Proverbs 16:5
Pride disgusts the Lord. Take my word for it - proud men shall be punished.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
Timothy was terribly
restless yesterday. He had a huge week and weekend, which included a
trip on Thursday with his great-grandparents to Blanchard Caverns …and a
“guys trip” Saturday night to the stock car races with
his Uncle Greg, his Paw-paw, and his dad. I think there were other
special activities, too…and by Monday morning, he was one tired little
boy. Like a lot of kids, Timothy does NOT like to nap. So we had a lot
of discussions yesterday that went like this…”But I don’t WANT to take a
nap! Don’t rock me…you’re trying to make me go to sleep! I’m hungry!
But I CAN’T calm down! I’m really NOT tired!”
When Timothy’s
mom came to pick up the children after work, he told her, “Mother, I was
HORRIBLE today.” She said, “Oh, I bet you weren’t that bad!” He
replied, “Oh, yes I was! I was HORRIBLE!” Now a lot of children would
have totally tried to cover up their “horrible” day…but as Timothy’s
mother pointed out – “at least he’s honest!”
Thankfully, this
six-year-old boy has not developed a truly prideful heart…and I wish
that I could believe that he never will. Time will tell…but a lot of
children have learned to “cover their tracks” by the time they are 8 or
9. They know how to spin things to their advantage and make themselves
look good – or at least innocent. And when they ARE discovered, the
first question (whether voiced or implied) is generally, “Do you still
love me?”
As adults, a lot of people want to “spin things,” or
force their opinion and ideas on others…then excuse this with, “We can
disagree and still love each other!” The trouble is, more often than
not, these people shove their agendas down the throats of others in a
judgmental, condescending, and anything-but-loving manner.
Read
this passage from Mark 12:28-31…”One of the teachers of the Law of Moses
came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus
give a good answer, he asked him, ‘What is the most important
commandment?’
Jesus answered, ‘The most important one says:
“People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. You must love him
with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” The second most
important commandment says: “Love others as much as you love yourself.”
No other commandment is more important than these.’
If you can
figure out where in this passage Jesus tells us that it’s okay to be
prideful or arrogant in our “loving”…then show me! Too many of us want
to push our own agendas with criticism – and even an atmosphere of fear
and hatred – and then excuse it all with, “But we still love you!” as if
those on the receiving end should somehow be grateful.
I cannot
stress enough how disheartened I am by the attitudes, words and actions
of many people in recent days. The attacks have been prideful…and
vicious. And far too many people are trying to hide behind the name of
Jesus as they toss daggers and stones. I implore each of us to search
our hearts and look for places where we are spinning things to suit our
own whims. Where have we “acted horrible” and then hoped that people
would love us anyway? If we find even a snippet of this malice and
manipulation, I pray that we would ask God to remove it from us…for
good.
Proud men will indeed be punished. Let’s do everything we
can to make sure that we are not among them! If we make a concerted
effort to operate in love, there will be no room for pride and
judgment. Are you ready to do some heart “search and rescue?” Don’t
you think this is a good time to start?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 29, 2015
Proverbs 11:2
Too much pride can put you to shame. It’s wiser to be humble.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A candidate for the 2016 Presidential election has declared that the Pope should refrain from offering an opinion on global warming. He is said to have told a reporter…“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science. We probably are better off leaving science to the scientists, and focusing on what we’re really good at, which is theology and morality.” Apparently this candidate missed the fact that the Pope received a “Chemical Technician’s Diploma from Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen…and once worked at more than one laboratory performing chemical testing.
Open mouth – insert foot. We do it all the time. But as Christians who genuinely desire to represent Jesus – and serve Him well – we ought to be paying closer attention to our words, actions and deeds. Before we criticize anyone else – about anything – we ought to check our facts – and check with God to ask Him which of His purposes our judgment of others will serve. I’m talking about how we characterize and/or criticize everyone from our neighbors and the cashier at your local grocery store or restaurant…to the workers who collect your garbage each week or work in some other “service” position…to our political and religious leaders (including the President of the United States – and even the Pope)…and all of those in between. As the old rhetorical question goes…”Who died and made you king?”
Let’s get something straight…none of us knows what is in another person’s heart. And quite frankly, we have no clue what goes on in another person’s daily living, for the most part. The person you dare to judge or disparage may have challenges and heartaches that you could never imagine. He/she may have knees so raw from kneeling in prayer and spending time with God that it’s hard to walk across the floor. Were we to stand side-by-side before God with this person and hear our good deeds – and our sins – listed…we might have to hang our heads in shame by comparison.
Too many of us make snap judgments – and harsh ones. We SAY that we are Christians and then proceed to elevate ourselves to almost God-like status…and judge everyone who is “beneath” us. And by that, I mean anyone who doesn’t view every aspect of life exactly as we do and act accordingly. Let me assure you…God is not impressed by this. In fact, He is downright brokenhearted.
We had better learn to stop puffing our chests out in pride at how devout and faithful we are, and humbly serve God by loving one another – each and every one! We’d better get our facts straight and not accuse others of something in which we aren’t fully versed. And we had better start learning how to get along…with everybody.
I do not mean to sound angry – or to be critical and become “one of those people” in the process. But I am disheartened at the number of so-called Christians who have created an atmosphere of “us vs. them” and set themselves up as superior to others. I am saddened by the condescension and hate…and I am truly sickened to think about the inroads that this gives to the devil. What unbeliever could possibly want to become a Christian when he/she sees how so many of us behave toward each other?
We can’t have it both ways. We cannot be prideful and truly represent Jesus Christ as His disciple. Who do you think you are? How are you representing Jesus to others…with an arrogant, condescending attitude…or as His humble servant who extends His love in every direction? How you answer this matters – greatly. God wants foot soldiers for His army…not another Commander-in-Chief. Which one are you trying to be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Too much pride can put you to shame. It’s wiser to be humble.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A candidate for the 2016 Presidential election has declared that the Pope should refrain from offering an opinion on global warming. He is said to have told a reporter…“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science. We probably are better off leaving science to the scientists, and focusing on what we’re really good at, which is theology and morality.” Apparently this candidate missed the fact that the Pope received a “Chemical Technician’s Diploma from Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen…and once worked at more than one laboratory performing chemical testing.
Open mouth – insert foot. We do it all the time. But as Christians who genuinely desire to represent Jesus – and serve Him well – we ought to be paying closer attention to our words, actions and deeds. Before we criticize anyone else – about anything – we ought to check our facts – and check with God to ask Him which of His purposes our judgment of others will serve. I’m talking about how we characterize and/or criticize everyone from our neighbors and the cashier at your local grocery store or restaurant…to the workers who collect your garbage each week or work in some other “service” position…to our political and religious leaders (including the President of the United States – and even the Pope)…and all of those in between. As the old rhetorical question goes…”Who died and made you king?”
Let’s get something straight…none of us knows what is in another person’s heart. And quite frankly, we have no clue what goes on in another person’s daily living, for the most part. The person you dare to judge or disparage may have challenges and heartaches that you could never imagine. He/she may have knees so raw from kneeling in prayer and spending time with God that it’s hard to walk across the floor. Were we to stand side-by-side before God with this person and hear our good deeds – and our sins – listed…we might have to hang our heads in shame by comparison.
Too many of us make snap judgments – and harsh ones. We SAY that we are Christians and then proceed to elevate ourselves to almost God-like status…and judge everyone who is “beneath” us. And by that, I mean anyone who doesn’t view every aspect of life exactly as we do and act accordingly. Let me assure you…God is not impressed by this. In fact, He is downright brokenhearted.
We had better learn to stop puffing our chests out in pride at how devout and faithful we are, and humbly serve God by loving one another – each and every one! We’d better get our facts straight and not accuse others of something in which we aren’t fully versed. And we had better start learning how to get along…with everybody.
I do not mean to sound angry – or to be critical and become “one of those people” in the process. But I am disheartened at the number of so-called Christians who have created an atmosphere of “us vs. them” and set themselves up as superior to others. I am saddened by the condescension and hate…and I am truly sickened to think about the inroads that this gives to the devil. What unbeliever could possibly want to become a Christian when he/she sees how so many of us behave toward each other?
We can’t have it both ways. We cannot be prideful and truly represent Jesus Christ as His disciple. Who do you think you are? How are you representing Jesus to others…with an arrogant, condescending attitude…or as His humble servant who extends His love in every direction? How you answer this matters – greatly. God wants foot soldiers for His army…not another Commander-in-Chief. Which one are you trying to be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 28, 2015
Philippians 2:5-8
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.
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 post is circulating on social media about a woman who moved into a neighborhood and began to hang out her laundry each morning. The next-door neighbor noted that the laundry was dirty, and she remarked to her husband with great condescension that this woman ought to know better than to hang out dirty laundry. Then one morning she got up, and the woman was hanging out her laundry – and it appeared to be clean. The critical neighbor wondered aloud who had spoken to the woman about her wash, and the husband said, “Oh I just got up early and cleaned our windows this morning.” The point was that how we see things depends upon the cleanliness of our “windows.”
In light of this scripture passage, I think we ought to ask ourselves, “Who do we think we are?!” We have this perfect example in the life of Jesus Christ…the King of Kings who humbled Himself, lived 100% as a human being (and all that this implies), and then suffered a death worse than that of a common criminal. The Son of God…the Savior of the World…the One who could have whispered to His Father and stopped everything…became a mere man, subservient to God in all things. And still, His primary commandment to each of us is to love others, because that’s what He did. And boy, did Jesus demonstrate how to love!
I don’t know about you, but I'm pretty sure that I’m due a “window cleaning!” I would suspect that many – if not all – of us need to dial it down a notch…to think a little less of ourselves than we do. It’s time to humble ourselves before God and recognize that we are not His equal…to learn from the One who truly was…and yet, He humbled himself to become a servant and the subject of ridicule, persecution, and the most humiliating and torturous death imaginable.
It is most likely that God is not ever going to ask us to truly suffer for Him – most certainly not anything like what happened to Jesus. All He wants us to do is to humbly serve wherever and whenever He sends us…and to love one another. And that means we need to “keep our windows clean.” We can do this…can’t we?! I’ll grab the bucket…you get the squeegee.
©2015 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.
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 post is circulating on social media about a woman who moved into a neighborhood and began to hang out her laundry each morning. The next-door neighbor noted that the laundry was dirty, and she remarked to her husband with great condescension that this woman ought to know better than to hang out dirty laundry. Then one morning she got up, and the woman was hanging out her laundry – and it appeared to be clean. The critical neighbor wondered aloud who had spoken to the woman about her wash, and the husband said, “Oh I just got up early and cleaned our windows this morning.” The point was that how we see things depends upon the cleanliness of our “windows.”
In light of this scripture passage, I think we ought to ask ourselves, “Who do we think we are?!” We have this perfect example in the life of Jesus Christ…the King of Kings who humbled Himself, lived 100% as a human being (and all that this implies), and then suffered a death worse than that of a common criminal. The Son of God…the Savior of the World…the One who could have whispered to His Father and stopped everything…became a mere man, subservient to God in all things. And still, His primary commandment to each of us is to love others, because that’s what He did. And boy, did Jesus demonstrate how to love!
I don’t know about you, but I'm pretty sure that I’m due a “window cleaning!” I would suspect that many – if not all – of us need to dial it down a notch…to think a little less of ourselves than we do. It’s time to humble ourselves before God and recognize that we are not His equal…to learn from the One who truly was…and yet, He humbled himself to become a servant and the subject of ridicule, persecution, and the most humiliating and torturous death imaginable.
It is most likely that God is not ever going to ask us to truly suffer for Him – most certainly not anything like what happened to Jesus. All He wants us to do is to humbly serve wherever and whenever He sends us…and to love one another. And that means we need to “keep our windows clean.” We can do this…can’t we?! I’ll grab the bucket…you get the squeegee.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 27, 2015
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I spent several hours last night visiting with lifelong friends, and I cannot count how many times we opened our phones and used Google to answer a question. How old is this person? What happened to that one? Was a certain celebrity ever married? It was all trivial conversation (and I promise, we were not gossiping!). But rather than speculate, we tried to obtain the facts with regard to our conversation. Now, before you say it…we all know that you cannot believe everything you find on the Internet. But we were pretty confident that our search results were at least somewhat more accurate than our own guesses and opinions!
In the end, I would say that we were pretty careful to keep the conversation non-judgmental and loving…to honor our friendship AND our Christian faith. We discussed old neighborhoods, politics, religion and philosophies…and we “kept it clean” - and kind. If I had to gauge the visit by whether we loved and respected each other…and loved others as God loves us…I would have to say we did pretty well!
If you go back and read all of Matthew 7, it begins with Jesus admonishing us to…”take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye.”(v. 5) Sadly, there are a lot of people who have some pretty big “logs in the eyes”...and yet, they continue to tell others how to remove their “speck.”
I am reminded of the phrase we often hear…”Love the sinner…hate the sin.” Someone recently asked me exactly how I thought the two could be separated…and it’s a valid question. Because if we “hate the sin”…aren’t we judging the sinner? Aren’t we elevating ourselves to Jesus’ level by even naming another person’s “sin?” In other words, when I claim in the name of Jesus Christ that I am right and you are wrong…how have I loved like Jesus? Haven’t I somewhat set myself on equal footing with Him? Where does the Bible teach us that we are ever bumped up to that rank?
Many of us consult Google or another search engine several times each and every day in an attempt to gain the facts. Yet we fail to do the same with our LORD and Savior. We fail to search the heart and teachings of Jesus and ask Him…”What do You have to say about this? What is the proper response from me? How do I share You and Your love for others in this situation?”
Somehow, I think Jesus will show us that a lot of the ranting, raving, demonstrating and judging that we are operating in are not the answer. And that’s a start. Once we discern what He desires, we can truly begin to act as His disciples. We must recognize that to behave otherwise truly is evil…and totally counter to what Jesus has commanded of us.
I may not always get it right…but I want to be able to say that I always loved Jesus with all my heart…and loved others as He loves me. If I do these things, I trust that He will handle the rest. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I spent several hours last night visiting with lifelong friends, and I cannot count how many times we opened our phones and used Google to answer a question. How old is this person? What happened to that one? Was a certain celebrity ever married? It was all trivial conversation (and I promise, we were not gossiping!). But rather than speculate, we tried to obtain the facts with regard to our conversation. Now, before you say it…we all know that you cannot believe everything you find on the Internet. But we were pretty confident that our search results were at least somewhat more accurate than our own guesses and opinions!
In the end, I would say that we were pretty careful to keep the conversation non-judgmental and loving…to honor our friendship AND our Christian faith. We discussed old neighborhoods, politics, religion and philosophies…and we “kept it clean” - and kind. If I had to gauge the visit by whether we loved and respected each other…and loved others as God loves us…I would have to say we did pretty well!
If you go back and read all of Matthew 7, it begins with Jesus admonishing us to…”take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye.”(v. 5) Sadly, there are a lot of people who have some pretty big “logs in the eyes”...and yet, they continue to tell others how to remove their “speck.”
I am reminded of the phrase we often hear…”Love the sinner…hate the sin.” Someone recently asked me exactly how I thought the two could be separated…and it’s a valid question. Because if we “hate the sin”…aren’t we judging the sinner? Aren’t we elevating ourselves to Jesus’ level by even naming another person’s “sin?” In other words, when I claim in the name of Jesus Christ that I am right and you are wrong…how have I loved like Jesus? Haven’t I somewhat set myself on equal footing with Him? Where does the Bible teach us that we are ever bumped up to that rank?
Many of us consult Google or another search engine several times each and every day in an attempt to gain the facts. Yet we fail to do the same with our LORD and Savior. We fail to search the heart and teachings of Jesus and ask Him…”What do You have to say about this? What is the proper response from me? How do I share You and Your love for others in this situation?”
Somehow, I think Jesus will show us that a lot of the ranting, raving, demonstrating and judging that we are operating in are not the answer. And that’s a start. Once we discern what He desires, we can truly begin to act as His disciples. We must recognize that to behave otherwise truly is evil…and totally counter to what Jesus has commanded of us.
I may not always get it right…but I want to be able to say that I always loved Jesus with all my heart…and loved others as He loves me. If I do these things, I trust that He will handle the rest. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 26, 2015
Matthew 23:11-12
“Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.
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 of these individuals now stands out in our minds…or they should. Each person named here made their life count for plenty – by being themselves and serving God with grace, as President Obama so eloquently stated in his eulogy of Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney today. We should remember them…not because they were puffed up and important…but because in their humility and reverence, they served and honored God - and made a difference.
I have noted this before, but I’ve thought a lot about what could be said of me in such a situation. I’ve pondered how I might have reacted…and how I would be remembered. Would I be someone who was “in the right place at the right time”…and by that, I mean serving or worshipping God with my words, thoughts and actions in every area of my daily living? Am I quietly and humbly making a difference because of God’s grace over my life? Or am I more concerned with what’s in all of this for me?
Does it matter to you – and to me – what others think of us… how much and how often our efforts are recognized? Are we serving to be seen and heard…or to honor the tremendous gifts that God has bestowed up on us? Are we more interested in standing out than standing up for God – and extending His grace to others? Can we learn from the example of these nine individuals and change our attitudes and our actions to more closely demonstrate the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of our amazing God? Don’t you think we should?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.
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.
- Tywanza Sanders, age 26 - Bible study member, college graduate, and barber who hoped to open his own barbershop
- Clementa C. Pinckney, age 41 – pastor of Emmanuel A.M.E. church and South Carolina state senator
- Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, age 45 – pastor, speech therapist and track coach at Goose Creek High School
- Depayne Middleton-Doctor, age 49 - pastor, school administrator, and admissions coordinator at Southern Wesleyan University
- Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, age 54 – Bible study member and manager for the Charleston County Public Library System
- Myra Thompson, age 59 – Bible study teacher and former middle school teacher for the Charleston County School District
- Ethel Lee Lance, age 70 – former custodian at Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, and church custodian for roughly 30 years at Emmanuel A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina
- Daniel L Simmons, Sr., age 74 – a Vietnam vet with a Purple Heart, retired pastor, and member of Mother Emmanuel’s ministerial staff
- Susie Jackson, age 87 – Bible study and church choir member, known for her generosity to those in need...and great-aunt to Tywanza Sanders
Each of these individuals now stands out in our minds…or they should. Each person named here made their life count for plenty – by being themselves and serving God with grace, as President Obama so eloquently stated in his eulogy of Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney today. We should remember them…not because they were puffed up and important…but because in their humility and reverence, they served and honored God - and made a difference.
I have noted this before, but I’ve thought a lot about what could be said of me in such a situation. I’ve pondered how I might have reacted…and how I would be remembered. Would I be someone who was “in the right place at the right time”…and by that, I mean serving or worshipping God with my words, thoughts and actions in every area of my daily living? Am I quietly and humbly making a difference because of God’s grace over my life? Or am I more concerned with what’s in all of this for me?
Does it matter to you – and to me – what others think of us… how much and how often our efforts are recognized? Are we serving to be seen and heard…or to honor the tremendous gifts that God has bestowed up on us? Are we more interested in standing out than standing up for God – and extending His grace to others? Can we learn from the example of these nine individuals and change our attitudes and our actions to more closely demonstrate the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of our amazing God? Don’t you think we should?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 25, 2015
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Some of my friends have been talking on Facebook about “cleaning up” their “Friend” lists by removing those folks who insist on spewing venomous statements and sharing pictures/posts that target certain groups or ideologies in a negative or hateful manner. They have been especially swift in removing those who claim to love Jesus in one post…and make ugly comments in the next. And I don’t blame them one bit!
This scripture passage is a key component of our Christian discipleship. Jesus sums up all of His teachings in two simple rules. It reminds me of when I was a kindergarten teacher. I had three “rules”…1) be kind to others; 2) work and play quietly; 3) respect other people’s property. Nothing else was needed. When a child would misbehave, I would ask, “Are you being kind to others? Were you working/playing quietly? Did that respect XYZ’s property?” If the answer was “No” to any of these questions, the child knew that there would be consequences.
We are Jesus’ “kindergartners,” so to speak…and His rules are as simple and inclusive as that of any teacher of 5-year-olds. “Are you loving God with all of your passion, prayers and intelligence…with every thought, word and action? Are you treating others with the same level of respect, kindness, love and compassion that you desire?” I’m afraid that for some of us, the answer would have to be “No!”…and we must accept that there are consequences for this response…and that we grieve God in the process.
I’m going to give some of us the benefit of the doubt and say that we don’t fully intend to be hurtful with many of our comments and actions. We don’t mean to be so judgmental. But we are…and sometimes, it’s a case of being a bit of a bonehead! We don’t stop to think about what we are posting/saying – or our body language – or even the “public displays” that we make. To live as a true disciple of Christ, you have to live intentionally…which means that we must pay close attention to every thought, word and action.
Someone noted at morning Bible study this week that she sometimes stops and reminds herself that her bumper sticker advertises our local church – and that there is a “fish” symbol on her car…so she really ought not to be an impolite driver or wag her finger at other motorists who irritate her! And we all should stop and check ourselves - and our words and actions - at every turn. We should ask those two questions…”Does this demonstrate our love for God?” and “Are we loving others as we love ourselves and wish for others to love us?” More importantly, we should also ask a third question…”Are we loving others as Jesus loves us?” Because I guarantee you…He is not demonstrating anything BUT love toward us!
I’ve not done a “social media house cleaning” in a while…but I may have to soon. I don’t want anyone to see posts associated with me that indicate in any way that I condone unloving statements or actions – from anyone. And I pray that when Jesus asks if I have been “following the rules”…I can wholeheartedly answer, “Yes, LORD! With all I’ve got!” What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Some of my friends have been talking on Facebook about “cleaning up” their “Friend” lists by removing those folks who insist on spewing venomous statements and sharing pictures/posts that target certain groups or ideologies in a negative or hateful manner. They have been especially swift in removing those who claim to love Jesus in one post…and make ugly comments in the next. And I don’t blame them one bit!
This scripture passage is a key component of our Christian discipleship. Jesus sums up all of His teachings in two simple rules. It reminds me of when I was a kindergarten teacher. I had three “rules”…1) be kind to others; 2) work and play quietly; 3) respect other people’s property. Nothing else was needed. When a child would misbehave, I would ask, “Are you being kind to others? Were you working/playing quietly? Did that respect XYZ’s property?” If the answer was “No” to any of these questions, the child knew that there would be consequences.
We are Jesus’ “kindergartners,” so to speak…and His rules are as simple and inclusive as that of any teacher of 5-year-olds. “Are you loving God with all of your passion, prayers and intelligence…with every thought, word and action? Are you treating others with the same level of respect, kindness, love and compassion that you desire?” I’m afraid that for some of us, the answer would have to be “No!”…and we must accept that there are consequences for this response…and that we grieve God in the process.
I’m going to give some of us the benefit of the doubt and say that we don’t fully intend to be hurtful with many of our comments and actions. We don’t mean to be so judgmental. But we are…and sometimes, it’s a case of being a bit of a bonehead! We don’t stop to think about what we are posting/saying – or our body language – or even the “public displays” that we make. To live as a true disciple of Christ, you have to live intentionally…which means that we must pay close attention to every thought, word and action.
Someone noted at morning Bible study this week that she sometimes stops and reminds herself that her bumper sticker advertises our local church – and that there is a “fish” symbol on her car…so she really ought not to be an impolite driver or wag her finger at other motorists who irritate her! And we all should stop and check ourselves - and our words and actions - at every turn. We should ask those two questions…”Does this demonstrate our love for God?” and “Are we loving others as we love ourselves and wish for others to love us?” More importantly, we should also ask a third question…”Are we loving others as Jesus loves us?” Because I guarantee you…He is not demonstrating anything BUT love toward us!
I’ve not done a “social media house cleaning” in a while…but I may have to soon. I don’t want anyone to see posts associated with me that indicate in any way that I condone unloving statements or actions – from anyone. And I pray that when Jesus asks if I have been “following the rules”…I can wholeheartedly answer, “Yes, LORD! With all I’ve got!” What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 24, 2015
Matthew 10:38
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and 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.
It happens almost every time we are together. Timothy gets so engrossed in playing with his Legos®…or watching videos or a movie…or whatever has grabbed his attention at the moment…and he totally ignores our summons. At least that’s how it seems…because, you see, we KNOW that he hears us! We call, “C’mon…it’s time to go,” or "Dinner is ready…you can play with that again after you eat.” And he acts as if nothing has been said to him until we call to him two or three (or more) times! If we start to move on without him, Timothy will often look up and say, “Wait! Wait for me!” and come running to join us.
This is not a case of childhood misbehavior, necessarily. Timothy’s siblings – and all children – do this, because they are immature children! They lack the ability to understand that there will be plenty of time to do what they want after they complete the task being required by the adult(s). And most surely, they lack the capacity to fully comprehend that there is a time and a place for us to do what we please and follow our own desires…and a time to set those aside for someone or something else. No kid of any age ever likes to hear the words, “Time’s up!”
I know this scripture verse is almost identical to the passage from Luke 9 that I shared yesterday. And I’ll be honest, the outline I created for these devotionals called for me to use another passage from the Book of Mark, Chapter 8, that says virtually the same thing. So I surmised that God really wants me to share this thought again today. We cannot be true disciples of Jesus Christ and focus on our own desires and agendas. We must understand that HIS desires and plans come first. When He calls, we must drop what we are doing…and answer!
Most likely, there will be plenty of time for us to do the things that we want to do…and if not, they weren’t all that important anyway. If God supports your desires and activities, He will see that you have the means to pursue them. And if you choose to pursue them without His blessing, don’t be surprised if the end results are less than stellar. I’m not suggesting that God will sabotage you…but He surely will not support and enhance your selfish behavior.
Let’s all stop today and spend a few minutes talking to God about what He wants for us. Let’s ask Him to show us which pursuits and desires are selfish…and which are on point with what Jesus requires from His disciples – including us. When Jesus calls, let’s drop what we are doing and answer right away. If we are not willing to do this – to go all the way with Him through thick and thin – we really don’t deserve to have a relationship with Him. I don’t want to be like a child who keeps on playing…and look up to find Jesus leaving without me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and 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.
It happens almost every time we are together. Timothy gets so engrossed in playing with his Legos®…or watching videos or a movie…or whatever has grabbed his attention at the moment…and he totally ignores our summons. At least that’s how it seems…because, you see, we KNOW that he hears us! We call, “C’mon…it’s time to go,” or "Dinner is ready…you can play with that again after you eat.” And he acts as if nothing has been said to him until we call to him two or three (or more) times! If we start to move on without him, Timothy will often look up and say, “Wait! Wait for me!” and come running to join us.
This is not a case of childhood misbehavior, necessarily. Timothy’s siblings – and all children – do this, because they are immature children! They lack the ability to understand that there will be plenty of time to do what they want after they complete the task being required by the adult(s). And most surely, they lack the capacity to fully comprehend that there is a time and a place for us to do what we please and follow our own desires…and a time to set those aside for someone or something else. No kid of any age ever likes to hear the words, “Time’s up!”
I know this scripture verse is almost identical to the passage from Luke 9 that I shared yesterday. And I’ll be honest, the outline I created for these devotionals called for me to use another passage from the Book of Mark, Chapter 8, that says virtually the same thing. So I surmised that God really wants me to share this thought again today. We cannot be true disciples of Jesus Christ and focus on our own desires and agendas. We must understand that HIS desires and plans come first. When He calls, we must drop what we are doing…and answer!
Most likely, there will be plenty of time for us to do the things that we want to do…and if not, they weren’t all that important anyway. If God supports your desires and activities, He will see that you have the means to pursue them. And if you choose to pursue them without His blessing, don’t be surprised if the end results are less than stellar. I’m not suggesting that God will sabotage you…but He surely will not support and enhance your selfish behavior.
Let’s all stop today and spend a few minutes talking to God about what He wants for us. Let’s ask Him to show us which pursuits and desires are selfish…and which are on point with what Jesus requires from His disciples – including us. When Jesus calls, let’s drop what we are doing and answer right away. If we are not willing to do this – to go all the way with Him through thick and thin – we really don’t deserve to have a relationship with Him. I don’t want to be like a child who keeps on playing…and look up to find Jesus leaving without me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 23, 2015
Luke 9:23
Then he said to all, “Anyone who wants to follow me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to me!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A few days ago, I vacuumed the floors. Allow me to explain why this is worth noting. Vacuuming floors had been on my “to-do” list for several days. Things kept coming up that were more important – or more enjoyable – than vacuuming floors. I should wait until after I did laundry and finished a sewing project, because there would be lint and dust and all of those tiny little threads all over the floors! Then I needed to attend a funeral, so there was no time – the floors could wait another day! And then I decided that I should wait again and do the floors closer to time for our young niece and nephews to visit, so that they would have a nice clean playing surface (and yes, I do know that once the children visit, the floors need another vacuuming!)
It gets to be a vicious cycle sometimes…and at some point I have to say, “Okay…this is it! Today, I vacuum!” Maybe you can relate to this silly analogy…but even if you cannot, consider this…we make up all sorts of excuses about following Jesus that are just as silly in the scheme of things.
It’s not convenient…or what He is asking us to do is “outside our comfort zone.” We tell Him, “I’ll do this…tomorrow!” And tomorrow never comes. We straddle the fence in the presence of our peers…makes no sense to express a different opinion and risk alienating them! We go along with the crowd six ways to Sunday. We fall down, mess up, and promise to do better next time…but then we turn right around and repeat our mistakes.
If you go back in Luke 9, some earlier verses talk about our desire to control things vs. God’s. In The Message translation, it even says “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.” But we don’t want to hear this…we want to “drive” and be in full control. As my cousin Natalie says…we want to tell God how to do things, because we think our way is so much better. Luke reminds us in this passage that this is clearly not the case!
So while it really doesn’t make that much difference which day I vacuum…or if I choose not to for a few days longer than I ought…it does matter when we ignore God. We cannot claim to be Christ’s disciple and then insist on “driving the car.” It simply does not work that way...and if we are arrogant enough to insist that it does, we’ve as much as said, “Lie down in the seat, LORD, so no one will see that You are with me!” (Remember when you tried to pull that with your mom? You SURELY didn’t want her to sit right next to you in case you needed any sudden assistance!)
When we act embarrassed by Jesus…or insist on having control, we blow it – big time…and Jesus makes note. It’s not so much that we will be “punished” in some way for this as much as it’s the fact that this is disrespectful…hurtful…and downright unbecoming of Christian disciples. We should want Jesus by our side. We should crave His wisdom and guidance. We should seek His answers and attention at every turn, simply because of Who He is and what He has done – and does – for us.
The question of the day is…”How are you treating Jesus – and your relationship with Him?” Whose desires and conveniences are top priority – His, or your own? Your answer matters greatly. Isn’t it time you figured out Who should drive…and let Him? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Then he said to all, “Anyone who wants to follow me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to me!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A few days ago, I vacuumed the floors. Allow me to explain why this is worth noting. Vacuuming floors had been on my “to-do” list for several days. Things kept coming up that were more important – or more enjoyable – than vacuuming floors. I should wait until after I did laundry and finished a sewing project, because there would be lint and dust and all of those tiny little threads all over the floors! Then I needed to attend a funeral, so there was no time – the floors could wait another day! And then I decided that I should wait again and do the floors closer to time for our young niece and nephews to visit, so that they would have a nice clean playing surface (and yes, I do know that once the children visit, the floors need another vacuuming!)
It gets to be a vicious cycle sometimes…and at some point I have to say, “Okay…this is it! Today, I vacuum!” Maybe you can relate to this silly analogy…but even if you cannot, consider this…we make up all sorts of excuses about following Jesus that are just as silly in the scheme of things.
It’s not convenient…or what He is asking us to do is “outside our comfort zone.” We tell Him, “I’ll do this…tomorrow!” And tomorrow never comes. We straddle the fence in the presence of our peers…makes no sense to express a different opinion and risk alienating them! We go along with the crowd six ways to Sunday. We fall down, mess up, and promise to do better next time…but then we turn right around and repeat our mistakes.
If you go back in Luke 9, some earlier verses talk about our desire to control things vs. God’s. In The Message translation, it even says “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.” But we don’t want to hear this…we want to “drive” and be in full control. As my cousin Natalie says…we want to tell God how to do things, because we think our way is so much better. Luke reminds us in this passage that this is clearly not the case!
So while it really doesn’t make that much difference which day I vacuum…or if I choose not to for a few days longer than I ought…it does matter when we ignore God. We cannot claim to be Christ’s disciple and then insist on “driving the car.” It simply does not work that way...and if we are arrogant enough to insist that it does, we’ve as much as said, “Lie down in the seat, LORD, so no one will see that You are with me!” (Remember when you tried to pull that with your mom? You SURELY didn’t want her to sit right next to you in case you needed any sudden assistance!)
When we act embarrassed by Jesus…or insist on having control, we blow it – big time…and Jesus makes note. It’s not so much that we will be “punished” in some way for this as much as it’s the fact that this is disrespectful…hurtful…and downright unbecoming of Christian disciples. We should want Jesus by our side. We should crave His wisdom and guidance. We should seek His answers and attention at every turn, simply because of Who He is and what He has done – and does – for us.
The question of the day is…”How are you treating Jesus – and your relationship with Him?” Whose desires and conveniences are top priority – His, or your own? Your answer matters greatly. Isn’t it time you figured out Who should drive…and let Him? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 22, 2015
Luke 4:4-8
But Jesus replied, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘Other things in life are much more important than bread!’”
Then Satan took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time; and the devil told him, “I will give you all these splendid kingdoms and their glory—for they are mine to give to anyone I wish—if you will only get down on your knees and worship me.”
Jesus replied, “We must worship God, and him alone. So it is written in the Scriptures.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“He wore me down!” If you have not uttered this sentence at some point in your life, you are probably lying! Whether it was a child who persisted in the “Please, can I have just one piece of candy/toy/whatever” or a friend who said, “C’mon, it won’t hurt to try just one,” to the person who convinced you that “Everyone is doing it…it’s not that bad”…we have all been “worn down” at one point or another.
This is the devil’s specialty – wearing us down. He has the patience of Job – and the persistence of a five-year-old who really, really wants something! And the only One who can truly stand up to him is Jesus Christ. “So you are saying there is no hope for us?” you may ask. No…I am saying that the only way that we can handle Satan is by calling on the power of Jesus Christ to work and through us.
Too many people think that the devil is just an imaginary “bogey man” that Christians use to manipulate others…that he isn’t real. And they couldn’t be more wrong. This evil being had the “chutzpah” to try to tempt Jesus Christ! So we should be anything but surprised that he would take a stab at us on a daily basis!
What does this mean for you and me? First, we must not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We must remember that we are powerless without God. Additionally, we must work every single day to stay connected to God…to hear His voice…to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart and mind, so that we have the strength and confidence to say, “I don’t need this…and I most certainly do not need you, Devil!”
Finally, we must not grow complacent. This, too, is the devil’s stock in trade. He needles us and whispers lies in our ears and waits for us to wear down – and to give in to his manipulations. He plays on our frustrations and the fact that everything doesn’t always go as we hoped…and he says, “I’ll make it ALL better if you will join me.” We MUST NOT fall for this!
I know this will make me sound wack-a-doodle (and a lot of you already think I am) but I often find myself saying, “Go away, Devil!” I say this several times a day…from the little things like when my serger machine will not re-thread easily to when someone cuts me off in traffic or I am tempted to lose my patience over something. (I've already had to speak to him this morning!) You may not believe that "the devil is in the details" of something so insignificant…but I assure you that this is the case! Satan will start with the smallest things and escalate them into big ones, just to get your attention – and your heart.
Recognize that Satan is real…and that he wants you in his camp. Stay connected to Jesus…listen for His voice and learn from His example. Remind yourself often that the “Bread of Life” is all you need…and thank God for sending His Son. Stand tall and strong against the devil, and never let him wear you down. Only JESUS can “make it all better” and give you the desires of your heart. Do not be fooled by this imposter. If you really want Jesus to make a difference in your life, you must surrender completely to His will and trust in His strength and sustenance…on all levels.
Join the “Wack-a-doodle Club” and learn to put the devil in his place. Call on Jesus to feed you and give you His will power. Instead of being worn down, wear the full armor of God and stand up…for Jesus – the only One who can really make everything better.
©2015 Debbie Robus
But Jesus replied, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘Other things in life are much more important than bread!’”
Then Satan took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time; and the devil told him, “I will give you all these splendid kingdoms and their glory—for they are mine to give to anyone I wish—if you will only get down on your knees and worship me.”
Jesus replied, “We must worship God, and him alone. So it is written in the Scriptures.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“He wore me down!” If you have not uttered this sentence at some point in your life, you are probably lying! Whether it was a child who persisted in the “Please, can I have just one piece of candy/toy/whatever” or a friend who said, “C’mon, it won’t hurt to try just one,” to the person who convinced you that “Everyone is doing it…it’s not that bad”…we have all been “worn down” at one point or another.
This is the devil’s specialty – wearing us down. He has the patience of Job – and the persistence of a five-year-old who really, really wants something! And the only One who can truly stand up to him is Jesus Christ. “So you are saying there is no hope for us?” you may ask. No…I am saying that the only way that we can handle Satan is by calling on the power of Jesus Christ to work and through us.
Too many people think that the devil is just an imaginary “bogey man” that Christians use to manipulate others…that he isn’t real. And they couldn’t be more wrong. This evil being had the “chutzpah” to try to tempt Jesus Christ! So we should be anything but surprised that he would take a stab at us on a daily basis!
What does this mean for you and me? First, we must not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We must remember that we are powerless without God. Additionally, we must work every single day to stay connected to God…to hear His voice…to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart and mind, so that we have the strength and confidence to say, “I don’t need this…and I most certainly do not need you, Devil!”
Finally, we must not grow complacent. This, too, is the devil’s stock in trade. He needles us and whispers lies in our ears and waits for us to wear down – and to give in to his manipulations. He plays on our frustrations and the fact that everything doesn’t always go as we hoped…and he says, “I’ll make it ALL better if you will join me.” We MUST NOT fall for this!
I know this will make me sound wack-a-doodle (and a lot of you already think I am) but I often find myself saying, “Go away, Devil!” I say this several times a day…from the little things like when my serger machine will not re-thread easily to when someone cuts me off in traffic or I am tempted to lose my patience over something. (I've already had to speak to him this morning!) You may not believe that "the devil is in the details" of something so insignificant…but I assure you that this is the case! Satan will start with the smallest things and escalate them into big ones, just to get your attention – and your heart.
Recognize that Satan is real…and that he wants you in his camp. Stay connected to Jesus…listen for His voice and learn from His example. Remind yourself often that the “Bread of Life” is all you need…and thank God for sending His Son. Stand tall and strong against the devil, and never let him wear you down. Only JESUS can “make it all better” and give you the desires of your heart. Do not be fooled by this imposter. If you really want Jesus to make a difference in your life, you must surrender completely to His will and trust in His strength and sustenance…on all levels.
Join the “Wack-a-doodle Club” and learn to put the devil in his place. Call on Jesus to feed you and give you His will power. Instead of being worn down, wear the full armor of God and stand up…for Jesus – the only One who can really make everything better.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 21, 2015
Luke 22:41-44
He pulled away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?” At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him. He prayed on all the harder. Sweat, wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face.
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 as we got ready to go to church, I listened to the live broadcast of worship services at “Mother Emmanuel” A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina. Just four nights ago, 9 members were massacred there by a 21-year-old man who claimed to hate black people and told them, You’ve got to go.” Today, members of the congregation – and Charleston at large – gathered to worship God…to remember those who were killed… and to offer hope and encouragement to one another – and to the world.
During the service, the altar was opened for prayer, and as several knelt there, the crowd sang the hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” It is hard for many to fathom how we can sing these words in days following such a heinous act. How can we sing that God doesn’t change – and neither does His compassion and care - when nine people who were gathered to study God’s word and pray were gunned down, even as they worshipped Him?
How can we declare that everything we have ever needed has been provided by God…that His mercies never fail…when the very people who welcomed a stranger into their midst were betrayed and assassinated? The better question is…”How can we not?”
We need look no further than Jesus’ actions in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He cried out to God to relieve Him of the suffering that was to come – to “take the cup” of impending brutality, torture, and agonizing death…but only if it be God’s will. And many will ask, “How can we serve a God who would allow such atrocities…even to His only Son?” Again, the answer is found in another question…”How can we not?”
The full answer lies in the greatness and magnitude of God’s love and commitment to us. This began with Noah and God’s promise to never wipe out His people again. God made covenants with us to always have our back…to always offer us love, mercy, second chances, and forgiveness. And the only way to really make this work was to sacrifice His only Son – Jesus – on the cross. And somehow, whether we realize it or not…the only way God could make His perfect plans work was to call these nine church members to Heaven at the hands of a deranged gunman. We may never see the “end result” of this event…we may never fully understand what God intended by allowing this horrific crime to occur…but we must accept it and trust that God is in the details.
Be assured that God will not waste these lives – or the way in which they ended. This is evidenced already in the media coverage and the public reaction to these deaths. Additionally, scripture tells us that an angel appeared to comfort Jesus in His grief and anguish. Surely God sent angels to surround those nine on Wednesday night – and He is surrounding many with angels of comfort and compassion even today as they grieve, mourn and sort through the roller-coaster emotions of this aftermath.
I pray that God never calls you or me to face a deranged killer. But I know that He will test each of us throughout our lifetimes. How will we fare? Will we have the strength, courage – and faith – to say, “Your will, not mine”? Will we call out for mercy with the intent to fully accept whatever decision God makes? Will we still be able to claim the blessings of God…even when our world seems to be crumbling around us?
Do we fully understand God’s faithfulness over us…how He is holding up His end of the covenant bargain? Or do we question His presence, particularly when tragedies like this one arise? Are we fully committed to God’s will…no matter how difficult it may seem? Can we sing “Great is Thy faithfulness” with confidence in all circumstances…and a heart for serving Him in all things? Could THIS be what God intended in Charleston last Wednesday? Will this be the day that we begin to make it so?
©2015 Debbie Robus
He pulled away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?” At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him. He prayed on all the harder. Sweat, wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face.
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 as we got ready to go to church, I listened to the live broadcast of worship services at “Mother Emmanuel” A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina. Just four nights ago, 9 members were massacred there by a 21-year-old man who claimed to hate black people and told them, You’ve got to go.” Today, members of the congregation – and Charleston at large – gathered to worship God…to remember those who were killed… and to offer hope and encouragement to one another – and to the world.
During the service, the altar was opened for prayer, and as several knelt there, the crowd sang the hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” It is hard for many to fathom how we can sing these words in days following such a heinous act. How can we sing that God doesn’t change – and neither does His compassion and care - when nine people who were gathered to study God’s word and pray were gunned down, even as they worshipped Him?
How can we declare that everything we have ever needed has been provided by God…that His mercies never fail…when the very people who welcomed a stranger into their midst were betrayed and assassinated? The better question is…”How can we not?”
We need look no further than Jesus’ actions in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He cried out to God to relieve Him of the suffering that was to come – to “take the cup” of impending brutality, torture, and agonizing death…but only if it be God’s will. And many will ask, “How can we serve a God who would allow such atrocities…even to His only Son?” Again, the answer is found in another question…”How can we not?”
The full answer lies in the greatness and magnitude of God’s love and commitment to us. This began with Noah and God’s promise to never wipe out His people again. God made covenants with us to always have our back…to always offer us love, mercy, second chances, and forgiveness. And the only way to really make this work was to sacrifice His only Son – Jesus – on the cross. And somehow, whether we realize it or not…the only way God could make His perfect plans work was to call these nine church members to Heaven at the hands of a deranged gunman. We may never see the “end result” of this event…we may never fully understand what God intended by allowing this horrific crime to occur…but we must accept it and trust that God is in the details.
Be assured that God will not waste these lives – or the way in which they ended. This is evidenced already in the media coverage and the public reaction to these deaths. Additionally, scripture tells us that an angel appeared to comfort Jesus in His grief and anguish. Surely God sent angels to surround those nine on Wednesday night – and He is surrounding many with angels of comfort and compassion even today as they grieve, mourn and sort through the roller-coaster emotions of this aftermath.
I pray that God never calls you or me to face a deranged killer. But I know that He will test each of us throughout our lifetimes. How will we fare? Will we have the strength, courage – and faith – to say, “Your will, not mine”? Will we call out for mercy with the intent to fully accept whatever decision God makes? Will we still be able to claim the blessings of God…even when our world seems to be crumbling around us?
Do we fully understand God’s faithfulness over us…how He is holding up His end of the covenant bargain? Or do we question His presence, particularly when tragedies like this one arise? Are we fully committed to God’s will…no matter how difficult it may seem? Can we sing “Great is Thy faithfulness” with confidence in all circumstances…and a heart for serving Him in all things? Could THIS be what God intended in Charleston last Wednesday? Will this be the day that we begin to make it so?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 20, 2015
June 20 ~ Luke 17:28-30
“It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed."
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 have to admit…the massacre of nine people at the “Mother Emmanuel” A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina last Wednesday evening has caused a major shift in my thinking…and not in the way you might think. I had grown comfortable – and complacent – in a particular area of my faith. Sure, I love Jesus…and He is front and center (most of the time) in my thoughts and actions. Yes, I am certain that Heaven will be my eternal home…that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life…and that God is guiding my steps (though He may occasionally wring his hands and ask, “What on earth is she thinking?!”)
The much-needed “jolt” that this tragic event of June 17th provided for me is a reminder of 1) how precarious and temporary this life is, and 2) Who is really in control! See, while I am ready for heaven in many ways, I realized that I have held subconscious thoughts that nothing will happen to me, because I still have work to do on this earth. There are family members to nurture and care for…there are dozens of “important” projects to complete. I have photos to scan and devos to write and children to drive to swim lessons and VBS… and so many more “important” things to accomplish! But this week, I’ve very clearly felt God showing me that I am indeed important to Him…but I am not indispensible. In other words, there is nothing about me that makes me more special than anyone else…more extraordinary…or more useful.
So when I saw a state senator and pastor swept to heaven in the middle of a sermon, I knew that the Son of Man can be revealed to any of us in a heartbeat. When I learned that a young man who just graduated from college has “graduated” to heaven…I realized that the plans we have cannot hold a candle to those of God. When I heard about the seven other church members who nurtured a hate-filled, angry, malicious young man for more than an hour – and he shot them dead anyway…I realized that when God is ready for me, there won’t be a thing that I can do about it. And more importantly - I won’t want to!
So I am looking at my life through a new lens…and I encourage you to do the same. I am thinking more about every word and action…because they might be my last. Did I offer kindness and a word from God to a would-be killer…or more likely, to someone so mired in depression or difficulties that he/she was facing a mental or emotional breakdown and considering suicide? Did I waste time checking social media or watching a dumb reality TV show instead of playing with my little niece and nephews…doing something with my husband or other loved ones…or visiting someone who is sick, grieving or lonely? Did I pay close enough attention to the people around me…both those I know and love – and those I’ve merely shared space with at the grocery check-out line, passed in a hallway at church, or swam next to at the community pool?
Have my comments on social media been kind and reflected God’s word and will? Have I taken advantage of the minutes/hours/days/weeks/years that God has granted me on this earth? Have I been like Lot…so busy carrying on and having a good time that I didn’t see the firestorm that was brewing…or recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life? If you and I were staring down the barrel of a gun as we attended a Bible study or prayer meeting – and given a moment to reflect before the trigger was pulled – what would we be the focal point of our last thoughts?
Are you ready for heaven? Are you aware that the time of your departure is NOT your decision to make…and are you truly at peace with this? We have seen this week that even the most faithful among us are not indispensible when God is ready for us to sit at Jesus’ feet. When our perspective shifts and we change our attitude, we can start to really make the most of the time that we have left – and the blessings that God has given us. I know I plan to…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed."
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 have to admit…the massacre of nine people at the “Mother Emmanuel” A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina last Wednesday evening has caused a major shift in my thinking…and not in the way you might think. I had grown comfortable – and complacent – in a particular area of my faith. Sure, I love Jesus…and He is front and center (most of the time) in my thoughts and actions. Yes, I am certain that Heaven will be my eternal home…that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life…and that God is guiding my steps (though He may occasionally wring his hands and ask, “What on earth is she thinking?!”)
The much-needed “jolt” that this tragic event of June 17th provided for me is a reminder of 1) how precarious and temporary this life is, and 2) Who is really in control! See, while I am ready for heaven in many ways, I realized that I have held subconscious thoughts that nothing will happen to me, because I still have work to do on this earth. There are family members to nurture and care for…there are dozens of “important” projects to complete. I have photos to scan and devos to write and children to drive to swim lessons and VBS… and so many more “important” things to accomplish! But this week, I’ve very clearly felt God showing me that I am indeed important to Him…but I am not indispensible. In other words, there is nothing about me that makes me more special than anyone else…more extraordinary…or more useful.
So when I saw a state senator and pastor swept to heaven in the middle of a sermon, I knew that the Son of Man can be revealed to any of us in a heartbeat. When I learned that a young man who just graduated from college has “graduated” to heaven…I realized that the plans we have cannot hold a candle to those of God. When I heard about the seven other church members who nurtured a hate-filled, angry, malicious young man for more than an hour – and he shot them dead anyway…I realized that when God is ready for me, there won’t be a thing that I can do about it. And more importantly - I won’t want to!
So I am looking at my life through a new lens…and I encourage you to do the same. I am thinking more about every word and action…because they might be my last. Did I offer kindness and a word from God to a would-be killer…or more likely, to someone so mired in depression or difficulties that he/she was facing a mental or emotional breakdown and considering suicide? Did I waste time checking social media or watching a dumb reality TV show instead of playing with my little niece and nephews…doing something with my husband or other loved ones…or visiting someone who is sick, grieving or lonely? Did I pay close enough attention to the people around me…both those I know and love – and those I’ve merely shared space with at the grocery check-out line, passed in a hallway at church, or swam next to at the community pool?
Have my comments on social media been kind and reflected God’s word and will? Have I taken advantage of the minutes/hours/days/weeks/years that God has granted me on this earth? Have I been like Lot…so busy carrying on and having a good time that I didn’t see the firestorm that was brewing…or recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life? If you and I were staring down the barrel of a gun as we attended a Bible study or prayer meeting – and given a moment to reflect before the trigger was pulled – what would we be the focal point of our last thoughts?
Are you ready for heaven? Are you aware that the time of your departure is NOT your decision to make…and are you truly at peace with this? We have seen this week that even the most faithful among us are not indispensible when God is ready for us to sit at Jesus’ feet. When our perspective shifts and we change our attitude, we can start to really make the most of the time that we have left – and the blessings that God has given us. I know I plan to…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 19, 2015
Luke 16:10-13
Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you’re honest in small things,
you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things,
you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs,
who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses:
He’ll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
You can’t serve both God and the Bank.
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 friend of mine works out at our local CrossFit gym. According to information at the CrossFit website*, “CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program…designed for universal scalability, making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs.”
Recently, my friend shared on Facebook that she had struggled with “box jumps”…an exercise in which one jumps from the ground and lands with both feet on top of an elevated box. It’s harder than it sounds…and my friend struggled for weeks to perform this exercise. Meanwhile, she fell several times and developed a “mental block” about completing the jump…until her husband and workout buddies encouraged her and supported (quite literally) her effort. Now that she has done one successful “box jump”…she is off and running. These will likely become easier and easier for her.
Even though a “box jump” is a positive example of something getting easier with practice…we have plenty of situations and circumstances in our lives where “one thing leads to another” – and not in a good way. Small lies become big ones…stealing something seemingly insignificant becomes the gateway to taking bigger things. Looking the other way on something that doesn’t seem all that important can lead to covering up a major wrong down the road. Working too much…participating in your favorite game, sport or activity…overeating or drinking too much…and wasting time on “mindless drivel” may seem harmless in the short run…but these can become nasty (and sinful) habits over time.
The bottom line is that little things matter…in every aspect of our lives. Just like my friend who was encouraged to persist in achieving the “box jump,” we must keep focused on accomplishing the big things for God. And we must encourage others in the same manner. We must “zero in” on what pleases God…what is really significant…what furthers His missions and His kingdom…and make these the goal of our daily living.
We must demonstrate at every turn that we are trustworthy in the little things…or God will never trust us with the bigger ones. If you read a few more verses in Luke 16, you’ll see that Jesus tells the Pharisees…”What society sees and calls monumental, God sees through and calls monstrous.” This is a profound statement that needs to soak into our hearts and souls.
Are we faithful to God in all things…even the little ones? Or have we allowed ourselves to be caught up in the “monumental” things of society and created something of a “monster” in the process? It’s time we settled this once and for all…made the vertical leap to trustworthy discipleship…and left the devil in the dust. Are you ready to “jump” with me?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html
Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you’re honest in small things,
you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things,
you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs,
who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses:
He’ll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
You can’t serve both God and the Bank.
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 friend of mine works out at our local CrossFit gym. According to information at the CrossFit website*, “CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program…designed for universal scalability, making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs.”
Recently, my friend shared on Facebook that she had struggled with “box jumps”…an exercise in which one jumps from the ground and lands with both feet on top of an elevated box. It’s harder than it sounds…and my friend struggled for weeks to perform this exercise. Meanwhile, she fell several times and developed a “mental block” about completing the jump…until her husband and workout buddies encouraged her and supported (quite literally) her effort. Now that she has done one successful “box jump”…she is off and running. These will likely become easier and easier for her.
Even though a “box jump” is a positive example of something getting easier with practice…we have plenty of situations and circumstances in our lives where “one thing leads to another” – and not in a good way. Small lies become big ones…stealing something seemingly insignificant becomes the gateway to taking bigger things. Looking the other way on something that doesn’t seem all that important can lead to covering up a major wrong down the road. Working too much…participating in your favorite game, sport or activity…overeating or drinking too much…and wasting time on “mindless drivel” may seem harmless in the short run…but these can become nasty (and sinful) habits over time.
The bottom line is that little things matter…in every aspect of our lives. Just like my friend who was encouraged to persist in achieving the “box jump,” we must keep focused on accomplishing the big things for God. And we must encourage others in the same manner. We must “zero in” on what pleases God…what is really significant…what furthers His missions and His kingdom…and make these the goal of our daily living.
We must demonstrate at every turn that we are trustworthy in the little things…or God will never trust us with the bigger ones. If you read a few more verses in Luke 16, you’ll see that Jesus tells the Pharisees…”What society sees and calls monumental, God sees through and calls monstrous.” This is a profound statement that needs to soak into our hearts and souls.
Are we faithful to God in all things…even the little ones? Or have we allowed ourselves to be caught up in the “monumental” things of society and created something of a “monster” in the process? It’s time we settled this once and for all…made the vertical leap to trustworthy discipleship…and left the devil in the dust. Are you ready to “jump” with me?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html
Daily Devotional for June 18, 2015
Luke 14:25-33
One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.
“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’
“Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?
“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.
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 have a friend whose grandfather was told by his Jewish parents that he would no longer be welcome in their home if he chose Jesus…and he made the heartbreaking decision to say “Goodbye” to his family. I know someone whose husband told her, “It’s Him or me.” She chose Jesus…(and for the record, her husband is still with her)!
I know countless people of all ages and “positions” who have had to make hard choices between pleasing someone else or “fitting in”…and following Jesus. I know people who have lost their jobs because they wouldn’t lie or “cook the books” and children who have been ridiculed and labeled “Jesus Freaks” because they chose to honor God with their words and actions rather than go along with the crowd. And when you are a kid going against the grain with your peers or your parents…or a spouse or partner standing up to your significant other and saying, “I choose Jesus over you”…this can be a truly daunting decision. When you have mouths to feed and bills to pay, it’s hard to tell your boss, I will not do this because it dishonors God.
No one ever said being a Christian would be easy. And if everyone failed to tell you this when you gave your heart and sinful nature to Jesus, consider yourself told here and now! There will be days when it seems so much easier to say, “Yeah, whatever!” and move right along in the groove with everyone else. It’s hard to say “No” to your friends, family, and co-workers…especially when they can’t seem to see what all the fuss is about. There are a lot of Christians who are somewhat “half-baked.” They have given their heart to Jesus and asked for their sins to be forgiven…but they refuse to give Him everything. They want to hold certain associations, attitudes and behaviors in reserve. But you cannot be Jesus’ disciple if you aren’t willing to give him every single speck of your life…body, mind and soul.
When it comes to Christian discipleship, good enough is simply not good enough! Where are you still holding out on Jesus today? Where have you failed to fully surrender to Him? Who – or what – are you putting ahead of serving Christ completely? Will this be the day that you totally go “all in” with Him and become His disciple, once and forever? Are you ready to fall to your knees and get started?
©2015 Debbie Robus
One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.
“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’
“Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?
“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.
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 have a friend whose grandfather was told by his Jewish parents that he would no longer be welcome in their home if he chose Jesus…and he made the heartbreaking decision to say “Goodbye” to his family. I know someone whose husband told her, “It’s Him or me.” She chose Jesus…(and for the record, her husband is still with her)!
I know countless people of all ages and “positions” who have had to make hard choices between pleasing someone else or “fitting in”…and following Jesus. I know people who have lost their jobs because they wouldn’t lie or “cook the books” and children who have been ridiculed and labeled “Jesus Freaks” because they chose to honor God with their words and actions rather than go along with the crowd. And when you are a kid going against the grain with your peers or your parents…or a spouse or partner standing up to your significant other and saying, “I choose Jesus over you”…this can be a truly daunting decision. When you have mouths to feed and bills to pay, it’s hard to tell your boss, I will not do this because it dishonors God.
No one ever said being a Christian would be easy. And if everyone failed to tell you this when you gave your heart and sinful nature to Jesus, consider yourself told here and now! There will be days when it seems so much easier to say, “Yeah, whatever!” and move right along in the groove with everyone else. It’s hard to say “No” to your friends, family, and co-workers…especially when they can’t seem to see what all the fuss is about. There are a lot of Christians who are somewhat “half-baked.” They have given their heart to Jesus and asked for their sins to be forgiven…but they refuse to give Him everything. They want to hold certain associations, attitudes and behaviors in reserve. But you cannot be Jesus’ disciple if you aren’t willing to give him every single speck of your life…body, mind and soul.
When it comes to Christian discipleship, good enough is simply not good enough! Where are you still holding out on Jesus today? Where have you failed to fully surrender to Him? Who – or what – are you putting ahead of serving Christ completely? Will this be the day that you totally go “all in” with Him and become His disciple, once and forever? Are you ready to fall to your knees and get started?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 17, 2015
Jude 1:3-4
Dearly loved friends, I had been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth that God gave once for all to his people to keep without change through the years. I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I often hear some form of this question …”If God loves me, and I am now saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, why on earth would He ever let anything ‘bad’ happen to me?” The query is understandable, and the short answer is that God does love us…and we Christians are His forever – ultimately “safe from all harm.” But God is still our Heavenly Father – and as such, He corrects us when we get in the weeds. He reins us in…and sometimes, to protect us from ourselves – or from the snares of the devil and any harm that we might cause others – God takes us out…maybe even LITERALLY! Often, those seemingly “bad” things that God allows to happen may minister to others…possibly in a way that we will never see for ourselves. But God uses us - and these events - to serve His purpose, all the same.
I don’t say this to scare anyone – or to turn you away from God. Too many folks claim they cannot serve a God who “lets bad things happen to good people.” And maybe you don’t want to be a “martyr” for Jesus. (Do you see the irony here?!) But I tell you this to explain that we cannot give our hearts to Jesus and then expect to go on our merry way - doing as we please – and counting on God to pat us on the head, smile and say…“It’s all good!”
I know this is a hard concept to grasp, but when we accept Salvation through Jesus – freely given, freely received – God promises to care, protect and bless us according to His will…for all Eternity. This is binding…God will not renege on this promise! Salvation does not come with conditions, per se…but it should come with a willing obligation on our part to please God. We should desire to love Him, serve Him in all things, and represent the love and teachings of Jesus at every turn. This should not be done out of fear of retaliation…but out of a tremendous love and respect for The One who gave EVERYTHING – and then some – for us and our sins.
As this scripture passage indicates, there will be plenty of people who think giving their heart to Jesus is the “Golden Ticket”…to heaven - and to do as they please in the meantime. You and I know better…don’t we? When you get to a point where you truly know God and walk in His will and ways, you better understand His purposes. I don’t know about you, but the more I see His perfect orchestration of all events…good AND bad…and how He weaves everything together so beautifully, the more I want to be a part of His endeavors (and the less I care about the “old me!”).
I’m reminded once again of the little boy at Timothy’s kindergarten “Water Day” who was standing in line for the water slides…wearing his swimsuit…and dry as a bone. He declared that “water is really not my thing” as he continually moved to the back of the line. He had a “ticket to ride”…but he never cashed it. What about you? Where do you land in relationship to God and Salvation through Jesus? Are you “all in”…or have you “purchased the ticket” and stepped to the back of the line? Isn’t it time you “got wet” and enjoyed all that God has to offer by accepting His commission on your life? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Dearly loved friends, I had been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth that God gave once for all to his people to keep without change through the years. I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I often hear some form of this question …”If God loves me, and I am now saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, why on earth would He ever let anything ‘bad’ happen to me?” The query is understandable, and the short answer is that God does love us…and we Christians are His forever – ultimately “safe from all harm.” But God is still our Heavenly Father – and as such, He corrects us when we get in the weeds. He reins us in…and sometimes, to protect us from ourselves – or from the snares of the devil and any harm that we might cause others – God takes us out…maybe even LITERALLY! Often, those seemingly “bad” things that God allows to happen may minister to others…possibly in a way that we will never see for ourselves. But God uses us - and these events - to serve His purpose, all the same.
I don’t say this to scare anyone – or to turn you away from God. Too many folks claim they cannot serve a God who “lets bad things happen to good people.” And maybe you don’t want to be a “martyr” for Jesus. (Do you see the irony here?!) But I tell you this to explain that we cannot give our hearts to Jesus and then expect to go on our merry way - doing as we please – and counting on God to pat us on the head, smile and say…“It’s all good!”
I know this is a hard concept to grasp, but when we accept Salvation through Jesus – freely given, freely received – God promises to care, protect and bless us according to His will…for all Eternity. This is binding…God will not renege on this promise! Salvation does not come with conditions, per se…but it should come with a willing obligation on our part to please God. We should desire to love Him, serve Him in all things, and represent the love and teachings of Jesus at every turn. This should not be done out of fear of retaliation…but out of a tremendous love and respect for The One who gave EVERYTHING – and then some – for us and our sins.
As this scripture passage indicates, there will be plenty of people who think giving their heart to Jesus is the “Golden Ticket”…to heaven - and to do as they please in the meantime. You and I know better…don’t we? When you get to a point where you truly know God and walk in His will and ways, you better understand His purposes. I don’t know about you, but the more I see His perfect orchestration of all events…good AND bad…and how He weaves everything together so beautifully, the more I want to be a part of His endeavors (and the less I care about the “old me!”).
I’m reminded once again of the little boy at Timothy’s kindergarten “Water Day” who was standing in line for the water slides…wearing his swimsuit…and dry as a bone. He declared that “water is really not my thing” as he continually moved to the back of the line. He had a “ticket to ride”…but he never cashed it. What about you? Where do you land in relationship to God and Salvation through Jesus? Are you “all in”…or have you “purchased the ticket” and stepped to the back of the line? Isn’t it time you “got wet” and enjoyed all that God has to offer by accepting His commission on your life? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 16, 2015
John 3:30
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My women’s Bible study session this morning included a discussion about Noah and Job. The question that was posed with regard to both men was…“Why did God allow this?” Why did He allow everyone except Noah’s family and the animals he placed in the ark to be drowned and destroyed? Why did God allow the devil to persecute Job, kill his children, and do everything short of killing him? We talked about several thoughts…that God’s ways are not our ways, and there are things we will never understand until we get to heaven…that sometimes, God uses these things for a purpose that we cannot see or understand…that God does not cause these things – but often, He does allow them for reasons that are perfect, if not understandable.
So when I read this verse in the Book of John, I was reminded of the morning discussion. I thought about how we noted that this is where unbelievers, children, and those new in their faith walk get stuck. How can a loving, powerful, all-knowing God allow tragedies, human suffering, and disasters of all kinds? Why doesn’t God just fix everything? And in this single sentence in John 3, I believe we see at least part of the answer.
We must become less and less as God becomes greater and greater. In other words, we must trust more and worry less. We must learn to say, “God, whatever you deem to be the right decision is okay with me,” even when every fiber of our being is screaming, “Noooooo!” I don’t know what you are going through – or what you have endured already, but I know that God is with you. I know that when we say to God, “Less of me…more of You,” He hears us.
I will not lie to you…amazing things do not necessarily happen in the universe…all of your problems are not instantly dissolved…and life on this earth may not be grand in any way/shape/form. But when we surrender ourselves and focus more on God and less on our own thoughts, feelings, and situations…things are somehow better. And I can only attribute this to God’s incredible and perfect love and care. It’s the only answer that makes sense.
We read over and over in God’s word that we are to seek more of Him and less of ourselves. We see countless examples of those who sought God above everything and everyone else…and how He blessed them. I’m not going to tell you that giving God more and more of your time, attention and heart will get you out of debt - or trouble. It won’t cure cancer and other diseases…prevent persecution…or ensure that your child will grow up to be the next President. And if you are sick, you may still die. But just like Noah and Job, when we make God greater and greater…and we become less and less…God handles the rest. He fills in the gaps and knits everything together perfectly. And others take notice.
Are you a living example of God’s greatness? Have you allowed Him to “drive the car,” so to speak…or do you still insist on running the show? When others look at you, are they encouraged and uplifted because of the evidence of God’s hand in your life? Are you making a point…or is God making a difference in and through you? Isn’t it time you figured this out and got it right? Are you ready to get started?
