Colossians 1:26-29
This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.
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 been reading my grandmother’s journal again, and on the first page, she has written a tribute to her mother. I never knew this great-grandmother, Mary Caroline Cullum Thrasher. She died in 1946, more than a decade before I was born. But my grandmother speaks of her with great reverence… “She was a saint, a Godly woman and very strong willed. One of the things was her reading of the Bible every day, even in her last days. When she sat down to rest, it was her Bible she reached for.” On the subject of her personal appearance and attention to detail, my grandmother writes, “I can see her now as the early morning chores were done. She took time for herself… to be ready for the day… took her bath, combed her hair, put on a pretty little apron, cleaned her shoes, and – believe it or not – she polished her shoes with soot from the chimney.”
My grandmother concludes her tribute by saying of her own mother… “She was a very neat lady… one who had a real hard life. But when she went to be with her LORD, she left behind a legacy that it’s better to be true and loyal than to be what some might call ‘great’.” When I think of my great-grandmother Thrasher – and even my grandmother, I think of this passage… and the words… “Christ! No more, no less.” Some of us are so busy trying to add to the message… to make ourselves look better with “things”… fancy clothes and makeup, nice houses and cars, the latest gadgets and gizmos… when what we really need is a clean apron and a little soot on our shoes – and the word of God in our lap at the end of the day.
All I know of my great-grandmother Thrasher is what my grandmother, aunts and others have told me… and for the most part, it has all echoed my grandmother’s journal entry. I have always been told that she was a hard worker who made the best of what she had… and her circumstances. I know she bore ten children, and the eldest five died before my grandmother turned six. Then when my grandmother was not quite a teenager, my great-grandfather left and started another family in another state. Yet I have never heard anyone talk about my great-grandmother saying a negative or unkind word toward this man.
My point in sharing this is that challenges and heartaches are nothing new… and neither are great examples of faithful, common-sense discipleship to Jesus Christ. If anything, it seems like we have more of the former and less of the latter these days. And this might explain the imbalance! We need to humbly seek the wisdom of God. We need to pare down and simplify our faith. It’s not about big churches, amazing sound systems, rock-star quality praise music or even a compelling evangelist who can deliver earth-shattering sermons. It’s not about what we have, how much we can spend, or who we know, as long as we know Jesus. What matters is Jesus Christ… no more, no less… who lives in each of us who have professed a faith in Him. Our job is to simply love Him, serve Him in whatever capacity He designates, and truly share His love and care with others on His behalf.
Today, I encourage you to sit quietly for a few minutes and ask God to show you where you need to “trim the fat” – and where you need to step up to the plate. Who needs to see Jesus through you today? What wisdom is God trying to give you… if only you would stop and listen? Are you operating with a spirit of profound common sense? Are you neat, orderly, humble and faithful? How will you live for Jesus this day? What – and Who – will others see when they look at you?
Are you the “real deal” for Christ – no more, no less? Shouldn’t you be?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 30, 2012
Psalm 119:129-136
Every word you give me is a miracle word - how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything.
Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book!
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.
A few years ago, friends of mine traveled to a nearby city to stand in line until past midnight – in costume – to get the latest Harry Potter books! They were not alone. Thousands of people around the world clamored for each new release and stormed bookstores to wait in line and be among the first to get each copy. This has been repeated with the Twilight series and many others… as well as the latest releases of electronic gadgets, music albums, and more.
When was the last time you saw a line at a bookstore for the latest release of a Bible translation? Can you imagine people dressing up like Adam and Eve, Queen Esther, Moses, Noah, Ruth and Naomi, or others whose stories are told in the Bible? Can you picture a young girl dressed as Miriam, holding a wicker basket with a baby Moses, standing in line for the latest daily devotional Bible or even a new book written by someone like Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen or T.D. Jakes? Yet people talk for weeks about the anticipation of seeing a movie like The Hunger Games – and finishing the book beforehand.
When we consider that the words of the Bible are “miracle words” that steady our steps and rescue us from the “grip of bad men and women,” how can we help but find these comparisons a bit absurd… and downright embarrassing for those of us who claim to be faith-filled Christians? I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with Harry Potter or any other series of books. I think reading is a wonderful past-time and a great way to expand the mind and the imagination. But I find it amazing that people can read book after book… stay up all hours of the night and day reading… and seldom (if ever) crack open the Book of Life.
The psalmist concludes this passage by saying he cries rivers of tears because nobody is living by the Bible. To me, an equally sad consideration is that few are reading the Bible in the first place. The first step is to set aside time each day for even a verse or two of scripture. Meditate on this… consider what God is telling you with His Holy word. If we would trade reading a few pages in our favorite series for a few minutes spent studying a scripture passage, I think we would be amazed at how our lives could be transformed.
I count myself among those who have not truly given the Bible a fair enough shot. I have found other things to occupy my time. Were it not for the writing of these daily devotionals, I daresay I would not read scripture each and every day… and I do not say this proudly. But we can change! We can begin today to set aside time to spend in God’s word… and we can still have plenty of time for reading other books and participating in countless activities. I am confident that the few minutes or more spent in God’s word each day will make everything else so much better. It’s a theory I’m ready to test… are you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Every word you give me is a miracle word - how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything.
Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book!
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.
A few years ago, friends of mine traveled to a nearby city to stand in line until past midnight – in costume – to get the latest Harry Potter books! They were not alone. Thousands of people around the world clamored for each new release and stormed bookstores to wait in line and be among the first to get each copy. This has been repeated with the Twilight series and many others… as well as the latest releases of electronic gadgets, music albums, and more.
When was the last time you saw a line at a bookstore for the latest release of a Bible translation? Can you imagine people dressing up like Adam and Eve, Queen Esther, Moses, Noah, Ruth and Naomi, or others whose stories are told in the Bible? Can you picture a young girl dressed as Miriam, holding a wicker basket with a baby Moses, standing in line for the latest daily devotional Bible or even a new book written by someone like Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen or T.D. Jakes? Yet people talk for weeks about the anticipation of seeing a movie like The Hunger Games – and finishing the book beforehand.
When we consider that the words of the Bible are “miracle words” that steady our steps and rescue us from the “grip of bad men and women,” how can we help but find these comparisons a bit absurd… and downright embarrassing for those of us who claim to be faith-filled Christians? I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with Harry Potter or any other series of books. I think reading is a wonderful past-time and a great way to expand the mind and the imagination. But I find it amazing that people can read book after book… stay up all hours of the night and day reading… and seldom (if ever) crack open the Book of Life.
The psalmist concludes this passage by saying he cries rivers of tears because nobody is living by the Bible. To me, an equally sad consideration is that few are reading the Bible in the first place. The first step is to set aside time each day for even a verse or two of scripture. Meditate on this… consider what God is telling you with His Holy word. If we would trade reading a few pages in our favorite series for a few minutes spent studying a scripture passage, I think we would be amazed at how our lives could be transformed.
I count myself among those who have not truly given the Bible a fair enough shot. I have found other things to occupy my time. Were it not for the writing of these daily devotionals, I daresay I would not read scripture each and every day… and I do not say this proudly. But we can change! We can begin today to set aside time to spend in God’s word… and we can still have plenty of time for reading other books and participating in countless activities. I am confident that the few minutes or more spent in God’s word each day will make everything else so much better. It’s a theory I’m ready to test… are you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 29, 2012
Proverbs 2:1-7
My child, you must follow and treasure my teachings and my instructions. Keep in tune with wisdom and think what it means to have common sense. Beg as loud as you can for good common sense. Search for wisdom as you would search for silver or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to respect and to know the LORD God. All wisdom comes from the LORD, and so do common sense and understanding. God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) ran out of coffee filters one morning, so she tried using a paper plate as a substitute. I can only imagine the mess that ensued… and she readily admitted that this did not work. In north-central Arkansas, the aunt of little 4-year-old Caleb Linn told him to follow a dirt road alongside a wooded riverbank and catch up with cousins who had returned to camp, while she continued working to clear debris from a low-water bridge on the river. Little Caleb apparently got lost or lost his footing, and rescue workers searched for approximately four days before locating his lifeless body a half a mile down river.
I truly do not mean to judge the people in these examples. But in each case, there appears to be a clear lack of common sense. While the mess that resulted from the coffee pot fiasco was no fun to remedy, the ramifications of allowing this little child to wander down a dirt road unattended will be life-long for all who survive him.
My point for today is reinforced in this scripture passage… “Beg as loud as you can for good common sense.” We all have lapses in judgment… and I have plenty of what I call “blond moments.” As I have illustrated, some can be relatively harmless… while others change the course of our life forever. Underestimating the size of a container and pouring in too much liquid is one thing. Driving through flood waters that rush across a roadway can be something else entirely. Making a sudden turn that upends your purse or something else in the passenger seat of your car can cause a mess (think a soupy dish you are taking to a church supper or that jug of milk that overturns on the way home from the store). Reaching down to retrieve something that has spilled can cause a crash… and possible injury to you, your vehicle, and others in your path.
We’ve all seen the funny home videos of ridiculous things people have attempted… and lived to tell. But we’ve also heard news reports of people who attempted something they shouldn’t (think climbing onto a steep roof to hang Christmas lights) and suffered life-changing injuries – or even death. Pulling a harmless prank on a friend may not turn out as you hoped… and even result in some hurt feelings temporarily. Accepting a dare from your buddies to do something stupid could result in all kinds of trouble, personal injury, and damage to your reputation that follows you for decades.
The message for all of us is to seek God’s wisdom at all times… in all things. We need to beg Him every single day for good common sense. We should ask God to protect us… from the devil – and ourselves! Ask Him to speak to you when He sees you sliding off course… even in the small things. Then listen to that “still small voice” in your head that says, “Are you really sure you want to do this?” Take a moment to stop and ask God, “Is this a good idea? What are the potential pitfalls?”
I don’t believe that God causes the disasters (large and small) that result when we fail to exercise common sense. But I do think He uses them to teach us… to remind us to rely on Him more - and our own devices less. Often, we act – or react – in a split second… with little or no time to really think through what we are doing. This is where we truly need to depend on common sense - and God’s wisdom - to help us make the right choices. Today, let’s ask God to give us huge, healthy doses of His wisdom – AND common sense - and to help us respect these treasures… and to always pay close attention when He delivers them.
©2012 Debbie Robus
My child, you must follow and treasure my teachings and my instructions. Keep in tune with wisdom and think what it means to have common sense. Beg as loud as you can for good common sense. Search for wisdom as you would search for silver or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to respect and to know the LORD God. All wisdom comes from the LORD, and so do common sense and understanding. God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) ran out of coffee filters one morning, so she tried using a paper plate as a substitute. I can only imagine the mess that ensued… and she readily admitted that this did not work. In north-central Arkansas, the aunt of little 4-year-old Caleb Linn told him to follow a dirt road alongside a wooded riverbank and catch up with cousins who had returned to camp, while she continued working to clear debris from a low-water bridge on the river. Little Caleb apparently got lost or lost his footing, and rescue workers searched for approximately four days before locating his lifeless body a half a mile down river.
I truly do not mean to judge the people in these examples. But in each case, there appears to be a clear lack of common sense. While the mess that resulted from the coffee pot fiasco was no fun to remedy, the ramifications of allowing this little child to wander down a dirt road unattended will be life-long for all who survive him.
My point for today is reinforced in this scripture passage… “Beg as loud as you can for good common sense.” We all have lapses in judgment… and I have plenty of what I call “blond moments.” As I have illustrated, some can be relatively harmless… while others change the course of our life forever. Underestimating the size of a container and pouring in too much liquid is one thing. Driving through flood waters that rush across a roadway can be something else entirely. Making a sudden turn that upends your purse or something else in the passenger seat of your car can cause a mess (think a soupy dish you are taking to a church supper or that jug of milk that overturns on the way home from the store). Reaching down to retrieve something that has spilled can cause a crash… and possible injury to you, your vehicle, and others in your path.
We’ve all seen the funny home videos of ridiculous things people have attempted… and lived to tell. But we’ve also heard news reports of people who attempted something they shouldn’t (think climbing onto a steep roof to hang Christmas lights) and suffered life-changing injuries – or even death. Pulling a harmless prank on a friend may not turn out as you hoped… and even result in some hurt feelings temporarily. Accepting a dare from your buddies to do something stupid could result in all kinds of trouble, personal injury, and damage to your reputation that follows you for decades.
The message for all of us is to seek God’s wisdom at all times… in all things. We need to beg Him every single day for good common sense. We should ask God to protect us… from the devil – and ourselves! Ask Him to speak to you when He sees you sliding off course… even in the small things. Then listen to that “still small voice” in your head that says, “Are you really sure you want to do this?” Take a moment to stop and ask God, “Is this a good idea? What are the potential pitfalls?”
I don’t believe that God causes the disasters (large and small) that result when we fail to exercise common sense. But I do think He uses them to teach us… to remind us to rely on Him more - and our own devices less. Often, we act – or react – in a split second… with little or no time to really think through what we are doing. This is where we truly need to depend on common sense - and God’s wisdom - to help us make the right choices. Today, let’s ask God to give us huge, healthy doses of His wisdom – AND common sense - and to help us respect these treasures… and to always pay close attention when He delivers them.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 28, 2012
2 Corinthians 5:1
Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last July, my friend Mary McCurry, passed away. Mary lived 60 years in a crippled body… the victim of cerebral palsy since birth. She was smart, sharp-witted, and a strong Christian who could not communicate verbally as you and I do. Mary spoke mostly with her eyes and facial expressions, and those closest to her had little trouble understanding her. Some of those who did not truly get to know Mary were critical - and even cruel. They did not believe she was intelligent, nor did they “get” how devoted she was to family, friends – and to Jesus.
When Mary left this earth, the crippled “tent” of a body that she inhabited here was exchanged for a beautifully whole and complete one in heaven. I am convinced that she and her dear mother (who died less than 36 hours later) are having continual, animated conversations… and all of heaven is smiling. Mary’s “tent” is now a beautiful “home.”
We all live in an earthly “tent” of sorts. Some of us have “pup tents” like those we created as kids out of an old blanket that we draped over a chair or other furniture. We are trapped in a body that is mangled, crippled or disfigured… or weighted down with the physical, mental and emotional challenges of our daily lives. Others have a multi-roomed, fancy rig… complete with zippered windows and doorways, and maybe even divided rooms! For them, life at least appears to be a breeze… and truly, they are blessed beyond measure – even here in this life. But when we get to heaven, we will all have homes… mansions… perfect and complete – beautiful in every way.
Sixty years in a crippled “tent” seems like a terribly long time. And it can be… if we allow Satan to control our attitude and our thinking. If we choose to live as Mary did… with the attitude that this earthly “tent” is merely a temporary inconvenience at best – and for most of us, really not all that bad! – we truly glorify who we are in Christ and testify to His promise of better days ahead!
I don’t know what sort of “tent” you live in today. Maybe you are due for an “earthly upgrade” – a change in your thinking and faith to remind you that God has bigger and better things in store for you, even on this earth. Surely we could all use at least a little bit of an attitude adjustment. Isn’t it time we all focused more on our heavenly home and less on the earthly “tent?” When we shift our thinking and begin to live for Jesus and the promise of heaven, we are better equipped to serve Him here and now… in whatever dwelling He provides. Our life becomes more of a statement about our heart-felt relationship to Jesus, and less about the visible exterior. When others look at you, who – and what – do they see? Are you known by your heart… or your “tent?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last July, my friend Mary McCurry, passed away. Mary lived 60 years in a crippled body… the victim of cerebral palsy since birth. She was smart, sharp-witted, and a strong Christian who could not communicate verbally as you and I do. Mary spoke mostly with her eyes and facial expressions, and those closest to her had little trouble understanding her. Some of those who did not truly get to know Mary were critical - and even cruel. They did not believe she was intelligent, nor did they “get” how devoted she was to family, friends – and to Jesus.
When Mary left this earth, the crippled “tent” of a body that she inhabited here was exchanged for a beautifully whole and complete one in heaven. I am convinced that she and her dear mother (who died less than 36 hours later) are having continual, animated conversations… and all of heaven is smiling. Mary’s “tent” is now a beautiful “home.”
We all live in an earthly “tent” of sorts. Some of us have “pup tents” like those we created as kids out of an old blanket that we draped over a chair or other furniture. We are trapped in a body that is mangled, crippled or disfigured… or weighted down with the physical, mental and emotional challenges of our daily lives. Others have a multi-roomed, fancy rig… complete with zippered windows and doorways, and maybe even divided rooms! For them, life at least appears to be a breeze… and truly, they are blessed beyond measure – even here in this life. But when we get to heaven, we will all have homes… mansions… perfect and complete – beautiful in every way.
Sixty years in a crippled “tent” seems like a terribly long time. And it can be… if we allow Satan to control our attitude and our thinking. If we choose to live as Mary did… with the attitude that this earthly “tent” is merely a temporary inconvenience at best – and for most of us, really not all that bad! – we truly glorify who we are in Christ and testify to His promise of better days ahead!
I don’t know what sort of “tent” you live in today. Maybe you are due for an “earthly upgrade” – a change in your thinking and faith to remind you that God has bigger and better things in store for you, even on this earth. Surely we could all use at least a little bit of an attitude adjustment. Isn’t it time we all focused more on our heavenly home and less on the earthly “tent?” When we shift our thinking and begin to live for Jesus and the promise of heaven, we are better equipped to serve Him here and now… in whatever dwelling He provides. Our life becomes more of a statement about our heart-felt relationship to Jesus, and less about the visible exterior. When others look at you, who – and what – do they see? Are you known by your heart… or your “tent?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 27, 2012
John 14:18-20
I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you're going to see me because I am alive and you're about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in my Father, and you're in me, and I'm in 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.
Years ago when I was a kindergarten teacher, my husband and I would talk on the phone more than once during the summer months when school was not in session. He would call me on his breaks, just to see how I was doing. This was nearly 30 years ago… before cell phones came along. During school hours, I did not usually get a break that coincided with his, so we were pretty well unable to communicate throughout the day. One day shortly before my summer break ended, we were talking, and my husband said, “When you go back to work, I’m going to miss being able to call you during the day.” Just knowing I was at home… and available… and that he could call me any time of day was important – to both of us.
Sometimes, I think we forget that Jesus is always with us. We may even begin to feel isolated and lonely, when in truth, He is always available. We can call on Jesus any time. This should give us tremendous comfort – and confidence. We never have to feel anxious or fearful… because Jesus goes with us everywhere. We don’t have to worry about our decisions… we can ask Jesus for help and guidance any time. We can face any challenge or obstacle... all we have to do is call on Jesus for wisdom and protection!
When we keep Jesus in our heart, we are never alone. And the best part is that we don’t even need a work break or a telephone to contact Him! We can call on Jesus with all of our questions and concerns… or even simply to say, “Hi!” - or to thank Him for loving us and to tell Him that we love Him, too! The question is… do we? Are you in constant contact with Jesus… or are there hours in the day where you “go it alone”… and treat Him as if you are unavailable? Have you truly given Jesus a place in your heart… and recognized His constant presence there? Isn’t it time to do exactly this… and never be alone again?
©2012 Debbie Robus
I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you're going to see me because I am alive and you're about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in my Father, and you're in me, and I'm in 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.
Years ago when I was a kindergarten teacher, my husband and I would talk on the phone more than once during the summer months when school was not in session. He would call me on his breaks, just to see how I was doing. This was nearly 30 years ago… before cell phones came along. During school hours, I did not usually get a break that coincided with his, so we were pretty well unable to communicate throughout the day. One day shortly before my summer break ended, we were talking, and my husband said, “When you go back to work, I’m going to miss being able to call you during the day.” Just knowing I was at home… and available… and that he could call me any time of day was important – to both of us.
Sometimes, I think we forget that Jesus is always with us. We may even begin to feel isolated and lonely, when in truth, He is always available. We can call on Jesus any time. This should give us tremendous comfort – and confidence. We never have to feel anxious or fearful… because Jesus goes with us everywhere. We don’t have to worry about our decisions… we can ask Jesus for help and guidance any time. We can face any challenge or obstacle... all we have to do is call on Jesus for wisdom and protection!
When we keep Jesus in our heart, we are never alone. And the best part is that we don’t even need a work break or a telephone to contact Him! We can call on Jesus with all of our questions and concerns… or even simply to say, “Hi!” - or to thank Him for loving us and to tell Him that we love Him, too! The question is… do we? Are you in constant contact with Jesus… or are there hours in the day where you “go it alone”… and treat Him as if you are unavailable? Have you truly given Jesus a place in your heart… and recognized His constant presence there? Isn’t it time to do exactly this… and never be alone again?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 26, 2012
Ephesians 2:19-22
That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
For centuries, men and women have been creating beautiful, useful items out of scraps. Many things that would ordinarily be tossed into the trash can are pulled together by creative and industrious (if not a big crazy) people to make something useful… maybe even a work of art! If you can’t envision what would be worth saving, you need only look at my desk or laundry room! Greeting cards with beautiful designs can be repurposed into a new note card. Tiny fabric scraps can be fashioned into a frilly hair bow, doll dress, or applique for a t-shirt. My grandmother has used incredibly tiny fabric scraps to create intricately beautiful quilts as long as I can remember. My great-grandmothers created a “postage-stamp” out of fabric scraps that were… yes… the size of postage stamps! Even a worn bed sheet or pillowcase can be cut into smaller strips to use as cleaning cloths.
I saw on Pinterest where an artist in Texas took shovel spades and used them to create the individual spines of enormous “pine cones” for beautiful yard art. A discarded metal yard rake was made into everything from a wall rack to hold wine glasses to a desk sorter for mail and office supplies! On one of my favorite TV cooking shows… Chopped… contestants are given four unrelated (and often bizarre) food items and told to create an appetizer, entrée and dessert from them. And on American Pickers, the two hosts often buy items like vintage bicycles and motorcycles and restore them to their original luster. Others are used as spare parts to create a new bike. In this manner, the once useless piece is given a new purpose, whether as the foundation or as a vital “brick or stone.”
All of these projects have one thing in common – a cornerstone, or starting point. Often this is the idea itself. Then piece by piece, scrap by scrap, the project takes shape. You see the quilt or yard art develop. You smell flavorful aromas and discover that there is usually something in the pantry that can create a tasty meal! You look at the shiny new bike and have no clue that it was once a pile of rusty parts! You look at something deemed useless and realize that all you needed was a new attitude… and maybe a little teamwork and some ingenuity.
Here’s my point… we are the scraps… the useless bits ready for the discard heap. Jesus is the cornerstone… the Idea, the Creative Spark that says “There is something worth saving here!” The foundation is the Word of God and His will for our life… His desire for us to be more in Jesus than we could ever be on our own. The ultimate outcome is God’s Holy Temple… an ingenious, beautiful work of art. We are God’s children, coming together from all backgrounds and histories to represent Him as one body… one heartbeat… one family… one home.
Where do you fit into this picture today? Are you part of the body of Christ? Are you involved in the building of God’s Holy Temple… His family of believers? Do you feel welcome and a part of this home? Or are you still operating like a lowly scrap, destined for the trash heap? Have you discovered your purpose? Are you even looking for it?
Haven’t you wandered long enough? Aren’t you ready to come home… to pitch in and do your part to belong in God’s Kingdom? No skills are required… no ticket is needed. All you have to do is ask Jesus to wash you clean of your sins and set you upright. He will do exactly this… and assign you a spot on the construction crew. Are you ready for your hard hat?
©2012 Debbie Robus
That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
For centuries, men and women have been creating beautiful, useful items out of scraps. Many things that would ordinarily be tossed into the trash can are pulled together by creative and industrious (if not a big crazy) people to make something useful… maybe even a work of art! If you can’t envision what would be worth saving, you need only look at my desk or laundry room! Greeting cards with beautiful designs can be repurposed into a new note card. Tiny fabric scraps can be fashioned into a frilly hair bow, doll dress, or applique for a t-shirt. My grandmother has used incredibly tiny fabric scraps to create intricately beautiful quilts as long as I can remember. My great-grandmothers created a “postage-stamp” out of fabric scraps that were… yes… the size of postage stamps! Even a worn bed sheet or pillowcase can be cut into smaller strips to use as cleaning cloths.
I saw on Pinterest where an artist in Texas took shovel spades and used them to create the individual spines of enormous “pine cones” for beautiful yard art. A discarded metal yard rake was made into everything from a wall rack to hold wine glasses to a desk sorter for mail and office supplies! On one of my favorite TV cooking shows… Chopped… contestants are given four unrelated (and often bizarre) food items and told to create an appetizer, entrée and dessert from them. And on American Pickers, the two hosts often buy items like vintage bicycles and motorcycles and restore them to their original luster. Others are used as spare parts to create a new bike. In this manner, the once useless piece is given a new purpose, whether as the foundation or as a vital “brick or stone.”
All of these projects have one thing in common – a cornerstone, or starting point. Often this is the idea itself. Then piece by piece, scrap by scrap, the project takes shape. You see the quilt or yard art develop. You smell flavorful aromas and discover that there is usually something in the pantry that can create a tasty meal! You look at the shiny new bike and have no clue that it was once a pile of rusty parts! You look at something deemed useless and realize that all you needed was a new attitude… and maybe a little teamwork and some ingenuity.
Here’s my point… we are the scraps… the useless bits ready for the discard heap. Jesus is the cornerstone… the Idea, the Creative Spark that says “There is something worth saving here!” The foundation is the Word of God and His will for our life… His desire for us to be more in Jesus than we could ever be on our own. The ultimate outcome is God’s Holy Temple… an ingenious, beautiful work of art. We are God’s children, coming together from all backgrounds and histories to represent Him as one body… one heartbeat… one family… one home.
Where do you fit into this picture today? Are you part of the body of Christ? Are you involved in the building of God’s Holy Temple… His family of believers? Do you feel welcome and a part of this home? Or are you still operating like a lowly scrap, destined for the trash heap? Have you discovered your purpose? Are you even looking for it?
Haven’t you wandered long enough? Aren’t you ready to come home… to pitch in and do your part to belong in God’s Kingdom? No skills are required… no ticket is needed. All you have to do is ask Jesus to wash you clean of your sins and set you upright. He will do exactly this… and assign you a spot on the construction crew. Are you ready for your hard hat?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 25, 2012
Hebrews 11:11-16
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the beach.
Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own. If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That's why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, my little cousins Olivia and Owen visited us. Owen wanted to play the piano, but he wanted company. “Come with me,” he said. When he played in the floor with toys, my husband sat on the fireplace hearth and watched. Owen looked up and said, “Play with me.” What he meant was, “get down here in the floor!” Like so many of us, Owen wanted someone with him. He wasn’t afraid of being alone necessarily; however, he felt more comfortable knowing someone else was along for the ride.
A few weeks ago, my cousin C.D. became gravely ill. He realized that he was dying, and he said so. Those closest to C.D. assured him that he was not dying… but they were in denial. C.D. knew the truth. The first time I visited him in the hospital, he told me, “I’m not going to be here much longer.” I asked, “Are you okay with that?” “Yes,” he replied. “Then so am I,” was my answer. And I meant it. Over the next two weeks, we had several conversations about heaven…who was waiting there for him…how it seemed like it was taking so long for God to get C.D.’s “mansion” ready… and how ready he was to get there.
My cousin was always the king of quips and great stories, and his quick with stayed with him until a day or so before he actually died. I would say, “I’ll see you again,” and he would answer, “If I’m still here!” He told me to give my grandmother a message… “I’m saving a place for you!” and I told him to save one for me, as well! We talked about how his wife, daughter and parents would be waiting for him with a big home-cooked meal… and how he would go to rodeos and watch bull riding with my dad (they have rodeos in heaven, don’t they?!). Only one time did he cry and indicate momentary sadness as he whispered, “Come with me.” I assured him that I still had work to do here… but the angels would gently carry him to heaven, and everything would be okay. And it happened just like that.
C.D. was 88 years old. He was ready to go to heaven… yet for a brief moment, he expressed a desire for company on his journey. I don’t believe he feared death, but it is human nature to have a little trepidation about death or any unfamiliar situation. Lest you think death is only for older people, consider Trayton Nabours, the 6-year-old boy in Russellville, Arkansas, who was killed in a car accident while being driven to school by his grandmother. Trayton is celebrating his seventh birthday today with Jesus. Remember 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, shot and killed in Sanford, Florida, last month while walking to the home of a relative. We don’t like to think about death… but its certainty for all of us at some point is undeniable… and the uncertainty of our “time” is equally real.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a child of any age. We hope and dream so much for their future. And so does God! Even my 88-year-old cousin had hopes and dreams that were unfulfilled… trips in a new van and motorhome he had recently purchased… time spent with relatives and friends, and more. God wants us to dream big and work toward goals.
How do we resolve our inner conflict when lives are halted and dreams and potential seem to be unfulfilled? Look to this passage in Hebrews. Abraham dreamed of having many children… and he did. But he only lived to see a few of them. Still, God numbered Abraham’s ancestors more than stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach! Even when we strive to line up our dreams and goals with God’s will, He may orchestrate them in a way we didn’t expect. This means we can find blessings and meaning in the sudden death of a six-year-old boy. We can turn the tragedy of a senseless shooting of a teenager into changes in thinking and legislation that will impact lives for decades to come. We can celebrate the life of an octogenarian who lived and died with dignity and demonstrated faith and confidence that a better home awaited him.
Our attitude toward death represents a pivotal point in our Christian faith. When we begin to explore and embrace the promises of heaven more than the disappointment of life’s earthly end, our relationship with God takes on a new meaning. No longer are we fearful or lonely… nor do we cling to the things of this earth. We recognize that God has grand plans for us, and it’s up to Him to decide whether they are realized in our earthly lifetime or after we get to heaven. When we begin to trust Him for the outcomes…and to look forward to whatever God has in store for us… we no longer need someone to come with us. We recognize the power and presence of God at all times… in all things.
When the Holy Spirit is truly in your heart… when you faithfully trust God for all things in your life, you are never alone. What do you believe God for this day? What hopes and dreams has He planted in your heart? Do you trust Him to deliver on His promises… in His own time? Have you made that faith-filled shift from earthly thinking to heavenly dreams? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the beach.
Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own. If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That's why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, my little cousins Olivia and Owen visited us. Owen wanted to play the piano, but he wanted company. “Come with me,” he said. When he played in the floor with toys, my husband sat on the fireplace hearth and watched. Owen looked up and said, “Play with me.” What he meant was, “get down here in the floor!” Like so many of us, Owen wanted someone with him. He wasn’t afraid of being alone necessarily; however, he felt more comfortable knowing someone else was along for the ride.
A few weeks ago, my cousin C.D. became gravely ill. He realized that he was dying, and he said so. Those closest to C.D. assured him that he was not dying… but they were in denial. C.D. knew the truth. The first time I visited him in the hospital, he told me, “I’m not going to be here much longer.” I asked, “Are you okay with that?” “Yes,” he replied. “Then so am I,” was my answer. And I meant it. Over the next two weeks, we had several conversations about heaven…who was waiting there for him…how it seemed like it was taking so long for God to get C.D.’s “mansion” ready… and how ready he was to get there.
My cousin was always the king of quips and great stories, and his quick with stayed with him until a day or so before he actually died. I would say, “I’ll see you again,” and he would answer, “If I’m still here!” He told me to give my grandmother a message… “I’m saving a place for you!” and I told him to save one for me, as well! We talked about how his wife, daughter and parents would be waiting for him with a big home-cooked meal… and how he would go to rodeos and watch bull riding with my dad (they have rodeos in heaven, don’t they?!). Only one time did he cry and indicate momentary sadness as he whispered, “Come with me.” I assured him that I still had work to do here… but the angels would gently carry him to heaven, and everything would be okay. And it happened just like that.
C.D. was 88 years old. He was ready to go to heaven… yet for a brief moment, he expressed a desire for company on his journey. I don’t believe he feared death, but it is human nature to have a little trepidation about death or any unfamiliar situation. Lest you think death is only for older people, consider Trayton Nabours, the 6-year-old boy in Russellville, Arkansas, who was killed in a car accident while being driven to school by his grandmother. Trayton is celebrating his seventh birthday today with Jesus. Remember 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, shot and killed in Sanford, Florida, last month while walking to the home of a relative. We don’t like to think about death… but its certainty for all of us at some point is undeniable… and the uncertainty of our “time” is equally real.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a child of any age. We hope and dream so much for their future. And so does God! Even my 88-year-old cousin had hopes and dreams that were unfulfilled… trips in a new van and motorhome he had recently purchased… time spent with relatives and friends, and more. God wants us to dream big and work toward goals.
How do we resolve our inner conflict when lives are halted and dreams and potential seem to be unfulfilled? Look to this passage in Hebrews. Abraham dreamed of having many children… and he did. But he only lived to see a few of them. Still, God numbered Abraham’s ancestors more than stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach! Even when we strive to line up our dreams and goals with God’s will, He may orchestrate them in a way we didn’t expect. This means we can find blessings and meaning in the sudden death of a six-year-old boy. We can turn the tragedy of a senseless shooting of a teenager into changes in thinking and legislation that will impact lives for decades to come. We can celebrate the life of an octogenarian who lived and died with dignity and demonstrated faith and confidence that a better home awaited him.
Our attitude toward death represents a pivotal point in our Christian faith. When we begin to explore and embrace the promises of heaven more than the disappointment of life’s earthly end, our relationship with God takes on a new meaning. No longer are we fearful or lonely… nor do we cling to the things of this earth. We recognize that God has grand plans for us, and it’s up to Him to decide whether they are realized in our earthly lifetime or after we get to heaven. When we begin to trust Him for the outcomes…and to look forward to whatever God has in store for us… we no longer need someone to come with us. We recognize the power and presence of God at all times… in all things.
When the Holy Spirit is truly in your heart… when you faithfully trust God for all things in your life, you are never alone. What do you believe God for this day? What hopes and dreams has He planted in your heart? Do you trust Him to deliver on His promises… in His own time? Have you made that faith-filled shift from earthly thinking to heavenly dreams? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 24, 2012
Proverbs 4:23-27
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.
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.
Each August, residents up and down Arkansas Highway 64 have a garage sale that lasts several days over one weekend. They call it “Bargains Galore on 64.” One year, my husband and I traveled this highway from Beebe to Conway and took in the sales along that part of the route. My husband drove, and I watched for signs and scouted the sales to determine whether or not it would be worth our time to stop. As the day wore on and the crowds thickened, this became a bit of a risky adventure! Drivers were paying more attention to the sales than their driving. Many either didn’t have a “navigator” to assist them…or that person was busy gawking, too… because there was more than one near-miss collision as we motored along!
I would venture to say you could call these sales something of a “sideshow distraction.” Highway 64 is a relatively busy thoroughfare, particularly as you get closer to the larger communities. Add in some traffic that is stopping and starting – often with little to no warning – and you have a recipe for potential disaster!
This is a good example of how many of us maneuver through life. We are busy gawking at the “sideshow distractions,” and we fail to pay attention to the importance of our main focus… navigating the path of our Christian faith. Daily living is fraught with challenges aplenty without taking detours and becoming preoccupied with such things as other people’s business, temptations, and our selfish desires to fit in or “be somebody!” These behaviors lead to the “white lies,” excuses, gossip, and careless banter that can wreak such havoc with our Christian witness and daily living.
In some respects, God is our “Navigator” as we travel the highways of life. He shows us what distractions and detours are worth our time and trouble… and He frees us to remain focused on the road ahead. He protects us from a collision course. Our job is to make every effort to be a “good driver”… to keep our heart and motives pure… and to listen to His advice.
I love a good yard sale as much as the next person… and I have to admit, I am often easily distracted. But I am asking God to strengthen my focus… to purify my motives – and my thoughts and actions – and to leave evil in the dust. Who is your Navigator these days? Are you a on a smooth stretch of road - or have you made a detour of sorts? Ask God to set you back on the right course… and to give you everything necessary to keep you there!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.
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.
Each August, residents up and down Arkansas Highway 64 have a garage sale that lasts several days over one weekend. They call it “Bargains Galore on 64.” One year, my husband and I traveled this highway from Beebe to Conway and took in the sales along that part of the route. My husband drove, and I watched for signs and scouted the sales to determine whether or not it would be worth our time to stop. As the day wore on and the crowds thickened, this became a bit of a risky adventure! Drivers were paying more attention to the sales than their driving. Many either didn’t have a “navigator” to assist them…or that person was busy gawking, too… because there was more than one near-miss collision as we motored along!
I would venture to say you could call these sales something of a “sideshow distraction.” Highway 64 is a relatively busy thoroughfare, particularly as you get closer to the larger communities. Add in some traffic that is stopping and starting – often with little to no warning – and you have a recipe for potential disaster!
This is a good example of how many of us maneuver through life. We are busy gawking at the “sideshow distractions,” and we fail to pay attention to the importance of our main focus… navigating the path of our Christian faith. Daily living is fraught with challenges aplenty without taking detours and becoming preoccupied with such things as other people’s business, temptations, and our selfish desires to fit in or “be somebody!” These behaviors lead to the “white lies,” excuses, gossip, and careless banter that can wreak such havoc with our Christian witness and daily living.
In some respects, God is our “Navigator” as we travel the highways of life. He shows us what distractions and detours are worth our time and trouble… and He frees us to remain focused on the road ahead. He protects us from a collision course. Our job is to make every effort to be a “good driver”… to keep our heart and motives pure… and to listen to His advice.
I love a good yard sale as much as the next person… and I have to admit, I am often easily distracted. But I am asking God to strengthen my focus… to purify my motives – and my thoughts and actions – and to leave evil in the dust. Who is your Navigator these days? Are you a on a smooth stretch of road - or have you made a detour of sorts? Ask God to set you back on the right course… and to give you everything necessary to keep you there!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 23, 2012
Philippians 4:8-9
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
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.
This morning, I found myself thinking about Teresa, a woman in my community who works tirelessly to meet the needs of others. Teresa is constantly posting something on Facebook about a need or concern… “Want to sponsor lunch for 20-30 spring break kids next week in our Adopt-A-Block neighborhood? Or would you like to serve for 2-3 hours one day (arts and crafts, outside games, FUN STUFF)?” or “WAL-MART has boys’ coats on sale for $8.99! You can take a small portion of your tax return to purchase a coat for a child in need!” or “Looking for a good used or free clothes dryer for a family who needs one.” I won’t even mention the countless scripture verses she frequently posts to encourage all of her friends.
Not only is Teresa a faithful servant… she fills her mind with the best, not the worst… the beautiful instead of the ugly. She never posts negative comments. In fact, when “life” happens – as it does for all of us – she finds a way to put a positive spin on things and give God the glory. Lest you think life is a bed of roses for Teresa, be assured that she has experienced her share of challenges. This single mother of two works hard to provide for her family – and equally hard on behalf of the collective family of her Heavenly Father. I truly am inspired by this young woman every single day.
There should be hundreds… thousands… of “Teresas” among us. But sadly, disciples of her caliber are few and far between. We find it so easy to be negative and see others’ faults and blemishes. Instead of seeing them as God’s precious children – equal to us in His sight in every way – we put on blinders. I am not suggesting we go through life wearing “rose-colored glasses” – or that we let down our guard. We are often right to be cautious about who we choose to associate with – or sticking our nose into situations that are none of our business. But so often, God calls us to do something… and gives us the wisdom to discern the right level of involvement and/or action… and we turn our head and look the other way. We often judge those involved and declare them, in essence, “different” or “weird” or “not worth our time.”
The closer I draw to God, the more restless and unsettled I become when I ignore His voice. If we truly want to experience the peace of God on a continual basis, we must apply His teachings in every situation. We must check our thoughts, our words, and our actions before making a move. We must be willing to step up – and out – as my friend Teresa does… with little to no regard to what the rest of the world will think.
Where do you need to adjust your attitudes and actions today? Where can you find a little beauty and goodness in the midst of the “bad and ugly?” Where is God leading you to change your thinking? Are you listening for His voice and filling your mind with true, noble, authentic, gracious things? Will you do your part to work toward His excellent harmonies? Shouldn’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
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.
This morning, I found myself thinking about Teresa, a woman in my community who works tirelessly to meet the needs of others. Teresa is constantly posting something on Facebook about a need or concern… “Want to sponsor lunch for 20-30 spring break kids next week in our Adopt-A-Block neighborhood? Or would you like to serve for 2-3 hours one day (arts and crafts, outside games, FUN STUFF)?” or “WAL-MART has boys’ coats on sale for $8.99! You can take a small portion of your tax return to purchase a coat for a child in need!” or “Looking for a good used or free clothes dryer for a family who needs one.” I won’t even mention the countless scripture verses she frequently posts to encourage all of her friends.
Not only is Teresa a faithful servant… she fills her mind with the best, not the worst… the beautiful instead of the ugly. She never posts negative comments. In fact, when “life” happens – as it does for all of us – she finds a way to put a positive spin on things and give God the glory. Lest you think life is a bed of roses for Teresa, be assured that she has experienced her share of challenges. This single mother of two works hard to provide for her family – and equally hard on behalf of the collective family of her Heavenly Father. I truly am inspired by this young woman every single day.
There should be hundreds… thousands… of “Teresas” among us. But sadly, disciples of her caliber are few and far between. We find it so easy to be negative and see others’ faults and blemishes. Instead of seeing them as God’s precious children – equal to us in His sight in every way – we put on blinders. I am not suggesting we go through life wearing “rose-colored glasses” – or that we let down our guard. We are often right to be cautious about who we choose to associate with – or sticking our nose into situations that are none of our business. But so often, God calls us to do something… and gives us the wisdom to discern the right level of involvement and/or action… and we turn our head and look the other way. We often judge those involved and declare them, in essence, “different” or “weird” or “not worth our time.”
The closer I draw to God, the more restless and unsettled I become when I ignore His voice. If we truly want to experience the peace of God on a continual basis, we must apply His teachings in every situation. We must check our thoughts, our words, and our actions before making a move. We must be willing to step up – and out – as my friend Teresa does… with little to no regard to what the rest of the world will think.
Where do you need to adjust your attitudes and actions today? Where can you find a little beauty and goodness in the midst of the “bad and ugly?” Where is God leading you to change your thinking? Are you listening for His voice and filling your mind with true, noble, authentic, gracious things? Will you do your part to work toward His excellent harmonies? Shouldn’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2012
2 Corinthians 4:1-4
Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.
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 mom tells a story about playing baseball with neighbor kids when she was growing up, and one kid would always have an excuse handy when he got up to bat. If he swung and missed, he would start saying repeatedly, “I didn’t break my wrist!” – meaning he didn’t swing through, so the attempt didn’t count in his estimation! He thought he could have another turn, as long as the swing had not counted. In other words, he didn’t bother believing the truth and chose to think what he wanted.
I’m not sure how well this worked for the boy, but I know it doesn’t work with God. We can’t make up our own rules or twist the truth to fit our own advantage and expect God to merely go along with us.
Let’s face it… things are not always going to go our way. And honestly, God has made no secret of this to Christians. There are clear indications throughout the Bible that the life of Christ’s disciples will be peppered with obstacles and challenges. Sadly, more than few Christians decide to deal with this by 1) throwing up their hands at the first sign of trouble, and 2) masking their faith and trying to manipulate God, so that they can be one person in His presence and another in the company of those who might choose to judge or ridicule them for their faith. Like the kid on the ball team who had a ready excuse for a missed swing, we are “all in” when we connect with the ball, but ready to turn tail and run when anything goes awry.
We can’t have it both ways… and we shouldn’t need or want to do this. God has done so much for us. He will never give us more than we can handle. So why would we fear the challenges and road bumps for even a minute? Every time I have faced a “hard time,” God has strengthened my faith. Every time I have fallen down, He has lifted me.
I have yet to encounter anything God could not handle on my behalf. And yes, there have been times when I’ve put on a mask and played games… and tried to manipulate God into seeing things my way. But more and more, I have learned that my ideas are never as wise as God’s. My attempts to fix things almost never work out – and certainly never in situations where I should have listened to God in the first place.
We need to be “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” Christians… the kind who trust God for everything and deal with whatever challenges come our way. The life of a Christian is not easy, nor perfect in the way we would anticipate. God is not punishing us by allowing tests and struggles to come our way… but He is teaching us how to trust Him for the outcomes. Every swing “at bat” is not going to result in a home run. We are probably going to “miss the ball” and “strike out” a good deal of the time. How we react will say a lot about our faith… and whose truth we really believe – God’s, or our own. And this will be our message – to ourselves and to others. What is your message today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.
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 mom tells a story about playing baseball with neighbor kids when she was growing up, and one kid would always have an excuse handy when he got up to bat. If he swung and missed, he would start saying repeatedly, “I didn’t break my wrist!” – meaning he didn’t swing through, so the attempt didn’t count in his estimation! He thought he could have another turn, as long as the swing had not counted. In other words, he didn’t bother believing the truth and chose to think what he wanted.
I’m not sure how well this worked for the boy, but I know it doesn’t work with God. We can’t make up our own rules or twist the truth to fit our own advantage and expect God to merely go along with us.
Let’s face it… things are not always going to go our way. And honestly, God has made no secret of this to Christians. There are clear indications throughout the Bible that the life of Christ’s disciples will be peppered with obstacles and challenges. Sadly, more than few Christians decide to deal with this by 1) throwing up their hands at the first sign of trouble, and 2) masking their faith and trying to manipulate God, so that they can be one person in His presence and another in the company of those who might choose to judge or ridicule them for their faith. Like the kid on the ball team who had a ready excuse for a missed swing, we are “all in” when we connect with the ball, but ready to turn tail and run when anything goes awry.
We can’t have it both ways… and we shouldn’t need or want to do this. God has done so much for us. He will never give us more than we can handle. So why would we fear the challenges and road bumps for even a minute? Every time I have faced a “hard time,” God has strengthened my faith. Every time I have fallen down, He has lifted me.
I have yet to encounter anything God could not handle on my behalf. And yes, there have been times when I’ve put on a mask and played games… and tried to manipulate God into seeing things my way. But more and more, I have learned that my ideas are never as wise as God’s. My attempts to fix things almost never work out – and certainly never in situations where I should have listened to God in the first place.
We need to be “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” Christians… the kind who trust God for everything and deal with whatever challenges come our way. The life of a Christian is not easy, nor perfect in the way we would anticipate. God is not punishing us by allowing tests and struggles to come our way… but He is teaching us how to trust Him for the outcomes. Every swing “at bat” is not going to result in a home run. We are probably going to “miss the ball” and “strike out” a good deal of the time. How we react will say a lot about our faith… and whose truth we really believe – God’s, or our own. And this will be our message – to ourselves and to others. What is your message today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 21, 2012
1 Peter 5:7-10
Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
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 keep a little calendar on my desk called “365 Days of Humor for Women.” There is a quote for each day of the year. Today’s quote was, “Some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.” That’s pretty funny stuff on the surface. The sad part is that some of us choose to be “the statue” pretty much every day of the year! And that’s how we get into trouble. See, the devil can move about easily in our suggestive realm. So when we speak negatively, we just as well open the door and say, “Come on in, buddy, and sit a spell!”
We give the devil room to work when we continually harbor negative thoughts. Part of keeping our guard up is making a concerted effort to see the good in all situations and people. I know it’s hard. I’ve been “the statue” more days than I care to acknowledge… and to a large degree it’s often been my own doing! Joel Osteen likes to say, “You can be a victim, or a victor!”
The choice is ours. We can take those “statue” days and turn them into opportunities to do better… for ourselves and by others. When someone mistreats you, make a vow to treat that person or someone else even better. When life throws you a curve ball, ask God to show you how to find your way to a bigger opportunity… or to give you His solution to your present dilemma.
Whatever images, suggestions, visions, dreams, impressions, feelings and thoughts that don’t contribute directly to our faith need to be blasted into the stratosphere. We need to fill our hearts and minds with those things that line up with God’s will for our lives… to continually seek to turn negative thoughts and events into positive ones (with God’s help), and to always ask Him “What would you have me learn from this?” Sure, there will still be “statue” events. But how we handle them will speak volumes about how big our faith in God is to set us upright, dust us off, and get us going in the right direction again.
Are you awake and alert these days… carefully guarding your thoughts and actions against the devil’s efforts to get a foothold? Or are you napping on the job? Have you set yourself up to experience the powerful “last word” of God… or would you rather be a “statue?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
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 keep a little calendar on my desk called “365 Days of Humor for Women.” There is a quote for each day of the year. Today’s quote was, “Some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.” That’s pretty funny stuff on the surface. The sad part is that some of us choose to be “the statue” pretty much every day of the year! And that’s how we get into trouble. See, the devil can move about easily in our suggestive realm. So when we speak negatively, we just as well open the door and say, “Come on in, buddy, and sit a spell!”
We give the devil room to work when we continually harbor negative thoughts. Part of keeping our guard up is making a concerted effort to see the good in all situations and people. I know it’s hard. I’ve been “the statue” more days than I care to acknowledge… and to a large degree it’s often been my own doing! Joel Osteen likes to say, “You can be a victim, or a victor!”
The choice is ours. We can take those “statue” days and turn them into opportunities to do better… for ourselves and by others. When someone mistreats you, make a vow to treat that person or someone else even better. When life throws you a curve ball, ask God to show you how to find your way to a bigger opportunity… or to give you His solution to your present dilemma.
Whatever images, suggestions, visions, dreams, impressions, feelings and thoughts that don’t contribute directly to our faith need to be blasted into the stratosphere. We need to fill our hearts and minds with those things that line up with God’s will for our lives… to continually seek to turn negative thoughts and events into positive ones (with God’s help), and to always ask Him “What would you have me learn from this?” Sure, there will still be “statue” events. But how we handle them will speak volumes about how big our faith in God is to set us upright, dust us off, and get us going in the right direction again.
Are you awake and alert these days… carefully guarding your thoughts and actions against the devil’s efforts to get a foothold? Or are you napping on the job? Have you set yourself up to experience the powerful “last word” of God… or would you rather be a “statue?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 20, 2012
James 4:7-10
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I once knew a high school student who was involved in more than a half dozen school activities. He maintained an incredibly hectic schedule of attending this practice or meeting… actual events and competitions. Additionally, he was a member of his church youth choir and participated in other activities with his congregation. I lovingly mentioned to him one day that I was concerned… and feared he was headed for an early burnout. I suggested he pick out one or two activities that he enjoyed the most… maybe ones in which he particularly excelled… and focus on being the best participant possible in those events. He protested… “But I love all of them. How could I ever choose?” He had also been told that getting involved in a lot of different activities would present him as “well-rounded” when he applied for colleges.
