March 31 ~ Acts 4:29-42
Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail."
33-37 When they heard that, they were furious and wanted to kill them on the spot. But one of the council members stood up, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of God's Law who was honored by everyone. He ordered the men taken out of the room for a short time, then said, "Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to these men. Not long ago Theudas made something of a splash, claiming to be somebody, and got about four hundred men to join him. He was killed, his followers dispersed, and nothing came of it. A little later, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and acquired a following. He also fizzled out and the people following him were scattered to the four winds.
38-39 "So I am telling you: Hands off these men! Let them alone. If this program or this work is merely human, it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing you can do about it - and you better not be found fighting against God!"
40-42 That convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus' name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, not letting up for a minute.
(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 find verses 38-39 particularly interesting. Several years ago, there was a huge uproar because a display of The Ten Commandments was ordered to be removed from a courthouse in Alabama. The monument ultimately ended up being moved to another location. But people went absolutely wild over this story. I remember getting a manicure one day, and one of the hairdressers in the salon was going on and on about how we all needed to contact our pastors and “do something” about this. She asked, “Don’t you agree?” My answer was that sometimes as Christians, we hurt our witness more than we help it by going off half-cocked on our own and trying to fix things.
Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that I do not uphold The Ten Commandments. I am not voicing an opinion on removing “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance or “In God We Trust” from our coins. I am saying that we often focus a lot of energy on these things and make a big stink about them, when ultimately, God will take care of them just fine without us (or in spite of us). I honestly think Satan uses these things to derail our focus and get us off on a tangent, so that people see us as fanatics. Then we spend our time on these "crusades" instead of the true message of Jesus and the cross.
If we focused more of our energy on teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, as the apostles did, we would have a much greater impact on the Kingdom of God. These ploys to supposedly “remove God” from the public eye are merely human. These people can no more remove God than they can raise the dead or pull objects out of thin air! BUT… if we Christians focus our efforts on keeping God at the forefront through teaching and preaching, it won’t matter if the Ten Commandments are posted on a courthouse monument or we say “under God” when we pledge allegiance to our country. God will still be there – maybe even more profoundly through our actions and deeds. People will see that we are not easily distracted… that we remain focused on the One True God!
My point is this - choose your “battles” wisely. Ask God… is this something You are addressing through me, or is it merely human efforts that will fall apart on their own? Ask God to show you how and where to witness for Him, and make every second you live for Him count!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 30 ~ Acts 3:19-23
"Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, 'Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.'
(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 wanted to do something special for my grandmother on her 95th birthday. Knowing that she has plenty of clothing, jewelry, “knick-knacks,” and such, I wanted to give her something she would appreciate and enjoy. I decided to create a memory box for her, filled with notes, cards, and photos from family members and friends. I sent out close to 100 letters and e-mail messages asking for memories from people who had been special to her through the years… and those who hold her dear to their hearts. I got a huge response. I decorated an old wooden silverware box with paint, scrapbook materials, photos, and things that held meaning for her. I lined the inside with velvet lining and lace trim. I placed all of the cards and letters and photos inside. On her birthday, we had a little family party, and I presented her with the memory box. I explained what was inside and placed the box on the table in front of her, and she spent the rest of the afternoon – and many hours since – looking through the items inside and out and reminiscing.
Suppose I had presented this gift to her, and she had stood with her back to me. Suppose she had not turned around to receive the gift and the blessings. Suppose she had not acknowledged all of the efforts of so many to fill the box with the memories. And yet, this is exactly what countless people do to God every day. He stands ready to give us the GREATEST GIFT of all… forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. He stands ready to bless us and wipe away our tears and our sins, and to give us a new life of joy and peace. When you look at it like this, why on earth would we not turn around to receive this Gift?
The answer is complicated… it ranges from shame and guilt to ignorance to a “fear” that we will have to “change” and that somehow that will be bad or unpleasant. But we must realize that God is waiting to give us a wonderful Gift… the most wonderful Gift we will every receive – Eternal Life through Jesus Christ! Like my grandmother, we would never consider turning away when another human wishes to give us a gift. We MUST turn to God. We cannot miss this! He is waiting to bless each of us… all we have to do is turn around to face him!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 29 ~ Acts 2:37-39
37 Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?"
38-39 Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away - whomever, in fact, our Master God invites."
(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.)
It all sounds so easy, doesn’t it?! But we are constantly asking, “What do we do now?” So many times I find myself flailing around, wondering what to do, when clearly, the answer is right in front of me. “Turn to God…” That answer is huge – as in turning to Him and changing your life and receiving forgiveness for sins. It is often just as huge in the context of turning to God and asking Him to help you with the smallest of details in your life.
Just recently, I had a situation where I was looking for something. I knew I kept it when we moved into our new house last fall, and I felt sure I put it in a safe place in our storage attic. But after about nine trips there to look for it – and a much-needed overhaul and “straightening” of that space - I still had not located this item. Finally, in desperation, I muttered… “Lord, I really need your help. I feel like I’m going a little crazy here. Where is that sack?” One more trip to the storage attic, and I stared straight ahead at a neatly arranged shelf I had not bothered with in earlier searches. I didn’t think I could have put them “way over there,” but indeed, I had put them there “for safekeeping!”
I had to shake my head. You know, that seems like such a silly thing to ask God for help with – a sack of silk flowers, of all things! But I wasted many futile trips to that storage room before I “gave up” and called on God. And it hit me… we do this over and over and over again. We work hard to “go it alone,” and in desperation we finally give in and call on God. Wouldn’t it be easier to call on Him first? Wouldn’t it make far more sense? I am learning not to care if it seems silly to ask God for help with things I consider too small for His attention. After all, in the scheme of things, you and I are pretty small ourselves, and yet He numbers the hairs on our heads!
So the next time you feel like asking yourself or a friend “What do I do now?” stop and ask God first. He may lead you to someone who can give you good advice, or He may show you the answer in a most unexpected way, but He WILL answer! Receive ALL of the gifts of the Holy Spirit – even the smallest ones!
©2008 Debbie Robus
You are Blessed - Week 4
March 28 ~ Acts 2:27-38
David said it all:
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side.
I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you'll never dump me in Hades;
I'll never even smell the stench of death.
You've got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.
29-36 "Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—'no trip to Hades, no stench of death.' This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,
God said to my Master, "Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet."
"All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross."
(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 more years than I can count, Easter was a “nice holiday,” but the full meaning of the weekend was somewhat lost on me. As a little girl, the main events of Easter for me focused on getting a new dress – and sometimes hat, purse, gloves and shoes – and what would be in our Easter baskets on Sunday morning. We hid eggs in the yard for days and ate candy until we were stuffed. I especially loved the “bird eggs” and would almost make myself sick on them. And those “crème eggs” – well, it was heaven on earth to have a “license” to eat all of that chocolate and sugary confection!
When I was an adult, one Sunday near Christmas, our pastor said that the REAL story of Christmas was not in the birth of Christ. The REAL story came at Easter in the resurrection from the tomb! As I began to fully grasp what Jesus did for us on the cross – the mental agony of knowing what was coming, followed by the actual physical abuse, pain, and suffering – I began to focus less on the birth and more on the death and resurrection. I realized what my pastor meant by this comment, and Easter became more special to me.
Now what does this have to do with this passage in Acts? For me, it reinforces my FAITH in the resurrection of Jesus to sit at God’s right hand in heaven. There are a lot of people who give lip service to this and SAY they believe it, but they don’t live it. A lot of people have not found the Holy Spirit and acknowledged Him as their daily companion… and maybe you are among them. Jesus didn’t just go to heaven and leave us here to make an occasional “Spiritual long-distance call” to Him in heaven. He sent His Spirit to live in our hearts and walk with us every minute of every day. But WE have to recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence – and His POWER!
Imagine it – David knew this would happen and told of it long before Christ was ever born. God made it a reality, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is as real today as it was in the vision David had so long ago. Today, my Easter may or may not include a new dress or chocolate bunnies and bird eggs, but certainly they have new meaning for me. They symbolize my rebirth as a Christian and my new, fresh Spirit-filled existence in Christ, Whose Holy Spirit never leaves me. The Cross is now as much a symbol of Easter for me as a bunny, lily, or baby chick. There is a song that says “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool” and I know that someday I will kneel there with David and other believers and worship my Master and Messiah. Will you be there with me?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 27 ~ Acts 2:14-27
14-21That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says,
"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I'll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they'll prophesy.
I'll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved."
22-28 "Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for 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.)
Have you ever taken the law into your own hands? Have you ever said to your younger brother or sister, “I don’t care what Mom said… Mom isn’t here, and I’m in charge!” And then you went ahead with your choices and plans, which weren’t always necessarily right or fair. And maybe later you found out your Mom had a really good reason for her own rules and ways of doing things, and you had, in essence, screwed things up royally and caused a big problem. Or maybe at work, you have done this by “overriding” the decision of a boss or co-worker, deciding YOUR way was better! I am reminded of several episodes of “Andy Griffith” where Barney Fife thought Andy was making poor decisions, and Barney was just sure HE could do thing better. It NEVER worked and was quite often a disaster.
Now, almost to a person, we would probably all say we would never even consider overriding GOD’s plans, because… well… He is GOD! But do you see that we do that all the time? “Yes, God…” you say, “I know you want me to go to church and Sunday School, but I stayed out really late last night, and I have got to get some rest before school on Monday!” Or… “Yes, God, I know you don’t want me to marry this girl, but I LOVE her! We will work out the fact that she is Jewish and I’m Methodist. It will be okay.” Or… “God, you don’t REALLY mean for me to go into ministry, do you?! I can just serve in the church on a couple of committees and worship on Sunday. But puh-leeeese! Don’t ask me to be a lay speaker or sing in the choir!” Or even… “God, I know I should help that person, but I am so busy! Surely someone else can do it!”
See, we do this all the time, and in this respect, we are no better than the soldiers who crucified Jesus. And just like death was no match for Jesus, we are no match for God! It is time we realized that His plans for us are for good, not harm or evil, as stated in Jeremiah 29:11. It is time we realized that we serve GOD, not the other way around. It’s time we stopped trying to override His plans and decisions and humbled ourselves to serving Him as HE pleases. I am thankful that I don’t have to EARN God’s favor – in fact, I can’t! But in comparison to all He does for me every day, the least I can do is to humble myself before Him and follow His plans for my life. What about you… are you a Barney Fife for God, or are you upholding His laws?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 26 ~ Acts 1:1-11
1-5 Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but "must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."
6 When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?"
7-8 He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."
9-11 These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, "You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left."
(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.)
“Timing is the Father’s business.” Yeah, but… we want it NOW! We want it OUR WAY! We want things on OUR TIMELINE! How often do we set down a path that is of our own making, and we either don’t ask God what HE wants, or if we do, we don’t pay any attention to His answer? I am by nature an impatient person. I think it is in my genes. My dad was a man of action. He saw a need and he did something about it as quickly as possible. He didn’t leave tasks unfinished. My grandmother is even more this way. She will call and ask for help with something, and before I can get to her house, she has called someone else who could come a little quicker and get the task done. So this scripture has particular importance for people like me!
In some things, it wouldn’t be a terrible thing if I forge ahead on my own timetable. But the danger comes in not knowing when to move and when to wait on God – and soon we aren’t waiting on Him for anything, great or small! So, when someone asks me to make a pie for a family who has lost a loved one, I’ll probably agree readily and make the pie. But if someone says, “I would like for you to come to our Bible study,” I will have to pray and ask God if He wants me to attend. If someone says, “Why don’t you skip church on Sunday and come with us to a lodge in the Ozarks for the weekend?” I have to ask God, “Are you sending me for some needed rest and time away, or is this all my doing?”
Certainly in big decisions, we must wait on God’s timing, and when things don’t work out like we want, we have to remind ourselves of this scripture passage. God’s timing may not include keeping your parents around to see you grow up, marry, and have children of your own. God’s timing may mean that He calls home a young child with lymphoma, yet he leaves an elderly woman to live in the nursing home with Alzheimer’s and not even recognize her own children. God may squeeze you out of your job and into early retirement or a different job – or he may move you to a new city and a new job, even if you aren’t wanting to go. God may not sell your house so you can buy a new or bigger one. God may seem to block your efforts to do or acquire something you want, and all of a sudden, something happens that shows you what a huge mistake that purchase or event would have been! I cannot tell you how many times I have looked back at past events and clearly seen God’s hand in the timing.
As this passage tells us, the Holy Spirit is with us to see us through whatever God brings our way. We are never left alone. Knowing this, we can relax and listen for God’s voice and trust His timing in all things, from the smallest issue to the largest. So I tell you with confidence and experience to pray about EVERYTHING. Be sure that you are using God’s watch and not your own. Timing truly IS the Father’s business… and His timing is always perfect!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 25 - Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."
(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 have probably heard this passage a zillion times. It is commonly referred to as “The Great Commission.” We all learn early in our Sunday School or Vacation Bible School careers to “go into the world and baptize all nations.” Some interpret this as instruction to become missionaries around the world. Others feel it is a command to witness to everyone you meet, everywhere you go. And it is all of that – and more.
Do you remember when you were a little kid, and an adult would show you how to do something, and then they would say, “Now you do it!” Sometimes they stayed with you until you got the hang of it, but in the end, they taught you to do things, and then they left! The sentence I want us to focus on today is the last one. Jesus says, “I’ll be with you as you do this…” He didn’t say, “Okay, I’m done here – you’re on your own – now go do what I told you to do.” Sometimes we need to be able to turn to someone and say, “Is this okay? Is this really how to do this? Am I doing it right?” And even in our Christian service, we sometimes need to ask Jesus, “Is this okay? Am I doing it right? Can you help me with this?” And you know what? He IS there! He WILL answer and help you.
Man! This is FANTASTIC news, isn’t it? It makes all the difference! Knowing that Jesus is with us, we can confidently “go into the world” and teach others about Him. We can spread the Gospel and fulfill “The Great Commission,” and we can know that Jesus Himself is right there beside us. There is no way we can fail. There is no way He will let us even wobble, if we remember WHO is beside us. So “go into the world” with bold confidence, and share Jesus with everyone you meet, every day of your life. Help others to find their way to Jesus and make Him THEIR constant companion every day as well. And if you have a question, ask Jesus to give you a “refresher course” and set you on the right path again.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 24 ~ Matthew 28:16-17
Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.
(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.)
Isn’t that just like Christians?! We want so badly to believe the teachings and promises of Jesus, but there is something in us that quite often nags at us to doubt. Last week our church had Maundy Thursday service before Easter Sunday. According to an explanation at www.umc.org “The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, which means "commandment." The traditional Maundy Thursday service includes Holy Communion and a commemoration of Jesus’ commandment that the bread and wine represent His body and blood, shed for us, and that we are to remember these sacrifices and do all we can to live for Him. In some churches, Maundy Thursday service includes foot washing, which was customary in the days when Jesus walked among us. In fact, Jesus Himself washed His disciples’ feet.
At our Maundy Thursday service this year, we heard beautiful music and singing about the crucifixion and resurrection. We saw the crucifixion simulated in a liturgical dance. We shared Holy Communion. We heard the “Easter scriptures” read by twelve people who reminded us how those passages related to our everyday lives, and then they each snuffed out a candle before exiting the sanctuary. By the time the last person left, the sanctuary was completely dark, and attendees left in total silence.
So what does this have to do with doubt and risking yourself totally? Those who planned this Maundy Thursday service (and others I have attended over the years) did an excellent job of creating an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit truly was present. Jesus was THERE on Thursday night! Some of those in attendance probably doubt that, but I know He was THERE! And He helped us to truly feel as if WE were there the night of the “Lord’s Supper” in the “Upper Room,” as described in scripture. By the end of the one-hour service, it was easy for many of us to feel the agony and sorrow of that supper. It was easy to envision the heartache and total dread that gripped Jesus later that night as He went to the garden to pray, knowing the horrible abuses He would soon suffer.
As people exited the sanctuary that night, many of us held back. We stayed in part because we were rehearsing for Easter Sunday afterward, but there was another reason. Many of us were moved by the moment – and by Jesus’ presence. We were reduced to tears, as we thought about what this all meant for us… the incredibly HUGE sacrifices Christ made for us on the cross. As we quietly began to move toward one another, I couldn’t help but feel it was much like being at the funeral visitation of a close friend or family member. We exchanged quiet smiles, hugs of encouragement, and a simple, friendly squeeze of the hand. For awhile I sat with band members, friends, and my pastor, and we silently meditated on Jesus. I shared hugs with my Associate Pastor and friends from the Emmaus community in quiet understanding of what we were experiencing. We knew what the other felt in that moment… and we KNEW Jesus was there.
I wish I could say that EVERY moment of the day is as profound as that. I wish I could say that I am that certain always of Jesus’ presence. The fault is mine, not His… because He truly IS with me always – I am the one with doubts. What about you? Do you feel Jesus’ presence in your daily life, and are you certain it is Him? Or do you doubt more often than you believe? I encourage you to spend quiet time in thought and prayer, calling Him to you, listening and looking for His presence in your daily life. The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb… He rose and lives among us even now. Don’t hold back! Don’t doubt His presence! Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you! [James 4:8 KJV, paraphrased]
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 23 ~ Matthew 5:48
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward 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.)
I heard an evangelist once describe us as “heirs to the Kingdom of God.” He said that makes us “princes and princesses!” But quite often, he said, we act more like the dogs who beg for scraps at the dinner table – crawling around on the floor picking up whatever we can.
I don’t know about you, but given the choice between being a dog who begs for scraps and a princess – the daughter of the King of Kings – I think I will take a seat at God’s table and eat like royalty!
Does this mean I will be arrogant and “lord it over” others? Does this mean I will look down on those who sin and don’t live a Godly life? Does this mean I will pass judgment on others and decide who is living for Jesus and who is not? The answer to all of these questions is “No! Absolutely not!” If we are going to talk about undeserving people here, we would have to include ourselves, because certainly we are not worthy to sit at God’s table as His heirs and royalty.
So, if we want to be like our Father, we have to act in grace and mercy toward other people. Someone told me that she calls this “loving the unlovely.” I like that! It’s not that any of us are “unloveable” – but our behavior is often “unlovely.” And yet God loves us anyway. So how can we do any less for others. I’m sitting at the King’s table… are you?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 22 ~ Matthew 5:43-47
"Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has handpicked you to be briefed on his plan of action. You've actually seen the Righteous Innocent and heard him speak. You are to be a key witness to everyone you meet of what you've seen and heard. So what are you waiting for? Get up and get yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally acquainted 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.)
Other translations of this passage include the phrase, “love your enemies.” Jesus tells us that rather than love our neighbors and hate our enemies, we should pray for those who mistreat us and love our enemies. We are all God’s children, and God has called us to “love one another” and that means EVERYONE, not just those who are nice to us and love us.
I don’t want to believe I truly have “enemies,” but in my life, I have encountered people who did not have my best interest at heart. They were out to get what they wanted for themselves, and if that came at the expense of others, so be it. They were hard to love! But more than once, my husband and I have both had other people say to us, “I saw how you handled So-and-So, and I was so impressed. You had every right to be so mad and say unkind things, but you never did.” I’m telling you, other people are watching us!
And that is what Jesus is saying in this passage… others ARE watching, and they are expecting to see Him in our actions and behavior. They are expecting to see love, grace, mercy, and kindness. They are expecting to see someone who emulates Jesus Christ, and quite honestly, some are expecting to be able to trip you up! Don’t let them! Don’t give Satan any victory here. Be a key witness to everyone you meet… let them see Jesus in your words and actions… and reactions! You are a child of the Most High God… now act like one!
©2008 Debbie Robus
David said it all:
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side.
I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you'll never dump me in Hades;
I'll never even smell the stench of death.
You've got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.
29-36 "Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—'no trip to Hades, no stench of death.' This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,
God said to my Master, "Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet."
"All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross."
(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 more years than I can count, Easter was a “nice holiday,” but the full meaning of the weekend was somewhat lost on me. As a little girl, the main events of Easter for me focused on getting a new dress – and sometimes hat, purse, gloves and shoes – and what would be in our Easter baskets on Sunday morning. We hid eggs in the yard for days and ate candy until we were stuffed. I especially loved the “bird eggs” and would almost make myself sick on them. And those “crème eggs” – well, it was heaven on earth to have a “license” to eat all of that chocolate and sugary confection!
When I was an adult, one Sunday near Christmas, our pastor said that the REAL story of Christmas was not in the birth of Christ. The REAL story came at Easter in the resurrection from the tomb! As I began to fully grasp what Jesus did for us on the cross – the mental agony of knowing what was coming, followed by the actual physical abuse, pain, and suffering – I began to focus less on the birth and more on the death and resurrection. I realized what my pastor meant by this comment, and Easter became more special to me.
Now what does this have to do with this passage in Acts? For me, it reinforces my FAITH in the resurrection of Jesus to sit at God’s right hand in heaven. There are a lot of people who give lip service to this and SAY they believe it, but they don’t live it. A lot of people have not found the Holy Spirit and acknowledged Him as their daily companion… and maybe you are among them. Jesus didn’t just go to heaven and leave us here to make an occasional “Spiritual long-distance call” to Him in heaven. He sent His Spirit to live in our hearts and walk with us every minute of every day. But WE have to recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence – and His POWER!
Imagine it – David knew this would happen and told of it long before Christ was ever born. God made it a reality, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is as real today as it was in the vision David had so long ago. Today, my Easter may or may not include a new dress or chocolate bunnies and bird eggs, but certainly they have new meaning for me. They symbolize my rebirth as a Christian and my new, fresh Spirit-filled existence in Christ, Whose Holy Spirit never leaves me. The Cross is now as much a symbol of Easter for me as a bunny, lily, or baby chick. There is a song that says “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool” and I know that someday I will kneel there with David and other believers and worship my Master and Messiah. Will you be there with me?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 27 ~ Acts 2:14-27
14-21That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says,
"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I'll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they'll prophesy.
I'll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved."
22-28 "Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for 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.)
Have you ever taken the law into your own hands? Have you ever said to your younger brother or sister, “I don’t care what Mom said… Mom isn’t here, and I’m in charge!” And then you went ahead with your choices and plans, which weren’t always necessarily right or fair. And maybe later you found out your Mom had a really good reason for her own rules and ways of doing things, and you had, in essence, screwed things up royally and caused a big problem. Or maybe at work, you have done this by “overriding” the decision of a boss or co-worker, deciding YOUR way was better! I am reminded of several episodes of “Andy Griffith” where Barney Fife thought Andy was making poor decisions, and Barney was just sure HE could do thing better. It NEVER worked and was quite often a disaster.
Now, almost to a person, we would probably all say we would never even consider overriding GOD’s plans, because… well… He is GOD! But do you see that we do that all the time? “Yes, God…” you say, “I know you want me to go to church and Sunday School, but I stayed out really late last night, and I have got to get some rest before school on Monday!” Or… “Yes, God, I know you don’t want me to marry this girl, but I LOVE her! We will work out the fact that she is Jewish and I’m Methodist. It will be okay.” Or… “God, you don’t REALLY mean for me to go into ministry, do you?! I can just serve in the church on a couple of committees and worship on Sunday. But puh-leeeese! Don’t ask me to be a lay speaker or sing in the choir!” Or even… “God, I know I should help that person, but I am so busy! Surely someone else can do it!”
See, we do this all the time, and in this respect, we are no better than the soldiers who crucified Jesus. And just like death was no match for Jesus, we are no match for God! It is time we realized that His plans for us are for good, not harm or evil, as stated in Jeremiah 29:11. It is time we realized that we serve GOD, not the other way around. It’s time we stopped trying to override His plans and decisions and humbled ourselves to serving Him as HE pleases. I am thankful that I don’t have to EARN God’s favor – in fact, I can’t! But in comparison to all He does for me every day, the least I can do is to humble myself before Him and follow His plans for my life. What about you… are you a Barney Fife for God, or are you upholding His laws?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 26 ~ Acts 1:1-11
1-5 Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but "must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."
6 When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?"
7-8 He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."
9-11 These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, "You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left."
(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.)
“Timing is the Father’s business.” Yeah, but… we want it NOW! We want it OUR WAY! We want things on OUR TIMELINE! How often do we set down a path that is of our own making, and we either don’t ask God what HE wants, or if we do, we don’t pay any attention to His answer? I am by nature an impatient person. I think it is in my genes. My dad was a man of action. He saw a need and he did something about it as quickly as possible. He didn’t leave tasks unfinished. My grandmother is even more this way. She will call and ask for help with something, and before I can get to her house, she has called someone else who could come a little quicker and get the task done. So this scripture has particular importance for people like me!
In some things, it wouldn’t be a terrible thing if I forge ahead on my own timetable. But the danger comes in not knowing when to move and when to wait on God – and soon we aren’t waiting on Him for anything, great or small! So, when someone asks me to make a pie for a family who has lost a loved one, I’ll probably agree readily and make the pie. But if someone says, “I would like for you to come to our Bible study,” I will have to pray and ask God if He wants me to attend. If someone says, “Why don’t you skip church on Sunday and come with us to a lodge in the Ozarks for the weekend?” I have to ask God, “Are you sending me for some needed rest and time away, or is this all my doing?”
Certainly in big decisions, we must wait on God’s timing, and when things don’t work out like we want, we have to remind ourselves of this scripture passage. God’s timing may not include keeping your parents around to see you grow up, marry, and have children of your own. God’s timing may mean that He calls home a young child with lymphoma, yet he leaves an elderly woman to live in the nursing home with Alzheimer’s and not even recognize her own children. God may squeeze you out of your job and into early retirement or a different job – or he may move you to a new city and a new job, even if you aren’t wanting to go. God may not sell your house so you can buy a new or bigger one. God may seem to block your efforts to do or acquire something you want, and all of a sudden, something happens that shows you what a huge mistake that purchase or event would have been! I cannot tell you how many times I have looked back at past events and clearly seen God’s hand in the timing.
As this passage tells us, the Holy Spirit is with us to see us through whatever God brings our way. We are never left alone. Knowing this, we can relax and listen for God’s voice and trust His timing in all things, from the smallest issue to the largest. So I tell you with confidence and experience to pray about EVERYTHING. Be sure that you are using God’s watch and not your own. Timing truly IS the Father’s business… and His timing is always perfect!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 25 - Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."
(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 have probably heard this passage a zillion times. It is commonly referred to as “The Great Commission.” We all learn early in our Sunday School or Vacation Bible School careers to “go into the world and baptize all nations.” Some interpret this as instruction to become missionaries around the world. Others feel it is a command to witness to everyone you meet, everywhere you go. And it is all of that – and more.
Do you remember when you were a little kid, and an adult would show you how to do something, and then they would say, “Now you do it!” Sometimes they stayed with you until you got the hang of it, but in the end, they taught you to do things, and then they left! The sentence I want us to focus on today is the last one. Jesus says, “I’ll be with you as you do this…” He didn’t say, “Okay, I’m done here – you’re on your own – now go do what I told you to do.” Sometimes we need to be able to turn to someone and say, “Is this okay? Is this really how to do this? Am I doing it right?” And even in our Christian service, we sometimes need to ask Jesus, “Is this okay? Am I doing it right? Can you help me with this?” And you know what? He IS there! He WILL answer and help you.
Man! This is FANTASTIC news, isn’t it? It makes all the difference! Knowing that Jesus is with us, we can confidently “go into the world” and teach others about Him. We can spread the Gospel and fulfill “The Great Commission,” and we can know that Jesus Himself is right there beside us. There is no way we can fail. There is no way He will let us even wobble, if we remember WHO is beside us. So “go into the world” with bold confidence, and share Jesus with everyone you meet, every day of your life. Help others to find their way to Jesus and make Him THEIR constant companion every day as well. And if you have a question, ask Jesus to give you a “refresher course” and set you on the right path again.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 24 ~ Matthew 28:16-17
Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.
(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.)
Isn’t that just like Christians?! We want so badly to believe the teachings and promises of Jesus, but there is something in us that quite often nags at us to doubt. Last week our church had Maundy Thursday service before Easter Sunday. According to an explanation at www.umc.org “The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, which means "commandment." The traditional Maundy Thursday service includes Holy Communion and a commemoration of Jesus’ commandment that the bread and wine represent His body and blood, shed for us, and that we are to remember these sacrifices and do all we can to live for Him. In some churches, Maundy Thursday service includes foot washing, which was customary in the days when Jesus walked among us. In fact, Jesus Himself washed His disciples’ feet.
At our Maundy Thursday service this year, we heard beautiful music and singing about the crucifixion and resurrection. We saw the crucifixion simulated in a liturgical dance. We shared Holy Communion. We heard the “Easter scriptures” read by twelve people who reminded us how those passages related to our everyday lives, and then they each snuffed out a candle before exiting the sanctuary. By the time the last person left, the sanctuary was completely dark, and attendees left in total silence.
So what does this have to do with doubt and risking yourself totally? Those who planned this Maundy Thursday service (and others I have attended over the years) did an excellent job of creating an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit truly was present. Jesus was THERE on Thursday night! Some of those in attendance probably doubt that, but I know He was THERE! And He helped us to truly feel as if WE were there the night of the “Lord’s Supper” in the “Upper Room,” as described in scripture. By the end of the one-hour service, it was easy for many of us to feel the agony and sorrow of that supper. It was easy to envision the heartache and total dread that gripped Jesus later that night as He went to the garden to pray, knowing the horrible abuses He would soon suffer.
As people exited the sanctuary that night, many of us held back. We stayed in part because we were rehearsing for Easter Sunday afterward, but there was another reason. Many of us were moved by the moment – and by Jesus’ presence. We were reduced to tears, as we thought about what this all meant for us… the incredibly HUGE sacrifices Christ made for us on the cross. As we quietly began to move toward one another, I couldn’t help but feel it was much like being at the funeral visitation of a close friend or family member. We exchanged quiet smiles, hugs of encouragement, and a simple, friendly squeeze of the hand. For awhile I sat with band members, friends, and my pastor, and we silently meditated on Jesus. I shared hugs with my Associate Pastor and friends from the Emmaus community in quiet understanding of what we were experiencing. We knew what the other felt in that moment… and we KNEW Jesus was there.
I wish I could say that EVERY moment of the day is as profound as that. I wish I could say that I am that certain always of Jesus’ presence. The fault is mine, not His… because He truly IS with me always – I am the one with doubts. What about you? Do you feel Jesus’ presence in your daily life, and are you certain it is Him? Or do you doubt more often than you believe? I encourage you to spend quiet time in thought and prayer, calling Him to you, listening and looking for His presence in your daily life. The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb… He rose and lives among us even now. Don’t hold back! Don’t doubt His presence! Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you! [James 4:8 KJV, paraphrased]
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 23 ~ Matthew 5:48
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward 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.)
I heard an evangelist once describe us as “heirs to the Kingdom of God.” He said that makes us “princes and princesses!” But quite often, he said, we act more like the dogs who beg for scraps at the dinner table – crawling around on the floor picking up whatever we can.
I don’t know about you, but given the choice between being a dog who begs for scraps and a princess – the daughter of the King of Kings – I think I will take a seat at God’s table and eat like royalty!
Does this mean I will be arrogant and “lord it over” others? Does this mean I will look down on those who sin and don’t live a Godly life? Does this mean I will pass judgment on others and decide who is living for Jesus and who is not? The answer to all of these questions is “No! Absolutely not!” If we are going to talk about undeserving people here, we would have to include ourselves, because certainly we are not worthy to sit at God’s table as His heirs and royalty.
So, if we want to be like our Father, we have to act in grace and mercy toward other people. Someone told me that she calls this “loving the unlovely.” I like that! It’s not that any of us are “unloveable” – but our behavior is often “unlovely.” And yet God loves us anyway. So how can we do any less for others. I’m sitting at the King’s table… are you?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 22 ~ Matthew 5:43-47
"Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has handpicked you to be briefed on his plan of action. You've actually seen the Righteous Innocent and heard him speak. You are to be a key witness to everyone you meet of what you've seen and heard. So what are you waiting for? Get up and get yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally acquainted 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.)
Other translations of this passage include the phrase, “love your enemies.” Jesus tells us that rather than love our neighbors and hate our enemies, we should pray for those who mistreat us and love our enemies. We are all God’s children, and God has called us to “love one another” and that means EVERYONE, not just those who are nice to us and love us.
I don’t want to believe I truly have “enemies,” but in my life, I have encountered people who did not have my best interest at heart. They were out to get what they wanted for themselves, and if that came at the expense of others, so be it. They were hard to love! But more than once, my husband and I have both had other people say to us, “I saw how you handled So-and-So, and I was so impressed. You had every right to be so mad and say unkind things, but you never did.” I’m telling you, other people are watching us!
And that is what Jesus is saying in this passage… others ARE watching, and they are expecting to see Him in our actions and behavior. They are expecting to see love, grace, mercy, and kindness. They are expecting to see someone who emulates Jesus Christ, and quite honestly, some are expecting to be able to trip you up! Don’t let them! Don’t give Satan any victory here. Be a key witness to everyone you meet… let them see Jesus in your words and actions… and reactions! You are a child of the Most High God… now act like one!
©2008 Debbie Robus
You are Blessed - Week 3
March 21 ~ Matthew 5:38-42
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.”
(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 spring of 1973, platform shoes and short dresses were all the rage for teenage girls. I knew how to sew, and I made a lot of my clothes myself. I had a wonderful white dress with orange checked flowers (it was the 70’s, okay?!) and a front inset of orange checked fabric. The short-sleeved dress was a “mini” – but it met the school standards of a proper length above the knee – and it tied in the back. I loved that dress, and the platform sandals I wore with it.
One warm sunny day, as we gathered outside the door to the school building before the bell rang to signal the end of our lunch break, a “friend” of mine approached, carrying a very long snake by its head. The tail was swinging freely back and forth. He knew I was terrified of snakes, and he headed right toward me. I didn’t know at the time that the snake was dead, but it wouldn’t have mattered. I started back-pedaling, walking as fast as I could, and then, absolutely freaked out, I turned and started to run – in my 3” wedge sandals!
Well, you can imagine, I didn’t get very far. I fell, and probably my orange and white dress flew up toward my head, but I was sufficiently embarrassed… and I do think the boy felt badly. He stuck out his hand and helped me get up, and he apologized and told me the snake was dead – as if that mattered! But I was so mad at him! I was seething and determined to make him pay! I began then and there to plot my revenge.
This boy had beautiful long, curly black hair. I’m talking long, as in shoulder length. He was in my church’s youth choir, and I decided the way to get him back was to slip up behind him as he played the piano and chop off his hair with a pair of scissors. I talked to some friends who were going to keep him distracted while I did it – we had it all planned out. That would teach him to embarrass me!
I thought about this long and hard… and I imagined it in my mind… I envisioned the look on his face and everyone laughing at him and how wonderful that would feel to make him pay. And in the end, I just could not do it. In the end, I did nothing, because I realized that the way to make him pay was to “take the high road” and practice the servant life of kindness and generosity in spirit. I realized that, by loving him and being kind to him and continuing to treat him as my friend, he would feel far worse for his actions than if I tried to spite him. And, let’s face it, at 16 years old, I was also more than a little bit chicken!
I haven’t seen my friend in more than thirty years now, but when I think of him, I always think of the snake and my dress and wedge sandals... and I am glad I didn’t cut his hair in a weak attempt at “tit-for-tat” games. As time has passed and I have grown Spiritually, I have learned that praying for those who hurt us or embarrass us is a far better tactic – and truly the best “revenge.”
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 20 ~ Matthew 5:33-37
"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.”
(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.)
Other translations of this passage say we should not swear, as in “Give me five bucks – I swear I’ll pay you back!” But I find this passage interesting, because I had not considered that “pious talk” is just as bad… or even worse, because you are manipulating God’s words and promises to make yourself look better or more important!
It has gotten to be a common thing with some people, including a few of my friends and family, to sign off notes, cards, and such with the tag line… “Blessings.” Sometimes I wonder, “Who are they blessing?” I am sure they mean to imply “May God’s blessings be upon you.” – but do other people “get” that meaning? Over and over I have reminded you that people are watching and listening! As Christians, we must be constantly mindful of this and behave accordingly. We can’t use curse words to fit in with a rougher crowd who enjoys this language. But we also can’t throw around “Blessings” and “Go with God” – or the exclamation that gets me like fingernails on a chalkboard – “Oh my God!” with a casual attitude.
We have to guard our comments… and our catch phrases… and be the “real deal” all the time for God. Our “Yes” has to be “Yes” and our “No” has to be “No” and people shouldn’t have to try to decipher our true meaning. We shouldn’t have to add, “I swear” for emphasis. And calling on the Lord’s name as an exclamation is taking His name in vain in my book, and that is clearly addressed in scripture.
So don’t color your language… with curses, exclamations, and oaths. Be genuine. Say what you mean and mean what you say… and leave it at that! And if you tell someone you are praying for them or asking God to bless them, be sure you follow through and do just that!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 19 ~ Matthew 5:31-32
"Remember the Scripture that says, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights'? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you're automatically an adulterer yourself. You can't use legal cover to mask a moral failure.
(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 knew a young woman and man who had a lavish wedding ceremony. They were happily married – for awhile – and the next thing you know, they were divorced. A year or so later, the woman met another man, and they became engaged. Someone asked the woman’s mother, “Is this IT?” The mother shrugged and said, “I don’t know. You know, kids today don’t look at marriage the same. If it lasts for a few years, that’s great, and then they move on to the next one.”
I have to tell you, I was astounded – not only that this intelligent woman who had been married for probably 30 years or better herself was saying this – but also that she said it with such conviction. Maybe I am naïve, but I do not want to believe that this is really how today’s youth view marriage! If you are reading your Bible, you can’t possibly believe this is how it should be.
Matthew 5: 31-32 is a really hard passage to study – and I certainly do not mean to hurt any feelings here or step on any toes by including it. But a lot of the teachings of the scripture are hard lessons. Nobody said being a Christian was for sissies! What I want you to get from this passage today is that Jesus is telling us that making a marriage – even a Christian marriage - work is just that… WORK! He is clearly telling us that marriage is not something you “DO” for a few years with one person, then divorce and move on to the next. He is telling us that anyone who thinks that getting married and then divorced over and over is better than just “sleeping around” or having long-term relationships outside of marriage is wrong – and immoral.
The Bible is full of guidelines and advice for how to make a Christian marriage work – and last. If that’s not enough, there are wonderful studies… books, DVDs, tapes, and seminars that can help. But hiding behind the “legalities” and papers of marriage and divorce does not justify disobedience to God’s plans. Is marriage hard? You bet! Is it worth the effort? I believe so. Will there be bumps in the road? Absolutely! But I am a firm believer that “with God, all things are possible” – and that includes a successful, happy marriage.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 18 ~ Matthew 5:29-30
"Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump.”
(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.)
Believe it or not, in some cultures, if you are caught stealing, the authorities can cut off your hands. In October 1996 a woman in Afghanistan had the tip of her thumb cut off by the Taliban for wearing nail polish, which the Taliban considered sinful.
Thankfully, this is NOT what Jesus is teaching in this passage. He is not saying to literally cut off body parts if you feel they cause you to sin. Jesus is showing us that sin is serious business… and that being morally pure is important, but nobody ever said it would be easy! Jesus is showing us that we have to be continually awake and alert… and when we see Satan tippy-toeing toward us to tempt us in some manner, we are to raise “the Sword of the Lord” and send Him packing!
So when you feel yourself tempted to hit someone in anger, think of this passage and ask yourself… would this be worth losing my hand? When you feel yourself ready to spread a vicious rumor about someone, ask yourself, “Is this worth losing my tongue?” When you are tempted to gesture obscenely or unkindly toward another person, consider… “would this moment be worth losing my finger or hand?” When you feel yourself slipping into any sinful act, thought or feeling, stop and ask, “What if this cost me the ability to use that part of my body forever?”
I am so glad that God doesn’t operate like this. Surely He could, but because of the blood of Jesus, we have His grace and mercy, and it is not His desire to harm a single hair on our heads. Like I said earlier, being a Christian isn’t easy… many days it’s downright HARD! But it is so worth it. Set your standards high and work with all you have to meet them every day. In this Holy Week, stop to thank Jesus for the amazing sacrifice He made for us… and live like you mean it!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 17 ~ Matthew 5:27-28
"You know the next commandment pretty well, too: 'Don't go to bed with another's spouse.' But don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices - they also corrupt.”
(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 hope most of you “get it” about adultery and lusting after another person’s spouse (or boyfriend or girlfriend). And I am sure you have heard the phrase “lust in your heart” before… and if you have gone to Sunday School or church, you have probably studied this and heard that Jesus says that you can be corrupt in your heart – and that your thoughts can be dangerous – and sinful, too. But did you know that “lust” refers to more than just one person’s sexual desire for another? Did you know that people “lust after” all sorts of things? Some people lust after power. Some people lust after money. Some people lust after the things other people have – including their spouses and/or girlfriends/boyfriends. Some people lust after one more drink, or getting high, or gambling. Regardless of what “drives” an individual, quite often his/her “desires of the heart” are corrupt. “But wait!” you may be saying…”You are telling me it’s corrupt to desire money and success? You are saying I commit a sin when I desire a nice car or decent clothes or popularity?”
No… I am saying that quite often, our desires become our obsession… our compulsion… and the “desires of our heart.” And in that manner, they become corrupt, because we spend far too much time thinking about them… obsessing over how to make them a reality. And more often than not, we fall into a trap of doing things we would never do otherwise just to achieve our desires. I promise you that more than one cheating lover has said, “I never meant for this to happen.” But that person didn’t guard his/her heart. He/she didn’t keep the focus on Jesus, and what started out as innocent thoughts or flirting, or a cup of coffee with a “friend” escalated to much more. What started out as being nice to the “in crowd” and trying to fit in led to doing things you would never do otherwise just to stay popular. What started out as a desire to be successful in business and financially secure led to becoming a workaholic who neglected his/her family and friends and would stop at nothing to make a sale, achieve that next level of success, or sell another stock and make a bundle of money.
Jesus is reminding us here of so much more than keeping ourselves pure and true in romance and sexual intimacy. He is reminding us that our thoughts are powerful… and they are often Satan’s gateway. Guard your heart. Keep your focus on Jesus… and make Him the center of your desires. Everything else will fall into place as it should. When Jesus is your “heart’s desire,” your virtue will never be in question.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 16 - Matthew 5:25-26
"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won't get out without a stiff fine.”
(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.)
Have you ever known of someone to get so mad at another person that they said, “I am just about ready to kill him/her!”? While they probably are just blowing off some steam (and we learned a few days back how dangerous – and sinful this is!) and they would never truly do this – or even seriously consider it, this IS a dangerous statement. It is amazing how quickly some situations can escalate, and the next thing you know, a casual statement or threat has been realized.
My reply would be, “that person is not worth going to jail over.” And if you have heard this retort before, you now know where it came from. This is directly from the teachings of Jesus Christ. He is telling us that retaliating toward an “enemy” carries the risk of being hauled off to jail. “Okay,” you’re thinking… “I can see that hitting a guy for stealing my girlfriend would not be a good idea. But what if someone spreads a vicious rumor about me, so I start one about them? I can’t go to jail for that!” You may not go to jail, but when it gets out (and it WILL come out) that your comments were untrue, your reputation may be ruined and will most surely be questioned. Retaliation is just not the answer… and it could have serious consequences… including jail!
So the next time someone says or does something to hurt you, don’t retaliate. You don’t have to lie down and take it, but do all you can to work things out with this person and move on with your life. You’ll be glad you did, and your obedience to God will please Him.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 15 ~ Matthew 5:23-24
"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out 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.)
Have you ever tried to talk to God about your problems when you were mad or upset about something or someone? Have you ever gone to church on Sunday with an unresolved argument or issue weighing on you? It’s hard to ask God to help you… or to worship Him… when things aren’t right in your own heart, isn’t it?
I have seen people sitting in the congregation who I knew were angry or upset with each other. I have seen people who have an ongoing feud sit on opposite sides of the sanctuary and try to worship God. And I am not passing judgment on these people… truly I’m not. In fact, if I know that a situation like this exists between two people, I pray for them, right then and there!
This scripture passage is very clear that God has a “protocol” in place. Until you make peace with your “brother,” you are not to bring your offering to God. I don’t mean to be irreverent, but it is a little like God is saying, “until you settle your differences, talk to the Hand!” Don’t do this to yourself – or to God. Get right with those around you and settle your differences – TODAY – and go to God with a clear conscience and an open spirit. Don’t miss one second of His blessings because of grudges and insults/indignities of a human nature. Whatever is bugging you – or whatever you have done to bug someone else, make it right today, and approach God free of this sort of baggage. You’ll be so glad you did.
©2008 Debbie Robus
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.”
(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 spring of 1973, platform shoes and short dresses were all the rage for teenage girls. I knew how to sew, and I made a lot of my clothes myself. I had a wonderful white dress with orange checked flowers (it was the 70’s, okay?!) and a front inset of orange checked fabric. The short-sleeved dress was a “mini” – but it met the school standards of a proper length above the knee – and it tied in the back. I loved that dress, and the platform sandals I wore with it.
One warm sunny day, as we gathered outside the door to the school building before the bell rang to signal the end of our lunch break, a “friend” of mine approached, carrying a very long snake by its head. The tail was swinging freely back and forth. He knew I was terrified of snakes, and he headed right toward me. I didn’t know at the time that the snake was dead, but it wouldn’t have mattered. I started back-pedaling, walking as fast as I could, and then, absolutely freaked out, I turned and started to run – in my 3” wedge sandals!
Well, you can imagine, I didn’t get very far. I fell, and probably my orange and white dress flew up toward my head, but I was sufficiently embarrassed… and I do think the boy felt badly. He stuck out his hand and helped me get up, and he apologized and told me the snake was dead – as if that mattered! But I was so mad at him! I was seething and determined to make him pay! I began then and there to plot my revenge.
This boy had beautiful long, curly black hair. I’m talking long, as in shoulder length. He was in my church’s youth choir, and I decided the way to get him back was to slip up behind him as he played the piano and chop off his hair with a pair of scissors. I talked to some friends who were going to keep him distracted while I did it – we had it all planned out. That would teach him to embarrass me!
I thought about this long and hard… and I imagined it in my mind… I envisioned the look on his face and everyone laughing at him and how wonderful that would feel to make him pay. And in the end, I just could not do it. In the end, I did nothing, because I realized that the way to make him pay was to “take the high road” and practice the servant life of kindness and generosity in spirit. I realized that, by loving him and being kind to him and continuing to treat him as my friend, he would feel far worse for his actions than if I tried to spite him. And, let’s face it, at 16 years old, I was also more than a little bit chicken!
I haven’t seen my friend in more than thirty years now, but when I think of him, I always think of the snake and my dress and wedge sandals... and I am glad I didn’t cut his hair in a weak attempt at “tit-for-tat” games. As time has passed and I have grown Spiritually, I have learned that praying for those who hurt us or embarrass us is a far better tactic – and truly the best “revenge.”
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 20 ~ Matthew 5:33-37
"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.”
(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.)
Other translations of this passage say we should not swear, as in “Give me five bucks – I swear I’ll pay you back!” But I find this passage interesting, because I had not considered that “pious talk” is just as bad… or even worse, because you are manipulating God’s words and promises to make yourself look better or more important!
It has gotten to be a common thing with some people, including a few of my friends and family, to sign off notes, cards, and such with the tag line… “Blessings.” Sometimes I wonder, “Who are they blessing?” I am sure they mean to imply “May God’s blessings be upon you.” – but do other people “get” that meaning? Over and over I have reminded you that people are watching and listening! As Christians, we must be constantly mindful of this and behave accordingly. We can’t use curse words to fit in with a rougher crowd who enjoys this language. But we also can’t throw around “Blessings” and “Go with God” – or the exclamation that gets me like fingernails on a chalkboard – “Oh my God!” with a casual attitude.
We have to guard our comments… and our catch phrases… and be the “real deal” all the time for God. Our “Yes” has to be “Yes” and our “No” has to be “No” and people shouldn’t have to try to decipher our true meaning. We shouldn’t have to add, “I swear” for emphasis. And calling on the Lord’s name as an exclamation is taking His name in vain in my book, and that is clearly addressed in scripture.
So don’t color your language… with curses, exclamations, and oaths. Be genuine. Say what you mean and mean what you say… and leave it at that! And if you tell someone you are praying for them or asking God to bless them, be sure you follow through and do just that!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 19 ~ Matthew 5:31-32
"Remember the Scripture that says, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights'? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you're automatically an adulterer yourself. You can't use legal cover to mask a moral failure.
(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 knew a young woman and man who had a lavish wedding ceremony. They were happily married – for awhile – and the next thing you know, they were divorced. A year or so later, the woman met another man, and they became engaged. Someone asked the woman’s mother, “Is this IT?” The mother shrugged and said, “I don’t know. You know, kids today don’t look at marriage the same. If it lasts for a few years, that’s great, and then they move on to the next one.”
I have to tell you, I was astounded – not only that this intelligent woman who had been married for probably 30 years or better herself was saying this – but also that she said it with such conviction. Maybe I am naïve, but I do not want to believe that this is really how today’s youth view marriage! If you are reading your Bible, you can’t possibly believe this is how it should be.
Matthew 5: 31-32 is a really hard passage to study – and I certainly do not mean to hurt any feelings here or step on any toes by including it. But a lot of the teachings of the scripture are hard lessons. Nobody said being a Christian was for sissies! What I want you to get from this passage today is that Jesus is telling us that making a marriage – even a Christian marriage - work is just that… WORK! He is clearly telling us that marriage is not something you “DO” for a few years with one person, then divorce and move on to the next. He is telling us that anyone who thinks that getting married and then divorced over and over is better than just “sleeping around” or having long-term relationships outside of marriage is wrong – and immoral.
The Bible is full of guidelines and advice for how to make a Christian marriage work – and last. If that’s not enough, there are wonderful studies… books, DVDs, tapes, and seminars that can help. But hiding behind the “legalities” and papers of marriage and divorce does not justify disobedience to God’s plans. Is marriage hard? You bet! Is it worth the effort? I believe so. Will there be bumps in the road? Absolutely! But I am a firm believer that “with God, all things are possible” – and that includes a successful, happy marriage.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 18 ~ Matthew 5:29-30
"Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump.”
(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.)
Believe it or not, in some cultures, if you are caught stealing, the authorities can cut off your hands. In October 1996 a woman in Afghanistan had the tip of her thumb cut off by the Taliban for wearing nail polish, which the Taliban considered sinful.
Thankfully, this is NOT what Jesus is teaching in this passage. He is not saying to literally cut off body parts if you feel they cause you to sin. Jesus is showing us that sin is serious business… and that being morally pure is important, but nobody ever said it would be easy! Jesus is showing us that we have to be continually awake and alert… and when we see Satan tippy-toeing toward us to tempt us in some manner, we are to raise “the Sword of the Lord” and send Him packing!
So when you feel yourself tempted to hit someone in anger, think of this passage and ask yourself… would this be worth losing my hand? When you feel yourself ready to spread a vicious rumor about someone, ask yourself, “Is this worth losing my tongue?” When you are tempted to gesture obscenely or unkindly toward another person, consider… “would this moment be worth losing my finger or hand?” When you feel yourself slipping into any sinful act, thought or feeling, stop and ask, “What if this cost me the ability to use that part of my body forever?”
I am so glad that God doesn’t operate like this. Surely He could, but because of the blood of Jesus, we have His grace and mercy, and it is not His desire to harm a single hair on our heads. Like I said earlier, being a Christian isn’t easy… many days it’s downright HARD! But it is so worth it. Set your standards high and work with all you have to meet them every day. In this Holy Week, stop to thank Jesus for the amazing sacrifice He made for us… and live like you mean it!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 17 ~ Matthew 5:27-28
"You know the next commandment pretty well, too: 'Don't go to bed with another's spouse.' But don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices - they also corrupt.”
(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 hope most of you “get it” about adultery and lusting after another person’s spouse (or boyfriend or girlfriend). And I am sure you have heard the phrase “lust in your heart” before… and if you have gone to Sunday School or church, you have probably studied this and heard that Jesus says that you can be corrupt in your heart – and that your thoughts can be dangerous – and sinful, too. But did you know that “lust” refers to more than just one person’s sexual desire for another? Did you know that people “lust after” all sorts of things? Some people lust after power. Some people lust after money. Some people lust after the things other people have – including their spouses and/or girlfriends/boyfriends. Some people lust after one more drink, or getting high, or gambling. Regardless of what “drives” an individual, quite often his/her “desires of the heart” are corrupt. “But wait!” you may be saying…”You are telling me it’s corrupt to desire money and success? You are saying I commit a sin when I desire a nice car or decent clothes or popularity?”
No… I am saying that quite often, our desires become our obsession… our compulsion… and the “desires of our heart.” And in that manner, they become corrupt, because we spend far too much time thinking about them… obsessing over how to make them a reality. And more often than not, we fall into a trap of doing things we would never do otherwise just to achieve our desires. I promise you that more than one cheating lover has said, “I never meant for this to happen.” But that person didn’t guard his/her heart. He/she didn’t keep the focus on Jesus, and what started out as innocent thoughts or flirting, or a cup of coffee with a “friend” escalated to much more. What started out as being nice to the “in crowd” and trying to fit in led to doing things you would never do otherwise just to stay popular. What started out as a desire to be successful in business and financially secure led to becoming a workaholic who neglected his/her family and friends and would stop at nothing to make a sale, achieve that next level of success, or sell another stock and make a bundle of money.
Jesus is reminding us here of so much more than keeping ourselves pure and true in romance and sexual intimacy. He is reminding us that our thoughts are powerful… and they are often Satan’s gateway. Guard your heart. Keep your focus on Jesus… and make Him the center of your desires. Everything else will fall into place as it should. When Jesus is your “heart’s desire,” your virtue will never be in question.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 16 - Matthew 5:25-26
"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won't get out without a stiff fine.”
(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.)
Have you ever known of someone to get so mad at another person that they said, “I am just about ready to kill him/her!”? While they probably are just blowing off some steam (and we learned a few days back how dangerous – and sinful this is!) and they would never truly do this – or even seriously consider it, this IS a dangerous statement. It is amazing how quickly some situations can escalate, and the next thing you know, a casual statement or threat has been realized.
My reply would be, “that person is not worth going to jail over.” And if you have heard this retort before, you now know where it came from. This is directly from the teachings of Jesus Christ. He is telling us that retaliating toward an “enemy” carries the risk of being hauled off to jail. “Okay,” you’re thinking… “I can see that hitting a guy for stealing my girlfriend would not be a good idea. But what if someone spreads a vicious rumor about me, so I start one about them? I can’t go to jail for that!” You may not go to jail, but when it gets out (and it WILL come out) that your comments were untrue, your reputation may be ruined and will most surely be questioned. Retaliation is just not the answer… and it could have serious consequences… including jail!
So the next time someone says or does something to hurt you, don’t retaliate. You don’t have to lie down and take it, but do all you can to work things out with this person and move on with your life. You’ll be glad you did, and your obedience to God will please Him.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 15 ~ Matthew 5:23-24
"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out 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.)
Have you ever tried to talk to God about your problems when you were mad or upset about something or someone? Have you ever gone to church on Sunday with an unresolved argument or issue weighing on you? It’s hard to ask God to help you… or to worship Him… when things aren’t right in your own heart, isn’t it?
I have seen people sitting in the congregation who I knew were angry or upset with each other. I have seen people who have an ongoing feud sit on opposite sides of the sanctuary and try to worship God. And I am not passing judgment on these people… truly I’m not. In fact, if I know that a situation like this exists between two people, I pray for them, right then and there!
This scripture passage is very clear that God has a “protocol” in place. Until you make peace with your “brother,” you are not to bring your offering to God. I don’t mean to be irreverent, but it is a little like God is saying, “until you settle your differences, talk to the Hand!” Don’t do this to yourself – or to God. Get right with those around you and settle your differences – TODAY – and go to God with a clear conscience and an open spirit. Don’t miss one second of His blessings because of grudges and insults/indignities of a human nature. Whatever is bugging you – or whatever you have done to bug someone else, make it right today, and approach God free of this sort of baggage. You’ll be so glad you did.
©2008 Debbie Robus
You are Blessed - Week 2
March 14 ~ Matthew 5:21-22
"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.”
(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 certainly puts a whole new spin on things, doesn’t it? Who among us hasn’t gotten angry with someone and called them an “idiot” – or worse?! Who hasn’t raised their voice to a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, or child? Who hasn’t yelled at the referee, “Aw c’mon, ref… are you KIDDING me? You have to be deaf, blind and dumb (aka “STUPID”) not to see THAT!
But this is all harmless… right? We’re just “venting” our frustrations – right? Not according to Jesus. He says anger that leads to unkind words is as bad as outright murder. He says, plainly, that words can kill. Remember when I told you that ugly words were like toothpaste… once it’s out of the tube you can’t put it back, and once you say something hurtful, it is very hard to take it back, as well? Jesus takes it one step further here… He says those ugly words are lethal!
Now, I’m willing to bet that none of us would want to commit murder. The very thought of it makes us uneasy. We would NEVER even consider it. So the next time you start to say something unkind… the next time your anger gets the best of you, remember, in Jesus’ eyes, you’re about to commit murder. Don’t do it! Learn to control your thoughts, your anger… and your words. Learn to lean on Jesus and to call on Him to give you peace – in all situations – and to “deliver you from temptation to do – or say - anything evil. The next time you are tempted to call someone an idiot… remember this passage and hold your tongue. You will be blessed in more ways than you know.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 13 ~ Matthew 5:19-20
"Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.”
(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.)
Over and over the questions arise… “Are each of the Ten Commandments equal? Is stealing as sinful as murder?” Here we see that Jesus is telling us that NO sin is acceptable to God. But let’s not overlook what else Jesus is telling us. He is saying that all sins are serious, but He is also reminding us that He died for ALL of our sins! Sure, we must not murder, lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, dishonor our parents. Sure, we are called to worship God and set aside holy time for Him. Most certainly, we must have no other gods before God Almighty.
But don’t miss this – Jesus died for our sins… and as surely as He forgives us for telling a lie or cheating, He forgives the “bigger” sins, too… IF we ask him with a humble heart. This is not a license to murder or commit adultery, but it is an assurance that there is NOTHING that can separate us from the love of Christ. There is no sin He won’t forgive if we truly repent… and the key there is found in John 8:11, where Jesus forgave the woman who was an adulteress and said “go, and sin no more.”
I hope this gives you peace and comfort. I hope that the knowledge that you have not sinned so badly that God cannot forgive you gives encouragement to seek that forgiveness today. Confess your sins and walk in the confidence of knowing that your life honors Christ and God’s Kingdom. Take your life in Christ seriously, and “go and sin no more.”
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 12 ~ Matthew 5:17-18
"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures - either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.”
(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 episode of Extreme Makeover/Home Edition in which the crew built a home for a family in Virginia. The father was part of a National Guard unit deployed to Iraq. Prior to being called up, he had started a home for his wife and two children (one of whom is autistic), and he got it framed before he was deployed. In the following months, the framework warped and rotted and became virtually worthless. Meanwhile, the mother and two children lived in a run-down rental property. So the construction crew demolished this rotten framework and started over on the original foundation, which was solid.
The twist to this story is that the family had bought a piece of property that was once the site of a significant Civil War structure, the Chatham House. They dreamed of building a new house that would resemble this historic structure, and the ABC Extreme Makeover crew turned this dream into a reality. The father is a Civil War history buff, and he was surprised to find a new museum to house his extensive collection of memorabilia – and some donated by fellow collectors – constructed behind the family home. He was able to return to Iraq with the confidence that his family had a safe, comfortable, debt-free home in which to live. This was a great comfort to him, especially in light of knowledge that his return was not a sure thing.
Regardless of how you feel about the Civil War or the war in Iraq, this story is an illustration of how a thread of the past continues to run through our future. God was working in the lives of people in during the Civil War… and He is working in our lives today. We are all participants in one long story that started before Adam and Eve were formed in the Garden of Eden and will continue into Eternity. When we think all is lost… when we think the “framework is rotten,” God steps in and shows us how He can take the foundation and rework it into something to continue for future generations. When we see people whose lives are turned upside-down by illness, injury or war, we see God restore with transplants, artificial limbs, skin grafts, hearing aids and eyeglasses, chemo treatments, and more… and send His children back into the world to continue to further His kingdom.
God is still on the throne! God is still working. Where we see hopeless situations and “rotten wood,” He sees the bigger picture and a chance to “flip our house” into something of value and purpose. So what is rotten in your world today? Where is God pulling it all together and expanding His universe? Are you paying attention, or are you in the way? Search your heart and see where God is remodeling YOUR “house”!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 11 ~ Matthew 5:14-16
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
(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 few years ago, I wrote a book called “What to Say and Do… When You Don’t Know What to Say and Do.” I wrote this book in large part because people were often saying to me, “Well, I would love to do something for So-and-So, but I just don’t know how – I never know what to say.” The people making these comments were quite often what I considered “good Christian folks” who were active in their church and kind, caring people. But because they felt inadequate or inept, they missed opportunities to “let their light [for Christ] shine” – and they missed a chance to be blessed in the bargain.
In my book, I outlined several situations that might feel awkward - everything from illness and death of a loved one to happy events like birthdays and anniversaries. I made dozens of suggestions for ways to show you care, things to say, and what NOT to say and do. Almost all of it was just common sense things, but when we get in a situation where we feel intimidated, we don’t often use our heads, do we? And while we should call on God to help us figure it out, we usually just wring our hands, shrug our shoulders and blow it off... “I can’t do it… that’s just too tough to handle!”
I’m here to tell you that you can handle anything with God! He has called you to be a “Light for Christ” and to let that light shine. That means calling on Him for strength and courage, stepping up and stepping out, and blessing others in Jesus’ name. In our house are a couple of lamps that we have set on timers, so that they come on during the day/evening and stay on until well into the night. They are just little corners of light to keep our house inviting and cozy, and we never come into a dark house. What about your own life? Are the “lamps of Jesus” on in you? When people meet you, do you welcome them and invite them to share in His love, or is your “house” dark? Jesus is calling us today to “turn on the light and let it shine”! Are you ready to kick off the bucket?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 10 ~ Matthew 5:13
"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
(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 grandmother was in the hospital, her dietary chart was flagged as “no salt” due to her heart problems and high blood pressure. At home, she salts pretty much everything – probably twice! – so she was not a happy camper without any salt. She asked me one day, “have you ever tried to eat food without any salt? It’s awful!” She sent me on a mission to find her salt, and I confess, I did it! I figure at 95 years young, if she wants salty food, she should have it! And I have to agree that salt can often make or break the taste of food and whether we enjoy it. Salt often brings out the flavor of the food and makes it much more pleasurable.
Now suppose I had taken my grandmother packets of what was labeled as salt, but it was actually a placebo, and it didn’t enhance the flavor of the food at all. Would she have been happy? Would the food have tasted any better? If I had told her it was salt when it indeed was not, would she have trusted me and believed me in the future?
So it is with our daily walk with Christ. We are to be His “salt”. We are to enhance the “flavor” of Christian living – to do all we can every day to make others’ lives better… and to spread the message of Jesus and His grace and mercy. If our salt has lost its “saltiness” – if we have slacked off in our daily walk with Christ, we can’t be effective as His disciples. We must stay fresh! We must stay awake and alert and be the “salt of the earth” for Christ. How’s your flavor these days?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 9 ~ Matthew 5:11-12
"Not only that - count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens - give a cheer, even! - for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of 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.)
“Jesus freak”…”Bible thumper”…”Holy Roller”… “Charismatic”…”prude”… “goody-two-shoes”… “weirdo”… have you ever been called one of these names or something like it because you are a Christian? Have you ever been criticized for your faith? My friend Boyd made the comment that he really didn’t want to give up his “pagan” friends when he became a Christian, but then he realized it wasn’t an issue because they didn’t want to be around him! And what this passage tells us is that this is a GOOD thing! It means that these people realize, on some level, that what they are doing or how they are living could stand to improve. They are uncomfortable around you because they are reminded of their sinful nature.
So what do you do when people alienate you or put you down or try to discredit you? You pray for them. You love them. A very wise older man in our community used to say, “love people… just love ‘em.” And you know what? It works! People can’t stand it when they try to hurt you and you won’t let them! People can’t understand a grace and mercy that would allow you to be kind to them and even be happy in spite of their mistreatment. There is an old saying that “you get more flies with honey than vinegar” – and the same is true about for Christians. Being ridiculed for loving and serving God is an honor and a privilege… and how you react can be one of the greatest forms of witness you will ever experience.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 8 ~ Matthew 5:10
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.”
(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.)
Honestly, I can’t say I have ever been persecuted because of my commitment to God. But I know there are those who have been. Have you ever heard of Corrie Ten Boom? In 1943-44, the Ten Boom family hid Jews from the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) in their Haarlem, Netherlands, home and helped them get to safety via a “Dutch underground.” According to a page on www.corrietenboom.com, “on February 28, 1944, this family was betrayed and the Gestapo raided their home. The Gestapo set a trap and waited throughout the day, seizing everyone who came to the house. By evening about 30 people had been taken into custody! Casper [the father], [sisters] Corrie and Betsie were all arrested. Corrie’s brother Willem, sister Nollie, and nephew Peter were at the house that day, and were also taken to prison.
Although the Gestapo systematically searched the house, they could not find what they sought most. They suspected Jews were in the house, but the Jews were safely hidden behind a false wall in Corrie’s bedroom. In this "hiding place" were two Jewish men, two Jewish women and two members of the Dutch underground. Although the house remained under guard, the Resistance was able to liberate the refugees 47 hours later. The six people had managed to stay quiet in their cramped, dark hiding place for all that time, even though they had no water and very little food. The four Jews were taken to new "safe houses," and three survived the war. One of the underground workers was killed during the war years, but the other survived.
Because underground materials and extra ration cards were found in their home, the Ten Boom family was imprisoned. Casper (84 years old) died after only 10 days in Scheveningen Prison. When Casper was asked if he knew he could die for helping Jews, he replied, ‘It would be an honor to give my life for God's ancient people.’ Corrie and Betsie spent 10 months in three different prisons, the last was the infamous Ravensbruck Concentration Camp located near Berlin, Germany. Life in the camp was almost unbearable, but Corrie and Betsie spent their time sharing Jesus' love with their fellow prisoners. Many women became Christians in that terrible place because of Corrie and Betsie's witness to them. Betsie (59) died in Ravensbruck, but Corrie survived.
Four Ten Booms gave their lives for this family’s commitment, but Corrie came home from the death camp. She realized her life was a gift from God, and she needed to share what she and Betsie had learned in Ravensbruck: "There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still" and "God will give us the love to be able to forgive our enemies." At age 53, Corrie began a world-wide ministry which took her into more than 60 countries in the next 33 years! She testified to God’s love and encouraged all she met with the message that "Jesus is Victor."Content © Corrie ten Boom House Foundation, E. Smith.
I honestly don’t know if I could be as courageous as the Ten Booms. If I were tortured because of my faith, would I stay strong, or would I cave? What about you? Clearly this persecution drove the Ten Booms deeper into relationship with Christ, especially Corrie Ten Boom. She is like the “poster child” for staying faithful in religious persecution. But what makes her any different from us? What did she have that we don’t? I hope we are never challenged in this way. I hope we are never persecuted… in ways great or small… for our faith in Jesus. But if we are troubled… if we are challenged in any way, I pray that we will remember the Ten Booms… and the promise of God’s blessings… and remain faithful and strong.
©2008 Debbie Robus
You are Blessed - Week 1
March 7 ~ Matthew 5:9
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.”
(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 spent 20 years developing a business together that was almost totally “people-based.” We published a magazine read, obviously, by people. The business was pretty much advertiser-driven, which meant we had lots of clients to satisfy – both subscribers AND advertisers. And since many of our advertisers were employers who hired our readers, this added another layer of relationships. At times, the balance was complicated and delicate. At times, as the editor of our magazine, my husband had to mediate disagreements between advertiser/employers and reader/employees – or with a disgruntled customer!
We were so fortunate to have very few situations like this in two decades, but I have to tell you, when I got an unpleasant phone call or e-mail, there were times I was tempted to be unpleasant in return! My husband was much better at keeping calm and resolving the situation without escalating the episode. Sometimes I would write a “retort” to someone and show it to him before I hit “send” and he would say, “you know, this needs to come out, and it would be better if you said that instead, and the overall tone is just too harsh,” and I would growl to myself (and sometimes him) as if to say, “But I WANT to be nasty back to this person!”
But that was not the way to go, and I see that more clearly now. And for the most part, I have to say I have learned to take a couple of steps back and let this type of situation settle before I react. I have learned how to help others take a new look at their own reactions, and hopefully I am learning, with God’s help how to promote a spirit of cooperation instead of competition or all-out battle. It’s not always want I WANT to do, but it’s what I know is the right thing to do – the “God-thing” to do. And in that knowledge, I find my place with God and my peace in honoring who I am – a child of the Most High God, and His servant on this earth. Nothing could be more of a blessing than this!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 6 ~ Matthew 5:8
"You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Several translations of this verse say something like “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What on earth does this mean – a pure heart – your mind and heart put right? And how will that help you “see” God?I did quite a bit of research and study and found my answer in Psalm 73. In verses 6-10, I see a description of people who are NOT pure in heart…
Pretentious with arrogance, they wear the latest fashions in violence,
Pampered and overfed, decked out in silk bows of silliness.
They jeer, using words to kill; they bully their way with words.
They're full of hot air, loudmouths disturbing the peace.
People actually listen to them - can you believe it?
Like thirsty puppies, they lap up their words.
Verses 21-24 continue the description, and also shed light on what happens when our heart becomes pure…
When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy,
I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence.
I'm still in your presence, but you've taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me,and then you bless me.
25-28 You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth!
When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful.
Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again.
But I'm in the very presence of God - oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home.
God, I'm telling the world what you do!
So when your heart becomes pure… when you put away the old, sinful ways and open yourself to God’s possibilities, you truly “see” Him… you truly feel His presence and recognize His hand in situations every single day. And you truly begin to live in His blessings. We all have areas where we could make our heart more pure. I encourage you to start today. Isn’t today as good a time as any to start “seeing” God and living in His blessings?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 5 ~ Matthew 5: 7
"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.”
(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 2004, I attended the Noah’s of Ark Walk to Emmaus. It was a tremendous experience for me, and I have found it to be the same for others who have “gone on a walk.” Some of you are part of the Emmaus community, or maybe you have been to Chrysalis, so you know what I am talking about. One of the most wonderful aspects of Emmaus is that the Pilgrims (as participants are known) are served 24/7 by others, many of whom are complete strangers. Short of bathing the Pilgrims, brushing their teeth and tucking them in at night, every need is met. Food abounds. Little love gifts – agape – are given. Surprises are planned. People from around the world pray for the Pilgrims before, during and after this 72-hour event. In a nutshell, people who don’t even know these Pilgrims – people who will never even meet them – CARE!
Now why on earth would someone who has never even met you care so deeply about you? Why would they sign up for prayer vigils in the middle of the night on your behalf? Why would they bake cookies and slice fresh fruit and send it to a “Walk” for people they don’t know? Why would people pay the $150-$200 fee to drive an hour or better and work their tail off all weekend in the kitchen or a prayer chapel, or to serve as a minister or lay leader to people they don’t know, all in the name of the Lord?I can tell you the answer to all of these questions in one word… blessings. I can tell you that for every blessing I got when I was a Pilgrim, I got ten times that many on each of the walks I’ve worked since. I have been blessed by the smiles (and tears) on the faces of others – by their gratitude – by their overwhelming sense of astonishment that so many strangers would care for their every need, purely out of love and service for God. And I have been blessed by the privilege of observing others come to a deeper understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ and how HE blesses.
If you are a person who tends NOT to care about others, you really need to reconsider. “I don’t want to get involved,” you may say. That’s well and good, but I’m here to tell you, you are missing SO much! You are missing blessings that you can’t possibly imagine. I can assure you, others care for YOU and are blessed for their efforts. You don’t have to go on a Walk to Emmaus – there are countless ways every day you can care for others. But it is time you got in on this! If you won’t do it for others, do it for yourself… the blessings will inspire you to keep going!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 4 ~ Matthew 5:6
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.”
(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 grandmother is a fabulous cook. Hot rolls, chicken and dumplings, sweet potato pie and biscuits with chocolate gravy are some of her specialties. In my lifetime, I can’t even count how many meals she has fed me, and she always makes even the simplest foods taste gourmet. Sometimes she will call in the morning and say, “I’m cooking supper – y’all come and eat.” Well, that’s all it takes. Our mouths start watering and we eagerly anticipate a good meal the rest of the day. Sometimes my husband will eat a light lunch, or forego eating altogether, saying, “I’m saving my appetite for supper!” And believe me, his appetite is always blessed!
Hopefully you have a grandma or someone who cooks this way for you… or you can think of your favorite meal at a restaurant. You understand the concept of working up a good appetite and then savoring each delicious morsel. Now think about your relationship with God. Are you hungry for His word and blessings in your life? Do you crave more of Him? Is His word and the blessings He bestows on you the best “Spiritual meal” you have ever eaten? Shouldn’t it be?
It’s time to change our diet. It’s time to go lightly – or not at all – on the “food” of the world and things that distract us and build our appetites for God. It’s time we learned to feed daily on Him, and as an added bonus, to fill ourselves with His blessings. Bon appetit!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 3 ~ Matthew 5:5
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.”
(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 a friend wrote in an e-mail… “I guess we all have some story of doing horrid things to our bodies all in the name of beauty! Poor women – we’ve been so downtrodden we feel we have to make ourselves better in order to be worthy. Wish we'd just throw all the makeup and foundation garments away. But - - - unless everyone else does it I’m not going to!!” The same could be said for you guys… you will soon enough start to worry about losing your hair and those six-pack abs. It’s human nature to be self-conscious about our bodies – our weight, our hair, our skin, and even our shoe size! This obsession is fed by our culture and society. In some Eastern cultures, the feet of women are bound tightly to prevent growth so the foot looks smaller and more dainty. Countless women in these countries have been crippled and disfigured by this practice. We just don’t seem to be content with who we are.
I’m not saying we are wrong to be concerned with our weight, skin care, hair care, or even the neatness of our homes, cars, clothing, and other possessions. But when we start to focus on who we are and what we have in terms of things and other people, we stop being content “in our own skin.”
What can’t be bought in our lives? Our relationship with Jesus, first and foremost. We can’t buy happiness – although many try. We can’t buy a real contentment with who we are. We can’t buy relationships with others, though some will surely try. Ask God to show you how you can improve your level of contentment. Pray for Him to bless you with a sense of satisfaction with who you are in Him. “Let go and let God” and enjoy the blessings of His contentment.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 2 ~ Matthew 5:4
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to 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.)
What is the most dear thing in the world to you? If you answered “my girlfriend, my boyfriend, my car, my dog, my parents, my children, my health, or even my church,” you are probably in good company with many of us. We value people and things. So, when the EF-4 tornado hit north-central Arkansas and changed the lives and landscape of countless families, people naturally were sad about their losses. The home of one of my dearest friend’s mother will have to be bulldozed because it was so badly damaged. A high school classmate lost her life. The parents of a former neighbor had significant damage to their home and lost much of what they used to make a living in an upholstery business.
In each situation, people were forced to focus on what was dear to them. And while there is no way to diminish the anguish and sorry of their physical losses, these situations do make us turn to God in a new way and realize that, when everything is stripped away, He is still there! When we aren’t focused on things or people and our relationship to them, we can more clearly focus on God.
Let’s get a jump on this situation. Let’s start to focus on God now, and make Him the most dear One in our life. Don’t get to the point where it takes a crisis or a physical loss to make you realize what you already have. God is here NOW! He is what matters the most. If we make him our main focus, He will bless us in ways we can’t even imagine. What are you waiting for?
© Debbie Robus
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March 1 ~ Matthew 5: 1-3
1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”
(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 people these days are at “the end of their rope.” You may be just like them. The walls may be caving in on you – tough classes, finals, graduation, wedding plans, illness, relationship problems, death, war, financial woes… the list is endless.
I am reminded of two e-mails I received recently. One expressed the despair of a woman in the Air Force who has been deployed to Afghanistan and will be separated from her young daughters for the next 10 months. She shared with me how hard the “goodbye” was – how her 13-year-old daughter broke down – and how difficult it was to leave her. The other came from a friend who was commenting on the situation of someone who is struggling with a very serious illness. He said, “this breaks my heart.”
These sad situations break my heart, too. And at one time, I would have wallowed in that. But I have learned from passages like Matthew 5:3 – and what I have learned is to look for blessings in all situations, especially the tough ones. That little shift in MY attitude has enabled me to focus on God more and myself less – to truly desire “more of You and less of me,” as it says in the song “Empty Me,” by Jeremy Camp.
I believe that even in the middle of our worst situation… when things seem the most hopeless… God will bless us. I truly believe we are blessed at the end of our rope. Just this week my childhood friend lost her mother. In helping the family with some arrangements for the service, a cousin said, “God has just opened so many windows and doors today.” See… even in the middle of planning a funeral, God was there doling out blessings. Even in the middle of a serious illness, God can bless both the person who is ill and those who minister to him/her. Even in the middle of a heartbreaking separation, God can bless those who are separated. This can be a time when the mother ministers to her daughters and nurtures them through e-mail, letters and phone conversations.
While many of us did not know it before hand, my friend’s mother was an artist and a poet. At her funeral, many of her works were displayed. Not only are those poems and drawings treasures for this family to cherish in the years ahead, but sharing them with those of us who attended the funeral was a blessing to US, too. Even in death, God can bless.
So if you are at “the end of your rope” today, take a fresh look at your situation. Look at it with the eyes of Matthew 5:3. Where can you turn this situation around and let God bless you? Where can you empty yourself and let God pour in and fill the gaps? Please don’t miss the blessing. Be a Matthew 5:3 follower today!
©2008 Debbie Robus
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.”
(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 spent 20 years developing a business together that was almost totally “people-based.” We published a magazine read, obviously, by people. The business was pretty much advertiser-driven, which meant we had lots of clients to satisfy – both subscribers AND advertisers. And since many of our advertisers were employers who hired our readers, this added another layer of relationships. At times, the balance was complicated and delicate. At times, as the editor of our magazine, my husband had to mediate disagreements between advertiser/employers and reader/employees – or with a disgruntled customer!
We were so fortunate to have very few situations like this in two decades, but I have to tell you, when I got an unpleasant phone call or e-mail, there were times I was tempted to be unpleasant in return! My husband was much better at keeping calm and resolving the situation without escalating the episode. Sometimes I would write a “retort” to someone and show it to him before I hit “send” and he would say, “you know, this needs to come out, and it would be better if you said that instead, and the overall tone is just too harsh,” and I would growl to myself (and sometimes him) as if to say, “But I WANT to be nasty back to this person!”
But that was not the way to go, and I see that more clearly now. And for the most part, I have to say I have learned to take a couple of steps back and let this type of situation settle before I react. I have learned how to help others take a new look at their own reactions, and hopefully I am learning, with God’s help how to promote a spirit of cooperation instead of competition or all-out battle. It’s not always want I WANT to do, but it’s what I know is the right thing to do – the “God-thing” to do. And in that knowledge, I find my place with God and my peace in honoring who I am – a child of the Most High God, and His servant on this earth. Nothing could be more of a blessing than this!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 6 ~ Matthew 5:8
"You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Several translations of this verse say something like “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What on earth does this mean – a pure heart – your mind and heart put right? And how will that help you “see” God?I did quite a bit of research and study and found my answer in Psalm 73. In verses 6-10, I see a description of people who are NOT pure in heart…
Pretentious with arrogance, they wear the latest fashions in violence,
Pampered and overfed, decked out in silk bows of silliness.
They jeer, using words to kill; they bully their way with words.
They're full of hot air, loudmouths disturbing the peace.
People actually listen to them - can you believe it?
Like thirsty puppies, they lap up their words.
Verses 21-24 continue the description, and also shed light on what happens when our heart becomes pure…
When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy,
I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence.
I'm still in your presence, but you've taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me,and then you bless me.
25-28 You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth!
When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful.
Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again.
But I'm in the very presence of God - oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home.
God, I'm telling the world what you do!
So when your heart becomes pure… when you put away the old, sinful ways and open yourself to God’s possibilities, you truly “see” Him… you truly feel His presence and recognize His hand in situations every single day. And you truly begin to live in His blessings. We all have areas where we could make our heart more pure. I encourage you to start today. Isn’t today as good a time as any to start “seeing” God and living in His blessings?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 5 ~ Matthew 5: 7
"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.”
(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 2004, I attended the Noah’s of Ark Walk to Emmaus. It was a tremendous experience for me, and I have found it to be the same for others who have “gone on a walk.” Some of you are part of the Emmaus community, or maybe you have been to Chrysalis, so you know what I am talking about. One of the most wonderful aspects of Emmaus is that the Pilgrims (as participants are known) are served 24/7 by others, many of whom are complete strangers. Short of bathing the Pilgrims, brushing their teeth and tucking them in at night, every need is met. Food abounds. Little love gifts – agape – are given. Surprises are planned. People from around the world pray for the Pilgrims before, during and after this 72-hour event. In a nutshell, people who don’t even know these Pilgrims – people who will never even meet them – CARE!
Now why on earth would someone who has never even met you care so deeply about you? Why would they sign up for prayer vigils in the middle of the night on your behalf? Why would they bake cookies and slice fresh fruit and send it to a “Walk” for people they don’t know? Why would people pay the $150-$200 fee to drive an hour or better and work their tail off all weekend in the kitchen or a prayer chapel, or to serve as a minister or lay leader to people they don’t know, all in the name of the Lord?I can tell you the answer to all of these questions in one word… blessings. I can tell you that for every blessing I got when I was a Pilgrim, I got ten times that many on each of the walks I’ve worked since. I have been blessed by the smiles (and tears) on the faces of others – by their gratitude – by their overwhelming sense of astonishment that so many strangers would care for their every need, purely out of love and service for God. And I have been blessed by the privilege of observing others come to a deeper understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ and how HE blesses.
If you are a person who tends NOT to care about others, you really need to reconsider. “I don’t want to get involved,” you may say. That’s well and good, but I’m here to tell you, you are missing SO much! You are missing blessings that you can’t possibly imagine. I can assure you, others care for YOU and are blessed for their efforts. You don’t have to go on a Walk to Emmaus – there are countless ways every day you can care for others. But it is time you got in on this! If you won’t do it for others, do it for yourself… the blessings will inspire you to keep going!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 4 ~ Matthew 5:6
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.”
(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 grandmother is a fabulous cook. Hot rolls, chicken and dumplings, sweet potato pie and biscuits with chocolate gravy are some of her specialties. In my lifetime, I can’t even count how many meals she has fed me, and she always makes even the simplest foods taste gourmet. Sometimes she will call in the morning and say, “I’m cooking supper – y’all come and eat.” Well, that’s all it takes. Our mouths start watering and we eagerly anticipate a good meal the rest of the day. Sometimes my husband will eat a light lunch, or forego eating altogether, saying, “I’m saving my appetite for supper!” And believe me, his appetite is always blessed!
Hopefully you have a grandma or someone who cooks this way for you… or you can think of your favorite meal at a restaurant. You understand the concept of working up a good appetite and then savoring each delicious morsel. Now think about your relationship with God. Are you hungry for His word and blessings in your life? Do you crave more of Him? Is His word and the blessings He bestows on you the best “Spiritual meal” you have ever eaten? Shouldn’t it be?
It’s time to change our diet. It’s time to go lightly – or not at all – on the “food” of the world and things that distract us and build our appetites for God. It’s time we learned to feed daily on Him, and as an added bonus, to fill ourselves with His blessings. Bon appetit!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 3 ~ Matthew 5:5
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.”
(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 a friend wrote in an e-mail… “I guess we all have some story of doing horrid things to our bodies all in the name of beauty! Poor women – we’ve been so downtrodden we feel we have to make ourselves better in order to be worthy. Wish we'd just throw all the makeup and foundation garments away. But - - - unless everyone else does it I’m not going to!!” The same could be said for you guys… you will soon enough start to worry about losing your hair and those six-pack abs. It’s human nature to be self-conscious about our bodies – our weight, our hair, our skin, and even our shoe size! This obsession is fed by our culture and society. In some Eastern cultures, the feet of women are bound tightly to prevent growth so the foot looks smaller and more dainty. Countless women in these countries have been crippled and disfigured by this practice. We just don’t seem to be content with who we are.
I’m not saying we are wrong to be concerned with our weight, skin care, hair care, or even the neatness of our homes, cars, clothing, and other possessions. But when we start to focus on who we are and what we have in terms of things and other people, we stop being content “in our own skin.”
What can’t be bought in our lives? Our relationship with Jesus, first and foremost. We can’t buy happiness – although many try. We can’t buy a real contentment with who we are. We can’t buy relationships with others, though some will surely try. Ask God to show you how you can improve your level of contentment. Pray for Him to bless you with a sense of satisfaction with who you are in Him. “Let go and let God” and enjoy the blessings of His contentment.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 2 ~ Matthew 5:4
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to 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.)
What is the most dear thing in the world to you? If you answered “my girlfriend, my boyfriend, my car, my dog, my parents, my children, my health, or even my church,” you are probably in good company with many of us. We value people and things. So, when the EF-4 tornado hit north-central Arkansas and changed the lives and landscape of countless families, people naturally were sad about their losses. The home of one of my dearest friend’s mother will have to be bulldozed because it was so badly damaged. A high school classmate lost her life. The parents of a former neighbor had significant damage to their home and lost much of what they used to make a living in an upholstery business.
In each situation, people were forced to focus on what was dear to them. And while there is no way to diminish the anguish and sorry of their physical losses, these situations do make us turn to God in a new way and realize that, when everything is stripped away, He is still there! When we aren’t focused on things or people and our relationship to them, we can more clearly focus on God.
Let’s get a jump on this situation. Let’s start to focus on God now, and make Him the most dear One in our life. Don’t get to the point where it takes a crisis or a physical loss to make you realize what you already have. God is here NOW! He is what matters the most. If we make him our main focus, He will bless us in ways we can’t even imagine. What are you waiting for?
© Debbie Robus
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March 1 ~ Matthew 5: 1-3
1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”
(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 people these days are at “the end of their rope.” You may be just like them. The walls may be caving in on you – tough classes, finals, graduation, wedding plans, illness, relationship problems, death, war, financial woes… the list is endless.
I am reminded of two e-mails I received recently. One expressed the despair of a woman in the Air Force who has been deployed to Afghanistan and will be separated from her young daughters for the next 10 months. She shared with me how hard the “goodbye” was – how her 13-year-old daughter broke down – and how difficult it was to leave her. The other came from a friend who was commenting on the situation of someone who is struggling with a very serious illness. He said, “this breaks my heart.”
These sad situations break my heart, too. And at one time, I would have wallowed in that. But I have learned from passages like Matthew 5:3 – and what I have learned is to look for blessings in all situations, especially the tough ones. That little shift in MY attitude has enabled me to focus on God more and myself less – to truly desire “more of You and less of me,” as it says in the song “Empty Me,” by Jeremy Camp.
I believe that even in the middle of our worst situation… when things seem the most hopeless… God will bless us. I truly believe we are blessed at the end of our rope. Just this week my childhood friend lost her mother. In helping the family with some arrangements for the service, a cousin said, “God has just opened so many windows and doors today.” See… even in the middle of planning a funeral, God was there doling out blessings. Even in the middle of a serious illness, God can bless both the person who is ill and those who minister to him/her. Even in the middle of a heartbreaking separation, God can bless those who are separated. This can be a time when the mother ministers to her daughters and nurtures them through e-mail, letters and phone conversations.
While many of us did not know it before hand, my friend’s mother was an artist and a poet. At her funeral, many of her works were displayed. Not only are those poems and drawings treasures for this family to cherish in the years ahead, but sharing them with those of us who attended the funeral was a blessing to US, too. Even in death, God can bless.
So if you are at “the end of your rope” today, take a fresh look at your situation. Look at it with the eyes of Matthew 5:3. Where can you turn this situation around and let God bless you? Where can you empty yourself and let God pour in and fill the gaps? Please don’t miss the blessing. Be a Matthew 5:3 follower today!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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