December 31 ~ Psalm 106:4
Remember me, God, when you enjoy your people; include me when you save them; I want to see your chosen succeed, celebrate with your celebrating nation, join the Hallelujahs of your pride and joy!
(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.)
For days – maybe even weeks now – people have been asking, “What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” These three words… New Year’s Eve… evoke memories as unique as each individual. Remember the year 2000? We watched on television as city after city around the world celebrated the New Millenium with fireworks and revelry. Some people shoot fireworks each year. Some celebrate at parties. Some go to bed and forget about the hoopla! Millions watch “the ball” drop in Times Square, New York City. We celebrate July 4th as a nation, but on December 31st at midnight, the whole world celebrates. And what, exactly, are we celebrating? That, too, varies. But many people are celebrating the “survival” of another year, and more importantly, the onset of a new year… a clean slate… a fresh start.This New Year’s Eve, however you celebrate, and whatever you consider as you look ahead to the coming year, I ask you to consider your Spiritual future. Take a few minutes to thank God for where He has brought you and where He will lead you this next year. Revel in the blessings He has given you, and celebrate the potential for growth in your walk with Him in the days and weeks ahead. God celebrates His children and He enjoys us… especially when we please Him and spend time in His presence. So celebrate this New Year’s Eve (wisely, please!), and look forward to the New Year. With God by your side, anticipate a year of success, many blessings, and days filled with joy. Happy New Year!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 30 ~ Psalm 86:11
Train me, God, to walk straight; then I'll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear. From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord; I've never kept secret what you're up to. You've always been great toward me—what love! You snatched me from the brink of disaster! God, these bullies have reared their heads! A gang of thugs is after me— and they don't care a thing about you. But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit. So look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child! Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.
(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 read this scripture passage, two things came to mind… one was a toy punching bag that was around when I was a kid. It seems like most of them had a clown on them or some other goofy something, and when you punched it, the inflated bag with the weighted bottom fell backward, then bounced toward you. The other was a tether ball. You could hit the ball, which was tied to a rope on a pole, and it would swing around the pole and come back to you to be hit again.
The key to both of these things was their anchor. For the punching bag, it was sand or some sort of other heavy material that weighted the bottom and held it securely in place. For the tether ball, it was the pole and rope. Without these strongholds, neither one would work… they would go flying off into oblivion, or fall down and stay down!
This is how it is with God. HE is our anchor… our stronghold. With Him to hold us, no matter what comes our way, we can bounce back or swing around again. He gives us the strength, security and confidence to “keep on keepin’ on!” I sincerely hope you don’t keep this wonderful news a secret. I hope you share it with others… that it is a part of the fabric of your daily life to show and tell others how vital God is to your existence! God never quits…do you?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 28 ~ Psalm 19:7
The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.
(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 am terrible with maps. I get so turned around… is this east or west? How far is it to this town or that? Which way do you turn? And I am near-sighted (meaning I have trouble seeing at a distance), so even with my eye glasses, sometimes I can’t read the road signs soon enough to help a driver successfully negotiate through traffic. I so admire people like my husband, who can study a map prior to a trip and drive us around a major city as if he has lived there all of his life. For him, road maps are “plain and easy on the eyes.”
Thankfully, the life-maps of God are right, and they do point the way to joy. God’s directions, through scripture, prayer, and a growing relationship with the Holy Spirit, are always right on target. Occasionally I struggle with the “map” and veer a little off course, but that is my bad, not God’s. I know that His decisions, His plans, and His directions are 100% accurate. So it’s easy to get back on course… all I have to do is jump back into the scripture and prayer, and I am headed toward joy once again.
How are your map reading skills? Are you able to find your way? What about your Spiritual map? Does it point the way to joy? If you have veered off course, You’ll be headed in the right direction again in no time.
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 27 ~ Psalm 9:1
I'm thanking you, God, from a full heart, I'm writing the book on your wonders. I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I'm singing your song, High God.
(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.)
In the next few days, a lot of people will start to write out a list of New Year’s resolutions. They may not end up keeping them, but more than a few of us will write them… or list them in our heads and vow to do things in the New Year like lose weight, exercise more, stop a bad habit, start some good habits, study harder, relax more… well, you get the picture.
Today I want to challenge us to make a different list. I want us to list the wonders of God in our life. I want us to think about the things God does for us, and through us, that bring us joy. And then I want us to resolve to pay closer attention this next year to God’s perfect gifts and how often we receive them. I want us to make a resolution to be more joyful, more grateful, and to operate out of a more full heart.
I will be the first to admit that sometimes I don’t see the big picture. Sometimes I get so caught up in the small things that I don’t remember to forgive those who have offended, to thank those who have helped, to ignore gossip and deplore foul language and to compliment those who do well and encourage those who are struggling. I am far from the person I want to be, and so I am resolving to be better, to study harder, pray more often, and especially to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit and His instruction for my life.
I may need to lose weight, exercise more and give up bad habits… and hopefully I can do all of these things and more! But more importantly, I need to resolve to do more for my Spiritual health, and to operate from a heart filled with joy and songs of praise for the Most High God. So what are your New Year’s resolutions?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 26 ~ Psalm 4:4-8
4-5 Complain if you must, but don't lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.
6-7 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.
"More, more."
I have God's more-than-enough,
More joy in one ordinary day
7-8 Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep,
For you, God, have put my life back together.
(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.)
Do you know what day it is? It’s the day after Christmas… the day when Wal-Mart and other stores will open bright and early with their “after-Christmas” clearance sales. It’s the day when people will be rushing to stores to exchange the gifts they got for Christmas that didn’t fit or they didn’t like or to spend the gift money/cards that were given. It’s all about the shopping for many.
Others will rush to take down the tree today and box up the decorations and erase every shred of evidence that just a day before it was Christmas and everyone was celebrating. Still others will nap and rest, tired from all of the festivities and activities of a busy month of “season’s greetings.”
I don’t know if any of these scenarios describe your life. You may still be celebrating Christmas with family and friends today. Or you may be in “chill” mode – just taking a break between celebrations. Whatever your situation, take just a few minutes today to sit still and think about God. Meditate on what He does for you each and every day – and not just at Christmas time. Think about the fact that the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, is a daily gift and not just something to embrace on December 25th. Feel the joy of knowing that, beyond all of the tinsel and glitter and carols and cookies and packages under the tree, God’s extraordinary, every day gift of Jesus is more than enough. The joy of a daily relationship with Christ makes every day Christmas. On this ordinary day, stop to thank God for His Gift – the one that truly matters.
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 25 ~ 1 John 1:2-4
From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.
We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!
(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.)
Imagine it… on this day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, consider that “the infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.” God took on the form of a tiny baby and came to earth and walked and lived among human beings as one of us. He loved us so much that He wanted to experience things exactly as we humans do… it doesn’t get any more real than that! And being “one of us” so to speak and doing this for us gave God great joy. I honestly don’t think I can ever grasp that level of love… but I surely want to try!
All I know is this… God sent Jesus Christ to live on this earth among us and to suffer and die for my sins. If I don’t get to heaven before Christ returns, He will come for me and take me home someday to live with Him. The thought of that much love for me astounds me, overwhelms me, humbles me, and fills me with more joy than I can explain. The knowledge that the Holy Spirit is with me all the time and I can call on Him more easily than I can pick up a phone and call my mom or my best friend fills me with tremendous peace and joy. And I want everyone I know and love to experience that same level of peace and joy – and even more – for themselves. Nothing… nothing would thrill me more than to know that every person I know and care for truly has a personal, day-to-day relationship with Jesus Christ and holds the Holy Spirit in their heart – to truly “get it” and to see them live in the joy of that relationship.
