatly pressed, and I won’t even have to do the laundry and ironing! How awesome is that?!
©2007 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------
October 15 ~ Revelation 2:4
"But you walked away from your first love - why? What's going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall! "Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I'm well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When I was in college the ramifications of Watergate were being felt in full force. One week before my husband and I married, Gerald Ford was sworn in as our new president, replacing Richard Nixon, a man whom we discovered had risen in power by hurting a lot of other people and doing some very dishonest things. And yet, his White House was frequented by Billy Graham so often that historians have remarked that Rev. Graham somewhat served as a silent member of Nixon’s staff. Imagine how betrayed such a man of God as Rev. Graham felt when the full story of Watergate was disclosed.
I cannot imagine how President Nixon must have felt… and I won’t begin to speculate. But countless people have been caught in HUGE errors in judgment (I’m being kind here!) and the price has been high… prison, loss of office, loss of family and friends, financial ruin, and/or more. And more than once, they have asked for forgiveness and received a pardon. It is my understanding that in later years, Richard Nixon asked forgiveness from Billy Graham, and he received it.
Hopefully you and I will never experience such a “fall” as that of Richard Nixon. We certainly don’t have to if we listen to what Paul is saying in this passage. Lucifer (Satan) was one of God’s most precious angels, but he turned away from God. Pride swelled in him and he tried to lead a revolution of the angels against God. And for that, he and one third of all of the angels were cast out of heaven forever.
There is no second chance for Satan. But there IS a second chance for us. If we have walked away from God in any way, shape, or form, there IS time for us to return. We can be fully restored, with our “record” totally expunged and forgiven. Jesus has bought and paid for every one of our sins... but we MUST accept His gift and follow Him, love Him, serve Him.
Stop feeling guilty. Stop feeling like you are not worthy of forgiveness or God’s love. We never will be worthy… but that’s the point! This gift is so incredible and so freely given, and it’s all ours because God loves us! But the chance to accept it does have an expiration date! If you die or Christ returns and you have not chosen to make Him the Lord of your life, you will never see heaven. I am trusting that, if you are reading this, you have already made Christ your Savior. But your Spiritual life may need a tune-up or a little restoration, as most of us do from time to time. So turn around TODAY and walk back to Jesus. He’s waiting and watching and ready to receive you with open arms. Walk into His light and make His path your own.
©2007 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment