Deuteronomy 6:5
Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!
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.
My husband and I did not think we could ever love another cat as much as we loved our first two “babies.” We loved them like children for 15 and 19 years respectively… and we grieved their passing deeply. It still makes me teary-eyed to think about our furry companions. Then we got Mabel and Lucy… and 12 years later, we can’t imagine life without them. Even when they are getting into trouble, we love them with all that is in us.
We love all of our nieces, nephews, cousins and little friends madly. And because we have spent so much time with Timothy, he is like our own child… and we love him with all we have - with our whole heart. When you love someone like this, you take on their joys, fears, hurts, heartaches, frustrations… whatever they experience, you feel deeply and internalize. This kind of love is incredibly personal and profound.
The question is… “Do we feel this same connection with God?” We’re supposed to! We are supposed to love God with our whole heart… to feel such a profound, personal connection to Him that we love what He loves... and who He loves. We are supposed to grieve over things that break His heart… and take great pride and joy in things that please and glorify Him. But I’m not sure that we always experience God in this way. I’m not sure that we fully commit our heart to Him in such a deep, intense manner, or that we spend a significant portion of each day thinking about Him.
How is it that the love we so easily give to a child or a pet… a significant other… or even a hobby or a career… we cannot muster for the God of the Universe? Isn’t it time we did some soul searching? Isn’t it time to love God with all we’ve got? Do you have a deep, abiding “love connection” with God? Shouldn’t you?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 30, 2011
Deuteronomy 4:39-40
Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: GOD is in Heaven above; GOD is on Earth below. He's the only God there is. Obediently live by his rules and commands which I'm giving you today so that you'll live well and your children after you—oh, you'll live a long time in the land that GOD, your God, is giving 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.
There really isn’t a whole lot to add to this. Wherever we go… God is there. Isn’t this a comforting thought? Begin today to rest in this promise. Whatever comes your way – whatever challenges you face – remember that God is with you. When you encounter a difficult person or situation, remind yourself… “God is in Heaven above, and here on earth with me, in the land He gave me.”
We know the commandments… we’ve read them and heard them over and over again. We know what God expects of us… and what He has promised us in return. Now it’s time to start living like we believe this! It’s time to start standing in God’s promises, and recognizing His presence. It’s time to be confident, cool and collected… and take heart in knowing that our God… the only God… is everywhere.
Know this well… remind yourself of it often… and make this a great day in the name of the LORD!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: GOD is in Heaven above; GOD is on Earth below. He's the only God there is. Obediently live by his rules and commands which I'm giving you today so that you'll live well and your children after you—oh, you'll live a long time in the land that GOD, your God, is giving 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.
There really isn’t a whole lot to add to this. Wherever we go… God is there. Isn’t this a comforting thought? Begin today to rest in this promise. Whatever comes your way – whatever challenges you face – remember that God is with you. When you encounter a difficult person or situation, remind yourself… “God is in Heaven above, and here on earth with me, in the land He gave me.”
We know the commandments… we’ve read them and heard them over and over again. We know what God expects of us… and what He has promised us in return. Now it’s time to start living like we believe this! It’s time to start standing in God’s promises, and recognizing His presence. It’s time to be confident, cool and collected… and take heart in knowing that our God… the only God… is everywhere.
Know this well… remind yourself of it often… and make this a great day in the name of the LORD!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 29, 2011
James 5:13-15
Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven—healed inside and out.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Recently, it seems that I have encountered several situations that seemed somewhat hopeless… and the people involved in them felt incredibly helpless. “I don’t know what to do,” I’ve heard them say… and honestly, I’ve not had a concrete solution for them. I’ve seen e-mail requests that say, “The doctors say the only thing left to do is pray.” The truth is… in all of these situations, this should be the FIRST thing we do!
When all else fails, we turn to prayer… but the fact is that we should pray in the beginning. Even before the first sign of trouble, we should pray. And when there doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation for a person’s misbehaving, we should keep praying for them. When all efforts to “mend fences” and get along fail, we should keep praying. When doctors say, “We’re doing all we can,” we should keep asking God for His healing.
When we get good news, “Thank You, God” should be more than just a trite phrase we utter… we should sincerely stop and thank our Heavenly Father for His grace and mercy toward us and our situation. When we pray about any situation, we must trust that God will deliver the perfect outcome… and accept that it may not be the one we want or expect. But it will be the right one! God does not make mistakes!
Verse 15 says that “Believing prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet.” Believe this for yourself and your situations. Trust God to do the heavy lifting… all YOU have to do is lift your hands and ask Him for help… and offer Him praise for His answers.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven—healed inside and out.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Recently, it seems that I have encountered several situations that seemed somewhat hopeless… and the people involved in them felt incredibly helpless. “I don’t know what to do,” I’ve heard them say… and honestly, I’ve not had a concrete solution for them. I’ve seen e-mail requests that say, “The doctors say the only thing left to do is pray.” The truth is… in all of these situations, this should be the FIRST thing we do!
When all else fails, we turn to prayer… but the fact is that we should pray in the beginning. Even before the first sign of trouble, we should pray. And when there doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation for a person’s misbehaving, we should keep praying for them. When all efforts to “mend fences” and get along fail, we should keep praying. When doctors say, “We’re doing all we can,” we should keep asking God for His healing.
When we get good news, “Thank You, God” should be more than just a trite phrase we utter… we should sincerely stop and thank our Heavenly Father for His grace and mercy toward us and our situation. When we pray about any situation, we must trust that God will deliver the perfect outcome… and accept that it may not be the one we want or expect. But it will be the right one! God does not make mistakes!
Verse 15 says that “Believing prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet.” Believe this for yourself and your situations. Trust God to do the heavy lifting… all YOU have to do is lift your hands and ask Him for help… and offer Him praise for His answers.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 28, 2011
James 3:17-18
Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
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.
Our two cats are litter mates… sisters. Each one has “adopted” one of us, and they are both quite territorial. If Mabel comes near me, Lucy becomes grumpy. Conversely, my husband spends a lot of time in his upstairs office, and when Lucy and I “visit,” Mabel lets us know we are in her domain! The funny thing is that the cats get along at mealtime… coming together alongside their food bowls and trading off letting us know they need fresh food and water. And most meals begin or end with a mutual face washing… that is, until the hissing and fighting begins! Talk about hot/cold and two-faced! We both love each of our cats dearly, but they are as fickle as they come!
Our cats have learned to tolerate each other, mainly by establishing individual territories and seldom venturing beyond the boundary lines. And sadly, that’s how a lot of us practice our faith with regard to people we deem unlovely or “hard to love.” We tolerate them… often with visible disdain… and our boundary lines are clearly defined. They better not try to sit on our pew… or speak to us in public as if we are good friends. A quiet nod of “Hello” when we see them in the store or at church is sufficient, and the rest of the time we cut them a wide berth.
Those folks who attend a church of another denomination… or are of another race, ethnicity, socio-economic level, or lifestyle choice… are nice enough, but clearly they are not as godly as we are! We can work with them, take their money in our places of business, and expect them to provide goods and services for us. But they are not in our league when it comes to God. They better not try to be in our group at school or sit with us at ballgames or the movies. We don’t really want them on the prom planning committee or helping with Little League or the church potluck. We are not going to be giving them a ride to meet our friends any time soon.
We think we are being wise and “loving” by practicing “tolerance” of others. But we need to go deeper than this. We need to extend grace, mercy, and understanding to all people… not just those we like – those who appear to think and act like we do. The person who irritates us with his/her continual negativity may have huge struggles and heartaches we can never begin to imagine. The one who comes on strong and tries too hard may have been kicked in the gut so many times that he/she feels like no one will ever like them for who they really are. The person who appears to be so confident – even arrogant – may be incredibly insecure and defeated… and desperate for someone to love them for who they really are.
Acting as agents for Jesus Christ, we can be the difference. We can operate in God’s wisdom to treat each person we meet with dignity and honor… and in doing so, we can help to build and strengthen the community of believers. We are called to do this. We are commissioned to be peacemakers for Jesus Christ… in His name. We are told to love others as we love ourselves… and genuinely - not in performances worthy of an Academy Award.
This is hard work… but nobody ever said being a Christian was easy. We’ve gotten too comfortable with picking and choosing who we love – and like – and drawing boundary lines to separate us from the rest. It’s time we remembered that the same God who is madly in love with us is also madly in love with the other guy, too! We’re not asked to lie and pretend to like someone… we’re asked to prayerfully call on God to give us the strength and wisdom to truly be kind and accepting of others… warts and all… and to work through our differences for the greater good of His kingdom.
Earlier verses of James 3 say that… “whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.” If we want to live wisely, in the full blessings of God, we must learn to humble ourselves and make a prayerful effort to get along with others… all of them… all the time! We are not cats… we don’t get to be territorial – or fickle! How wise and humble are you these days? Are you a peacemaker in Jesus’ name?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
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.
Our two cats are litter mates… sisters. Each one has “adopted” one of us, and they are both quite territorial. If Mabel comes near me, Lucy becomes grumpy. Conversely, my husband spends a lot of time in his upstairs office, and when Lucy and I “visit,” Mabel lets us know we are in her domain! The funny thing is that the cats get along at mealtime… coming together alongside their food bowls and trading off letting us know they need fresh food and water. And most meals begin or end with a mutual face washing… that is, until the hissing and fighting begins! Talk about hot/cold and two-faced! We both love each of our cats dearly, but they are as fickle as they come!
Our cats have learned to tolerate each other, mainly by establishing individual territories and seldom venturing beyond the boundary lines. And sadly, that’s how a lot of us practice our faith with regard to people we deem unlovely or “hard to love.” We tolerate them… often with visible disdain… and our boundary lines are clearly defined. They better not try to sit on our pew… or speak to us in public as if we are good friends. A quiet nod of “Hello” when we see them in the store or at church is sufficient, and the rest of the time we cut them a wide berth.
Those folks who attend a church of another denomination… or are of another race, ethnicity, socio-economic level, or lifestyle choice… are nice enough, but clearly they are not as godly as we are! We can work with them, take their money in our places of business, and expect them to provide goods and services for us. But they are not in our league when it comes to God. They better not try to be in our group at school or sit with us at ballgames or the movies. We don’t really want them on the prom planning committee or helping with Little League or the church potluck. We are not going to be giving them a ride to meet our friends any time soon.
We think we are being wise and “loving” by practicing “tolerance” of others. But we need to go deeper than this. We need to extend grace, mercy, and understanding to all people… not just those we like – those who appear to think and act like we do. The person who irritates us with his/her continual negativity may have huge struggles and heartaches we can never begin to imagine. The one who comes on strong and tries too hard may have been kicked in the gut so many times that he/she feels like no one will ever like them for who they really are. The person who appears to be so confident – even arrogant – may be incredibly insecure and defeated… and desperate for someone to love them for who they really are.
Acting as agents for Jesus Christ, we can be the difference. We can operate in God’s wisdom to treat each person we meet with dignity and honor… and in doing so, we can help to build and strengthen the community of believers. We are called to do this. We are commissioned to be peacemakers for Jesus Christ… in His name. We are told to love others as we love ourselves… and genuinely - not in performances worthy of an Academy Award.
This is hard work… but nobody ever said being a Christian was easy. We’ve gotten too comfortable with picking and choosing who we love – and like – and drawing boundary lines to separate us from the rest. It’s time we remembered that the same God who is madly in love with us is also madly in love with the other guy, too! We’re not asked to lie and pretend to like someone… we’re asked to prayerfully call on God to give us the strength and wisdom to truly be kind and accepting of others… warts and all… and to work through our differences for the greater good of His kingdom.
Earlier verses of James 3 say that… “whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.” If we want to live wisely, in the full blessings of God, we must learn to humble ourselves and make a prayerful effort to get along with others… all of them… all the time! We are not cats… we don’t get to be territorial – or fickle! How wise and humble are you these days? Are you a peacemaker in Jesus’ name?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 27, 2011
James 1:26
If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Suppose someone posted a comment on Facebook and criticized a group of people who practice a certain lifestyle, or are of a certain race or ethnicity. And suppose that person was a teacher/nurse/community leader/Sunday-school teacher/self-professed Christian. For instance… what if one of these people posted a comment that “I’m tired of the way the people on XYZ dress so gay,” or “I won’t go to such-and-such part of town because that’s where the ABC (insert your ethnicity, race, or socio-economic group here) people live or hang out.” It’s certainly the right of anyone in America to post such comments… free speech, you know.
But how do you suppose this makes the person making the comment appear to others? If the comment was made by a nurse who works in a local clinic, do you suppose that the people to whom he/she referred will feel welcome and treated fairly there in the future? If the comment was made by a teacher, do you think his/her students will feel they receive respect and fair treatment in the classroom if they fall into the category about which this person “vented?” If this statement was made by a supposed Christian, will the people to whom he/she referred truly feel the love of Christ demonstrated by this person?