If you are searching today for a life that satisfies beyond your wildest dreams… if you are a Christian, but you have doubts or insecurities or just a gnawing sense that there is more… I invite you to sit still and ask the Holy Spirit to come. Ask the Holy Spirit to live within your heart and guide you daily. Be still, and know the peace and joy of being filled with the Holy Spirit. He truly does desire to be your constant companion, but He will wait patiently for you to invite Him. Make this the day. Make this the best Christmas ever. Feel the joy increase within you… then share it with others and watch it multiply. May the Lord of all Creation be YOUR Lord and Savior today, and I pray the Holy Spirit will fill you and grant you joy and peace. Merry Christmas!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 24 ~ Hebrews 13:17
Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?
(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.)
You probably think this is a pretty odd scripture for Christmas Eve. But let’s look more closely at the message it contains. God sent Jesus to lead us… to be the ultimate Pastor. Consider what made Jesus joyful… little children, healing others, worshipping God in the temple and discussing Him with the elders there, helping his parents, showing others how to live in the joy of obedience to God. Demanding people, people with weakened faith, those who disrespected God and God’s temple, and those who doubted and betrayed Him made His life harder.
Now think of your own pastor or leader. God has ordained him or her to service. How can you contribute to the joy of their leadership? You can be joyful in your own service to God. You can attend worship and small group or Sunday School or youth night or Bible study and be attentive, encouraging, and happy. Your pastor or leader needs to look at you and see a smiling face, not a blank stare. I’m not saying you have to fake it and be happy when you are not, but we are called to encourage those whom God has called to serve as leaders. And when your pastor or leader asks you to serve in some capacity, if it is within your ability to do it, and you prayerfully feel this is what God desires of you, then you should agree to serve. You should be respectful of your leader’s authority and listen to their advice.
God blessed us with grace and mercy through the gift of His only Son, Who showed us how to live and then died for our sins. Based on the scriptures, I would say that there were plenty of times in Christ’s life on earth that were less than joyful and harder than they needed to be, thanks to the people who surrounded him and were in some cases supposed to be His followers. Yet he continued to serve us. In the same way, God has blessed us with leaders today to help us strengthen our faith… to comfort, encourage, and guide us. How will we treat them? Will we honor the birth of Jesus Christ by contributing to the joy of our present-day leadership? Let’s make this a Christmas gift to our pastor and leaders… let’s help dispel the drudgery and make their service joyful… in Jesus’ name. Amen!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 23 ~ 2 Timothy 1:3
Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.
(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.)
As you read this passage today, some of you are home for Christmas break. Maybe you had to say “good-bye” to a boyfriend or girlfriend as he/she went home to family and friends in another city. Maybe your family lives in another state and you don’t get to see them very often. Maybe your loved ones have already gone to heaven.
Regardless of your situation, we can probably all relate at one time or another to the feelings Paul has for Timothy. We can remind ourselves to pray for those we care about who are separated from us for whatever reason. And we can look forward to the day when we will see them again. We can be joyful at the thought of that reunion and how happy we will be to get together again.
Meanwhile, I challenge you to look around you. It’s almost Christmas. There are people right here where you are who are alone and feeling lonely. They are missing loved ones. They may be looking forward to a reunion soon… or they may be holding on for the day they will see their loved ones again in Heaven. Either way, they could use a friend. They could use a smile and maybe a hug and most certainly a word or two of encouragement… and of course, your prayers.
This is a season of great joy. Won’t you share some today with someone else? I’m betting it will make Christmas brighter for both of you!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 22 ~ 1 Thessalonians 3:9
What would be an adequate thanksgiving to offer God for all the joy we experience before him because of you? We do what we can, praying away, night and day, asking for the bonus of seeing your faces again and doing what we can to help when your faith falters.
(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’ll be the first to admit that there are people in this world who can never be satisfied. No matter how much others do for them, they will still grumble and complain and want others to do more for them. And frankly, it is a sometimes a struggle to be joyful around these people – quite often, they are not very pleasant to be around, period!
On the other hand, think of people who are constantly joy-filled. Think of people you know who appreciate even the least little thing someone does for them, and they are very quick to express their gratitude. Or you do something for them that is really no big deal, and they act like you have done them a huge favor or given them a tremendous gift. In other words, doing things for these people gives you great joy. You honestly can’t wait for another opportunity to see them and do nice things for them again. Theirs is an attitude of gratitude.
When I read this scripture, it hit me that I am not always thankful enough to God for the joy-filled people. I need to thank Him more often for the people He puts in my path who fill me with such delight. I need to be reminded how blessed I am by the gift of these people, and when I encounter one of the “grumps” I need to be encouraged by the remembrance of the happy people God has given me.
What is truly adequate thanksgiving to God for the people who make our day brighter, strengthen our faith and bring us joy in the Lord? That is hard to say, but I think it starts with a prayer of thanksgiving and praise. After that, we should probably look for ways to bless these wonderful folks in some small measure – and to receive encouragement and blessings in the bargain.
Ultimately, we should always strive to be a blessing and a joy ourselves. As an employer used to say in my magazine’s “Help Wanted” ads… “Grumps need not apply!” This goes double for God’s servants!
©2007 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotionals on Joy - Week 4
Daily Devotionals on Joy - Week 3
December 21 ~ 1 Thessalonians 1:5
You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
(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 was visiting with my former pastor, and I mentioned someone to him who was facing tremendous hardships. I commented that I was amazed by this person’s strength and determination – and joy – in the midst of such turmoil. I also said I was glad that I was not faced with the same situation. His reply was that he felt I would do fine in the middle of a crisis, and I had demonstrated this during the time my dad and brother were so ill. That was quite a compliment, but it was also a challenge.
See, it’s easy to let the troubles of the world get us down. We struggle with our classes and projects and finals. We have money problems – or rather, “lack-of-money” problems! We have relationship troubles, health issues, pressures at work, road rage, impatience with others, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, ulcers, and chaos, not to mention wars, threats of terrorism, natural disasters, car wrecks, accidents, and even “happy” stressors. And through it all, we are called to imitate Jesus and continue to be joyful. Some days that is a really tough call!
So how do we do this? We ask the Holy Spirit to live in our heart… to stay with us through thick and thin, and to take our troubles and help us to work through them with a joyful attitude. It CAN be done. In a way, it’s all a matter of attitude… either you have an attitude of welcome toward the Holy Spirit and lean on Him to help you, or you have an attitude of despair and succumb to the worries of the day. I really don’t like the last option… for me it is NOT an option. What about you? Will you choose the trouble… or the joy?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 20 ~ Philippians 4:1
My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.
(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.)
Do you have people in your life who fill you with great joy? I can think of several, but two in particular came to mind as soon as I read this passage. The first was my cousin Natalie. She is so much more to me than just a cousin. She almost always makes me laugh with her wit and her funny stories and her joy-filled perspective on life. She fills me with pride as I see what a wonderful teacher and mother she has become. But more than that, I see what a Godly woman she is, and how she is growing in her faith, and that thrills me to the bone. Just like Paul says about the Corinthians, I love her so much and want the very best for her always.
The other person who brings me great joy is a former student of mine, Stephen. He is always cheerful, always going a mile a minute, and always delighting everyone he meets. And I have proudly watched him grow into a Godly husband and father who is working daily to increase his wisdom in the Lord and build his faith. His witness to others fills me with joy that makes me want to burst, and I am so very proud of him.
Just thinking of Stephen and my cousin Natalie makes me smile. It gives me great joy to encourage these two wonderful people, and many others, to stay the course, keep the faith, and always study to add God’s wisdom and strength to their daily lives. Do you know such people? If you do, are you encouraging them and sharing the joy of your relationship with Jesus with them? And if you don’t know such people, what can you do to change this? Even more than that, are you striving to be a person so filled with joy and so steadfast in your faith that others want to be around YOU? I challenge you today to look at your circle of friends and how you relate to them, and see if you can find areas to work toward being stronger, unwavering, on track, and steady in God… and in turn filled with even more joy!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 19 ~ Philippians 1:22
As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We'll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.
(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.)
For so many of you, going to Heaven seems light years away. But we only have to think of little Job McCully and his brush with death to realize that even children sometimes die and go to be with Jesus. So while I hope none of you is Heaven-bound any time soon, if you are a Christian, it would not be an altogether sad situation. And I can honestly say that I have reached a stage in my own Spiritual life where I truly do not fear death. I know that when God is ready for me, He will call me home, and my reunion with Him and loved ones who are there will be incredibly joyful.
Meanwhile, every day I am left on this earth, I figure I have work to do here… joy to share, people to encourage and help however I can… in other words, I’ve got things to do and people to see! Because I know that THIS is where God wants me for now, I can be joyful and enjoy my earthly life and those who share it with me.I don’t have a “death wish,” and I certainly hope you don’t either. But as my grandmother says, “there are worse things than death,” and certainly for Christians this is the case.
So be joyful and enjoy your earthly life. Share joy with others as you serve Christ on this earth. And look forward to Heaven, where Joy reigns supreme, and every day is Christmas!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 18 ~ 1 Corinthians 7:29
I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple —in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.
(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 am not sure I can say this any better than this translation does. “There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily.” And what better time is there than just before Christmas to be reminded of this! We try to cram so much into the month of December… we have to visit every relative, and if we are home from college, we have to see every friend from high school! We have to shop for exactly the right gift for every person on our list. We have to go to every party and event, and we have to find time to squeeze in a workout to keep away the extra pounds we pack on eating all the holiday goodies. We have to help with pageants and plays and musicals at church. There are finals to take and parades and dance recitals to attend and food drives for the needy, and of course, lots and lots of shopping to do! And the first thing you know, we’ve gone so fast and done so much that we are either sick and tired – or sick and tired of going and doing! And all of our “Christmas joy” has just been drained right out of us.
Paul is saying that we all get so focused on the things of this world that we get caught up in the “busyness”, when what we really need to do is to slow down, remember what – and Who – is important, and restructure our priorities. Bro. John Miles once told me that “’No!’ is a complete sentence,” and that was some of the best advice I’ve ever received.
Many of you are at a stage in your life where you are trying to do it all, experience it all, and “be all things to all people.” I encourage you to listen to Paul’s words in this passage and to keep your focus on Jesus, keep your priorities straight, keep your life simple, and don’t listen to what the world tells you that you should be doing with your time and talents. If you keep your eyes on Christ and simply live in a way that honors HIM, you will be joyful, relaxed, and probably even healthier! Just say ”NO!” and feel the joy it can bring!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 17 ~ Romans 14:17
God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.
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.)
We are in the middle of a season where people tend to become more than a little self-centered. What do I want for Christmas? Will I be invited to So-and-so’s party? I sure hope we have a White Christmas. I wonder if So-and-so will get me a gift this year. More than that, we live in a culture where the first question is usually, “What is in it for me?” Too many of us are looking for our joy in the wrong places!
As Paul is saying in this passage, when you start to give your life completely to Christ, you not only are filled with incomparable joy, but you pass that joy on to others. A friend recently shared with me that she had a very early college class that often left her grumbling about having to get up and out at 7:30 a.m. She started talking to God as she walked to her class… looking at the beauty of His creations along the way – listening to birds chirping, admiring trees and flowers, and telling God how awesome these things were. By the time she got to her class, she was filled with joy and in such a good mood that others took notice. “What is wrong with you? Why are you so cheerful at this early hour?” they would ask. And that opened the door for her to share the Source of her joy… to tell them about God’s power and magnificence and how He had blessed her. She said she realized that her small experience of talking to God as she walked to class had HUGE results and a ripple effect of blessing others and inspiring them to feel joyful.
You may not walk to a class and talk to God each morning. But as we each draw closer to God in various ways, we learn to surrender more completely to Him. How do you do this? Try reading the Bible and books that challenge and encourage you Spiritually, talk and share about God in small groups, pray, worship, and just sit still and listen for God to speak to you. As we learn to make God the total focus of each thing we do, and as we begin to single-mindedly focus on Him, we are filled with joy. And others will notice!
This Christmas season I challenge you to find at least three ways to take the focus off of YOU and put it on Jesus. This may mean sharing some of your holiday treats with an elderly neighbor, inviting someone you know will be alone for Christmas to join you at your family gathering or a Christmas Eve church service, or buying Christmas gifts for needy children. It could mean giving up something you were going to buy for yourself to spend the money on someone less fortunate. I can feel the joy already! You are in for such a treat, and so are countless others! Start with Christmas – spread a little joy. I’m betting you will like the feeling so much you will want to make it last all year long!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 16 ~ John 16:23
"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
(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.)
My husband and I live near the Little Red River. Almost every day – and sometimes more than once a day – the horn at the power house is sounded, signaling the release of water through the dam’s electric turbines… the generators. The horn is to warn those downstream of rapidly rising water. Sometimes not much water is released. Other times, a gushing white foam signals a major release of water and the rising of the riverbanks.
Joy is a lot like that. Sometimes, we get a little burst of joy over something that happens, and we smile or laugh and are temporarily amused. Maybe we hear a joke or see a funny commercial or think of something fun or funny that happened to us. Other times, the floodgates are opened wide, and the joy wells up in us to the point we feel like we might burst! This might happen when you think about scoring that winning touchdown in your high school championship game or being crowned as a beauty queen or the first time you see your bride or groom or when you see your baby for the first time. It might happen when you see someone you haven’t seen in a long time… like a friend who has been fighting the war in Iraq or your cousin who has moved across the country and you haven’t seen them in five years.
Jesus tells us that answered prayers produce joy like that of the generators. When you pray to God and ask for His help – according to His will – God will answer. And His answer will bring you the kind of joy that lasts… overflowing joy… bursting in your heart joy. Do you experience this kind of joy? Are you praying for God’s will in the matters of your life? Are the floodgates of your joy open wide today?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 15 ~ Luke John 16:21
"When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions.
(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.)
Women love to talk about the birth of their children. They can tell you how many hours they were in labor, the length and weight of their children, and how well their husbands/childbirth coaches held up! And almost all of them say that once they hold the baby, all of the “bad” stuff just fades away, and they are filled with joy. In this passage, Jesus is talking to His disciples about ascending into heaven. He is telling them that His departure will make them sad for a little while, but when they see Him again, the joy will be indescribable!
I don’t know if I will be on earth when Jesus comes again or not. If I am not, I have every confidence that I will have already seen Him in heaven. Either way, that is an exciting thought to me. I can’t even begin to put into words the joy I imagine I will feel when I first see His face. All of my questions will have answers. Nothing else will matter except keeping my eyes on Jesus. In the meantime, I’m going to try on some of that joy here in this life. I’m going to focus on Him and trust that I will see Him someday face-to-face. I’m going to operate in joy instead of sadness as much as I possibly can, with His help, and I’m going to let the sadness and the questions fade.
In this holiday season, you don’t have to look very far to see people who are extremely joyful… AND those who are extremely sad. My challenge to you is to share your joy – and the joy of a life with Christ – with others, especially those who seem to need a little boost. Tell them about a little baby boy Who came so long ago and changed the world forever. Tell them about God’s incredible love for them, no matter what they are experiencing. Help them to see how to rise above their sadness and discouragement this Christmas and operate in a spirit of joy. You will be both a blessing and blessed for your efforts!
©2007 Debbie Robus
You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
(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 was visiting with my former pastor, and I mentioned someone to him who was facing tremendous hardships. I commented that I was amazed by this person’s strength and determination – and joy – in the midst of such turmoil. I also said I was glad that I was not faced with the same situation. His reply was that he felt I would do fine in the middle of a crisis, and I had demonstrated this during the time my dad and brother were so ill. That was quite a compliment, but it was also a challenge.
See, it’s easy to let the troubles of the world get us down. We struggle with our classes and projects and finals. We have money problems – or rather, “lack-of-money” problems! We have relationship troubles, health issues, pressures at work, road rage, impatience with others, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, ulcers, and chaos, not to mention wars, threats of terrorism, natural disasters, car wrecks, accidents, and even “happy” stressors. And through it all, we are called to imitate Jesus and continue to be joyful. Some days that is a really tough call!
So how do we do this? We ask the Holy Spirit to live in our heart… to stay with us through thick and thin, and to take our troubles and help us to work through them with a joyful attitude. It CAN be done. In a way, it’s all a matter of attitude… either you have an attitude of welcome toward the Holy Spirit and lean on Him to help you, or you have an attitude of despair and succumb to the worries of the day. I really don’t like the last option… for me it is NOT an option. What about you? Will you choose the trouble… or the joy?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 20 ~ Philippians 4:1
My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.
(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.)
Do you have people in your life who fill you with great joy? I can think of several, but two in particular came to mind as soon as I read this passage. The first was my cousin Natalie. She is so much more to me than just a cousin. She almost always makes me laugh with her wit and her funny stories and her joy-filled perspective on life. She fills me with pride as I see what a wonderful teacher and mother she has become. But more than that, I see what a Godly woman she is, and how she is growing in her faith, and that thrills me to the bone. Just like Paul says about the Corinthians, I love her so much and want the very best for her always.
The other person who brings me great joy is a former student of mine, Stephen. He is always cheerful, always going a mile a minute, and always delighting everyone he meets. And I have proudly watched him grow into a Godly husband and father who is working daily to increase his wisdom in the Lord and build his faith. His witness to others fills me with joy that makes me want to burst, and I am so very proud of him.
Just thinking of Stephen and my cousin Natalie makes me smile. It gives me great joy to encourage these two wonderful people, and many others, to stay the course, keep the faith, and always study to add God’s wisdom and strength to their daily lives. Do you know such people? If you do, are you encouraging them and sharing the joy of your relationship with Jesus with them? And if you don’t know such people, what can you do to change this? Even more than that, are you striving to be a person so filled with joy and so steadfast in your faith that others want to be around YOU? I challenge you today to look at your circle of friends and how you relate to them, and see if you can find areas to work toward being stronger, unwavering, on track, and steady in God… and in turn filled with even more joy!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 19 ~ Philippians 1:22
As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We'll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.
(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.)
For so many of you, going to Heaven seems light years away. But we only have to think of little Job McCully and his brush with death to realize that even children sometimes die and go to be with Jesus. So while I hope none of you is Heaven-bound any time soon, if you are a Christian, it would not be an altogether sad situation. And I can honestly say that I have reached a stage in my own Spiritual life where I truly do not fear death. I know that when God is ready for me, He will call me home, and my reunion with Him and loved ones who are there will be incredibly joyful.
Meanwhile, every day I am left on this earth, I figure I have work to do here… joy to share, people to encourage and help however I can… in other words, I’ve got things to do and people to see! Because I know that THIS is where God wants me for now, I can be joyful and enjoy my earthly life and those who share it with me.I don’t have a “death wish,” and I certainly hope you don’t either. But as my grandmother says, “there are worse things than death,” and certainly for Christians this is the case.
So be joyful and enjoy your earthly life. Share joy with others as you serve Christ on this earth. And look forward to Heaven, where Joy reigns supreme, and every day is Christmas!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 18 ~ 1 Corinthians 7:29
I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple —in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.
(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 am not sure I can say this any better than this translation does. “There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily.” And what better time is there than just before Christmas to be reminded of this! We try to cram so much into the month of December… we have to visit every relative, and if we are home from college, we have to see every friend from high school! We have to shop for exactly the right gift for every person on our list. We have to go to every party and event, and we have to find time to squeeze in a workout to keep away the extra pounds we pack on eating all the holiday goodies. We have to help with pageants and plays and musicals at church. There are finals to take and parades and dance recitals to attend and food drives for the needy, and of course, lots and lots of shopping to do! And the first thing you know, we’ve gone so fast and done so much that we are either sick and tired – or sick and tired of going and doing! And all of our “Christmas joy” has just been drained right out of us.
Paul is saying that we all get so focused on the things of this world that we get caught up in the “busyness”, when what we really need to do is to slow down, remember what – and Who – is important, and restructure our priorities. Bro. John Miles once told me that “’No!’ is a complete sentence,” and that was some of the best advice I’ve ever received.
Many of you are at a stage in your life where you are trying to do it all, experience it all, and “be all things to all people.” I encourage you to listen to Paul’s words in this passage and to keep your focus on Jesus, keep your priorities straight, keep your life simple, and don’t listen to what the world tells you that you should be doing with your time and talents. If you keep your eyes on Christ and simply live in a way that honors HIM, you will be joyful, relaxed, and probably even healthier! Just say ”NO!” and feel the joy it can bring!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 17 ~ Romans 14:17
God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.
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.)
We are in the middle of a season where people tend to become more than a little self-centered. What do I want for Christmas? Will I be invited to So-and-so’s party? I sure hope we have a White Christmas. I wonder if So-and-so will get me a gift this year. More than that, we live in a culture where the first question is usually, “What is in it for me?” Too many of us are looking for our joy in the wrong places!
As Paul is saying in this passage, when you start to give your life completely to Christ, you not only are filled with incomparable joy, but you pass that joy on to others. A friend recently shared with me that she had a very early college class that often left her grumbling about having to get up and out at 7:30 a.m. She started talking to God as she walked to her class… looking at the beauty of His creations along the way – listening to birds chirping, admiring trees and flowers, and telling God how awesome these things were. By the time she got to her class, she was filled with joy and in such a good mood that others took notice. “What is wrong with you? Why are you so cheerful at this early hour?” they would ask. And that opened the door for her to share the Source of her joy… to tell them about God’s power and magnificence and how He had blessed her. She said she realized that her small experience of talking to God as she walked to class had HUGE results and a ripple effect of blessing others and inspiring them to feel joyful.
You may not walk to a class and talk to God each morning. But as we each draw closer to God in various ways, we learn to surrender more completely to Him. How do you do this? Try reading the Bible and books that challenge and encourage you Spiritually, talk and share about God in small groups, pray, worship, and just sit still and listen for God to speak to you. As we learn to make God the total focus of each thing we do, and as we begin to single-mindedly focus on Him, we are filled with joy. And others will notice!
This Christmas season I challenge you to find at least three ways to take the focus off of YOU and put it on Jesus. This may mean sharing some of your holiday treats with an elderly neighbor, inviting someone you know will be alone for Christmas to join you at your family gathering or a Christmas Eve church service, or buying Christmas gifts for needy children. It could mean giving up something you were going to buy for yourself to spend the money on someone less fortunate. I can feel the joy already! You are in for such a treat, and so are countless others! Start with Christmas – spread a little joy. I’m betting you will like the feeling so much you will want to make it last all year long!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 16 ~ John 16:23
"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
(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.)
My husband and I live near the Little Red River. Almost every day – and sometimes more than once a day – the horn at the power house is sounded, signaling the release of water through the dam’s electric turbines… the generators. The horn is to warn those downstream of rapidly rising water. Sometimes not much water is released. Other times, a gushing white foam signals a major release of water and the rising of the riverbanks.
Joy is a lot like that. Sometimes, we get a little burst of joy over something that happens, and we smile or laugh and are temporarily amused. Maybe we hear a joke or see a funny commercial or think of something fun or funny that happened to us. Other times, the floodgates are opened wide, and the joy wells up in us to the point we feel like we might burst! This might happen when you think about scoring that winning touchdown in your high school championship game or being crowned as a beauty queen or the first time you see your bride or groom or when you see your baby for the first time. It might happen when you see someone you haven’t seen in a long time… like a friend who has been fighting the war in Iraq or your cousin who has moved across the country and you haven’t seen them in five years.
Jesus tells us that answered prayers produce joy like that of the generators. When you pray to God and ask for His help – according to His will – God will answer. And His answer will bring you the kind of joy that lasts… overflowing joy… bursting in your heart joy. Do you experience this kind of joy? Are you praying for God’s will in the matters of your life? Are the floodgates of your joy open wide today?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 15 ~ Luke John 16:21
"When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions.
(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.)
Women love to talk about the birth of their children. They can tell you how many hours they were in labor, the length and weight of their children, and how well their husbands/childbirth coaches held up! And almost all of them say that once they hold the baby, all of the “bad” stuff just fades away, and they are filled with joy. In this passage, Jesus is talking to His disciples about ascending into heaven. He is telling them that His departure will make them sad for a little while, but when they see Him again, the joy will be indescribable!
I don’t know if I will be on earth when Jesus comes again or not. If I am not, I have every confidence that I will have already seen Him in heaven. Either way, that is an exciting thought to me. I can’t even begin to put into words the joy I imagine I will feel when I first see His face. All of my questions will have answers. Nothing else will matter except keeping my eyes on Jesus. In the meantime, I’m going to try on some of that joy here in this life. I’m going to focus on Him and trust that I will see Him someday face-to-face. I’m going to operate in joy instead of sadness as much as I possibly can, with His help, and I’m going to let the sadness and the questions fade.
In this holiday season, you don’t have to look very far to see people who are extremely joyful… AND those who are extremely sad. My challenge to you is to share your joy – and the joy of a life with Christ – with others, especially those who seem to need a little boost. Tell them about a little baby boy Who came so long ago and changed the world forever. Tell them about God’s incredible love for them, no matter what they are experiencing. Help them to see how to rise above their sadness and discouragement this Christmas and operate in a spirit of joy. You will be both a blessing and blessed for your efforts!
©2007 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotionals on Joy - Week 2
December 14 ~ John 15:11
"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.
(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 don’t know about you, but I have no servants in my life. I have people who perform services for me… wait staff at restaurants, the woman who cuts my hair, the clerks in the stores… but they are not my servants. In many instances, they are my friends. I know them. I know about them. I know their family, where they go to church, what they like and dislike, and where they live. I care about them, and when I see them, it gives me joy.
I know of people who see these folks and others like them as “servants,” and I find that very sad. These people miss out on the joy of getting to know those people as people – of recognizing them as someone who has a job to do and who probably does it very well. They miss out on the joy of caring about another person who shares part of their life… if only to “serve” them in some way.
Jesus has called us to love one another. He didn’t say “Love some people… but keep some as servants.” No! He said make friends of ALL people you encounter and love them as He has loved us. I am so thankful that Jesus loves me and calls me His friend. I truly am His servant, but He doesn’t treat me that way. And that fills me with joy. I hope others can see my joy in Christ … can they see yours?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 13 ~ John 8:27
They still didn't get it, didn't realize that he was referring to the Father. So Jesus tried again. "When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am—that I'm not making this up, but speaking only what the Father taught me. The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn't abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him."
(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.)
Jesus came to earth knowing that He would one day be crucified – nailed to a cross and raised into the air to hang until He died. In order to please God, Jesus knew that He would have to see this through and die on that cross. He knew that, in pleasing God, He would be filled with joy.
I am so thankful that we don’t have to physically be nailed to a cross and hung in the air to pay for our sins. I am forever grateful to Jesus for doing this for me. I know that, hard as it seems to imagine, Jesus was filled with joy to do this for each of us and fulfill God’s plan for His life.
God has a plan for our lives, too. It doesn’t involve crucifixion, but it does involve following Him, doing what He teaches and asks, and walking with Him each day. In doing so, we please God and bring Him great joy. We also find our own joy… more than we can possibly imagine. So what will you do this day? Will you please your heavenly Father and find joy? Do you get it?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 12 ~ Luke 24:52
And they were on their knees, worshiping him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy. They spent all their time in the Temple praising God. Yes.
(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 November 23, the Arkansas Razorbacks traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to play the LSU Tigers in a football game. The Razorbacks were not nationally ranked… LSU was ranked #1 in the nation. Three overtimes and several hours later, the Arkansas Razorbacks had beaten LSU, 50-48. Everyone in “Razorback Nation” was elated. Everyone in the bayou of Louisiana was crushed. It was so quiet outside Tiger Stadium you could almost hear a pin drop. Inside the stadium, as always, the football team sang the Arkansas fight song to their adoring fans, and for that moment, there was joy and mutual adoration between players and spectators. Not since 1981 had Arkansas beaten the number one team in the nation (Univ. of Texas… 42-11…I was THERE!) I can tell you from experience that the joy of that moment is incredible! It is a moment you remember forever… and a feeling you treasure.
How is it that we can feel such joy over a few hours of football, and yet we sometimes struggle to muster even half this much joy over Jesus? In this passage from Luke, the disciples have just seen Jesus ascend into heaven. Jesus has explained that everything has happened as prophesied, and that He is sending His Holy Spirit to live in their hearts and be with them always. This filled the disciples with tremendous joy. But you know what? The Holy Spirit is available to US, too! He can live in our hearts and be with us always. That news trumps winning a football game any day! It should fill us with joy beyond any we would feel after beating the national football champs – or any other big event in our life. This is an amazing, incredible, ETERNAL gift. The Holy Spirit is always with us. Sing the fight song! Wave a flag! Victory in Jesus is ours! Experience the joy!!!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 11 ~ Luke 18:15
People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."
(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.)
One of the best gifts of the Christmas season is our church’s annual children’s Christmas program. To see nearly 50 children dressed as shepherds, angels, stable animals and the Holy family, singing their little hearts out for their family and friends just fills one with joy. You can’t help but smile, and quite often one little “angel” will pull some antic to make you chuckle, if not laugh out loud.
But underneath all of the costumes, the practices, the frazzled nerves of moms and dads, the props and scenery, and the laughter of a children’s program is a much bigger, more important point. These are God’s precious children, acting out the birth of Jesus in the simplest of productions that has a far more significant impact on each of us. Through the laughter and joy of a child, we learn about One Who came to earth as a Child so that He could live among us and die for our sins. When you think about it, having children tell His story is most appropriate, isn’t it?
For the rest of the Christmas season, when you see a child filled with joy, remember Jesus, Who came to us as a child. Remember all He has done for each of us, and be filled with your own joy. We make everything way too complicated. It’s really very simple… Christ came to earth to live among us and died on the cross for our sins. Our job is simply to invite Him into our hearts and serve Him the rest of our lives. “Joy to the World! The Lord has come! Let earth receive her King!”
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 10 ~ Luke 15:4
"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
(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.)
This passage reminds me of that line in the Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” where they say, “Teacher says that every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings!” We don’t think much about the joy in heaven, do we? That seems light years away for most of us. And I guess most of us figure that those in heaven are busy doing “heavenly” things and don’t concern themselves with what is happening on earth. But the Bible tells us that heaven rejoices over even one rescued sinner.
Imagine it! When you gave your life to Christ, heaven rejoiced! Maybe a bell didn’t ring, and maybe you didn’t get any wings, but you can be assured, the angels in heaven sang with joy! Now doesn’t that give YOU joy to know you were sung about by angels? Doesn’t it give you joy to know how special you are to God and others? Celebrate with me and be joyful… we have made heaven sing!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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December 9 ~ Luke 6:17
Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding. You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.
(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.)
What is this? “ You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all.” How can this be?! Read the next sentence again… “God’s kingdom is there for the finding.” When my brother died, I was just beginning to truly receive the Holy Spirit into my life. God was becoming more real than ever to me, and He helped me through some very dark days. He understood my grief and loneliness… my stress at juggling a business, my home and family, my brother’s death, and my father’s serious illness.
By the time my father died a year later, I was so deeply attuned to the presence of the Holy Spirit that I was honestly able to look at my situation with a sense of joy. It’s not that I didn’t grieve. It’s not that the death of my dad didn’t leave a huge hole in my heart – it did - and that hole is still there in many ways. It’s not that I wanted him to die, or that I was happy about the fact that he did.
My joy came from seeing God at work in the situation – and in the people involved in it. My joy came from seeing how our family and friends rallied to comfort and care for us over a period of several months… even a year or more. My joy was in discovering Hospice and the loving, caring people who worked there. My joy was in imagining my dad and brother in Heaven – pain free, whole, able-bodied and doing the things they loved, like fishing, cooking, and visiting with others. My joy was in knowing that God was still with me, and that He will NEVER leave me. My joy was in knowing that I can honor my dad and brother and other loved ones by sharing joy and God’s love with others.
Life is not filled with 100% joy. You ARE blessed when tears flow freely, and believe me, I’ve shed my share! But you are also blessed when “joy comes with the morning” and I can tell you, the joy does come – IF – you open your heart to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work in your life. I don’t know what you are going through today, but I know God is going through it with you… and that gives me joy and peace. Do YOU feel it?
©2007 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 8 ~ Luke 1:13
But the angel reassured him, "Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you - many will delight in his birth. He'll achieve great stature with God.
(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.)
What are you going through today? Is this finals week? Do you have a test that is staring you in the face and causing you stress? Are you facing health issues and doctor visits and treatments? Are you in financial trouble or short on cash? Have you lost a loved one and you feel alone and vulnerable? Do you feel Spiritually empty?
No matter what your day has brought you, God has a word for you in this passage… “Don’t fear. Your prayer has been heard. You are going to leap like a gazelle for joy.” God’s promise of joy was not just for Zachariah and Elizabeth. God’s promise of joy is for anyone who will call on Him and ask. God will fill you with joy beyond your comprehension – but you have to give your heart to Him and trust Him in every situation. So get busy trusting and calling on Him… “don’t fear. Your prayer has been heard. You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy.”
©2007 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotionals on Joy - Week 1
December 7 ~ Isaiah 61:10
I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara. For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.
(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.)
Many of you are not married, so you don’t know the joy of dressing in your bridal gown and veil - or the tuxedo or suit if you are a guy. You don’t know the excitement and nervousness that wells up inside as you anticipate the ceremony and the celebration. But many, if not all of you have gone to prom. You know how fun it is to get all decked out in a nice suit… or even a tuxedo or black tie and tails. Maybe you even wore a top hat and carried a cane. You girls know how much fun it was getting ready… picking out the gown, having your hair and nails done, finding all of the matching accessories.
And then… the DAY arrived. Everything about the preparation and the event itself was magical, and hopefully joy-filled. You may have been so happy and excited that you felt you might burst!
As wonderful as prom and wedding days are, they pale in comparison to the joy and celebration of walking with Jesus. They cannot hold a candle to God’s gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. The very thought of belonging to Him should make us want to burst with joy. NOTHING compares to Christ’s love for us. NOTHING can match the finery He is preparing for us. No prom outfit or wedding gown and tiara or tuxedo and cane can come anywhere close to the magnificence of Christ’s gifts for us and His promise of eternity with Him in heaven.
So if you are filled to bursting with joy at the thought of prom or a wedding, how much more joy do you have because of your walk with Jesus? Are you “exploding with joy deep in your soul?”
©2007 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 6 ~ Isaiah 58:13
"If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don't use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God's holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing 'business as usual,' making money, running here and there— Then you'll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all. I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! God says so!
(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.)
Recently, I watched an old episode of The Andy Griffith Show on TVLand. In this particular episode, a man was passing through Mayberry on a Sunday, and his car broke down. He needed help, and he stopped Sheriff Taylor outside the church and asked for help. Andy gladly agreed to help the man… on Monday! The man was furious. In turn, he talked to Gomer, Wally, and again to Andy, and nobody would budge. Andy and Barney enjoyed an afternoon singing on the front porch. They took a nap, peeled an apple, and went downtown for ice cream. They RESTED! In the end, the man realized that there was something of value in taking Sunday off and letting the world pass by… there was a JOY in those who worshipped in the morning and rested in the afternoon and evening.
Today, malls and shopping centers will do a brisk business on Sundays… and the Sunday afternoons leading up to Christmas Day will be days of really big sales for retailers. I’m not judging anyone who opens their retail store on Sunday… and quite honestly, I sometimes shop on Sundays. More often than not, I pull into Wal-Mart after church to pick up a few things, and I see many fellow church-goers there.
But I wonder how it would be if we went back to the “Mayberry days” of honoring the Sabbath and keeping it holy… a day of rest. Would it really be so bad to have to plan ahead a little and buy our groceries, gas, and Christmas presents the other six days of the week? Would we find more joy in Sunday if we let it be what God intended – a day of worshipping Him and resting in His blessings?
I challenge you to try it for one Sunday. Don’t shop. Don’t buy gas. Eat leftovers or a sandwich or cereal at home if you or your mom hasn’t cooked a meal the day before or popped something in the crock pot while you go to church. Or heat up a frozen pizza. After church, visit a friend, read a book (how about the Bible?!), take a nap or a long walk. Appreciate God’s creations and the freedom to truly enjoy them. See if the stillness of the day doesn’t give you more chances to truly enjoy it! Sunday truly is the day the Lord has made… find joy in it and be glad!
©2007 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 5 ~ Isaiah 25:9
Also at that time, people will say, "Look at what's happened! This is our God! We waited for him and he showed up and saved us! This God, the one we waited for! Let's celebrate, sing the joys of his salvation. God's hand rests on this mountain!"
(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 my nieces and nephews were born, we were ecstatic. We waited for each of them for nearly nine months. We counted the weeks. We watched their mothers as they grew bigger and bigger! We bought baby clothes and blankets and diapers. We attended showers. We prepared so much you could almost say we over-prepared! And then each baby arrived! We were so happy we were almost foolishly delirious! We held the babies and photographed them and cooed and cuddled and slapped each other on the back and kissed and hugged. The nurses went about their business, smiling politely at us, and probably secretly thinking to themselves we were acting like complete idiots over a tiny baby. Of course, they see hundreds of them each week, and while each is precious, it’s “old hat” to them. But not us...with each new baby, we are in it for all it’s worth… as if it’s the first birth ever!
People waited and anticipated the greatest birth ever with much eagerness, and when Jesus finally arrived, angels sang, shepherds stopped their work in the fields to hear the news, and kings traveled long distances to deliver gifts. But honestly, the greatest, most spectacular, most important birth in the history of the human race, is not given the acclaim and attention we give the births of our own children. The same level of joy somehow doesn’t seem to accompany the celebration of Christ’s birth, quite often.
My challenge to all of us this Christmas season is to celebrate the birth of Christ with pure joy. We don’t have to be foolishly delirious. There will be no baby photos to take or blankets and onesies to buy. But wouldn’t it be amazing if just once, in the midst of opening presents from others and sharing meals and Christmas music and decorations and lights and glitter, we high-fived the birth of Christ? Wouldn’t it be awesome if this Christmas we patted and hugged and kissed each other and shared joy and excitement at the thought of Christ’s birth? Where IS Jesus in your Christmas? Is HE the reason for your joy this holiday?
©2007 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------
December 4 ~ Ecclesiastes 5:18
After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now.
(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.)