It saddens me to say that the pressure to keep up such a lofty schedule caught up with this person, and he ultimately (and reluctantly) did give up a few of the activities. The demands of trying to keep up with so much led to poor choices and even poorer decisions… and he eventually “hit rock bottom,” so to speak. I am happy to say that he did not stay there. In fact, he got serious… really serious, as this scripture says. He coupled wonderful support from family and friends with a renewed dedication to following God’s will. And today, he is thriving.
You and I are really no different from this student. We may not be busy with too many school activities. School may even be a distant memory for some of us. But we all have distractions and temptations… and it’s easy to fall into the trap of “playing the field” and spreading ourselves too thinly. We may try everything from self-help programs to the latest “hot” evangelist and his/her teachings. We may get so caught up in work or a hobby, possessions… or even another person or group of people… and we may let our focus on God take a back seat.
My prayer is that we won’t have to “hit rock bottom” or experience something that “pulls the rug out from under us” before we get serious about our relationship with God and raise it to the very forefront of our daily existence. I love how The Message says that we have to shout at the devil to get him to go away… but all we have to offer God is a gentle whisper, and He shows up immediately. We can rely on the devil to be persistent… but we can rely on God to keep His promises and truly meet our needs.
Aren’t you ready to send the devil and his distractions packing for good? Is today the day you shout and scream and kick him to the curb? God is waiting to set you on your feet… to restore you according to His will for your life. Will this be the day you fall to your knees and whisper His name? Are you ready to get really serious about God?
©2012 Debbie Robus
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I once knew a high school student who was involved in more than a half dozen school activities. He maintained an incredibly hectic schedule of attending this practice or meeting… actual events and competitions. Additionally, he was a member of his church youth choir and participated in other activities with his congregation. I lovingly mentioned to him one day that I was concerned… and feared he was headed for an early burnout. I suggested he pick out one or two activities that he enjoyed the most… maybe ones in which he particularly excelled… and focus on being the best participant possible in those events. He protested… “But I love all of them. How could I ever choose?” He had also been told that getting involved in a lot of different activities would present him as “well-rounded” when he applied for colleges.
It saddens me to say that the pressure to keep up such a lofty schedule caught up with this person, and he ultimately (and reluctantly) did give up a few of the activities. The demands of trying to keep up with so much led to poor choices and even poorer decisions… and he eventually “hit rock bottom,” so to speak. I am happy to say that he did not stay there. In fact, he got serious… really serious, as this scripture says. He coupled wonderful support from family and friends with a renewed dedication to following God’s will. And today, he is thriving.
You and I are really no different from this student. We may not be busy with too many school activities. School may even be a distant memory for some of us. But we all have distractions and temptations… and it’s easy to fall into the trap of “playing the field” and spreading ourselves too thinly. We may try everything from self-help programs to the latest “hot” evangelist and his/her teachings. We may get so caught up in work or a hobby, possessions… or even another person or group of people… and we may let our focus on God take a back seat.
My prayer is that we won’t have to “hit rock bottom” or experience something that “pulls the rug out from under us” before we get serious about our relationship with God and raise it to the very forefront of our daily existence. I love how The Message says that we have to shout at the devil to get him to go away… but all we have to offer God is a gentle whisper, and He shows up immediately. We can rely on the devil to be persistent… but we can rely on God to keep His promises and truly meet our needs.
Aren’t you ready to send the devil and his distractions packing for good? Is today the day you shout and scream and kick him to the curb? God is waiting to set you on your feet… to restore you according to His will for your life. Will this be the day you fall to your knees and whisper His name? Are you ready to get really serious about God?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 19, 2012
1 Corinthians 10:1-7
Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.
The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—"First the people partied, then they threw a dance."
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.
Suppose you got a new car… the car of your dreams. You proudly drove it everywhere… even invited your friends to take a ride and enjoy how smoothly it drove. Everyone noticed your new car, and you felt like a different person when you were seen in it. Then the car ran out of gas… and you parked it in the garage and left it there. You still had a new car… but you went back to your old methods of getting around. A few people asked about the car, and you shrugged and said, “Yeah… I’ve got it, but gas takes money, and it’s a lot of work to keep it clean and running well, so I just parked it in the garage. It’s safe and clean there... I just don’t take it out often.”
Do you see my point? What good is a new car if you are not going to fill it with gas, maintain its engine, and drive it? And the same can be said of our faith. Many of us make a “salvation decision” – we invite Jesus to live in our hearts, and we get all excited for a while. Then the “gas” runs out, and we park our faith and return to our old habits. We don’t feed our relationship with Christ through prayer, Bible study, fellowship with others and actual service.
Equally as bad, we Christians often do a poor job of nurturing and encouraging others as they grow in their faith walk. We are so glad to add another name to the roll at church – and to increase our numbers. But I have long maintained that church growth is a good thing… if you take care of everyone who is already in the church body. Otherwise, we are just piling up “cars in the garage.”
So my challenge for each of us today is this…
©2012 Debbie Robus
Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.
The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—"First the people partied, then they threw a dance."
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.
Suppose you got a new car… the car of your dreams. You proudly drove it everywhere… even invited your friends to take a ride and enjoy how smoothly it drove. Everyone noticed your new car, and you felt like a different person when you were seen in it. Then the car ran out of gas… and you parked it in the garage and left it there. You still had a new car… but you went back to your old methods of getting around. A few people asked about the car, and you shrugged and said, “Yeah… I’ve got it, but gas takes money, and it’s a lot of work to keep it clean and running well, so I just parked it in the garage. It’s safe and clean there... I just don’t take it out often.”
Do you see my point? What good is a new car if you are not going to fill it with gas, maintain its engine, and drive it? And the same can be said of our faith. Many of us make a “salvation decision” – we invite Jesus to live in our hearts, and we get all excited for a while. Then the “gas” runs out, and we park our faith and return to our old habits. We don’t feed our relationship with Christ through prayer, Bible study, fellowship with others and actual service.
Equally as bad, we Christians often do a poor job of nurturing and encouraging others as they grow in their faith walk. We are so glad to add another name to the roll at church – and to increase our numbers. But I have long maintained that church growth is a good thing… if you take care of everyone who is already in the church body. Otherwise, we are just piling up “cars in the garage.”
So my challenge for each of us today is this…
- We must continually strive to grow and learn as Disciples of Christ. We must study the word of God… spend time with Him in prayer… and exercise our faith by serving God, sharing the Good News of Jesus with others, and genuinely caring for those we encounter.
- We must nurture and encourage others – believers and unbelievers alike. We must be awake and alert… always looking for ways to serve others in God’s name. We must make sure that others know that we care… and that we are willing to make the effort to help them as needed. Mere lip service is completely unacceptable.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 18, 2012
1 Samuel 16:6-7
When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. "He has to be the one the LORD has chosen," Samuel said to himself.
But the LORD told him, "Samuel, don't think Eliab is the one just because he's tall and handsome. He isn't the one I've chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There was a time in my early marriage where I got out of bed each morning and immediately dashed to the bathroom to apply my makeup. It wasn’t as if my husband had never seen my bare face, but I felt more confident behind the mask of some foundation, eye shadow and mascara. I would never venture out in public without “having my face on.” When something caught me off guard – an emergency, for instance – and I had to meet the world sans makeup, I felt self-conscious.
There is nothing wrong with looking nice. Dressing neatly, cleanliness, and looking your best says a lot about you. If you care about your appearance, you probably care about other things, like responsibility, hard work, and being conscientious in many areas of life. But sometimes, “life” happens when we are not looking our best. Just ask the ER staff at your local hospital. They see us at all hours of the night and day… often at our worst. My prayer is that these folks have learned to look beyond a person’s outward appearance and see each person authentically. Unfortunately, we humans have a bad habit of judging others by their outward appearance, which fed into my compulsion to always be “made up” for so many years.
Last summer, Timothy woke me very early one morning. He was rarin’ to go, and I did all I could to keep him quiet so that his Uncle Greg could continue to sleep. We went outside to play… he squealed and yelled. I suggested a stroll down the street. We got in front of a neighbor’s house, and he had a screaming meltdown that could wake the dead! (He did not want to ride in the stroller.) It was not even 6:30 a.m. At my wits’ end, I grabbed my purse, quite literally ran my fingers through my hair, plopped Timothy into his car seat, and headed for Wal-Mart. I was wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants… Timothy was dressed in his pj’s and sandals.
We shopped for groceries. People smiled at us and admired the adorable little boy with the beautiful blue eyes. Nobody cared that Timmy was wearing his pajamas – or that I wasn’t wearing makeup and looked like a train wreck. On the ride home, Timothy fell asleep, and I let him snooze in his car seat while I unloaded the groceries. By 7:30 a.m., we had finished our shopping, enjoyed a little power nap, and were ready for breakfast with Uncle Greg.
Several years ago, a youth minister friend of mine named Noble didn’t bathe for a week. He put on really dirty clothes and drove to a nearby town where nobody knew him. A church there was holding a revival, and my friend attended one of the services. Unbeknownst to others in attendance, Noble was friends with the local youth minister, and they had set up this experiment to see how people would react. Noble will tell you that he smelled terrible… he was filthy… and he took a seat front and center in the sanctuary. And as you would expect, people reacted – and not always nicely. Then Noble was introduced by the host minister as his friend – and fellow youth leader. You can imagine the reaction of those who were attending this worship service after hearing this news!
The point is that we are all disheveled and covered with the filth and smell of sin, but God sees beyond this. He doesn’t judge us for our appearance – He looks at our heart. And while we should be respectful of the bodies God has given us and treat them as His temple (which means we need to be as neat and clean as possible and “present” well), we should focus more on what (and WHO) is within us – and how we share this with others.
Do people know you for your possessions, your nice clothes or the car you drive? Do people in your church, school and community circles know you as the person who is always front and center on this committee and project or that one – or the person who can be relied upon to truly get things done? There is a difference! There are plenty of people who want to be in the limelight… to capitalize on the opportunities of appearance… but far fewer who want to authentically show up in the lives of others and be God’s agent on this earth.
When others look at you, who and what do they see? Are you merely “tall and handsome”… or are you the one God has chosen? Today, let’s make our prayer a request to God to humble us and fill us with His wisdom and a genuine desire to serve Him from the depths of our heart. In my notes, I have written, “God formed man… then filled him with life. He doesn’t waste his breath blowing into things that leak.” What about you? Do you “leak” these days… or are you a solid vessel for the LORD and His work? How do others truly see you? More importantly, how are you seen by God?
©2012 Debbie Robus
When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. "He has to be the one the LORD has chosen," Samuel said to himself.
But the LORD told him, "Samuel, don't think Eliab is the one just because he's tall and handsome. He isn't the one I've chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There was a time in my early marriage where I got out of bed each morning and immediately dashed to the bathroom to apply my makeup. It wasn’t as if my husband had never seen my bare face, but I felt more confident behind the mask of some foundation, eye shadow and mascara. I would never venture out in public without “having my face on.” When something caught me off guard – an emergency, for instance – and I had to meet the world sans makeup, I felt self-conscious.
There is nothing wrong with looking nice. Dressing neatly, cleanliness, and looking your best says a lot about you. If you care about your appearance, you probably care about other things, like responsibility, hard work, and being conscientious in many areas of life. But sometimes, “life” happens when we are not looking our best. Just ask the ER staff at your local hospital. They see us at all hours of the night and day… often at our worst. My prayer is that these folks have learned to look beyond a person’s outward appearance and see each person authentically. Unfortunately, we humans have a bad habit of judging others by their outward appearance, which fed into my compulsion to always be “made up” for so many years.
Last summer, Timothy woke me very early one morning. He was rarin’ to go, and I did all I could to keep him quiet so that his Uncle Greg could continue to sleep. We went outside to play… he squealed and yelled. I suggested a stroll down the street. We got in front of a neighbor’s house, and he had a screaming meltdown that could wake the dead! (He did not want to ride in the stroller.) It was not even 6:30 a.m. At my wits’ end, I grabbed my purse, quite literally ran my fingers through my hair, plopped Timothy into his car seat, and headed for Wal-Mart. I was wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants… Timothy was dressed in his pj’s and sandals.
We shopped for groceries. People smiled at us and admired the adorable little boy with the beautiful blue eyes. Nobody cared that Timmy was wearing his pajamas – or that I wasn’t wearing makeup and looked like a train wreck. On the ride home, Timothy fell asleep, and I let him snooze in his car seat while I unloaded the groceries. By 7:30 a.m., we had finished our shopping, enjoyed a little power nap, and were ready for breakfast with Uncle Greg.