Think about it. When we wear a T-shirt that says “Abortion Kills” we very well may be making an accurate statement… and we may feel that we need to say something this shocking and to the point to get others’ attention. But consider how the teenage girl who has had an abortion feels when she encounters someone wearing one of these shirts. Will she feel that she is loved and accepted by this person… or will she feel condemned? Will she feel like she could ever be loved by Jesus Christ… or will she just feel like a hopeless murderer?
We are well within our rights to say lots of things… but that doesn’t mean we should say them. And it’s not because we are involved in a particular profession, working in a church, a parent/coach/political leader – or even a Christian. It’s not about being held to higher standards necessarily or being expected to behave better because of our “station” in life (although that’s not necessarily a bad thing). It’s about our example to others… the message we convey. Because we are Christians – disciples of Jesus Christ… we must carefully guard what we say at all times.
I know I’ve worn out the clichés that “People are always watching” and “Words are like toothpaste – once they are out, it’s hard to put them back!” But the truth is, sometimes our words – even if we feel they are right or it’s our moral obligation to share them – can hurt the cause for Christianity. And people are watching. We can often do more harm than good with the words we utter.
When we say something that causes another person to feel badly about himself/herself – particularly with regard to the love, grace and mercy offered by our Heavenly Father… if we plant even the slightest seed of doubt or question that God could love this person who practices an alternative lifestyle, is of a different race or ethnicity, or doesn’t fit our socio-economic standards… we have betrayed our own faith and truly served the wrong master. We’ve left the door wide open for Satan, and said, “You’re not good enough for Jesus… but there’s room for you in Hell.”
This may seem harsh and melodramatic. But I’ve seen the hurt and devastation in the hearts and lives of those at whom such seemingly “innocent” comments were directed. I’ve heard them say, “There’s no place for me in the church,” and watched them shrink from becoming part of a church family – or even accepting Christ as their Savior – because they felt unworthy, based on the attitudes and judgments of others. It breaks my heart to see this… but I can’t begin to imagine what it must do to Jesus. He gave so much for ALL of us… and we just don’t seem to get it much of the time. He told us clearly in the scripture to love others as we love ourselves… and HOW to love one another… and we still can’t seem to get it right.
All I am asking is that we guard our thoughts and take a deep breath before we speak – or post – or judge. Let’s ask ourselves… “Will this further the Kingdom of God… or will it do more harm than good?” It wouldn’t hurt to stop and utter a prayer and ask God to help us decide which way to go! Once we have a clear direction, we can proceed… confident that God is pleased with our words and actions… and that His will is being done. We won’t have to worry about retracting our words or deeds… if we just take a little time to prayerfully consider them in the first place.
©2011 Debbie Robus
If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Suppose someone posted a comment on Facebook and criticized a group of people who practice a certain lifestyle, or are of a certain race or ethnicity. And suppose that person was a teacher/nurse/community leader/Sunday-school teacher/self-professed Christian. For instance… what if one of these people posted a comment that “I’m tired of the way the people on XYZ dress so gay,” or “I won’t go to such-and-such part of town because that’s where the ABC (insert your ethnicity, race, or socio-economic group here) people live or hang out.” It’s certainly the right of anyone in America to post such comments… free speech, you know.
But how do you suppose this makes the person making the comment appear to others? If the comment was made by a nurse who works in a local clinic, do you suppose that the people to whom he/she referred will feel welcome and treated fairly there in the future? If the comment was made by a teacher, do you think his/her students will feel they receive respect and fair treatment in the classroom if they fall into the category about which this person “vented?” If this statement was made by a supposed Christian, will the people to whom he/she referred truly feel the love of Christ demonstrated by this person?
Think about it. When we wear a T-shirt that says “Abortion Kills” we very well may be making an accurate statement… and we may feel that we need to say something this shocking and to the point to get others’ attention. But consider how the teenage girl who has had an abortion feels when she encounters someone wearing one of these shirts. Will she feel that she is loved and accepted by this person… or will she feel condemned? Will she feel like she could ever be loved by Jesus Christ… or will she just feel like a hopeless murderer?
We are well within our rights to say lots of things… but that doesn’t mean we should say them. And it’s not because we are involved in a particular profession, working in a church, a parent/coach/political leader – or even a Christian. It’s not about being held to higher standards necessarily or being expected to behave better because of our “station” in life (although that’s not necessarily a bad thing). It’s about our example to others… the message we convey. Because we are Christians – disciples of Jesus Christ… we must carefully guard what we say at all times.
I know I’ve worn out the clichés that “People are always watching” and “Words are like toothpaste – once they are out, it’s hard to put them back!” But the truth is, sometimes our words – even if we feel they are right or it’s our moral obligation to share them – can hurt the cause for Christianity. And people are watching. We can often do more harm than good with the words we utter.
When we say something that causes another person to feel badly about himself/herself – particularly with regard to the love, grace and mercy offered by our Heavenly Father… if we plant even the slightest seed of doubt or question that God could love this person who practices an alternative lifestyle, is of a different race or ethnicity, or doesn’t fit our socio-economic standards… we have betrayed our own faith and truly served the wrong master. We’ve left the door wide open for Satan, and said, “You’re not good enough for Jesus… but there’s room for you in Hell.”
This may seem harsh and melodramatic. But I’ve seen the hurt and devastation in the hearts and lives of those at whom such seemingly “innocent” comments were directed. I’ve heard them say, “There’s no place for me in the church,” and watched them shrink from becoming part of a church family – or even accepting Christ as their Savior – because they felt unworthy, based on the attitudes and judgments of others. It breaks my heart to see this… but I can’t begin to imagine what it must do to Jesus. He gave so much for ALL of us… and we just don’t seem to get it much of the time. He told us clearly in the scripture to love others as we love ourselves… and HOW to love one another… and we still can’t seem to get it right.
All I am asking is that we guard our thoughts and take a deep breath before we speak – or post – or judge. Let’s ask ourselves… “Will this further the Kingdom of God… or will it do more harm than good?” It wouldn’t hurt to stop and utter a prayer and ask God to help us decide which way to go! Once we have a clear direction, we can proceed… confident that God is pleased with our words and actions… and that His will is being done. We won’t have to worry about retracting our words or deeds… if we just take a little time to prayerfully consider them in the first place.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 26, 2011
Psalm 62: 11-12
God said this once and for all; how many times have I heard it repeated? "Strength comes straight from God." Love to you, Lord God! You pay a fair wage for a good day's work!
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.
Have you ever been disappointed by someone? Maybe they promised to do something with you and then didn’t show up… or maybe someone said, “I’ll buy that from you,” and then never paid you the money. And maybe you have said, “Never again will I trust So-and-So,” and the next thing you knew, you were hoodwinked again. Maybe he/she played on your sympathies… or maybe they tricked you into doing something… or maybe you just wanted to believe this person might have actually changed, only to find that everything really was the same.
If you have escaped being duped by someone else… good for you! Maybe everyone in your life has always shown up on time, made good on promises, and kept commitments. Maybe all of your loans have always been repaid, and you’ve led a charmed life.
One thing is for certain… God will always make good on His promises. He always “pays a fair wage for a good day’s work,” even though I’m afraid we don’t do the same for Him. In ways great and small, we are unreliable, undependable, and untrustworthy with our Heavenly Father. Yet He strengthens us and gives us hope and courage for whatever we face. He loves us, even though we are incredibly unlovely! God’s love, grace and mercy last, yet we tend to be as fickle as the spores on a dandelion… here one second and blowing in the wind the next!
If you go back and read the first two verses of this Psalm again, you will see that it says, “God, the one and only – I’ll wait as long as He says.” We grow so impatient… our faith and trust is so momentary. If God doesn’t answer us like we want… right away… we dismiss Him. We offer more patience to untrustworthy friends and acquaintances than we do our Heavenly Father! It’s time we realized Who really loves us. It’s time we gave our attention and devotion to The One who gives us our real strength! Who do you love? Where are you seeking strength… are you looking in the right direction?
©2011 Debbie Robus
God said this once and for all; how many times have I heard it repeated? "Strength comes straight from God." Love to you, Lord God! You pay a fair wage for a good day's work!
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.
Have you ever been disappointed by someone? Maybe they promised to do something with you and then didn’t show up… or maybe someone said, “I’ll buy that from you,” and then never paid you the money. And maybe you have said, “Never again will I trust So-and-So,” and the next thing you knew, you were hoodwinked again. Maybe he/she played on your sympathies… or maybe they tricked you into doing something… or maybe you just wanted to believe this person might have actually changed, only to find that everything really was the same.
If you have escaped being duped by someone else… good for you! Maybe everyone in your life has always shown up on time, made good on promises, and kept commitments. Maybe all of your loans have always been repaid, and you’ve led a charmed life.
One thing is for certain… God will always make good on His promises. He always “pays a fair wage for a good day’s work,” even though I’m afraid we don’t do the same for Him. In ways great and small, we are unreliable, undependable, and untrustworthy with our Heavenly Father. Yet He strengthens us and gives us hope and courage for whatever we face. He loves us, even though we are incredibly unlovely! God’s love, grace and mercy last, yet we tend to be as fickle as the spores on a dandelion… here one second and blowing in the wind the next!
If you go back and read the first two verses of this Psalm again, you will see that it says, “God, the one and only – I’ll wait as long as He says.” We grow so impatient… our faith and trust is so momentary. If God doesn’t answer us like we want… right away… we dismiss Him. We offer more patience to untrustworthy friends and acquaintances than we do our Heavenly Father! It’s time we realized Who really loves us. It’s time we gave our attention and devotion to The One who gives us our real strength! Who do you love? Where are you seeking strength… are you looking in the right direction?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 25, 2011
Psalm 62:8
Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each one of your concerns. God is our place of safety.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever told someone something in confidence, and practically before you could turn around, that person told another? Maybe it wasn’t even something all that big or private… but you had trusted this person to be your “personal sounding board,” and he/she had blabbed to someone else. Sometimes you may feel like there is no one on this earth whom you can trust. I don’t think this is quite right, but there are probably fewer trustworthy people in your “circle” than you think. And it only takes getting “burned” once to feel disheartened.
Additionally, many do not realize that things posted on social networks (even in private) and sent via e-mail are subject to being broadcast for the world to see. I have received countless forwarded e-mail messages that were sent to someone else who felt it was his/her obligation and/or privilege to share that information with me. And maybe this was done in total innocence – commenting on top of a message from someone else and not realizing their words were included. But we need to be careful about our sharing of information that was not intended for others. The Internet is wonderful… but often it is anything but secure or private.
Having said this… there IS a totally secure Source! We can share our innermost thoughts and feelings – our deepest, darkest secrets, hurts, fears, ideas, and more… with Almighty God. He will never blab. He will never share our information via e-mail or post it on some website or social network. He will never judge us or condemn us… even when we question His work and will.
For years, I thought it was absolutely sinful to question God … about ANYTHING. Then I read in Exodus 32:12-14 where Moses did just that… he asked God (paraphrased), “Are you sure you want to do this to your people?” And God changed his mind!
I’m not saying that God will change His mind when we question Him… or that He will like everything we say to Him. But He IS our rock and our salvation… our hope and our refuge… and we can trust Him at all times. Who are you sharing your heart with these days? God really wants to be the major portion of your “inner circle.” Have you included Him in yours?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each one of your concerns. God is our place of safety.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever told someone something in confidence, and practically before you could turn around, that person told another? Maybe it wasn’t even something all that big or private… but you had trusted this person to be your “personal sounding board,” and he/she had blabbed to someone else. Sometimes you may feel like there is no one on this earth whom you can trust. I don’t think this is quite right, but there are probably fewer trustworthy people in your “circle” than you think. And it only takes getting “burned” once to feel disheartened.
Additionally, many do not realize that things posted on social networks (even in private) and sent via e-mail are subject to being broadcast for the world to see. I have received countless forwarded e-mail messages that were sent to someone else who felt it was his/her obligation and/or privilege to share that information with me. And maybe this was done in total innocence – commenting on top of a message from someone else and not realizing their words were included. But we need to be careful about our sharing of information that was not intended for others. The Internet is wonderful… but often it is anything but secure or private.
Having said this… there IS a totally secure Source! We can share our innermost thoughts and feelings – our deepest, darkest secrets, hurts, fears, ideas, and more… with Almighty God. He will never blab. He will never share our information via e-mail or post it on some website or social network. He will never judge us or condemn us… even when we question His work and will.
For years, I thought it was absolutely sinful to question God … about ANYTHING. Then I read in Exodus 32:12-14 where Moses did just that… he asked God (paraphrased), “Are you sure you want to do this to your people?” And God changed his mind!
I’m not saying that God will change His mind when we question Him… or that He will like everything we say to Him. But He IS our rock and our salvation… our hope and our refuge… and we can trust Him at all times. Who are you sharing your heart with these days? God really wants to be the major portion of your “inner circle.” Have you included Him in yours?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 24, 2011
Psalm 62:1-2
Only God can save me, and I calmly wait for him. God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe and the fortress where I am secure.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In my purse, I carry an Epi-pen. This medical device contains a dose of epinephrine (adrenaline)… a hormone and neurotransmitter designed to accelerate the heart and constrict blood vessels while dilating air passages. In other words, if I am having an allergy attack and swelling is threatening my ability to breathe, a jab with this pen could save my life. I’ve had to use adrenaline for this purpose a couple of times, and the initial effect is anything but calming! Think of a time when you were startled suddenly, and your heart felt like it might pound out of your chest! That’s the effect of a sudden jolt of adrenaline, whether produced naturally by your own body or externally via injection.
In some ways, we react to things around us as if we have had a quick jolt of adrenaline. We get news that is bad or upsetting in some way, and we panic and start to worry and wring our hands. Even good things that cause us to become momentarily “high-strung” can get our heart pumping and result in erratic behavior. Some people are admitted “adrenaline junkies” who really enjoy the supposed “thrill” of throwing themselves into a tizzy or trying daredevil activities that send a jolt of adrenaline surging through their veins. And more times than we want to admit, our behavior in all of these moments is less than stellar… and certainly doesn’t reflect faith in God or good judgment.
I am first in line when I say that “WE” need to learn to rest in God… to turn to Him and calmly wait for His response and care. We need to rely more on God as our rock… to have confidence in His abilities to handle our problems and meet our needs. We need to relax, calm down, and just bask in the safety and security of His amazing power and presence. We need to learn to get our “thrills” from the relationship we have with Jesus Christ and seek fewer opportunities to test the limits and try crazy things for that momentary exhilaration.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a reactionary. I want to be calmer, more serene… to take things in stride more and let God handle things for me. I don’t want to be an “adrenaline junkie” – in any sense of the words. I want to operate on a more even keel… secure and confident in the care of my Heavenly Father. I’ll still have my Epi-pen in my purse… just in case… but I don’t plan on using it any time soon. And even if I should require that sudden jolt to get me back on track, I hope I can calmly trust God to do the heavy work.
Adrenaline can be a life-saver when administered by the Great Physician. It’s time to trust God to know when we need a jolt… and to stay calm and rest in His care in the meantime.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Only God can save me, and I calmly wait for him. God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe and the fortress where I am secure.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In my purse, I carry an Epi-pen. This medical device contains a dose of epinephrine (adrenaline)… a hormone and neurotransmitter designed to accelerate the heart and constrict blood vessels while dilating air passages. In other words, if I am having an allergy attack and swelling is threatening my ability to breathe, a jab with this pen could save my life. I’ve had to use adrenaline for this purpose a couple of times, and the initial effect is anything but calming! Think of a time when you were startled suddenly, and your heart felt like it might pound out of your chest! That’s the effect of a sudden jolt of adrenaline, whether produced naturally by your own body or externally via injection.
In some ways, we react to things around us as if we have had a quick jolt of adrenaline. We get news that is bad or upsetting in some way, and we panic and start to worry and wring our hands. Even good things that cause us to become momentarily “high-strung” can get our heart pumping and result in erratic behavior. Some people are admitted “adrenaline junkies” who really enjoy the supposed “thrill” of throwing themselves into a tizzy or trying daredevil activities that send a jolt of adrenaline surging through their veins. And more times than we want to admit, our behavior in all of these moments is less than stellar… and certainly doesn’t reflect faith in God or good judgment.
I am first in line when I say that “WE” need to learn to rest in God… to turn to Him and calmly wait for His response and care. We need to rely more on God as our rock… to have confidence in His abilities to handle our problems and meet our needs. We need to relax, calm down, and just bask in the safety and security of His amazing power and presence. We need to learn to get our “thrills” from the relationship we have with Jesus Christ and seek fewer opportunities to test the limits and try crazy things for that momentary exhilaration.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a reactionary. I want to be calmer, more serene… to take things in stride more and let God handle things for me. I don’t want to be an “adrenaline junkie” – in any sense of the words. I want to operate on a more even keel… secure and confident in the care of my Heavenly Father. I’ll still have my Epi-pen in my purse… just in case… but I don’t plan on using it any time soon. And even if I should require that sudden jolt to get me back on track, I hope I can calmly trust God to do the heavy work.
Adrenaline can be a life-saver when administered by the Great Physician. It’s time to trust God to know when we need a jolt… and to stay calm and rest in His care in the meantime.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 23, 2011
March 23 ~ Psalm 59:16-17
But I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love. You are my fortress, my place of protection in times of trouble. I will sing your praises! You are my mighty fortress, and you love me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My sister discovered a book on my grandmother’s bookshelf titled Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy by Barbara Johnson. In the preface, the author says that she “wanted to reach out, one to one, heart to heart, to help that one freshly hurt mother who felt as though no one could possibly understand the depth of her despair.” She adds that, via her own personal experiences, she understands that mother’s hurts and wanted to “model a firm grip on God’s loving promises, and then to gently nudge us back to normalcy… a place we thought we’d never see again.”
For a title to Chapter 1 of this book, Johnson chose: “Pain Is Inevitable… Misery is Optional.” Earlier in the tenth verse of this Psalm, The Message translates the words like this… “God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin.” David writes in this Psalm of the enemies showing up “like snarling dogs” to hurt us… but God is always there to serve as our fortress and protection in times of trouble.
Because God “has our back,” we can praise Him night and day – in times both good and bad. We can “stick a geranium in our hat and be happy” no matter what is happening to us. We can count on God to show up on time and fight our battles for us. Does this mean trouble won’t come… that we won’t have worries, fears, heartaches, suffering, and sadness? Absolutely not! Does it mean that we will be given more than we can handle? Never! We will have pain in our life… but we choose whether or not to be miserable.
In recent days, I have observed several families who are dealing with extraordinary challenges… serious health issues that have ravaged the bodies of precious young children and Godly adults. I have marveled at the ability of family members to speak positively, even when watching their babies suffer or be hooked to machines and devices that bring healing and life sustaining nutrients and medication. I’ve watched families be given the news that “the end” of this earthly life is near for a loved one… and young mothers report on Facebook about their little ones’ afflictions… RSV, pneumonia, a brain shunt for one and kidney problems… a serious infection for another.
I have seen others learn that new, seemingly inconvenient or complicated therapies or treatments will be necessary, and they take it in stride… making the necessary arrangements for appointments, equipment, and more. Always, they ask, “Please pray,” but not once have they said, “God has deserted or disappointed us.” They sing of His strength… and when even slight improvements or healings… they quickly thank God for answering and protecting them.”
Surely we can do the same. With God’s help, we can handle whatever “life” hands us. We can sing His praises, stick a flower in our hat and be happy… because we are LOVED and protected by the Most High God! He’s “large and in charge” – and He is all we need! This is GOOD NEWS! This is reason to be happy and confident. We can handle ANYTHING with God… don’t you believe this? What will you choose today – a positive outlook… or misery? Will you live like God is in control? Will others see God’s strength operating in and through you? Just what sort of “hat” are you wearing today… and will it have a flower?
©2011 Debbie Robus
But I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love. You are my fortress, my place of protection in times of trouble. I will sing your praises! You are my mighty fortress, and you love me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My sister discovered a book on my grandmother’s bookshelf titled Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy by Barbara Johnson. In the preface, the author says that she “wanted to reach out, one to one, heart to heart, to help that one freshly hurt mother who felt as though no one could possibly understand the depth of her despair.” She adds that, via her own personal experiences, she understands that mother’s hurts and wanted to “model a firm grip on God’s loving promises, and then to gently nudge us back to normalcy… a place we thought we’d never see again.”
For a title to Chapter 1 of this book, Johnson chose: “Pain Is Inevitable… Misery is Optional.” Earlier in the tenth verse of this Psalm, The Message translates the words like this… “God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin.” David writes in this Psalm of the enemies showing up “like snarling dogs” to hurt us… but God is always there to serve as our fortress and protection in times of trouble.
Because God “has our back,” we can praise Him night and day – in times both good and bad. We can “stick a geranium in our hat and be happy” no matter what is happening to us. We can count on God to show up on time and fight our battles for us. Does this mean trouble won’t come… that we won’t have worries, fears, heartaches, suffering, and sadness? Absolutely not! Does it mean that we will be given more than we can handle? Never! We will have pain in our life… but we choose whether or not to be miserable.
In recent days, I have observed several families who are dealing with extraordinary challenges… serious health issues that have ravaged the bodies of precious young children and Godly adults. I have marveled at the ability of family members to speak positively, even when watching their babies suffer or be hooked to machines and devices that bring healing and life sustaining nutrients and medication. I’ve watched families be given the news that “the end” of this earthly life is near for a loved one… and young mothers report on Facebook about their little ones’ afflictions… RSV, pneumonia, a brain shunt for one and kidney problems… a serious infection for another.
I have seen others learn that new, seemingly inconvenient or complicated therapies or treatments will be necessary, and they take it in stride… making the necessary arrangements for appointments, equipment, and more. Always, they ask, “Please pray,” but not once have they said, “God has deserted or disappointed us.” They sing of His strength… and when even slight improvements or healings… they quickly thank God for answering and protecting them.”
Surely we can do the same. With God’s help, we can handle whatever “life” hands us. We can sing His praises, stick a flower in our hat and be happy… because we are LOVED and protected by the Most High God! He’s “large and in charge” – and He is all we need! This is GOOD NEWS! This is reason to be happy and confident. We can handle ANYTHING with God… don’t you believe this? What will you choose today – a positive outlook… or misery? Will you live like God is in control? Will others see God’s strength operating in and through you? Just what sort of “hat” are you wearing today… and will it have a flower?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2011
Jeremiah 17:7-8
But I will bless those who trust me. They will be like trees growing beside a stream -- trees with roots that reach down to the water, and with leaves that are always green. They bear fruit every year and are never worried by a lack of rain.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This is the time of year when we start to think about planting things and watching them grow. Everywhere you look, blooms are bursting open… green leaves are sprouting… the yards are filled with carpets of little white/yellow/purple flowers. Despite our harsh (by Arkansas standards) winter, the roots run deep to nurture plants and trees, and now many are bearing fruit. Even though we are still technically near drought conditions in our state, things are rising from the earth and “greening up” – taking nourishment from deep within the ground.
In my sun-room is a peace lily I have had for almost thirteen years… a gift from friends when my brother died. I have to admit, I am not the best “gardener” in the world, and I sorely neglect this plant. I’ve made a “Google reminder” to water my plants, but sometimes I still find this one drooped and sagging from lack of water. But without fail, a few cups of water (it’s a BIG plant) result in beautiful leaves – and cyclic blooms – that spring upward a few hours later. I can almost hear the plant heave a sigh… “Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”
If we stop and think about it, we Christians are the “plants”… and God is the “Gardener.” When we trust God to reign in our life, we enjoy the benefits of deep roots. Because we have a strong core relationship with God, when bumps in the road bring us what seems like a “drought,” God continues to meet our needs and nourish us. And just like my peace lily plant or the dormant flowers and trees of winter, when we return to him and fully bask in His counsel and blessings, our “stems” are strong and sturdy… everything reaches upward or blooms… and welcomes the day!
There will be seasons to our life when it seems as if God has abandoned us… times when we don’t feel as close to Him, no matter how much we pray or study the scripture. These are normal, and God really hasn’t deserted us… but He will use these times to test our faith – to see how we react. If you are firmly rooted and confident in your relationship, you will continue doing what you believe God wants you to do… serving, studying, loving, witnessing, and staying faithful and positive. When God comes along with several cups of “Living Water” to refresh you, you will heave a big sigh of relief, take a deep breath, and say, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Isn’t it wonderful to live in the blessings of God?! Doesn’t it feel great to know your roots are deep and strong… that He is nurturing you from the bottom up and feeding you well… meeting every need with perfect care?! When I water my peace lily and it revives – or I look outside and see the foliage of spring practically popping open before my very eyes – I feel like the plants are saying, “Thank you!” and acknowledging my presence and care. It’s the same with God when we allow Him to nurture and refresh us, isn’t it?! Are you acknowledging His presence in your life? Have you thanked Him for establishing deep roots in your soul and nourishing you upward?
©2011 Debbie Robus
But I will bless those who trust me. They will be like trees growing beside a stream -- trees with roots that reach down to the water, and with leaves that are always green. They bear fruit every year and are never worried by a lack of rain.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This is the time of year when we start to think about planting things and watching them grow. Everywhere you look, blooms are bursting open… green leaves are sprouting… the yards are filled with carpets of little white/yellow/purple flowers. Despite our harsh (by Arkansas standards) winter, the roots run deep to nurture plants and trees, and now many are bearing fruit. Even though we are still technically near drought conditions in our state, things are rising from the earth and “greening up” – taking nourishment from deep within the ground.
In my sun-room is a peace lily I have had for almost thirteen years… a gift from friends when my brother died. I have to admit, I am not the best “gardener” in the world, and I sorely neglect this plant. I’ve made a “Google reminder” to water my plants, but sometimes I still find this one drooped and sagging from lack of water. But without fail, a few cups of water (it’s a BIG plant) result in beautiful leaves – and cyclic blooms – that spring upward a few hours later. I can almost hear the plant heave a sigh… “Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”
If we stop and think about it, we Christians are the “plants”… and God is the “Gardener.” When we trust God to reign in our life, we enjoy the benefits of deep roots. Because we have a strong core relationship with God, when bumps in the road bring us what seems like a “drought,” God continues to meet our needs and nourish us. And just like my peace lily plant or the dormant flowers and trees of winter, when we return to him and fully bask in His counsel and blessings, our “stems” are strong and sturdy… everything reaches upward or blooms… and welcomes the day!
There will be seasons to our life when it seems as if God has abandoned us… times when we don’t feel as close to Him, no matter how much we pray or study the scripture. These are normal, and God really hasn’t deserted us… but He will use these times to test our faith – to see how we react. If you are firmly rooted and confident in your relationship, you will continue doing what you believe God wants you to do… serving, studying, loving, witnessing, and staying faithful and positive. When God comes along with several cups of “Living Water” to refresh you, you will heave a big sigh of relief, take a deep breath, and say, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Isn’t it wonderful to live in the blessings of God?! Doesn’t it feel great to know your roots are deep and strong… that He is nurturing you from the bottom up and feeding you well… meeting every need with perfect care?! When I water my peace lily and it revives – or I look outside and see the foliage of spring practically popping open before my very eyes – I feel like the plants are saying, “Thank you!” and acknowledging my presence and care. It’s the same with God when we allow Him to nurture and refresh us, isn’t it?! Are you acknowledging His presence in your life? Have you thanked Him for establishing deep roots in your soul and nourishing you upward?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 21, 2011
Luke 3:7-10
Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." The crowds asked John, "What should we do?"John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Now that my grandmother has moved to an Assisted Living Facility, we are cleaning out her house and going through the things she did not take with her to the new apartment. I recently found a spiral notebook that my mother had given to my grandmother, in hopes that she would write down some information about her life – and maybe begin a journal. There are lots of gaps… and the “journal” stops abruptly right after the death of my brother… but my grandmother did indeed write a lot about her childhood experiences and the early years of her adult life.
She talks about her marriage to my grandfather in 1932, and how they had a three-room house – and that was too much space for the sparse furniture they had. She said they made up for furnishings with love and happiness. She also talks of the kindness and generosity of a German immigrant who hired my grandfather to work his fields and gave them a two-room “house” to inhabit. My grandmother says the house was in awful shape, but she worked and scrubbed and cleaned to make it better… and “Papa Stecker,” as she called him, was very generous to her. He supplied her with everything from a roof over her head to his fertilizer and chicken feed sacks for making her clothing, underwear, bed linens, curtains and more, to helping my grandparents later in life when their crops failed and a mortgage payment was due at the bank.
My grandmother talks a lot about the love and kindness of Papa Stecker – and others. She tells of countless times spent with neighbors and friends, sharing what they had… canning and drying food, making cotton mattresses to replace their straw and feather predecessors, and “sleeping four or more to a bed” in order to visit relatives and friends and attend church revival services and catch up on each others’ lives. She related that once when the families gathered, her uncle brought his cow so the family would have enough milk while they visited.
Truly, my grandmother and her circle of family and friends practiced sharing the love of Christ through sharing what they had. Today, many in her shoes would not even think of sharing an extra can of food, much less clothing or a milk cow! But there is something even more remarkable about this journal. On countless pages, in between the stories of hardship and back-breaking work and struggle, my grandmother says, “We had such fun,” or “Those were good times.” She also talks repeatedly about how “the Lord” saw her through… and truly, her faith has been the cornerstone of her existence.
On the first page of this “journal,” my grandmother wrote about her mother. She said that her family didn’t have much to do for entertainment or recreation, and when her mother had a free moment, she sat down and reached for her Bible. My great-grandmother read her Bible daily until pretty much the day she died. She instilled in her children the value of “producing good fruit” and she taught them about the things that truly bring happiness… family, friends, honesty, generosity, and a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, whom they almost always refer to as “the Lord.” Truly He was – and is – the Lord of their lives.
If we had to endure some of the things today that my grandmother has endured in her lifetime, we might very possibly collapse in a heap and concede defeat. But clearly, we have examples – from the time of the Bible on through history – of how God can strengthen His followers… give us deep roots and help us to produce good fruit. We have the models in place for how to do this. The question becomes… “Are we paying attention?”
©2011 Debbie Robus
Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." The crowds asked John, "What should we do?"John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Now that my grandmother has moved to an Assisted Living Facility, we are cleaning out her house and going through the things she did not take with her to the new apartment. I recently found a spiral notebook that my mother had given to my grandmother, in hopes that she would write down some information about her life – and maybe begin a journal. There are lots of gaps… and the “journal” stops abruptly right after the death of my brother… but my grandmother did indeed write a lot about her childhood experiences and the early years of her adult life.
She talks about her marriage to my grandfather in 1932, and how they had a three-room house – and that was too much space for the sparse furniture they had. She said they made up for furnishings with love and happiness. She also talks of the kindness and generosity of a German immigrant who hired my grandfather to work his fields and gave them a two-room “house” to inhabit. My grandmother says the house was in awful shape, but she worked and scrubbed and cleaned to make it better… and “Papa Stecker,” as she called him, was very generous to her. He supplied her with everything from a roof over her head to his fertilizer and chicken feed sacks for making her clothing, underwear, bed linens, curtains and more, to helping my grandparents later in life when their crops failed and a mortgage payment was due at the bank.
My grandmother talks a lot about the love and kindness of Papa Stecker – and others. She tells of countless times spent with neighbors and friends, sharing what they had… canning and drying food, making cotton mattresses to replace their straw and feather predecessors, and “sleeping four or more to a bed” in order to visit relatives and friends and attend church revival services and catch up on each others’ lives. She related that once when the families gathered, her uncle brought his cow so the family would have enough milk while they visited.
Truly, my grandmother and her circle of family and friends practiced sharing the love of Christ through sharing what they had. Today, many in her shoes would not even think of sharing an extra can of food, much less clothing or a milk cow! But there is something even more remarkable about this journal. On countless pages, in between the stories of hardship and back-breaking work and struggle, my grandmother says, “We had such fun,” or “Those were good times.” She also talks repeatedly about how “the Lord” saw her through… and truly, her faith has been the cornerstone of her existence.
On the first page of this “journal,” my grandmother wrote about her mother. She said that her family didn’t have much to do for entertainment or recreation, and when her mother had a free moment, she sat down and reached for her Bible. My great-grandmother read her Bible daily until pretty much the day she died. She instilled in her children the value of “producing good fruit” and she taught them about the things that truly bring happiness… family, friends, honesty, generosity, and a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, whom they almost always refer to as “the Lord.” Truly He was – and is – the Lord of their lives.
If we had to endure some of the things today that my grandmother has endured in her lifetime, we might very possibly collapse in a heap and concede defeat. But clearly, we have examples – from the time of the Bible on through history – of how God can strengthen His followers… give us deep roots and help us to produce good fruit. We have the models in place for how to do this. The question becomes… “Are we paying attention?”
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 20, 2011
Psalm 56:8-13
You have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in your bottle and counted each of them. When I pray, LORD God, my enemies will retreat, because I know for certain that you are with me. I praise your promises!
I trust you and am not afraid. No one can harm me. I will keep my promises to you, my God, and bring you gifts. You protected me from death and kept me from stumbling, so that I would please you and follow the light that leads to life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent episode of NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”, Rosie O’Donnell traced her ancestry from New York and New Jersey back through Quebec, Canada, to County Kildare, Ireland. Along the way, she discovered that her great-grandfather’s first wife, Anna, was badly burned in a fire in their Manhattan home in the 1800’s. Anna was cooking breakfast and holding an infant daughter, who reached out and grabbed a kerosene lantern and pulled it toward the stove, where it exploded. The baby was not injured (probably do to the heroics of her mother), but Anna suffered for 20 days before dying. Anyone who has spent time with a small baby knows how quickly they can grab something and innocently cause havoc… so I truly felt for this woman and her family.
But that’s not all… Rosie discovered that her great-grandfather, Michael (husband of Anna), was born in Quebec… after his parents emigrated from Ireland, somewhere between 1846 and 1861, when the Murtagh family first appears in a Canadian census. Rosie learns that her great-great grandparents and four children were so poor that they had to enter a “Poor Law workhouse” during the potato famine. She visited a “workhouse” similar to the one in which her ancestors were placed, and she was devastated to see the conditions there. Straw mattresses were placed on the floor, with as many as four people assigned to one bed. Children ages 2-15 were separated from their families and relegated to the top floor. The women were placed in one area – the men in another. Over one million people died during the potato famine… many of them children, who were especially susceptible to disease and infection. Just thinking about someone taking my children from me as I entered such a place… cold, hungry and desperate… gave me chills and made me heartsick.
Rosie found records from 1854 indicating her great-great grandparents were living in a workhouse, but she also discovered that two men in charge recommended this family as suitable candidates to emigrate to Canada. Moved to tears, Rosie considers the incredible hardships her ancestors endured. She recognizes the success and accomplishments that she and her siblings have enjoyed, and she realizes that her life has always been blessed. She says in the episode that she would not be here, were it not for the two men who recommended her ancestors for emigration.
Surely God stored the tears of Rosie’s ancestors in His bottle and numbered them. Surely He had his hand upon this family – and others - even in the suffering that their great-great-granddaughter endured – and Rosie compared to a concentration camp. Rosie was able to do what King David did in the Psalm… look beyond her sadness, grief, and suffering and see the blessings God was preparing for her. And we can do the same. Every family… and every life… will have times of challenge, hardship, sadness, and suffering on some level. No one is immune to these tools of the devil… his attempts to drag us down and make us turn our back on God.
Rick Warren says in The Purpose Driven Life that “You will have happy moments here, but nothing compared to what God has planned for you…faithfulness to God does not guarantee success in a career or even ministry. Never focus on temporary crowns.” When we stop and consider this, we can see that what we consider to be extremely difficult… even horrific… times in our lives are truly just bumps in the road in the overall scheme of God’s plans for us.
If we can learn to focus on worshipping God and making Him smile… if we can look beyond our immediate little world and realize that there is a much bigger picture, we can begin to live in the blessings that God has for us. When we realize just how important we are to Him… how everything weaves together to bring us to the exact spot we are now… we more clearly see how important it is that we stay faithful and do our part to honor and glorify the One who counts our tears.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the blessings and the intricate details of how God is working on our behalf, because we get bogged down in the everyday incidents and focus too much on the immediate rather than the long-term. Where do you need to adjust your focus? Ask God to show you how to trust Him more… and trust His promises. Begin to operate in faith that He will not only number your tears… but your steps as well. Realize how blessed you are to be a child of God… and start to live accordingly!
©2011 Debbie Robus
You have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in your bottle and counted each of them. When I pray, LORD God, my enemies will retreat, because I know for certain that you are with me. I praise your promises!
I trust you and am not afraid. No one can harm me. I will keep my promises to you, my God, and bring you gifts. You protected me from death and kept me from stumbling, so that I would please you and follow the light that leads to life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent episode of NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”, Rosie O’Donnell traced her ancestry from New York and New Jersey back through Quebec, Canada, to County Kildare, Ireland. Along the way, she discovered that her great-grandfather’s first wife, Anna, was badly burned in a fire in their Manhattan home in the 1800’s. Anna was cooking breakfast and holding an infant daughter, who reached out and grabbed a kerosene lantern and pulled it toward the stove, where it exploded. The baby was not injured (probably do to the heroics of her mother), but Anna suffered for 20 days before dying. Anyone who has spent time with a small baby knows how quickly they can grab something and innocently cause havoc… so I truly felt for this woman and her family.
But that’s not all… Rosie discovered that her great-grandfather, Michael (husband of Anna), was born in Quebec… after his parents emigrated from Ireland, somewhere between 1846 and 1861, when the Murtagh family first appears in a Canadian census. Rosie learns that her great-great grandparents and four children were so poor that they had to enter a “Poor Law workhouse” during the potato famine. She visited a “workhouse” similar to the one in which her ancestors were placed, and she was devastated to see the conditions there. Straw mattresses were placed on the floor, with as many as four people assigned to one bed. Children ages 2-15 were separated from their families and relegated to the top floor. The women were placed in one area – the men in another. Over one million people died during the potato famine… many of them children, who were especially susceptible to disease and infection. Just thinking about someone taking my children from me as I entered such a place… cold, hungry and desperate… gave me chills and made me heartsick.
Rosie found records from 1854 indicating her great-great grandparents were living in a workhouse, but she also discovered that two men in charge recommended this family as suitable candidates to emigrate to Canada. Moved to tears, Rosie considers the incredible hardships her ancestors endured. She recognizes the success and accomplishments that she and her siblings have enjoyed, and she realizes that her life has always been blessed. She says in the episode that she would not be here, were it not for the two men who recommended her ancestors for emigration.
Surely God stored the tears of Rosie’s ancestors in His bottle and numbered them. Surely He had his hand upon this family – and others - even in the suffering that their great-great-granddaughter endured – and Rosie compared to a concentration camp. Rosie was able to do what King David did in the Psalm… look beyond her sadness, grief, and suffering and see the blessings God was preparing for her. And we can do the same. Every family… and every life… will have times of challenge, hardship, sadness, and suffering on some level. No one is immune to these tools of the devil… his attempts to drag us down and make us turn our back on God.
Rick Warren says in The Purpose Driven Life that “You will have happy moments here, but nothing compared to what God has planned for you…faithfulness to God does not guarantee success in a career or even ministry. Never focus on temporary crowns.” When we stop and consider this, we can see that what we consider to be extremely difficult… even horrific… times in our lives are truly just bumps in the road in the overall scheme of God’s plans for us.
If we can learn to focus on worshipping God and making Him smile… if we can look beyond our immediate little world and realize that there is a much bigger picture, we can begin to live in the blessings that God has for us. When we realize just how important we are to Him… how everything weaves together to bring us to the exact spot we are now… we more clearly see how important it is that we stay faithful and do our part to honor and glorify the One who counts our tears.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the blessings and the intricate details of how God is working on our behalf, because we get bogged down in the everyday incidents and focus too much on the immediate rather than the long-term. Where do you need to adjust your focus? Ask God to show you how to trust Him more… and trust His promises. Begin to operate in faith that He will not only number your tears… but your steps as well. Realize how blessed you are to be a child of God… and start to live accordingly!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 19, 2011
1 Peter 2:11-12
Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you. Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother told us recently about visiting a “ghost-town-turned-tourist-trap” in Arizona, where they observed an interesting exchange between a man and a horse. It seems the man was trying to lead the horse across a roadway – and away from other horses – toward what appeared to be a large trough of water. (Interject “you can lead a horse to water…” joke here!)
The horse apparently did NOT want to go, and he reared up at the man and retreated to the point of origin and took his place with the other horses. The man tried again (remember our definition of insanity?!) and got the same results. Clearly the horse did not want to surrender to the man. This animal could not understand that the man’s intention (purpose) was a good one. His plans were to provide the horse with necessary nurture and care, i.e. water!
Aren’t we just like the horse? God is trying to give us so much, but for whatever reason… fear, selfishness, ego, stubbornness, sin, and more… we rear up, stomp and pitch a fit, dig in our heels and refuse to budge. We retreat to what we know… what is comfortable… even if it’s all wrong for us. We think we know better than God what is right for us… what we need… what will make the most sense in our lives.
In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says “Surrender doesn’t weaken you, it strengthens you.” The Bible gives us tremendous examples of people who surrendered to God when it didn’t make a lick of sense… Noah, Moses, Queen Esther… even Jesus Christ. Surrender to God does not equal an admission of defeat… it reflects maturity in our faith and a true desire to live fully in the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father.
We are like the stubborn horse who foregoes life-sustaining water in favor of a comfortable stance on the sidelines. When we fail to surrender to God, we fail to enjoy a complete relationship with Him – and all that He wants to give us. Where are you standing today? Will you “cross the road” and surrender completely to God and start living in His grace, mercy, love… and abundance? Or are you kicking up your feet and taking a stand… stuck in the same old rut? Are you ready to let God take the reins and lead you to “the good stuff”? Are you ready to surrender completely?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you. Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother told us recently about visiting a “ghost-town-turned-tourist-trap” in Arizona, where they observed an interesting exchange between a man and a horse. It seems the man was trying to lead the horse across a roadway – and away from other horses – toward what appeared to be a large trough of water. (Interject “you can lead a horse to water…” joke here!)
The horse apparently did NOT want to go, and he reared up at the man and retreated to the point of origin and took his place with the other horses. The man tried again (remember our definition of insanity?!) and got the same results. Clearly the horse did not want to surrender to the man. This animal could not understand that the man’s intention (purpose) was a good one. His plans were to provide the horse with necessary nurture and care, i.e. water!
Aren’t we just like the horse? God is trying to give us so much, but for whatever reason… fear, selfishness, ego, stubbornness, sin, and more… we rear up, stomp and pitch a fit, dig in our heels and refuse to budge. We retreat to what we know… what is comfortable… even if it’s all wrong for us. We think we know better than God what is right for us… what we need… what will make the most sense in our lives.
In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says “Surrender doesn’t weaken you, it strengthens you.” The Bible gives us tremendous examples of people who surrendered to God when it didn’t make a lick of sense… Noah, Moses, Queen Esther… even Jesus Christ. Surrender to God does not equal an admission of defeat… it reflects maturity in our faith and a true desire to live fully in the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father.
We are like the stubborn horse who foregoes life-sustaining water in favor of a comfortable stance on the sidelines. When we fail to surrender to God, we fail to enjoy a complete relationship with Him – and all that He wants to give us. Where are you standing today? Will you “cross the road” and surrender completely to God and start living in His grace, mercy, love… and abundance? Or are you kicking up your feet and taking a stand… stuck in the same old rut? Are you ready to let God take the reins and lead you to “the good stuff”? Are you ready to surrender completely?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 18, 2011
Hosea 6:6
I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My brother Tim worked at our local hospital as an orderly when he was in high school. Because the hospital staff was small in number and close knit, my brother was taken under the wing of several nurses (and a couple of doctors), and he was a quick study. One day when Tim was 15 or 16, he heard a woman screaming on the courthouse square as he drove up Main Street. The woman was standing alongside her husband… and he was having a heart attack. Tim stopped and resuscitated this man by administering CPR… and he literally saved this man’s life.
My brother learned a lot about medicine as a high school orderly – and then he became a heart monitor technician - which led to his lifelong interest in cardiac medicine. By the time Tim went to nursing school, he already had a lot of firsthand experience. He still had to do the “book learning” – and there was a lot to learn – but like many good nurses before him who never even went to nursing school, Tim learned much “on the job.”
Our pastor recently said, “Being in church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in the hen house makes you a chicken!” God wants us to learn “on the job” by spending time with Him… learning from Him, communicating with Him, studying His word… and “practicing” our faith. Prayer meetings, Bible studies, worship services and fellowship with other Christians all have their place. But being able to quote scripture or warming a pew for a meeting/service/class doesn’t necessarily mean you have a love for God that lasts… or a deep, abiding relationship with Him. When it comes to our Christian faith, relationships trump “book learning” every time.
God wants us to worship Him and fortify our relationship by putting our faith into action. He wants us to communicate… but He also wants us to be busy DOING His work on this earth. I have a poor memory for scripture. I can quote or paraphrase favorite Bible verses… but to sit and tell you, “Hosea 6:6 says ‘I’m after love that lasts; not more religion…’ is probably not going to happen. However, in my own defense, I try to spend a lot of time communicating with God about how and where He wants me to serve… what I can do to honor Him and operate in His will.
You can spout scripture to others until you are blue in the face. But unless you can live out the meaning and intention of that scripture each day… unless you can be the hands and feet of Jesus for real in the everyday world… you are merely spouting scripture. You can go to church every Sunday and take on countless jobs in your church, but if you do not have a heart for loving others with the love of Christ and meeting them where they are each and every day, you’re probably wasting a lot of time.
You can work to garner new members for your church/Sunday-school class/small group/choir and more, but if you are not modeling Christian behavior – from the heart – every day, you are just warming seats with bodies. We need to get real about what God wants from us. He wants a relationship that is interactive and mutually genuine. He wants us to love Him above all else… and to desire to worship Him and serve His purposes more than anything else! Any less is simply not acceptable.
When we think about our relationship with God in these terms, it seems daunting… like a huge responsibility… and it is! But God will never give us more than we can handle. He will never ask more of us than He equips us to accomplish. We have nothing to fear. All we have to do is step up and get to know him.
Study and “book learning” have their place. And I’m glad my brother went to school and got his nursing degree. But that was not what made him a good nurse, any more than organized meetings and services make us faithful Christians. How badly do you want this? How serious are you about your relationship with God? It’s time we asked ourselves the tough questions… and seriously considered our answers. How well do you really know God these days? What are you willing to do to get to know Him better?
©2011 Debbie Robus
I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My brother Tim worked at our local hospital as an orderly when he was in high school. Because the hospital staff was small in number and close knit, my brother was taken under the wing of several nurses (and a couple of doctors), and he was a quick study. One day when Tim was 15 or 16, he heard a woman screaming on the courthouse square as he drove up Main Street. The woman was standing alongside her husband… and he was having a heart attack. Tim stopped and resuscitated this man by administering CPR… and he literally saved this man’s life.
My brother learned a lot about medicine as a high school orderly – and then he became a heart monitor technician - which led to his lifelong interest in cardiac medicine. By the time Tim went to nursing school, he already had a lot of firsthand experience. He still had to do the “book learning” – and there was a lot to learn – but like many good nurses before him who never even went to nursing school, Tim learned much “on the job.”
Our pastor recently said, “Being in church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in the hen house makes you a chicken!” God wants us to learn “on the job” by spending time with Him… learning from Him, communicating with Him, studying His word… and “practicing” our faith. Prayer meetings, Bible studies, worship services and fellowship with other Christians all have their place. But being able to quote scripture or warming a pew for a meeting/service/class doesn’t necessarily mean you have a love for God that lasts… or a deep, abiding relationship with Him. When it comes to our Christian faith, relationships trump “book learning” every time.
God wants us to worship Him and fortify our relationship by putting our faith into action. He wants us to communicate… but He also wants us to be busy DOING His work on this earth. I have a poor memory for scripture. I can quote or paraphrase favorite Bible verses… but to sit and tell you, “Hosea 6:6 says ‘I’m after love that lasts; not more religion…’ is probably not going to happen. However, in my own defense, I try to spend a lot of time communicating with God about how and where He wants me to serve… what I can do to honor Him and operate in His will.
You can spout scripture to others until you are blue in the face. But unless you can live out the meaning and intention of that scripture each day… unless you can be the hands and feet of Jesus for real in the everyday world… you are merely spouting scripture. You can go to church every Sunday and take on countless jobs in your church, but if you do not have a heart for loving others with the love of Christ and meeting them where they are each and every day, you’re probably wasting a lot of time.
You can work to garner new members for your church/Sunday-school class/small group/choir and more, but if you are not modeling Christian behavior – from the heart – every day, you are just warming seats with bodies. We need to get real about what God wants from us. He wants a relationship that is interactive and mutually genuine. He wants us to love Him above all else… and to desire to worship Him and serve His purposes more than anything else! Any less is simply not acceptable.
When we think about our relationship with God in these terms, it seems daunting… like a huge responsibility… and it is! But God will never give us more than we can handle. He will never ask more of us than He equips us to accomplish. We have nothing to fear. All we have to do is step up and get to know him.
Study and “book learning” have their place. And I’m glad my brother went to school and got his nursing degree. But that was not what made him a good nurse, any more than organized meetings and services make us faithful Christians. How badly do you want this? How serious are you about your relationship with God? It’s time we asked ourselves the tough questions… and seriously considered our answers. How well do you really know God these days? What are you willing to do to get to know Him better?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 17, 2011
Proverbs 10:22
When the LORD blesses you with riches, you have nothing to regret.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy Kodjo Owusu Frim, the little boy in Ghana whom we sponsor through Compassion International often writes that he is praying for us. How humbled I am by this! I recently read that in Ghana, most of the children who get an opportunity to go to school are those sponsored by people like my husband and me. And the schooling is slow… ten and twelve-year-olds are often just completing work in kindergarten and first grade. So when our ten-year-old Kodjo asks me to pray for him as he studies in school and at his church, I am very humbled and honored.
The average income in Kodjo’s village is around $32 a month… the amount my husband and I spend for his monthly sponsorship. We are allowed to send additional monetary gifts for Kodjo’s birthday and at Christmas… but there are dollar limits so that one child does not have more than his/her peers. We can send $25 to buy new clothes, a soccer ball, or a game Kodjo might like – and a little extra at Christmas time. Kodjo tells us that he loves our gifts. He also talks of time spent with family celebrating holidays and seasonal breaks from school, and he appears to feel quite blessed and “rich”, while by the world’s standards, he is living in abject poverty.
Pastor Rick Warren says in The Purpose Driven Life that… “you could reach all of your personal goals, become a raving success by the world’s standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you.” This explains why some of the “richest” people in the world are some of those many of us would consider poor.
This is nothing new… the Apostle Paul spent much of his Christian life in prison – often in horrid, unthinkable conditions – and yet he was apparently happily praising God and sharing the Good News of Jesus with others… encouraging them and offering counsel and comfort. Mother Teresa had virtually nothing of her own, yet she devoted her life to giving to others… and apparently felt quite blessed by doing so.
It seems like this is a good time for all of us to take a good look at our lives and see what we value the most. What makes us “rich” – things and money, property and possessions? Or are we rich in relationships… first and foremost with Jesus Christ, and then with others, like family, friends, and members of our community? Are we blessed because of the generosity and love of others… or are we blessed because we are a blessing in Jesus’ name?
When you get to heaven, if all of the “riches” you accumulated were things that you left behind to gather dust or be haggled over by others, you really wasted your time. But if you have a heart filled with blessings… healthy relationships, wise use of your time and money to help others and share the love of Christ, a genuine effort to bless others and be a blessing… you will have no regrets. God will congratulate you on your faithful service, and He will assign you to greater positions than you ever imagined in His kingdom.
I wonder… when I get to heaven, will I be anywhere as rich as Kodjo and others like him? I hope so! I’m asking God to humble me and help me to use the earthly riches with which He entrusts me to make a difference with eternal ramifications, so that I have no regrets when I meet Him in person. Are you willing to do the same?
©2011 Debbie Robus
When the LORD blesses you with riches, you have nothing to regret.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy Kodjo Owusu Frim, the little boy in Ghana whom we sponsor through Compassion International often writes that he is praying for us. How humbled I am by this! I recently read that in Ghana, most of the children who get an opportunity to go to school are those sponsored by people like my husband and me. And the schooling is slow… ten and twelve-year-olds are often just completing work in kindergarten and first grade. So when our ten-year-old Kodjo asks me to pray for him as he studies in school and at his church, I am very humbled and honored.
The average income in Kodjo’s village is around $32 a month… the amount my husband and I spend for his monthly sponsorship. We are allowed to send additional monetary gifts for Kodjo’s birthday and at Christmas… but there are dollar limits so that one child does not have more than his/her peers. We can send $25 to buy new clothes, a soccer ball, or a game Kodjo might like – and a little extra at Christmas time. Kodjo tells us that he loves our gifts. He also talks of time spent with family celebrating holidays and seasonal breaks from school, and he appears to feel quite blessed and “rich”, while by the world’s standards, he is living in abject poverty.
Pastor Rick Warren says in The Purpose Driven Life that… “you could reach all of your personal goals, become a raving success by the world’s standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you.” This explains why some of the “richest” people in the world are some of those many of us would consider poor.
This is nothing new… the Apostle Paul spent much of his Christian life in prison – often in horrid, unthinkable conditions – and yet he was apparently happily praising God and sharing the Good News of Jesus with others… encouraging them and offering counsel and comfort. Mother Teresa had virtually nothing of her own, yet she devoted her life to giving to others… and apparently felt quite blessed by doing so.
It seems like this is a good time for all of us to take a good look at our lives and see what we value the most. What makes us “rich” – things and money, property and possessions? Or are we rich in relationships… first and foremost with Jesus Christ, and then with others, like family, friends, and members of our community? Are we blessed because of the generosity and love of others… or are we blessed because we are a blessing in Jesus’ name?
When you get to heaven, if all of the “riches” you accumulated were things that you left behind to gather dust or be haggled over by others, you really wasted your time. But if you have a heart filled with blessings… healthy relationships, wise use of your time and money to help others and share the love of Christ, a genuine effort to bless others and be a blessing… you will have no regrets. God will congratulate you on your faithful service, and He will assign you to greater positions than you ever imagined in His kingdom.
I wonder… when I get to heaven, will I be anywhere as rich as Kodjo and others like him? I hope so! I’m asking God to humble me and help me to use the earthly riches with which He entrusts me to make a difference with eternal ramifications, so that I have no regrets when I meet Him in person. Are you willing to do the same?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 16, 2011
Psalm 51:10-12
Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again. Don't chase me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me. Make me as happy as you did when you saved me; make me want to obey!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve never personally used a GPS navigational system, but I know others who have… with mixed results. I know people who meant to go to one address, but because they didn’t enter the word “avenue” or “drive”, they actually were directed to another location. Their objective was not clear enough.
Objectives and motives are often closely related. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about motives. Let’s be honest, there is a motive behind pretty much everything we do. Sometimes our motives are pure… but often, they miss the mark. We’re pretty selfish, self-centered people… and more times than we want to admit, we ask, “What’s in this for me?” I’m afraid we actually ask God this, too… “Father, if I serve you… what will I get in return?”
We must stay vigilant in examining our motives for everything. Why do we want to belong to a certain group… friends, clubs, teams, churches? What are our motives? Are they ours alone… or are we following God’s lead? Are our hearts pure and faithful?
As I reflect on some of the decisions I have made, I can see that my motives have sometimes been selfish. But the more I learn to lean on God and trust His plans for my life, the more I see when I am headed in the wrong direction. I am able to pull back and say, “Wait a minute! Lord… show me where to correct my navigation and get back on the right track! Create in me a pure, clean heart that serves your motives and objectives… not my own.”
If you are feeling a little like God has chased you away lately, maybe your objectives and motives are not as pure as they ought to be. Maybe you have put the wrong “information” into your heart’s “navigational system.” Ask God to help you to make the necessary corrections. Feel His presence and the joy that comes from knowing you are headed in the right direction… and HE is serving as your personal navigator.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again. Don't chase me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me. Make me as happy as you did when you saved me; make me want to obey!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve never personally used a GPS navigational system, but I know others who have… with mixed results. I know people who meant to go to one address, but because they didn’t enter the word “avenue” or “drive”, they actually were directed to another location. Their objective was not clear enough.
Objectives and motives are often closely related. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about motives. Let’s be honest, there is a motive behind pretty much everything we do. Sometimes our motives are pure… but often, they miss the mark. We’re pretty selfish, self-centered people… and more times than we want to admit, we ask, “What’s in this for me?” I’m afraid we actually ask God this, too… “Father, if I serve you… what will I get in return?”
We must stay vigilant in examining our motives for everything. Why do we want to belong to a certain group… friends, clubs, teams, churches? What are our motives? Are they ours alone… or are we following God’s lead? Are our hearts pure and faithful?
As I reflect on some of the decisions I have made, I can see that my motives have sometimes been selfish. But the more I learn to lean on God and trust His plans for my life, the more I see when I am headed in the wrong direction. I am able to pull back and say, “Wait a minute! Lord… show me where to correct my navigation and get back on the right track! Create in me a pure, clean heart that serves your motives and objectives… not my own.”
If you are feeling a little like God has chased you away lately, maybe your objectives and motives are not as pure as they ought to be. Maybe you have put the wrong “information” into your heart’s “navigational system.” Ask God to help you to make the necessary corrections. Feel His presence and the joy that comes from knowing you are headed in the right direction… and HE is serving as your personal navigator.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 15, 2011
Psalm 51:1-2
You are kind, God! Please have pity on me. You are always merciful! Please wipe away my sins. Wash me clean from all of my sin and guilt.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Every year when I revisit The Purpose Driven Life, I gain new insights. God continues to show me things through His word and individual studies of the Bible and Christian life. These last few days, I’ve been reminded of our importance to God and how forgiving He can be. If you think for one minute that you are not important to God, you are sadly mistaken. And if you think He can’t forgive you for whatever mistakes you have made, you are doubly wrong.
“But I keep being tested,” you may say. “Why would God test me and allow life to be so hard and hurtful if He really loves me?” One of my early studies this week spoke about testing, and Pastor Warren said this… “You will be tested by major changes, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, underserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies. A very important test is how you act when you can’t feel God’s presence in your life. God never allows the tests you face to be greater than the grace He gives you to handle them.”
So what does this mean for us? Does this mean God wants us to suffer and make mistakes? First of all, our “suffering” can never come close to the suffering Jesus endured on our behalf… no matter how bad we feel our situation may be. And secondly, God doesn’t make mistakes… and He doesn’t do things on a whim. We can’t begin to understand His purposes… and that is the point. He wants us to trust Him… to consider every single incident in our lives as not only a test, but an opportunity to accomplish His will.
So when you are confronted with illness, an unpleasant boss or co-worker, a really difficult teacher, or even a parent you feel is being unreasonable, you have an opportunity to go one of two ways… you can honor your faith in God and operate in love, grace and mercy, or you can let the devil have control and wallow in anger, self-pity, frustration, and more. When things don’t go like you want – you lose your job and can’t find another – or you don’t get the job you want… when your relationships seem to fall apart… when “life” seems to kick you in the gut… these are not just “tests” – they are opportunities.
Ask God to show you how to serve Him in even the most insignificant events… from school work to cleaning your room/home/car to doing your very best in the workplace and your community. Consider the daily “tests” of life to be opportunities for growth – and understand that when you “fail” them or fall short, God is ready to forgive you and strengthen you for the next time. The key is seeking Him… calling on God to forgive you and help you to grow… and following through in a genuine effort to do better afterward.
Rick Warren says “Life is about letting God use you for HIS purposes – not your using Him for your own.” Are you focusing on God and trusting Him to guide your daily choices? Have you asked Him to forgive you and restore you to a stronger Christian walk? Isn’t today a good time to start?
©2011 Debbie Robus
You are kind, God! Please have pity on me. You are always merciful! Please wipe away my sins. Wash me clean from all of my sin and guilt.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Every year when I revisit The Purpose Driven Life, I gain new insights. God continues to show me things through His word and individual studies of the Bible and Christian life. These last few days, I’ve been reminded of our importance to God and how forgiving He can be. If you think for one minute that you are not important to God, you are sadly mistaken. And if you think He can’t forgive you for whatever mistakes you have made, you are doubly wrong.
“But I keep being tested,” you may say. “Why would God test me and allow life to be so hard and hurtful if He really loves me?” One of my early studies this week spoke about testing, and Pastor Warren said this… “You will be tested by major changes, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, underserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies. A very important test is how you act when you can’t feel God’s presence in your life. God never allows the tests you face to be greater than the grace He gives you to handle them.”
So what does this mean for us? Does this mean God wants us to suffer and make mistakes? First of all, our “suffering” can never come close to the suffering Jesus endured on our behalf… no matter how bad we feel our situation may be. And secondly, God doesn’t make mistakes… and He doesn’t do things on a whim. We can’t begin to understand His purposes… and that is the point. He wants us to trust Him… to consider every single incident in our lives as not only a test, but an opportunity to accomplish His will.
So when you are confronted with illness, an unpleasant boss or co-worker, a really difficult teacher, or even a parent you feel is being unreasonable, you have an opportunity to go one of two ways… you can honor your faith in God and operate in love, grace and mercy, or you can let the devil have control and wallow in anger, self-pity, frustration, and more. When things don’t go like you want – you lose your job and can’t find another – or you don’t get the job you want… when your relationships seem to fall apart… when “life” seems to kick you in the gut… these are not just “tests” – they are opportunities.
Ask God to show you how to serve Him in even the most insignificant events… from school work to cleaning your room/home/car to doing your very best in the workplace and your community. Consider the daily “tests” of life to be opportunities for growth – and understand that when you “fail” them or fall short, God is ready to forgive you and strengthen you for the next time. The key is seeking Him… calling on God to forgive you and help you to grow… and following through in a genuine effort to do better afterward.
Rick Warren says “Life is about letting God use you for HIS purposes – not your using Him for your own.” Are you focusing on God and trusting Him to guide your daily choices? Have you asked Him to forgive you and restore you to a stronger Christian walk? Isn’t today a good time to start?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 14, 2011
Psalm 49:16-20
So don't be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune. They can't take it with them; fame and fortune all get left behind. Just when they think they've arrived and folks praise them because they've made good, they enter the family burial plot, where they'll never see sunshine again.
We aren't immortal. We don't last long. Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.
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.
All my life I have heard the phrase, “You can’t take it with you.” When I was a teenager, my dad was a funeral director, and I heard him talk often about this. At the end of the day, the poor farmer who toiled all his life just to put food on the table was buried pretty much the same way as the rich man who couldn’t begin to count all of his money. Outwardly, what we accumulate or become in this life really won’t matter in the end. But what we have in our heart makes all the difference.
In The Purpose Driven Life, author Rick Warren says, “God watches how we use money to see how trustworthy we are.” Citing Luke 16:11, Pastor Warren says, “… there is a direct relationship between how I use my money and the quality of my Spiritual life.” So does this mean that we can’t have nice clothes or drive a nice car… that we should give that money to missions instead? Not at all.
God does not mind that we have nice things, if we can afford them. In fact, when we get to heaven, our streets will be paved with gold… and that’s the tip of the iceberg! The problem is how we act with money… and how we react to it. If money and the things we buy with it is all we think about, we are not putting God’s priorities first in our life. If we wait more impatiently for the newest release of the iPad or iPhone, the latest sneaker from our favorite athlete or the next album from our favorite entertainer to be released than we do for our next opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone else or a chance to learn more about Jesus, we’ve got some work to do.
If we think more about money and “things” than we do about Jesus and ways to worship Him, serve Him, and grown in His wisdom and love… God can’t trust us to manage the blessings (and Spiritual wealth) He wants to give us. Luke 16:11 says (paraphrased) that if God can’t trust us with earthly wealth… what Luke calls “wicked wealth” – how will He be able to trust us with true wealth – the wealth of a life lived in and for Him? If we work night and day on this earth for the almighty dollar more than Almighty God, we have totally missed our purpose.
It’s all about priorities. Many “rich” people have done amazing things with their earthly wealth. Many “poor” people have done as much – or more. Search your heart – and your motives. See what drives you these days. What are your goals for the future… to acquire more wealth and earthly “success” – or to “store up treasure for heaven?” See where you need to adjust your focus and concentrate on what you can take with you into Eternity. Ask God to help you adjust your attitude and start using what you have to accumulate “wealth” that really matters.
©2011 Debbie Robus
So don't be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune. They can't take it with them; fame and fortune all get left behind. Just when they think they've arrived and folks praise them because they've made good, they enter the family burial plot, where they'll never see sunshine again.
We aren't immortal. We don't last long. Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.
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.
All my life I have heard the phrase, “You can’t take it with you.” When I was a teenager, my dad was a funeral director, and I heard him talk often about this. At the end of the day, the poor farmer who toiled all his life just to put food on the table was buried pretty much the same way as the rich man who couldn’t begin to count all of his money. Outwardly, what we accumulate or become in this life really won’t matter in the end. But what we have in our heart makes all the difference.
In The Purpose Driven Life, author Rick Warren says, “God watches how we use money to see how trustworthy we are.” Citing Luke 16:11, Pastor Warren says, “… there is a direct relationship between how I use my money and the quality of my Spiritual life.” So does this mean that we can’t have nice clothes or drive a nice car… that we should give that money to missions instead? Not at all.
God does not mind that we have nice things, if we can afford them. In fact, when we get to heaven, our streets will be paved with gold… and that’s the tip of the iceberg! The problem is how we act with money… and how we react to it. If money and the things we buy with it is all we think about, we are not putting God’s priorities first in our life. If we wait more impatiently for the newest release of the iPad or iPhone, the latest sneaker from our favorite athlete or the next album from our favorite entertainer to be released than we do for our next opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone else or a chance to learn more about Jesus, we’ve got some work to do.
If we think more about money and “things” than we do about Jesus and ways to worship Him, serve Him, and grown in His wisdom and love… God can’t trust us to manage the blessings (and Spiritual wealth) He wants to give us. Luke 16:11 says (paraphrased) that if God can’t trust us with earthly wealth… what Luke calls “wicked wealth” – how will He be able to trust us with true wealth – the wealth of a life lived in and for Him? If we work night and day on this earth for the almighty dollar more than Almighty God, we have totally missed our purpose.
It’s all about priorities. Many “rich” people have done amazing things with their earthly wealth. Many “poor” people have done as much – or more. Search your heart – and your motives. See what drives you these days. What are your goals for the future… to acquire more wealth and earthly “success” – or to “store up treasure for heaven?” See where you need to adjust your focus and concentrate on what you can take with you into Eternity. Ask God to help you adjust your attitude and start using what you have to accumulate “wealth” that really matters.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 13, 2011
Psalm 49:7-9
You cannot buy back your life or pay off God! It costs far too much to buy back your life. You can never pay God enough to stay alive forever and safe from death.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
More than one person has tried to make something – or someone – go away by writing a big check. More than one parent has told a child, “If you will do this… be good… make good grades (or whatever the parent wants done at the moment), I will buy you a new toy… give you money… make your favorite dinner… get you new sneakers (or whatever will impress the child). Human nature frequently operates in the realm of “name your price.”
When it comes to our Heavenly Father, money does not “talk.” We didn’t do anything to earn our salvation in Christ Jesus – and we never can. It was a gift… given to us freely out of love we can never possibly fathom.
So when we try to bargain with God… “Lord, do this for me, and I promise, I will do such-and-such” or “Lord, I will give all I can to an orphanage or a mission if You will bless me in a specific manner” or “Lord, just let me have this one night to do whatever I please, and then I will follow You forever”… God just shakes His head (and possibly rolls His eyes) at our inability to understand how He operates.
We cannot pay off God… we can’t bargain with Him for what we want – at least not with any real hope of getting it! We can’t tell God what to do – or how to do it. And we can never pay God back for all He has given to us and done for us. And the best part is… He doesn’t want our payment. He just wants our love… our faith… our trust… and our service in His name – all freely given to Him. God doesn’t want us to love Him or serve Him out of obligation – any feeling we might have to do this to get to Heaven. He wants us to want Him as much as He wants us. Sounds like a no-brainer to me! It’s definitely the deal of a lifetime… and one I want in on forever – don’t you?
What are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to drop the pretenses and get real with God? Isn’t it time to lay your cards on the table and say, “Here I am, Lord… warts and all. I’m ready to love You and serve You… no matter what… will You have me?” My guess is that His arms are already open.
©2011 Debbie Robus
You cannot buy back your life or pay off God! It costs far too much to buy back your life. You can never pay God enough to stay alive forever and safe from death.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
More than one person has tried to make something – or someone – go away by writing a big check. More than one parent has told a child, “If you will do this… be good… make good grades (or whatever the parent wants done at the moment), I will buy you a new toy… give you money… make your favorite dinner… get you new sneakers (or whatever will impress the child). Human nature frequently operates in the realm of “name your price.”
When it comes to our Heavenly Father, money does not “talk.” We didn’t do anything to earn our salvation in Christ Jesus – and we never can. It was a gift… given to us freely out of love we can never possibly fathom.
So when we try to bargain with God… “Lord, do this for me, and I promise, I will do such-and-such” or “Lord, I will give all I can to an orphanage or a mission if You will bless me in a specific manner” or “Lord, just let me have this one night to do whatever I please, and then I will follow You forever”… God just shakes His head (and possibly rolls His eyes) at our inability to understand how He operates.
We cannot pay off God… we can’t bargain with Him for what we want – at least not with any real hope of getting it! We can’t tell God what to do – or how to do it. And we can never pay God back for all He has given to us and done for us. And the best part is… He doesn’t want our payment. He just wants our love… our faith… our trust… and our service in His name – all freely given to Him. God doesn’t want us to love Him or serve Him out of obligation – any feeling we might have to do this to get to Heaven. He wants us to want Him as much as He wants us. Sounds like a no-brainer to me! It’s definitely the deal of a lifetime… and one I want in on forever – don’t you?
What are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to drop the pretenses and get real with God? Isn’t it time to lay your cards on the table and say, “Here I am, Lord… warts and all. I’m ready to love You and serve You… no matter what… will You have me?” My guess is that His arms are already open.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 12, 2011
Mark 14:71-72
Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears.
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.
I’ve read this passage dozens – maybe even hundreds – of times. But when I read it again recently, I was struck by these two verses. Jesus had told Peter that he would deny knowing Him. “Nope, I won’t! Never gonna happen!” Peter had replied (paraphrased, of course!). Peter thought he was strong. He thought he had incredible faith and devotion, and that nothing – and no one – could make him waiver. But when trouble came and he feared for his own life, he caved and did the very thing he didn’t intend to ever do.
Aren’t we all so much like Peter? We have these grandiose plans and intentions for being such pious little saints and servants. But we underestimate the skill of our opponent – the devil! He can twist the knife and turn us in ways we never intended to bend… and the next thing you know, we are saying and doing things we never thought we would or could. And we, like Peter, have been warned!
If we read the first few chapters of the Book of Acts, we see that Peter became one of the strongest leaders among the disciples of Christ. He was heartsick over his denial of Jesus, but Jesus forgave him, and He picked Peter up by the bootstraps and used him mightily to spread the Gospel. And this is the lesson for us. We all make mistakes. We all fall short – and maybe even do seemingly horrible things. But Jesus has the power to wash us clean of all of that, set us on our feet, and use us in His service. And that’s exactly what we must do!
If Peter had chosen to wallow in self-pity and go over and over his mistakes, he would have been of no use to Jesus. In essence, he would have stomped all over the salvation that Christ gave to Him – and to us. We have a choice. We can wallow in our past… our sins and our mistakes… or we can ask Jesus to heal us and forgive us – set us upright again – and learn from our experiences. We can use the past to create a better future in Christ… and to build even stronger relationships with others in His name.
What will you choose? Will you build your legacy on the sins of your past? Will you stay stuck in the mud and mire of your mistakes? Or will you step up and ask Jesus to work in you and use you – not because of your purity, but in spite of your brokenness? Take a cue from Peter. Realize that God has a purpose for you – and He is waiting for you to recognize this and get on with it! What do you say?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears.
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.
I’ve read this passage dozens – maybe even hundreds – of times. But when I read it again recently, I was struck by these two verses. Jesus had told Peter that he would deny knowing Him. “Nope, I won’t! Never gonna happen!” Peter had replied (paraphrased, of course!). Peter thought he was strong. He thought he had incredible faith and devotion, and that nothing – and no one – could make him waiver. But when trouble came and he feared for his own life, he caved and did the very thing he didn’t intend to ever do.
Aren’t we all so much like Peter? We have these grandiose plans and intentions for being such pious little saints and servants. But we underestimate the skill of our opponent – the devil! He can twist the knife and turn us in ways we never intended to bend… and the next thing you know, we are saying and doing things we never thought we would or could. And we, like Peter, have been warned!
If we read the first few chapters of the Book of Acts, we see that Peter became one of the strongest leaders among the disciples of Christ. He was heartsick over his denial of Jesus, but Jesus forgave him, and He picked Peter up by the bootstraps and used him mightily to spread the Gospel. And this is the lesson for us. We all make mistakes. We all fall short – and maybe even do seemingly horrible things. But Jesus has the power to wash us clean of all of that, set us on our feet, and use us in His service. And that’s exactly what we must do!
If Peter had chosen to wallow in self-pity and go over and over his mistakes, he would have been of no use to Jesus. In essence, he would have stomped all over the salvation that Christ gave to Him – and to us. We have a choice. We can wallow in our past… our sins and our mistakes… or we can ask Jesus to heal us and forgive us – set us upright again – and learn from our experiences. We can use the past to create a better future in Christ… and to build even stronger relationships with others in His name.
What will you choose? Will you build your legacy on the sins of your past? Will you stay stuck in the mud and mire of your mistakes? Or will you step up and ask Jesus to work in you and use you – not because of your purity, but in spite of your brokenness? Take a cue from Peter. Realize that God has a purpose for you – and He is waiting for you to recognize this and get on with it! What do you say?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 11, 2011
Numbers 14:17-19
Show us your great power, LORD. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity… “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”… should be tattooed on the foreheads of many of us. How many times have you been guilty of knowing what you are doing won’t work… but you do it anyway?!
The Israelites were certainly like this, and Moses had quite a time trying to keep them in line. They were demanding whiners and complainers who were, for the most part, completely ungrateful for the blessings and care God showed them. And because of their lousy attitudes – and their “insanity” – they wandered around in the desert for forty years! They made God so mad that He cursed their children and grandchildren… and just flat-out killed many of them.
Believe me, God showed plenty of patience and mercy… but eventually, He had enough of this disobedience and disrespect. And remember, this happened before Jesus died on the cross for us. God’s way of dealing with sinful people was different in Moses’ day… although He still can get disgusted and let us wallow in our sin and the consequences to the point we feel pretty uncomfortable!
But the point is that we are all modern-day Israelites. We know what the Bible tells us about Christian behavior and the commandments to love God and love one another… and to follow the commandments given to Moses and his people by God centuries earlier. We know that a lot of what we do qualifies as “insanity” – the results are the same, but we keep trying for different ones anyway! So we think that we can sneak some illicit behavior in under the wire just this one time. We think we can turn our back on worship and Bible study and prayer… and God will cover us with His grace and mercy and let us take a little break for a few days/weeks/months/years.
We fail to recognize that the very things that troubled our parents and grandparents often trouble us. We repeat the same mistakes, character patterns and flaws in judgment and thinking… when we could be asking God to break the curse (of alcoholism, racism and bigotry, obesity, abuse, negativity, and more) and make us the start of generations who live differently. We have an opportunity, through the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father – and with the blood of Jesus washing us clean – to do better. We can stop the extended fallout of the “sins of our forefathers” and live in the shadow of the love and protection of God Almighty.
I am guilty of Einstein’s “insanity” on a regular basis – in ways great and small. But I want to do better. I want to learn from my mistakes – and those of past generations. I want to recognize the guidance and wisdom of my Heavenly Father – and pay attention! I want to feel the extravagance of His loyal love and stop wandering in the “wilderness”. Will you ask God to help you break your own “insanity” – and come along with me?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Show us your great power, LORD. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity… “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”… should be tattooed on the foreheads of many of us. How many times have you been guilty of knowing what you are doing won’t work… but you do it anyway?!