A friend of mine learned this fall that she has scar tissue in her eye as a result of contracting histoplasmosis as a child. The scar tissue has grown to the point that it has taken her vision in this eye… she sees light and faint images, but for all practical purposes, she is blind in this eye. The doctors did a surgical procedure to try and remove the scar tissue and restore her vision, but they promised a 50/50 chance of success. So far, she has not regained her vision. I was talking with her lately, and she said, “You know, I’ve decided to do all I can with what I’ve got and not worry about it.” I was amazed an inspired by her attitude. She is doing all she can to live a normal life, despite losing vision in one eye almost overnight.
Every day, things happen to people to cause them to wish they were somewhere else or that things were different. Soldiers lose body parts and/or are disfigured in the war. People lose their job and have to take a lesser one that is boring and out of their field just to make ends meet. Students get a teacher who doesn’t know how to explain things well or tests on material he/she didn’t cover in class. Couples find out they are expecting a baby that wasn’t exactly “in the plans.” You find out you have cancer or diabetes, or you have a stroke that leaves you immobilized.
God never stops blessing and giving. God never takes a vacation. He never stops forgiving sinners, answering prayers, healing and restoring. When you get something unexpected, God helps you through it… He provides “the capacity to enjoy it.” I’m not saying you will enjoy cancer or losing a limb or struggling in a class or in life itself. But with God on your side, you can find joy in any and every circumstance of life, and that truly is His gift. So make the most of life today. Do all you can with what you’ve got, and let God take it from there.
©2007 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 3 ~ Proverbs 15:30
A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.
(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.)
This is a season for Santa Claus and all the trappings. Can you imagine a picture of Santa without the twinkle in his eye? It just wouldn’t be Santa Claus, would it?! Santa knows some good news (presents for “good” girls and boys), and that makes him feel very happy. This image of the jolly guy with the full flowing beard and the twinkle in his eye is ingrained in us from a very early age, and like it or not, he is part of the holiday season for most of us and fills us with joy.
I will be the first to admit that not every day is a “good” day, and I don’t feel like smiling all the time. Nobody does. But for the most part, I am usually a happy camper, and I would like to think that I usually have a twinkle in my eye. You see, I have received some very good news… and so have you! That good news is that Jesus loves us! He came to earth and died for our sins. He rose from the grave and ascended into heaven. And some day we, as believers, will live with Him for all eternity there! That is very, very GOOD NEWS!
So the challenge becomes… when less than “good days” come, will you remember the good news and carry on with a twinkle in your eye? Or will you give Satan a victory and slump your shoulders and stagger off somewhere to have a little pity party? Everybody has bad moments. Everybody has sad times. But the key to joy in the heart is to remember the good news of Jesus Christ, straighten your back and shoulders, raise your head and regain that twinkle in the eye. This Christmas, I hope that your joy is not centered in Santa Claus. I hope that your joy this Christmas is centered in Jesus Christ and His love for us. Now THAT is good news that will make you feel fit as a fiddle – and give you a real twinkle in the eye!
©2007 Debbie Robus
---------------------------
December 2 ~ Nehemiah 8:10
He continued, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don't have anything: This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!"
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.
For several years now, my husband and I have hosted people in our home during the holidays. Sometimes it is a full-blown “open house,” where we set out finger foods, coffee and soft drinks, and invite family, friends, and neighbors to “come and go” for an afternoon. Sometimes we invite just a few couples for an evening meal. Or we may invite just one person for a cup of coffee and a long visit. And we always make a point to include those who don’t have family nearby to share the holiday.
For many years, my husband’s mother brought a friend with her who was widowed and had no other family members living in this state. She said sharing our holiday was the highlight of her Christmas season. And that blessed me more than I can express to you.Hosting people and sharing meals is a lot of work. There is preparation, planning, and cleanup. But there is also joy. It’s not just the joy of seeing other people and sharing time with them. It’s also the blessing of seeing the joy in the faces of others – especially those who are lonely or in need.
So this holiday season, I challenge you to do something to share your own joy with at least ONE other person. If you want more joy, share with more people, but do reach out to others. God will bless you and make sure that you get at least as much joy as those whom you set out to bless!
©2007 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------------------------
December 11 ~ Chronicles 16:23
Sing to God, everyone and everything! Get out his salvation news every day! Publish his glory among the godless nations, his wonders to all races and religions. And why? Because God is great—well worth praising! No god or goddess comes close in honor. All the popular gods are stuff and nonsense, but God made the cosmos! Splendor and majesty flow out of him, strength and joy fill his place.
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 cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed the full moons this fall. Where we live, you can clearly see the moon rise over the horizon, and it is impressive, to say the least! For several nights in October, we sat on our deck and watched the moon’s orange glow appear and then quickly develop into a full-out sphere of what looked like pure fire!
I may be “easily amused,” but it makes my heart leap to see this. I am astounded at God’s majesty, and the care He takes to make something as insignificant in the universe as our earth’s moon so spectacularly beautiful. How can you not praise Him? How can you not feel joy when you see His handiwork? It’s almost time for meteor showers, unexpected snowfalls, and the simple bareness of winter when we can see what’s “out there.” So get ready to be awed by God, and allow yourself feel the joy that comes with it!
©2007 Debbie Robus
I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara. For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.
(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.)
Many of you are not married, so you don’t know the joy of dressing in your bridal gown and veil - or the tuxedo or suit if you are a guy. You don’t know the excitement and nervousness that wells up inside as you anticipate the ceremony and the celebration. But many, if not all of you have gone to prom. You know how fun it is to get all decked out in a nice suit… or even a tuxedo or black tie and tails. Maybe you even wore a top hat and carried a cane. You girls know how much fun it was getting ready… picking out the gown, having your hair and nails done, finding all of the matching accessories.
And then… the DAY arrived. Everything about the preparation and the event itself was magical, and hopefully joy-filled. You may have been so happy and excited that you felt you might burst!
As wonderful as prom and wedding days are, they pale in comparison to the joy and celebration of walking with Jesus. They cannot hold a candle to God’s gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. The very thought of belonging to Him should make us want to burst with joy. NOTHING compares to Christ’s love for us. NOTHING can match the finery He is preparing for us. No prom outfit or wedding gown and tiara or tuxedo and cane can come anywhere close to the magnificence of Christ’s gifts for us and His promise of eternity with Him in heaven.
So if you are filled to bursting with joy at the thought of prom or a wedding, how much more joy do you have because of your walk with Jesus? Are you “exploding with joy deep in your soul?”
©2007 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 6 ~ Isaiah 58:13
"If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don't use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God's holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing 'business as usual,' making money, running here and there— Then you'll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all. I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! God says so!
(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.)
Recently, I watched an old episode of The Andy Griffith Show on TVLand. In this particular episode, a man was passing through Mayberry on a Sunday, and his car broke down. He needed help, and he stopped Sheriff Taylor outside the church and asked for help. Andy gladly agreed to help the man… on Monday! The man was furious. In turn, he talked to Gomer, Wally, and again to Andy, and nobody would budge. Andy and Barney enjoyed an afternoon singing on the front porch. They took a nap, peeled an apple, and went downtown for ice cream. They RESTED! In the end, the man realized that there was something of value in taking Sunday off and letting the world pass by… there was a JOY in those who worshipped in the morning and rested in the afternoon and evening.
Today, malls and shopping centers will do a brisk business on Sundays… and the Sunday afternoons leading up to Christmas Day will be days of really big sales for retailers. I’m not judging anyone who opens their retail store on Sunday… and quite honestly, I sometimes shop on Sundays. More often than not, I pull into Wal-Mart after church to pick up a few things, and I see many fellow church-goers there.
But I wonder how it would be if we went back to the “Mayberry days” of honoring the Sabbath and keeping it holy… a day of rest. Would it really be so bad to have to plan ahead a little and buy our groceries, gas, and Christmas presents the other six days of the week? Would we find more joy in Sunday if we let it be what God intended – a day of worshipping Him and resting in His blessings?