Several years ago, a youth minister friend of mine named Noble didn’t bathe for a week. He put on really dirty clothes and drove to a nearby town where nobody knew him. A church there was holding a revival, and my friend attended one of the services. Unbeknownst to others in attendance, Noble was friends with the local youth minister, and they had set up this experiment to see how people would react. Noble will tell you that he smelled terrible… he was filthy… and he took a seat front and center in the sanctuary. And as you would expect, people reacted – and not always nicely. Then Noble was introduced by the host minister as his friend – and fellow youth leader. You can imagine the reaction of those who were attending this worship service after hearing this news!
The point is that we are all disheveled and covered with the filth and smell of sin, but God sees beyond this. He doesn’t judge us for our appearance – He looks at our heart. And while we should be respectful of the bodies God has given us and treat them as His temple (which means we need to be as neat and clean as possible and “present” well), we should focus more on what (and WHO) is within us – and how we share this with others.
Do people know you for your possessions, your nice clothes or the car you drive? Do people in your church, school and community circles know you as the person who is always front and center on this committee and project or that one – or the person who can be relied upon to truly get things done? There is a difference! There are plenty of people who want to be in the limelight… to capitalize on the opportunities of appearance… but far fewer who want to authentically show up in the lives of others and be God’s agent on this earth.
When others look at you, who and what do they see? Are you merely “tall and handsome”… or are you the one God has chosen? Today, let’s make our prayer a request to God to humble us and fill us with His wisdom and a genuine desire to serve Him from the depths of our heart. In my notes, I have written, “God formed man… then filled him with life. He doesn’t waste his breath blowing into things that leak.” What about you? Do you “leak” these days… or are you a solid vessel for the LORD and His work? How do others truly see you? More importantly, how are you seen by God?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 17, 2012
Philippians 4:6-7
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
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 don’t know about you, but when I do “mindless” tasks like vacuuming or scrubbing the shower - and I have quiet time to think - my mind often races to some pretty crazy places. If I’m not careful, I can allow the devil to capture my thoughts. He will take me to places of worry… why does one person behave this way or that? Why did I say or do such a dumb thing? What if this or that happens? What will I do when I get too old to vacuum and scrub the shower? I know, I know… it’s all pretty ridiculous… and then I am mad at myself for allowing these thoughts to consume my time.
I’ve learned to begin my housekeeping and other “quiet time” chores with a conscious effort to pray through them. Instead of letting the devil control the “inner conversation,” I hold a discussion with God. Oh, sure… He already knows everything I’m thinking and feeling – and exactly what I will say to Him. But He listens anyway. In return, He calms me. He takes my “worries” and says, “I’ll handle these,” and I am free to fill my heart with His joy, grace, mercy and peace.
The more I understand about worry, the more it makes me angry when I succumb to this emotion for even a few minutes. Besides fear, I think the devil must utilize worry about as often as anything to trip us up and trouble us with frustration and a lack of faith. And I will tell you that it is incredibly easy to fall into his trap and develop a good case of the “worries” before you even know what hit you! But we must fight this. Our life in Christ should have no room for worry… but our prayer life should be filled with moments where we hand our worries to God and allow Him to handle them. And this is key… we must hand them off – and let them go!
The way I see it, we have a 50-50 proposition here. We can let the devil control us and allow worry to fester and grow within us, or we can give our worries to God in faith-filled prayer… and trust His outcome. The former will leave us feeling unsettled and unsure, if not downright miserable. The latter can result in everlasting peace. Now which one of these options sounds better to you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
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 don’t know about you, but when I do “mindless” tasks like vacuuming or scrubbing the shower - and I have quiet time to think - my mind often races to some pretty crazy places. If I’m not careful, I can allow the devil to capture my thoughts. He will take me to places of worry… why does one person behave this way or that? Why did I say or do such a dumb thing? What if this or that happens? What will I do when I get too old to vacuum and scrub the shower? I know, I know… it’s all pretty ridiculous… and then I am mad at myself for allowing these thoughts to consume my time.
I’ve learned to begin my housekeeping and other “quiet time” chores with a conscious effort to pray through them. Instead of letting the devil control the “inner conversation,” I hold a discussion with God. Oh, sure… He already knows everything I’m thinking and feeling – and exactly what I will say to Him. But He listens anyway. In return, He calms me. He takes my “worries” and says, “I’ll handle these,” and I am free to fill my heart with His joy, grace, mercy and peace.
The more I understand about worry, the more it makes me angry when I succumb to this emotion for even a few minutes. Besides fear, I think the devil must utilize worry about as often as anything to trip us up and trouble us with frustration and a lack of faith. And I will tell you that it is incredibly easy to fall into his trap and develop a good case of the “worries” before you even know what hit you! But we must fight this. Our life in Christ should have no room for worry… but our prayer life should be filled with moments where we hand our worries to God and allow Him to handle them. And this is key… we must hand them off – and let them go!
The way I see it, we have a 50-50 proposition here. We can let the devil control us and allow worry to fester and grow within us, or we can give our worries to God in faith-filled prayer… and trust His outcome. The former will leave us feeling unsettled and unsure, if not downright miserable. The latter can result in everlasting peace. Now which one of these options sounds better to you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 16, 2012
1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of "remembrance" you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.
If you give no thought (or worse, don't care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you're running the risk of serious consequences. That's why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won't have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.
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.
From the time we are very small, we know about Holy Communion. We may not participate directly, but we most likely see our parents “take communion” at church services… or we may have even seen this ritual portrayed in movies or on television. While very young children probably do not have the capacity to understand the true meaning of Holy Communion, emphasizing that this is a reverent and important gesture is certainly appropriate.
Sadly, many of us come to adulthood with a sense that Holy Communion is a ritual… and little more. We understand the symbolism of eating the bread and drinking the cup… but we don’t truly grasp the full meaning represented in this sacrament. I’m afraid this is true of many of the ways we represent Jesus in our everyday life. We have gotten pretty good at going through the motions of our faith, while giving little thought to their impact or importance.
I will admit that I was well into my thirties before I truly grasped the significance of Holy Communion. This sacrament is a vital component of the Emmaus Walk and is celebrated each day participants are in attendance. At the Emmaus Walk, I fully realized that eating the bread not only represents the body of Christ… it also represents our sins – surrendered to Him. The cup represents the blood of Jesus washing us clean, covering those sins, and creating in us a new life. The first time you participate in Holy Communion with this in mind can be a truly humbling and moving experience. And I will tell you, I have never thought of Communion the same since. It is an honor and a privilege to participate in this ceremony… and to renew my commitment and covenant with Jesus in the process.
At the same time, we need to all examine other actions and rituals in which we participate with regard to our faith. Remember, Jesus has told us that what we have done to the least… we have done to Him. So how we treat others… how we react to them… how we think and act in everything from participating in all aspects of a worship service to smiling at someone in Wal-Mart… matters! The next time you tell someone you will pray for them… follow through and remember them to God. When you start to make fun of someone or belittle them – whether to another person or directly – consider that this person belongs to Jesus just as you do. Remember that to belittle another is to belittle Jesus. When you can’t decide whether to pay your bills and honor the commitment you made when you placed charges on your credit card or rented the apartment and hooked up the utilities… or whether to blow your paycheck on dinner out with friends, a new outfit, the latest video game or a weekend at the casino… consider the commitment Jesus made to you. What if He blew you off? What if Jesus said, “I’ll let somebody else worry about that,” or “Today, I’m going to do what *I* want to do… I’ll think about the rest later.” Do you see that in failing to honor your worldly commitments, you fail to honor your commitment to Jesus?
In everything we do, we need to be humble, deliberate, and mindful of Jesus. There will be times when we still miss the mark. Believe me…I have plenty! But I am more aware these days of how important it is to strive to live honorably in Christ. Every choice I make has consequences – in this life and for eternity. When I eat the bread and take the cup, I am saying to Jesus, “Here I am LORD… take my sin and wash me clean. Set me upright for another day.” But I want to do more. I want to back this up with my day-to-day living.
I encourage you to look for ways each day to remember Jesus… and to ask Him to remember you. You don’t have to literally eat bread and drink wine to have a “Holy Communion” experience with Jesus each and every day. Always keep Christ at the forefront. Come before Him with a spirit of humility – and thanksgiving - and He will remember you in all things.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of "remembrance" you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.
If you give no thought (or worse, don't care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you're running the risk of serious consequences. That's why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won't have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.
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.
From the time we are very small, we know about Holy Communion. We may not participate directly, but we most likely see our parents “take communion” at church services… or we may have even seen this ritual portrayed in movies or on television. While very young children probably do not have the capacity to understand the true meaning of Holy Communion, emphasizing that this is a reverent and important gesture is certainly appropriate.
Sadly, many of us come to adulthood with a sense that Holy Communion is a ritual… and little more. We understand the symbolism of eating the bread and drinking the cup… but we don’t truly grasp the full meaning represented in this sacrament. I’m afraid this is true of many of the ways we represent Jesus in our everyday life. We have gotten pretty good at going through the motions of our faith, while giving little thought to their impact or importance.
I will admit that I was well into my thirties before I truly grasped the significance of Holy Communion. This sacrament is a vital component of the Emmaus Walk and is celebrated each day participants are in attendance. At the Emmaus Walk, I fully realized that eating the bread not only represents the body of Christ… it also represents our sins – surrendered to Him. The cup represents the blood of Jesus washing us clean, covering those sins, and creating in us a new life. The first time you participate in Holy Communion with this in mind can be a truly humbling and moving experience. And I will tell you, I have never thought of Communion the same since. It is an honor and a privilege to participate in this ceremony… and to renew my commitment and covenant with Jesus in the process.
At the same time, we need to all examine other actions and rituals in which we participate with regard to our faith. Remember, Jesus has told us that what we have done to the least… we have done to Him. So how we treat others… how we react to them… how we think and act in everything from participating in all aspects of a worship service to smiling at someone in Wal-Mart… matters! The next time you tell someone you will pray for them… follow through and remember them to God. When you start to make fun of someone or belittle them – whether to another person or directly – consider that this person belongs to Jesus just as you do. Remember that to belittle another is to belittle Jesus. When you can’t decide whether to pay your bills and honor the commitment you made when you placed charges on your credit card or rented the apartment and hooked up the utilities… or whether to blow your paycheck on dinner out with friends, a new outfit, the latest video game or a weekend at the casino… consider the commitment Jesus made to you. What if He blew you off? What if Jesus said, “I’ll let somebody else worry about that,” or “Today, I’m going to do what *I* want to do… I’ll think about the rest later.” Do you see that in failing to honor your worldly commitments, you fail to honor your commitment to Jesus?
In everything we do, we need to be humble, deliberate, and mindful of Jesus. There will be times when we still miss the mark. Believe me…I have plenty! But I am more aware these days of how important it is to strive to live honorably in Christ. Every choice I make has consequences – in this life and for eternity. When I eat the bread and take the cup, I am saying to Jesus, “Here I am LORD… take my sin and wash me clean. Set me upright for another day.” But I want to do more. I want to back this up with my day-to-day living.
I encourage you to look for ways each day to remember Jesus… and to ask Him to remember you. You don’t have to literally eat bread and drink wine to have a “Holy Communion” experience with Jesus each and every day. Always keep Christ at the forefront. Come before Him with a spirit of humility – and thanksgiving - and He will remember you in all things.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 15, 2012
Philippians 2:5-11
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
All someone has to say to me is some form of “Do you realize who you are dealing with?”… “Do you realize who I am?” and my hackles are raised immediately. There are plenty of people in this world who think that others should bow down and cater to their every whim because of who they are… or who their parents are… how wealthy they may be… or their “position” in life as a business person, politician, or celebrity (if only in their own mind!).
Wouldn’t it have been easy for Jesus to ask this question…“Do you realize who I am? Do you know you are dealing with the Son of God?” He could have stood tall against the Roman soldiers and said, “STOP! You are in the presence of Greatness! You cannot treat me this way.” And yes, He could have stopped all of the torture and the crucifixion any time He wanted. Instead, Jesus chose to suffer and die… for you and me. He chose to minister to people by meeting them where they were… on a level playing field… rather than riding in on a white horse wearing a flowing robe and crown and carrying a royal scepter.
Let me ask you something… who would you rather encounter – someone who is genuine, humble and truly seems to care about you and what you have to say? Or would you rather be in the presence of someone who perceives himself/herself to be superior – and expects you to recognize this and react accordingly? When you go about your day, will others be drawn to you because you are warm, real and sincere… or will you turn them off with your arrogance and piety?
Who do you think you are? Who are you really? There may be a difference! We need to recognize that we are the children of God Almighty – cleansed by the blood of Jesus and heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. But we also need to behave as Jesus did… humbly and gently… never lording it over others or giving them even one hint of superiority or condescension. If we have any hope of being effective ministers for Christ, we have to follow His model of humility. We have to focus on relating to people in their comfort zone … to help them to discover the Good News of Jesus and experience the promises of God in their own lives.
If we “keep it real,” we can be assured that God will bless us… that we will be rewarded with the applause of Heaven. I don’t know about you, but that is more than enough recognition for me! I know who I am already… and I’m not keeping it a secret. But I hope I never give anyone else the impression that I am unapproachable or superior in any way – especially because of my relationship with God. Someday, I hope to proudly claim my place as an heir to God’s Kingdom!” That will be all of the recognition I ever need. What about you? Who do others think you are these days? Is it time for a “humility check?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
All someone has to say to me is some form of “Do you realize who you are dealing with?”… “Do you realize who I am?” and my hackles are raised immediately. There are plenty of people in this world who think that others should bow down and cater to their every whim because of who they are… or who their parents are… how wealthy they may be… or their “position” in life as a business person, politician, or celebrity (if only in their own mind!).
Wouldn’t it have been easy for Jesus to ask this question…“Do you realize who I am? Do you know you are dealing with the Son of God?” He could have stood tall against the Roman soldiers and said, “STOP! You are in the presence of Greatness! You cannot treat me this way.” And yes, He could have stopped all of the torture and the crucifixion any time He wanted. Instead, Jesus chose to suffer and die… for you and me. He chose to minister to people by meeting them where they were… on a level playing field… rather than riding in on a white horse wearing a flowing robe and crown and carrying a royal scepter.
Let me ask you something… who would you rather encounter – someone who is genuine, humble and truly seems to care about you and what you have to say? Or would you rather be in the presence of someone who perceives himself/herself to be superior – and expects you to recognize this and react accordingly? When you go about your day, will others be drawn to you because you are warm, real and sincere… or will you turn them off with your arrogance and piety?
Who do you think you are? Who are you really? There may be a difference! We need to recognize that we are the children of God Almighty – cleansed by the blood of Jesus and heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. But we also need to behave as Jesus did… humbly and gently… never lording it over others or giving them even one hint of superiority or condescension. If we have any hope of being effective ministers for Christ, we have to follow His model of humility. We have to focus on relating to people in their comfort zone … to help them to discover the Good News of Jesus and experience the promises of God in their own lives.
If we “keep it real,” we can be assured that God will bless us… that we will be rewarded with the applause of Heaven. I don’t know about you, but that is more than enough recognition for me! I know who I am already… and I’m not keeping it a secret. But I hope I never give anyone else the impression that I am unapproachable or superior in any way – especially because of my relationship with God. Someday, I hope to proudly claim my place as an heir to God’s Kingdom!” That will be all of the recognition I ever need. What about you? Who do others think you are these days? Is it time for a “humility check?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 14, 2012
Proverbs 3:33-35
God's curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize.
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 heard the Chairman of the NCAA interviewed, about how many college football and basketball players have aspirations to become professional athletes. Obviously many Division I athletes have hopes of “going pro.” However, to emphasize his point, the chairman stated that 50% of all of Division II football and basketball players (including those at schools like Harding, Arkansas Tech, and others where student athletes may not even be on full scholarships) hope to “go pro.” In reality, only 1% actually make it to “the big leagues.” Clearly the expectations exceed realizations!
I am not criticizing these young people for having hopes and dreams. In fact, I commend their determination. At the same time, I wonder who has convinced them they may have what it takes to become a professional athlete. How many have unrealistic opinions of themselves and their abilities… and expect to be rewarded for their talents in this manner? As Graduation Day approaches for many high school and college students, I wonder who is looking toward a future in a career that God did not sanction. Who is anticipating being a “star” athlete in college or the pro ranks… or pursuing a degree that meets his/her choices rather than God’s?
Many of us spend a lot of time creating an image of wealth, intelligence, and general “success”. We care far too much about how others see us, and far too little about how we are truly seen. How many times have you heard it said that someone appeared to be beautiful and truly amazing, until this person opened his/her mouth? How many celebrities do you know who appear to have it all… wealth, fame, good looks… a great life… but in reality their life is falling apart? I could give you a laundry list of names, but you probably have your own already.
Regardless of our age or stage in life, we all need to focus on living humbly instead of playing the game. We need to seek God’s will for our lives. If God directs us to do the things that put us in line for wealth, fame… or even a chance to play a professional sport… then He will show us how to do the work to accomplish this. He will use us in this capacity to serve Him and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others in these arenas. If God calls us to operate in the background, He will equip us with the necessary guidance and gifts for this, as well.
God needs all kinds of people in His army… He can use celebrities and “regular Joes” alike. But God is not amused by those who try to be something or someone other than who He has called them to become. If God wants a college athlete to become a high school coach and help mold and shape the lives of countless teenagers, He will bless these efforts far more than the “riches” this athlete could ever accrue on the pro circuit. One has to recognize that the coach and the “pro” athlete are both professionals… just with a different vehicle for serving potential service. There is no shame in changing your major, your career, or even your hobby, if you feel that God is moving you in a different direction.
Who are you trying to be? What are you working toward… and does it line up with what God wants for your life? Have you truly shown up for life… the life that God has planned for you? Or are you determined to be something or someone else? Ask God to show you how to show up for the life that He has chosen. Humbly seek His will for your life… then get busy fulfilling His desires. You will be amazed at how He shows up for you as a result!
©2012 Debbie Robus
God's curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize.
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 heard the Chairman of the NCAA interviewed, about how many college football and basketball players have aspirations to become professional athletes. Obviously many Division I athletes have hopes of “going pro.” However, to emphasize his point, the chairman stated that 50% of all of Division II football and basketball players (including those at schools like Harding, Arkansas Tech, and others where student athletes may not even be on full scholarships) hope to “go pro.” In reality, only 1% actually make it to “the big leagues.” Clearly the expectations exceed realizations!
I am not criticizing these young people for having hopes and dreams. In fact, I commend their determination. At the same time, I wonder who has convinced them they may have what it takes to become a professional athlete. How many have unrealistic opinions of themselves and their abilities… and expect to be rewarded for their talents in this manner? As Graduation Day approaches for many high school and college students, I wonder who is looking toward a future in a career that God did not sanction. Who is anticipating being a “star” athlete in college or the pro ranks… or pursuing a degree that meets his/her choices rather than God’s?
Many of us spend a lot of time creating an image of wealth, intelligence, and general “success”. We care far too much about how others see us, and far too little about how we are truly seen. How many times have you heard it said that someone appeared to be beautiful and truly amazing, until this person opened his/her mouth? How many celebrities do you know who appear to have it all… wealth, fame, good looks… a great life… but in reality their life is falling apart? I could give you a laundry list of names, but you probably have your own already.
Regardless of our age or stage in life, we all need to focus on living humbly instead of playing the game. We need to seek God’s will for our lives. If God directs us to do the things that put us in line for wealth, fame… or even a chance to play a professional sport… then He will show us how to do the work to accomplish this. He will use us in this capacity to serve Him and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others in these arenas. If God calls us to operate in the background, He will equip us with the necessary guidance and gifts for this, as well.
God needs all kinds of people in His army… He can use celebrities and “regular Joes” alike. But God is not amused by those who try to be something or someone other than who He has called them to become. If God wants a college athlete to become a high school coach and help mold and shape the lives of countless teenagers, He will bless these efforts far more than the “riches” this athlete could ever accrue on the pro circuit. One has to recognize that the coach and the “pro” athlete are both professionals… just with a different vehicle for serving potential service. There is no shame in changing your major, your career, or even your hobby, if you feel that God is moving you in a different direction.
Who are you trying to be? What are you working toward… and does it line up with what God wants for your life? Have you truly shown up for life… the life that God has planned for you? Or are you determined to be something or someone else? Ask God to show you how to show up for the life that He has chosen. Humbly seek His will for your life… then get busy fulfilling His desires. You will be amazed at how He shows up for you as a result!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Dailyl Devotional for March 13, 2012
John 19:23-24
When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)
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.
Did you know that Jesus wore “designer clothes?” A robe created from a single piece of weaving with no seams was not cheap or readily available to the masses. Even today, a garment that can be made with creative piecing and seaming to save fabric is far less expensive than one that requires a single piece of woven material. Yet, when we think of Jesus, we perceive a man who dressed somewhat poorly.
Think about it… the Roman soldiers would not have thrown dice to win a filthy garment… even one belonging to Jesus. This robe had value! Yet a lot of people want to “sell everything and live like Jesus.” Our Jesus did not live poorly… He lived simply and humbly… and there is a difference! It’s not about the designer clothing you wear or your fancy car... but about how you act when you are wearing the clothes and driving the vehicle. Does everyone have to know you are wearing True Religion® jeans or carrying a Coach® bag? Do you jiggle a keychain for your Camaro or make sure everyone knows you drive a Cadillac or a Beemer? Do you have a reputation for only shopping in designer stores and snubbing discount or “middle-class” retailers as beneath your standards?
Why does this matter? Here’s the deal. Last week, I watched a video about a tyrannical monster in Uganda named Joseph Kony, who has recruited over 65 thousand children to serve in his army. He has forced them to commit heinous crimes, including mutilation and murder of their own parents, in order to show loyalty to him. To date, Kony has virtually “flown under the radar” of the world. But organizers are working to change this. By making Kony famous, they hope to expose his inhumanity to the world – and bring about his capture.
At the same time, I recently read an article about the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. I’m sure you have heard of this group. They are the ones who protest at funerals and other events… the church that went to Joplin, Missouri, last spring after the devastating tornado to tell the residents of that city that they had it coming… that this horrific, deadly storm was the wrath of God for their sins. Publicity and the limelight are goals of this church body… they want people to know about them.
What is my point? Ironically, Joseph Kony is a good example of how much can be accomplished when you don’t “toot your own horn,” so to speak… when you live a quiet, simple life and don’t attract attention. Sadly, he has used this for evil… but we can use the same approach to win others to Jesus. By quietly going about the LORD’s work, people will begin to see the results – and Jesus – rather than the Disciples who are working in the background. As for the church in Kansas, we should stop talking about them completely. By giving them the attention they crave, we are encouraging them to continue to make noise… and to damage the name of Jesus in the process. Their boisterous efforts to proclaim their version of “Christianity” is the perfect example of how not to win others to Christ. When we stand up, shout and draw attention to ourselves… in the name of our faith, how wonderful our church is or how Godly and devoted we are – and in essence, how wrong the rest of the folks are – we seriously damage our service to God.
I challenge each of us today to examine our motives and our methods. Are we promoting Jesus… or ourselves? Do we have a reputation for serving God by serving others and sharing the Good News… or are we known for our possessions, our position, and our attitude? If others perceive us as anything but humble and simple – regardless of what we have or our station in life – we have failed to serve God appropriately.
How do people perceive you? How do you represent God? Michael W. Smith has a song called “Cross of Gold” in which the lyrics say in part… “Where do you stand? What is your statement? What is it you're trying to say? What's your line? Tell me why you wear your cross of gold… Is it a flame? Is it a passion? A symbol of love living in you...Or is it a game? Religion in fashion...Some kind of phase you're going through?” Ask yourself these questions today. Seek God’s wisdom and strength and begin to live simply, and humbly. Understand fully that it’s not what you have that matters – or how much – but how you share Jesus with others. Who do others see when they look at you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Cross of Gold by Michael W. Smith – available on the CD “Change Your World” ©1993. Visit http://www.michaelwsmith.com/.
KONY2012 – http://www.kony2012.com/
When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)
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.
Did you know that Jesus wore “designer clothes?” A robe created from a single piece of weaving with no seams was not cheap or readily available to the masses. Even today, a garment that can be made with creative piecing and seaming to save fabric is far less expensive than one that requires a single piece of woven material. Yet, when we think of Jesus, we perceive a man who dressed somewhat poorly.
Think about it… the Roman soldiers would not have thrown dice to win a filthy garment… even one belonging to Jesus. This robe had value! Yet a lot of people want to “sell everything and live like Jesus.” Our Jesus did not live poorly… He lived simply and humbly… and there is a difference! It’s not about the designer clothing you wear or your fancy car... but about how you act when you are wearing the clothes and driving the vehicle. Does everyone have to know you are wearing True Religion® jeans or carrying a Coach® bag? Do you jiggle a keychain for your Camaro or make sure everyone knows you drive a Cadillac or a Beemer? Do you have a reputation for only shopping in designer stores and snubbing discount or “middle-class” retailers as beneath your standards?
Why does this matter? Here’s the deal. Last week, I watched a video about a tyrannical monster in Uganda named Joseph Kony, who has recruited over 65 thousand children to serve in his army. He has forced them to commit heinous crimes, including mutilation and murder of their own parents, in order to show loyalty to him. To date, Kony has virtually “flown under the radar” of the world. But organizers are working to change this. By making Kony famous, they hope to expose his inhumanity to the world – and bring about his capture.