The Israelites were certainly like this, and Moses had quite a time trying to keep them in line. They were demanding whiners and complainers who were, for the most part, completely ungrateful for the blessings and care God showed them. And because of their lousy attitudes – and their “insanity” – they wandered around in the desert for forty years! They made God so mad that He cursed their children and grandchildren… and just flat-out killed many of them.
Believe me, God showed plenty of patience and mercy… but eventually, He had enough of this disobedience and disrespect. And remember, this happened before Jesus died on the cross for us. God’s way of dealing with sinful people was different in Moses’ day… although He still can get disgusted and let us wallow in our sin and the consequences to the point we feel pretty uncomfortable!
But the point is that we are all modern-day Israelites. We know what the Bible tells us about Christian behavior and the commandments to love God and love one another… and to follow the commandments given to Moses and his people by God centuries earlier. We know that a lot of what we do qualifies as “insanity” – the results are the same, but we keep trying for different ones anyway! So we think that we can sneak some illicit behavior in under the wire just this one time. We think we can turn our back on worship and Bible study and prayer… and God will cover us with His grace and mercy and let us take a little break for a few days/weeks/months/years.
We fail to recognize that the very things that troubled our parents and grandparents often trouble us. We repeat the same mistakes, character patterns and flaws in judgment and thinking… when we could be asking God to break the curse (of alcoholism, racism and bigotry, obesity, abuse, negativity, and more) and make us the start of generations who live differently. We have an opportunity, through the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father – and with the blood of Jesus washing us clean – to do better. We can stop the extended fallout of the “sins of our forefathers” and live in the shadow of the love and protection of God Almighty.
I am guilty of Einstein’s “insanity” on a regular basis – in ways great and small. But I want to do better. I want to learn from my mistakes – and those of past generations. I want to recognize the guidance and wisdom of my Heavenly Father – and pay attention! I want to feel the extravagance of His loyal love and stop wandering in the “wilderness”. Will you ask God to help you break your own “insanity” – and come along with me?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 10, 2011
Mark 14:37-38
He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don't be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
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.
Have you ever been in a situation where you asked someone to do something with you, and they said they didn’t have time, or they acted disinterested? Maybe you said to this person, “It will only take a few minutes.” And maybe that still seemed like too much of a commitment for them. Do you remember how you felt? Did this make you feel like you were insignificant… not important enough to that person for him/her to give you even a few minutes of time? Did you know we do this to Jesus all the time?
We are like Peter… ready for anything in God on one hand… and as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire on the other. We want God to be there for us the minute we “dial Him up” with a prayer. But let Him ask us for something… or present us with an opportunity to visit with Him for a few minutes or serve in His name… and we just don’t have the time. Quite often can’t stick it out with Him for a single hour… or even a few minutes.
So we check our watches and wonder how much longer the church service will last. We skim over our Bible study verses so we can say we read them… but we don’t really comprehend a word of it. We don’t stop to speak to someone at school or in a store – or even in the aisle at church – because we are in a hurry to get to whatever is on our own agenda.
Let’s be real… we can’t have it both ways. We either want a relationship with God or we don’t. There is no “middle ground.” When I stop and think how often I say, in essence, “I don’t have an hour for you today, Lord,” I feel sick. I fail to recognize that whatever time I spend with my Heavenly Father… he will multiply for me exponentially. I will have more than enough time for the things that I want to do for myself if I give God His time first. And honestly, a lot of what I thought was important may not seem so after spending time in His presence.
Where do you fit into this picture? Are you ready for anything in God… or are you the lazy dog sleeping by the fire? How are you spending your time? Can you spare an hour for your Master?
©2011 Debbie Robus
He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don't be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
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.
Have you ever been in a situation where you asked someone to do something with you, and they said they didn’t have time, or they acted disinterested? Maybe you said to this person, “It will only take a few minutes.” And maybe that still seemed like too much of a commitment for them. Do you remember how you felt? Did this make you feel like you were insignificant… not important enough to that person for him/her to give you even a few minutes of time? Did you know we do this to Jesus all the time?
We are like Peter… ready for anything in God on one hand… and as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire on the other. We want God to be there for us the minute we “dial Him up” with a prayer. But let Him ask us for something… or present us with an opportunity to visit with Him for a few minutes or serve in His name… and we just don’t have the time. Quite often can’t stick it out with Him for a single hour… or even a few minutes.
So we check our watches and wonder how much longer the church service will last. We skim over our Bible study verses so we can say we read them… but we don’t really comprehend a word of it. We don’t stop to speak to someone at school or in a store – or even in the aisle at church – because we are in a hurry to get to whatever is on our own agenda.
Let’s be real… we can’t have it both ways. We either want a relationship with God or we don’t. There is no “middle ground.” When I stop and think how often I say, in essence, “I don’t have an hour for you today, Lord,” I feel sick. I fail to recognize that whatever time I spend with my Heavenly Father… he will multiply for me exponentially. I will have more than enough time for the things that I want to do for myself if I give God His time first. And honestly, a lot of what I thought was important may not seem so after spending time in His presence.
Where do you fit into this picture? Are you ready for anything in God… or are you the lazy dog sleeping by the fire? How are you spending your time? Can you spare an hour for your Master?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 9, 2011
Mark 10:35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, will you do us a favor?" Jesus asked them what they wanted, and they answered, "When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left." Jesus told them, "You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?" "Yes, we are!" James and John answered.
Then Jesus replied, "You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. That is for God to decide." When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John.
But Jesus called the disciples together and said: You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave. The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Ego is a powerful thing… and Satan uses our ego to trip us up more often than most of us want to admit. Look no further than the nightly news to see examples of people whose egos have run amuck… from television and movie stars to politicians to everyday ordinary citizens. Many people often think they are better, smarter, more attractive, or superior to others in some way.
Christians are not immune. We want to be first! We want to sit to the right or left of Jesus! We want others to recognize what great faithful servants we are and revere us in some way. But when we are faced with the ultimate question… “Are you able to drink from the same cup that Jesus drank (i.e. suffer, bleed and die on a cross)?” we become humble in a hurry!
If we want to serve God as well as we possibly can… if we want to model Christian behavior for others and walk the walk of faith that we like to talk about so much, we have to humble ourselves. We have to serve others with absolutely no thought of what is in it for us. We have to focus on Jesus, no matter the cost… and toss our own desires and agendas aside. Every time we start to ask ourselves “What’s in this for me?” we must turn around and ask, “Could I drink from Jesus’ cup?”
Today we start the season of Lent… a time when Christians traditionally sacrifice something to become more like Christ. When we think about what Jesus sacrificed for us, this “traditional purpose” of Lent sounds kinda silly, doesn’t it?! This year, instead of “giving up” something for Lent, why not do what my pastor suggested… why not add something… like an extra fifteen minutes of prayer and Bible study each day.
For me, Lent means it’s time to get out my copy of The Purpose Driven Life and begin studying “40 Days of Purpose.” I renew my relationship in Christ by reminding myself just how important I am to Him… and how much He sacrificed on my behalf (and on yours, as well!). If you don’t have a copy of this book, check your church library. Or choose another way to spend time each of the next 40 days in worship and closer communion with Christ.
At the end of this 40-day season of Lent, we will celebrate Easter… and hopefully you will have developed a new habit of spending more time in humble communion with Christ. Could you drink the cup of Christ? Jesus tells us that in some ways, we will do just that. We will have to sacrifice our earthly, sinful life and humbly come before Christ to serve in His name. Sounds like a bargain to me! I pray that we will all become more humble… more faithful… more willing to serve. Are you prepared to do what it takes to make this happen?
©2011 Debbie Robus
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, will you do us a favor?" Jesus asked them what they wanted, and they answered, "When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left." Jesus told them, "You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?" "Yes, we are!" James and John answered.
Then Jesus replied, "You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. That is for God to decide." When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John.
But Jesus called the disciples together and said: You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave. The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Ego is a powerful thing… and Satan uses our ego to trip us up more often than most of us want to admit. Look no further than the nightly news to see examples of people whose egos have run amuck… from television and movie stars to politicians to everyday ordinary citizens. Many people often think they are better, smarter, more attractive, or superior to others in some way.
Christians are not immune. We want to be first! We want to sit to the right or left of Jesus! We want others to recognize what great faithful servants we are and revere us in some way. But when we are faced with the ultimate question… “Are you able to drink from the same cup that Jesus drank (i.e. suffer, bleed and die on a cross)?” we become humble in a hurry!
If we want to serve God as well as we possibly can… if we want to model Christian behavior for others and walk the walk of faith that we like to talk about so much, we have to humble ourselves. We have to serve others with absolutely no thought of what is in it for us. We have to focus on Jesus, no matter the cost… and toss our own desires and agendas aside. Every time we start to ask ourselves “What’s in this for me?” we must turn around and ask, “Could I drink from Jesus’ cup?”
Today we start the season of Lent… a time when Christians traditionally sacrifice something to become more like Christ. When we think about what Jesus sacrificed for us, this “traditional purpose” of Lent sounds kinda silly, doesn’t it?! This year, instead of “giving up” something for Lent, why not do what my pastor suggested… why not add something… like an extra fifteen minutes of prayer and Bible study each day.
For me, Lent means it’s time to get out my copy of The Purpose Driven Life and begin studying “40 Days of Purpose.” I renew my relationship in Christ by reminding myself just how important I am to Him… and how much He sacrificed on my behalf (and on yours, as well!). If you don’t have a copy of this book, check your church library. Or choose another way to spend time each of the next 40 days in worship and closer communion with Christ.
At the end of this 40-day season of Lent, we will celebrate Easter… and hopefully you will have developed a new habit of spending more time in humble communion with Christ. Could you drink the cup of Christ? Jesus tells us that in some ways, we will do just that. We will have to sacrifice our earthly, sinful life and humbly come before Christ to serve in His name. Sounds like a bargain to me! I pray that we will all become more humble… more faithful… more willing to serve. Are you prepared to do what it takes to make this happen?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 8, 2011
Psalm 42:5-6
Fix my eyes on God – soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my 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.
Recently, a women’s chorus sang during our church’s worship service. The song they selected was “Draw Me Close to You” – written by Kelly Carpenter, and made famous by such performers as Michael W. Smith. The words say…
Draw me close to You… never let me go…
I lay it all down again… to hear You say that I’m Your friend…
You are my desire… No One else will do…
‘Cause nothing else could take Your place…
To feel the warmth of Your embrace…
Help me find the way… Bring me back to You…
You’re all I want…You’re all I’ve ever needed…
You’re all I want… Help me know You are near.”
As things happen in our lives… as struggles come and we face huge challenges like illness, grief, and sadness… as we celebrate happy events and milestones… it’s sometimes easy to lose our focus. We fix our eyes on other things - and other people - and we lose sight of The One who truly puts a smile on our face.
The words of this song are profound. Truly no One else will do – ever! No One can satisfy us – no matter what we are confronting or experiencing – like our God Almighty! If you have wandered away… even a little bit… I pray that today, the words of this song will be your prayer. I pray that you will ask God to draw you close to Him and never let you go… that He will be all you need and all you ever want.
As you pray these words… if you can internalize them and truly mean them… you are in for the best days of your life. Once you concentrate on making God the center of your being… once you fix your eyes on Him and keep them there… everything else will come into focus. He is your God… He will put a smile on your face. Give Him praise for His power…grace… mercy… and love. Feel the warmth of His embrace and let His love wash over you. Let God draw you close and never let you go… and get ready to smile!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Fix my eyes on God – soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my 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.
Recently, a women’s chorus sang during our church’s worship service. The song they selected was “Draw Me Close to You” – written by Kelly Carpenter, and made famous by such performers as Michael W. Smith. The words say…
Draw me close to You… never let me go…
I lay it all down again… to hear You say that I’m Your friend…
You are my desire… No One else will do…
‘Cause nothing else could take Your place…
To feel the warmth of Your embrace…
Help me find the way… Bring me back to You…
You’re all I want…You’re all I’ve ever needed…
You’re all I want… Help me know You are near.”
As things happen in our lives… as struggles come and we face huge challenges like illness, grief, and sadness… as we celebrate happy events and milestones… it’s sometimes easy to lose our focus. We fix our eyes on other things - and other people - and we lose sight of The One who truly puts a smile on our face.
The words of this song are profound. Truly no One else will do – ever! No One can satisfy us – no matter what we are confronting or experiencing – like our God Almighty! If you have wandered away… even a little bit… I pray that today, the words of this song will be your prayer. I pray that you will ask God to draw you close to Him and never let you go… that He will be all you need and all you ever want.
As you pray these words… if you can internalize them and truly mean them… you are in for the best days of your life. Once you concentrate on making God the center of your being… once you fix your eyes on Him and keep them there… everything else will come into focus. He is your God… He will put a smile on your face. Give Him praise for His power…grace… mercy… and love. Feel the warmth of His embrace and let His love wash over you. Let God draw you close and never let you go… and get ready to smile!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)