I challenge you to try it for one Sunday. Don’t shop. Don’t buy gas. Eat leftovers or a sandwich or cereal at home if you or your mom hasn’t cooked a meal the day before or popped something in the crock pot while you go to church. Or heat up a frozen pizza. After church, visit a friend, read a book (how about the Bible?!), take a nap or a long walk. Appreciate God’s creations and the freedom to truly enjoy them. See if the stillness of the day doesn’t give you more chances to truly enjoy it! Sunday truly is the day the Lord has made… find joy in it and be glad!
©2007 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 5 ~ Isaiah 25:9
Also at that time, people will say, "Look at what's happened! This is our God! We waited for him and he showed up and saved us! This God, the one we waited for! Let's celebrate, sing the joys of his salvation. God's hand rests on this mountain!"
(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 my nieces and nephews were born, we were ecstatic. We waited for each of them for nearly nine months. We counted the weeks. We watched their mothers as they grew bigger and bigger! We bought baby clothes and blankets and diapers. We attended showers. We prepared so much you could almost say we over-prepared! And then each baby arrived! We were so happy we were almost foolishly delirious! We held the babies and photographed them and cooed and cuddled and slapped each other on the back and kissed and hugged. The nurses went about their business, smiling politely at us, and probably secretly thinking to themselves we were acting like complete idiots over a tiny baby. Of course, they see hundreds of them each week, and while each is precious, it’s “old hat” to them. But not us...with each new baby, we are in it for all it’s worth… as if it’s the first birth ever!
People waited and anticipated the greatest birth ever with much eagerness, and when Jesus finally arrived, angels sang, shepherds stopped their work in the fields to hear the news, and kings traveled long distances to deliver gifts. But honestly, the greatest, most spectacular, most important birth in the history of the human race, is not given the acclaim and attention we give the births of our own children. The same level of joy somehow doesn’t seem to accompany the celebration of Christ’s birth, quite often.
My challenge to all of us this Christmas season is to celebrate the birth of Christ with pure joy. We don’t have to be foolishly delirious. There will be no baby photos to take or blankets and onesies to buy. But wouldn’t it be amazing if just once, in the midst of opening presents from others and sharing meals and Christmas music and decorations and lights and glitter, we high-fived the birth of Christ? Wouldn’t it be awesome if this Christmas we patted and hugged and kissed each other and shared joy and excitement at the thought of Christ’s birth? Where IS Jesus in your Christmas? Is HE the reason for your joy this holiday?
©2007 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------
December 4 ~ Ecclesiastes 5:18
After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now.
(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.)
A friend of mine learned this fall that she has scar tissue in her eye as a result of contracting histoplasmosis as a child. The scar tissue has grown to the point that it has taken her vision in this eye… she sees light and faint images, but for all practical purposes, she is blind in this eye. The doctors did a surgical procedure to try and remove the scar tissue and restore her vision, but they promised a 50/50 chance of success. So far, she has not regained her vision. I was talking with her lately, and she said, “You know, I’ve decided to do all I can with what I’ve got and not worry about it.” I was amazed an inspired by her attitude. She is doing all she can to live a normal life, despite losing vision in one eye almost overnight.
Every day, things happen to people to cause them to wish they were somewhere else or that things were different. Soldiers lose body parts and/or are disfigured in the war. People lose their job and have to take a lesser one that is boring and out of their field just to make ends meet. Students get a teacher who doesn’t know how to explain things well or tests on material he/she didn’t cover in class. Couples find out they are expecting a baby that wasn’t exactly “in the plans.” You find out you have cancer or diabetes, or you have a stroke that leaves you immobilized.
God never stops blessing and giving. God never takes a vacation. He never stops forgiving sinners, answering prayers, healing and restoring. When you get something unexpected, God helps you through it… He provides “the capacity to enjoy it.” I’m not saying you will enjoy cancer or losing a limb or struggling in a class or in life itself. But with God on your side, you can find joy in any and every circumstance of life, and that truly is His gift. So make the most of life today. Do all you can with what you’ve got, and let God take it from there.
©2007 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 3 ~ Proverbs 15:30
A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.
(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.)
This is a season for Santa Claus and all the trappings. Can you imagine a picture of Santa without the twinkle in his eye? It just wouldn’t be Santa Claus, would it?! Santa knows some good news (presents for “good” girls and boys), and that makes him feel very happy. This image of the jolly guy with the full flowing beard and the twinkle in his eye is ingrained in us from a very early age, and like it or not, he is part of the holiday season for most of us and fills us with joy.
I will be the first to admit that not every day is a “good” day, and I don’t feel like smiling all the time. Nobody does. But for the most part, I am usually a happy camper, and I would like to think that I usually have a twinkle in my eye. You see, I have received some very good news… and so have you! That good news is that Jesus loves us! He came to earth and died for our sins. He rose from the grave and ascended into heaven. And some day we, as believers, will live with Him for all eternity there! That is very, very GOOD NEWS!
So the challenge becomes… when less than “good days” come, will you remember the good news and carry on with a twinkle in your eye? Or will you give Satan a victory and slump your shoulders and stagger off somewhere to have a little pity party? Everybody has bad moments. Everybody has sad times. But the key to joy in the heart is to remember the good news of Jesus Christ, straighten your back and shoulders, raise your head and regain that twinkle in the eye. This Christmas, I hope that your joy is not centered in Santa Claus. I hope that your joy this Christmas is centered in Jesus Christ and His love for us. Now THAT is good news that will make you feel fit as a fiddle – and give you a real twinkle in the eye!
©2007 Debbie Robus
---------------------------
December 2 ~ Nehemiah 8:10
He continued, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don't have anything: This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!"
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.
For several years now, my husband and I have hosted people in our home during the holidays. Sometimes it is a full-blown “open house,” where we set out finger foods, coffee and soft drinks, and invite family, friends, and neighbors to “come and go” for an afternoon. Sometimes we invite just a few couples for an evening meal. Or we may invite just one person for a cup of coffee and a long visit. And we always make a point to include those who don’t have family nearby to share the holiday.
For many years, my husband’s mother brought a friend with her who was widowed and had no other family members living in this state. She said sharing our holiday was the highlight of her Christmas season. And that blessed me more than I can express to you.Hosting people and sharing meals is a lot of work. There is preparation, planning, and cleanup. But there is also joy. It’s not just the joy of seeing other people and sharing time with them. It’s also the blessing of seeing the joy in the faces of others – especially those who are lonely or in need.
So this holiday season, I challenge you to do something to share your own joy with at least ONE other person. If you want more joy, share with more people, but do reach out to others. God will bless you and make sure that you get at least as much joy as those whom you set out to bless!
©2007 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------------------------
December 11 ~ Chronicles 16:23
Sing to God, everyone and everything! Get out his salvation news every day! Publish his glory among the godless nations, his wonders to all races and religions. And why? Because God is great—well worth praising! No god or goddess comes close in honor. All the popular gods are stuff and nonsense, but God made the cosmos! Splendor and majesty flow out of him, strength and joy fill his place.
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 cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed the full moons this fall. Where we live, you can clearly see the moon rise over the horizon, and it is impressive, to say the least! For several nights in October, we sat on our deck and watched the moon’s orange glow appear and then quickly develop into a full-out sphere of what looked like pure fire!
I may be “easily amused,” but it makes my heart leap to see this. I am astounded at God’s majesty, and the care He takes to make something as insignificant in the universe as our earth’s moon so spectacularly beautiful. How can you not praise Him? How can you not feel joy when you see His handiwork? It’s almost time for meteor showers, unexpected snowfalls, and the simple bareness of winter when we can see what’s “out there.” So get ready to be awed by God, and allow yourself feel the joy that comes with it!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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