At the same time, I recently read an article about the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. I’m sure you have heard of this group. They are the ones who protest at funerals and other events… the church that went to Joplin, Missouri, last spring after the devastating tornado to tell the residents of that city that they had it coming… that this horrific, deadly storm was the wrath of God for their sins. Publicity and the limelight are goals of this church body… they want people to know about them.
What is my point? Ironically, Joseph Kony is a good example of how much can be accomplished when you don’t “toot your own horn,” so to speak… when you live a quiet, simple life and don’t attract attention. Sadly, he has used this for evil… but we can use the same approach to win others to Jesus. By quietly going about the LORD’s work, people will begin to see the results – and Jesus – rather than the Disciples who are working in the background. As for the church in Kansas, we should stop talking about them completely. By giving them the attention they crave, we are encouraging them to continue to make noise… and to damage the name of Jesus in the process. Their boisterous efforts to proclaim their version of “Christianity” is the perfect example of how not to win others to Christ. When we stand up, shout and draw attention to ourselves… in the name of our faith, how wonderful our church is or how Godly and devoted we are – and in essence, how wrong the rest of the folks are – we seriously damage our service to God.
I challenge each of us today to examine our motives and our methods. Are we promoting Jesus… or ourselves? Do we have a reputation for serving God by serving others and sharing the Good News… or are we known for our possessions, our position, and our attitude? If others perceive us as anything but humble and simple – regardless of what we have or our station in life – we have failed to serve God appropriately.
How do people perceive you? How do you represent God? Michael W. Smith has a song called “Cross of Gold” in which the lyrics say in part… “Where do you stand? What is your statement? What is it you're trying to say? What's your line? Tell me why you wear your cross of gold… Is it a flame? Is it a passion? A symbol of love living in you...Or is it a game? Religion in fashion...Some kind of phase you're going through?” Ask yourself these questions today. Seek God’s wisdom and strength and begin to live simply, and humbly. Understand fully that it’s not what you have that matters – or how much – but how you share Jesus with others. Who do others see when they look at you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Cross of Gold by Michael W. Smith – available on the CD “Change Your World” ©1993. Visit http://www.michaelwsmith.com/.
KONY2012 – http://www.kony2012.com/
Daily Devotional for March 12, 2012
James 4:4-6
You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
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.
On the reality TV show, “The Biggest Loser,” there are frequent “temptation” games. Often, the contestants will be presented with tables laden with their favorite foods… pizza, cheeseburgers, cupcakes, candy, ice cream and more. The challenge is offered… whichever team eats the most calories will win an advantage in the overall game. Then contestants are brought in one at a time and given a certain number of minutes to eat as much as they can.
Some contestants go nuts and cram high-calorie, fat-laden foods into their mouths as fast as possible for the allotted time. Others come into the room, fold their arms and say, “I’m not sabotaging my health and weight loss for this.” Some teams agree as a group not to cave in to the pressure… and none of them eat. Virtually every time this challenge is presented, at least one person will take the dare…often with dire consequences.
Usually, the rest of the team feels betrayed. In some instances, the “prize” involves the “winner” getting to make decisions that alter the course of the entire game – and the lives of those who are participating. More than once, this decision to “flirt with danger” and eat the tempting foods has had disastrous payoffs… from weight gain to alienation from the group to actually being ousted from the game by fellow contestants. The sense of separation cannot possibly be worth those brief times of satiation with the rich, delicious foods.
If you think about your Spiritual life in this context, you can readily see that a few minutes of flirting with the devil’s temptations can lead to heartbreaking results. Not only might your selfish choices cost you directly in some way… they can also lead to alienation and/or separation from other people – and worse yet, from God.
As much as it would pain me to experience the distance or rejection of my friends and family, I cannot bear to think of disappointing God. As a disciple of Christ, I know that God would never completely turn His back on me. But just the idea that the One who has done so much for me could be heartbroken over my choices – even temporarily – is not a thought I care to entertain… much less make a reality.
So I am choosing NOT to take the dare… to “step away from the table” of temptations of this world. I know it won’t be easy. I know that Satan is clever… and persistent… and we are weak human creatures. But I also know that I am made strong by the word and wisdom of the LORD… cleansed by the blood of Jesus… and equipped with His full armor to fight against whatever the devil throws in my face.
How is your armor… does it need a little polish and refreshing? Do you need to reconnect with God and give your resolve a bit of a facelift? When your turn comes at the “temptation table,” will you eat… or will you fold your arms and say “No thanks”? Will you operate in pride or humility? Who has your heart these days… the enticements of this world and all that Satan has to offer? Or are you trusting in God’s promises to bless you and meet your every need – both now, and for all eternity?
©2012 Debbie Robus
You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
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.
On the reality TV show, “The Biggest Loser,” there are frequent “temptation” games. Often, the contestants will be presented with tables laden with their favorite foods… pizza, cheeseburgers, cupcakes, candy, ice cream and more. The challenge is offered… whichever team eats the most calories will win an advantage in the overall game. Then contestants are brought in one at a time and given a certain number of minutes to eat as much as they can.
Some contestants go nuts and cram high-calorie, fat-laden foods into their mouths as fast as possible for the allotted time. Others come into the room, fold their arms and say, “I’m not sabotaging my health and weight loss for this.” Some teams agree as a group not to cave in to the pressure… and none of them eat. Virtually every time this challenge is presented, at least one person will take the dare…often with dire consequences.
Usually, the rest of the team feels betrayed. In some instances, the “prize” involves the “winner” getting to make decisions that alter the course of the entire game – and the lives of those who are participating. More than once, this decision to “flirt with danger” and eat the tempting foods has had disastrous payoffs… from weight gain to alienation from the group to actually being ousted from the game by fellow contestants. The sense of separation cannot possibly be worth those brief times of satiation with the rich, delicious foods.
If you think about your Spiritual life in this context, you can readily see that a few minutes of flirting with the devil’s temptations can lead to heartbreaking results. Not only might your selfish choices cost you directly in some way… they can also lead to alienation and/or separation from other people – and worse yet, from God.
As much as it would pain me to experience the distance or rejection of my friends and family, I cannot bear to think of disappointing God. As a disciple of Christ, I know that God would never completely turn His back on me. But just the idea that the One who has done so much for me could be heartbroken over my choices – even temporarily – is not a thought I care to entertain… much less make a reality.
So I am choosing NOT to take the dare… to “step away from the table” of temptations of this world. I know it won’t be easy. I know that Satan is clever… and persistent… and we are weak human creatures. But I also know that I am made strong by the word and wisdom of the LORD… cleansed by the blood of Jesus… and equipped with His full armor to fight against whatever the devil throws in my face.
How is your armor… does it need a little polish and refreshing? Do you need to reconnect with God and give your resolve a bit of a facelift? When your turn comes at the “temptation table,” will you eat… or will you fold your arms and say “No thanks”? Will you operate in pride or humility? Who has your heart these days… the enticements of this world and all that Satan has to offer? Or are you trusting in God’s promises to bless you and meet your every need – both now, and for all eternity?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 11, 2012
James 4:1-3
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
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.
Apparently everyone has an agenda! In our present political climate, we have people on all sides who claim to make decisions in the name of God. For a nation who believes in separation of church and state, we surely do hide behind religion a lot in order to make our point or have things go our way. So we have political candidates who run for office based on a platform of “family values” and their particular stance on abortion, gay marriage, the right to bear arms, and much more – yet I wonder if many of them can truly explain their position and the meaning they place behind it.
Some will declare themselves pro-war and pro-life in the same breath! In the end, people who claim to hear from God - again, on every side of every issue – cannot seem to get along with each other for five minutes! We would all do well to ask the question asked in James 4:1 – “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen?”
We know this isn’t right. We know that many of our troubles boil down to selfishness. And hopefully, we realize that it would be beyond ridiculous to ask God to support us in many of our desires and endeavors… because clearly we are not entitled to the things for which we are asking. If we ask God to do things for us at the expense of someone or something else, we have to realize this is selfish and wrong.
Asking God to choose our team over another at a sporting event makes no sense. Calling on God to look the other way when we cheat on a test or our taxes… to “give us a pass” this one time… doesn’t benefit us – and it surely doesn’t glorify God! We can’t ask God to help us make it to class and do well in school – or continue to hold down a job – while we are drinking and partying and/or doing drugs every night and weekend. Claiming the name of God and cloaking ourselves in Christian faith so that we can “win friends and influence people” – in any life situation – does not please God. Asking God to bless us and help us to prosper while cheating and backstabbing our friends and neighbors seems preposterous! And while the scripture says we would never think of asking God for things to which we have no right… sadly, many of us are doing exactly this. Yet, we wonder why our prayers are not answered as we expect!
The time has come for us to “come clean.” We must humbly come before God and seek His wisdom… and expect answers according to HIS will – not ours. We must take our emotions out of the equation and rely solely on the Word of God… because often, what we want and what God wants are two very different things. When we start to operate in what God wants… to desire His will and expect His answers accordingly, everything changes.
When we begin to ask God to give us the desires of His heart… the things that bless and benefit all of His children (not just us or a select few), amazing things begin to happen. Results and blessings flow in abundance. We operate in harmony, because we have checked our selfish desires at the door. There is no room in our hearts for ego, deceit, manipulation, argument, gossip, pettiness, and a whole host of other negative attitude builders, because we are filled with the word and wisdom of God. We are confident in God’s decisions and His ability to work in and through us.
Lately, God has shown me in several ways that what many of us need is a big ole dose of humility... followed by an attitude adjustment. If we could only begin to be still and listen for His voice… to develop an attitude of humble, unselfish, expectant, confident prayer for HIS will instead of our own… a lot of positive change could start to occur. But we have to take the first step. We have to examine our own hearts and motives… and start the ball rolling by surrendering to God. We must follow the protocol of prayer – pray the Word of God, enter into covenant with Him, and expect His perfect answers. Will this be the week where the “faith rules” of prayer begin to change things for you? Shouldn’t it?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
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.
Apparently everyone has an agenda! In our present political climate, we have people on all sides who claim to make decisions in the name of God. For a nation who believes in separation of church and state, we surely do hide behind religion a lot in order to make our point or have things go our way. So we have political candidates who run for office based on a platform of “family values” and their particular stance on abortion, gay marriage, the right to bear arms, and much more – yet I wonder if many of them can truly explain their position and the meaning they place behind it.
Some will declare themselves pro-war and pro-life in the same breath! In the end, people who claim to hear from God - again, on every side of every issue – cannot seem to get along with each other for five minutes! We would all do well to ask the question asked in James 4:1 – “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen?”
We know this isn’t right. We know that many of our troubles boil down to selfishness. And hopefully, we realize that it would be beyond ridiculous to ask God to support us in many of our desires and endeavors… because clearly we are not entitled to the things for which we are asking. If we ask God to do things for us at the expense of someone or something else, we have to realize this is selfish and wrong.
Asking God to choose our team over another at a sporting event makes no sense. Calling on God to look the other way when we cheat on a test or our taxes… to “give us a pass” this one time… doesn’t benefit us – and it surely doesn’t glorify God! We can’t ask God to help us make it to class and do well in school – or continue to hold down a job – while we are drinking and partying and/or doing drugs every night and weekend. Claiming the name of God and cloaking ourselves in Christian faith so that we can “win friends and influence people” – in any life situation – does not please God. Asking God to bless us and help us to prosper while cheating and backstabbing our friends and neighbors seems preposterous! And while the scripture says we would never think of asking God for things to which we have no right… sadly, many of us are doing exactly this. Yet, we wonder why our prayers are not answered as we expect!
The time has come for us to “come clean.” We must humbly come before God and seek His wisdom… and expect answers according to HIS will – not ours. We must take our emotions out of the equation and rely solely on the Word of God… because often, what we want and what God wants are two very different things. When we start to operate in what God wants… to desire His will and expect His answers accordingly, everything changes.
When we begin to ask God to give us the desires of His heart… the things that bless and benefit all of His children (not just us or a select few), amazing things begin to happen. Results and blessings flow in abundance. We operate in harmony, because we have checked our selfish desires at the door. There is no room in our hearts for ego, deceit, manipulation, argument, gossip, pettiness, and a whole host of other negative attitude builders, because we are filled with the word and wisdom of God. We are confident in God’s decisions and His ability to work in and through us.
Lately, God has shown me in several ways that what many of us need is a big ole dose of humility... followed by an attitude adjustment. If we could only begin to be still and listen for His voice… to develop an attitude of humble, unselfish, expectant, confident prayer for HIS will instead of our own… a lot of positive change could start to occur. But we have to take the first step. We have to examine our own hearts and motives… and start the ball rolling by surrendering to God. We must follow the protocol of prayer – pray the Word of God, enter into covenant with Him, and expect His perfect answers. Will this be the week where the “faith rules” of prayer begin to change things for you? Shouldn’t it?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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