©2015 Debbie Robus
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My women’s Bible study session this morning included a discussion about Noah and Job. The question that was posed with regard to both men was…“Why did God allow this?” Why did He allow everyone except Noah’s family and the animals he placed in the ark to be drowned and destroyed? Why did God allow the devil to persecute Job, kill his children, and do everything short of killing him? We talked about several thoughts…that God’s ways are not our ways, and there are things we will never understand until we get to heaven…that sometimes, God uses these things for a purpose that we cannot see or understand…that God does not cause these things – but often, He does allow them for reasons that are perfect, if not understandable.
So when I read this verse in the Book of John, I was reminded of the morning discussion. I thought about how we noted that this is where unbelievers, children, and those new in their faith walk get stuck. How can a loving, powerful, all-knowing God allow tragedies, human suffering, and disasters of all kinds? Why doesn’t God just fix everything? And in this single sentence in John 3, I believe we see at least part of the answer.
We must become less and less as God becomes greater and greater. In other words, we must trust more and worry less. We must learn to say, “God, whatever you deem to be the right decision is okay with me,” even when every fiber of our being is screaming, “Noooooo!” I don’t know what you are going through – or what you have endured already, but I know that God is with you. I know that when we say to God, “Less of me…more of You,” He hears us.
I will not lie to you…amazing things do not necessarily happen in the universe…all of your problems are not instantly dissolved…and life on this earth may not be grand in any way/shape/form. But when we surrender ourselves and focus more on God and less on our own thoughts, feelings, and situations…things are somehow better. And I can only attribute this to God’s incredible and perfect love and care. It’s the only answer that makes sense.
We read over and over in God’s word that we are to seek more of Him and less of ourselves. We see countless examples of those who sought God above everything and everyone else…and how He blessed them. I’m not going to tell you that giving God more and more of your time, attention and heart will get you out of debt - or trouble. It won’t cure cancer and other diseases…prevent persecution…or ensure that your child will grow up to be the next President. And if you are sick, you may still die. But just like Noah and Job, when we make God greater and greater…and we become less and less…God handles the rest. He fills in the gaps and knits everything together perfectly. And others take notice.
Are you a living example of God’s greatness? Have you allowed Him to “drive the car,” so to speak…or do you still insist on running the show? When others look at you, are they encouraged and uplifted because of the evidence of God’s hand in your life? Are you making a point…or is God making a difference in and through you? Isn’t it time you figured this out and got it right? Are you ready to get started?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 15, 2015
John 15:5
I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, Timothy attended a “Day Camp” at our local Aquatic Center. On the last day, he received a tote bag filled with his arts and crafts, candy, and some toys. One was this squishy deep blue “creature” – similar to a beetle. It felt pretty gross to the touch, and it was all sticky. At first, Timothy was unsure about this toy, but over the span of an hour or so, he grew to like it…until one of its legs came off…and then another. Then Timothy began to pull on the legs – and soon there were six little “blobs of blue goo” and a 3-sectioned “body.” Yesterday, one of the kids pulled off a “body” section…and I’ll be honest - last night, we deemed the pieces of “creature” to be a safety hazard, and the pile of goop went in the trash!
Intact, this “creature” was interesting to look at…and somewhat fun for the kids to hold in their hands. The appendages by themselves were just little blue blobs of goo…icky and worthless. It’s similar to a toy doll or robot that requires batteries to walk and talk. Without the batteries, the toy can still be fun for awhile, if the children use their imagination…but the real “magic” happens when batteries are inserted!
Without seeming irreverent, I offer that Jesus is our “batteries” or “body.” Without His power, we are pretty ineffective. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that we are worthless, because we all know people who occasionally manage to do some fairly productive things with no apparent Spiritual support. But if you “get down to brass tacks,” you will probably see that they were covered in the grace and mercy of Jesus – even if they didn’t acknowledge His presence. If you trim a fruit-laden branch from the vine, the fruit will still be “good” for a little while…but ultimately, it will shrivel and become inedible – and destined for the trash heap!
What we can accomplish on our own – who and what we are – is pretty limited without the power of Jesus. Like the “little blue blobs of goo” that once were the legs of an icky toy creature, we may hold the attention of others and “entertain” or “serve” for a brief moment. But without attachment to the body…without the VINE – we will never be productive and complete for very long.
Where does this leave you? Are you attached to the Body? Is your “branch” firmly attached to the “vine” of Jesus? Don’t end up in the “trash heap” of life. Stay connected to Jesus! Let Him power your life – in every way…and enable you to produce His “good fruits” - today…and always!
©2015 Debbie Robus
I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, Timothy attended a “Day Camp” at our local Aquatic Center. On the last day, he received a tote bag filled with his arts and crafts, candy, and some toys. One was this squishy deep blue “creature” – similar to a beetle. It felt pretty gross to the touch, and it was all sticky. At first, Timothy was unsure about this toy, but over the span of an hour or so, he grew to like it…until one of its legs came off…and then another. Then Timothy began to pull on the legs – and soon there were six little “blobs of blue goo” and a 3-sectioned “body.” Yesterday, one of the kids pulled off a “body” section…and I’ll be honest - last night, we deemed the pieces of “creature” to be a safety hazard, and the pile of goop went in the trash!
Intact, this “creature” was interesting to look at…and somewhat fun for the kids to hold in their hands. The appendages by themselves were just little blue blobs of goo…icky and worthless. It’s similar to a toy doll or robot that requires batteries to walk and talk. Without the batteries, the toy can still be fun for awhile, if the children use their imagination…but the real “magic” happens when batteries are inserted!
Without seeming irreverent, I offer that Jesus is our “batteries” or “body.” Without His power, we are pretty ineffective. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that we are worthless, because we all know people who occasionally manage to do some fairly productive things with no apparent Spiritual support. But if you “get down to brass tacks,” you will probably see that they were covered in the grace and mercy of Jesus – even if they didn’t acknowledge His presence. If you trim a fruit-laden branch from the vine, the fruit will still be “good” for a little while…but ultimately, it will shrivel and become inedible – and destined for the trash heap!
What we can accomplish on our own – who and what we are – is pretty limited without the power of Jesus. Like the “little blue blobs of goo” that once were the legs of an icky toy creature, we may hold the attention of others and “entertain” or “serve” for a brief moment. But without attachment to the body…without the VINE – we will never be productive and complete for very long.
Where does this leave you? Are you attached to the Body? Is your “branch” firmly attached to the “vine” of Jesus? Don’t end up in the “trash heap” of life. Stay connected to Jesus! Let Him power your life – in every way…and enable you to produce His “good fruits” - today…and always!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 15, 2015
John 14:15-17
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be 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.
When Timothy was a toddler, Greg and I sat out on our driveway one warm fall night and looked at a bright full moon. He would point and say, “Moon!” And we would remind him that wherever he was, all he had to do was look at the moon and know that we would be looking at it, too. “When you look at the moon, remember how much we love you,” I told him. In recent years, my mother has commented more than once when she was traveling that she looked at the moon and reminded herself that we at home were seeing the same moon. This is indeed a comforting thought.
When I was a child, the concept of the Holy Spirit – or “Holy Ghost” as people referenced Him…was nebulous and confusing enough to make me go, “Whaaaa???” I don’t know how or why I found this such a difficult – and even scary - concept…but now that I understand the “Spirit of Truth” and what a friend and comforter He is and how He guides me and protects my every breath, I am totally in love. And I want to do all I can to show Jesus how much I love Him for sending this Friend.
Just as a child of any age looks at the moon and knows that a grown-up sees the same lunar orb, I know that the Holy Spirit of Truth is always with me. Just as we can understand that others who look at the same moon we are viewing may think of us and care about our every thought and breath…we know that the Holy Spirit is with us wherever we are - that He cares about us and is available to help us with anything and everything!
The Holy Spirit is another gift from Jesus…a “Forever Friend” to accompany us 24/7. All that Jesus asks of us in return is that we demonstrate our love for Him by following His commands…loving others as we love ourselves…operating in humility, kindness and respect…feeding and clothing the hungry, homeless, widowed, orphaned and needy…spreading the Gospel…and offering hope and salvation through His cleansing blood to those who are lost, confused and hurting. This may sound like a tall order…but in comparison to the gifts of Salvation and the Holy Spirit, it is quite literally the least we can do.
You may be one of many who have received the gift of Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ...and this is wonderful! But have you received His gift of the Holy Spirit? Does He dwell in your heart…and do you feel His presence? Do you recognize the Spirit of Truth…is He your Forever Friend? Don’t you want this? Will you spend some time in prayer today and call on the Holy Spirit to fill your heart? All you have to do is ask…“Come, Holy Spirit…wash over me.” He’s waiting for the invitation…are you ready to extend it?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be 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.
When Timothy was a toddler, Greg and I sat out on our driveway one warm fall night and looked at a bright full moon. He would point and say, “Moon!” And we would remind him that wherever he was, all he had to do was look at the moon and know that we would be looking at it, too. “When you look at the moon, remember how much we love you,” I told him. In recent years, my mother has commented more than once when she was traveling that she looked at the moon and reminded herself that we at home were seeing the same moon. This is indeed a comforting thought.
When I was a child, the concept of the Holy Spirit – or “Holy Ghost” as people referenced Him…was nebulous and confusing enough to make me go, “Whaaaa???” I don’t know how or why I found this such a difficult – and even scary - concept…but now that I understand the “Spirit of Truth” and what a friend and comforter He is and how He guides me and protects my every breath, I am totally in love. And I want to do all I can to show Jesus how much I love Him for sending this Friend.
Just as a child of any age looks at the moon and knows that a grown-up sees the same lunar orb, I know that the Holy Spirit of Truth is always with me. Just as we can understand that others who look at the same moon we are viewing may think of us and care about our every thought and breath…we know that the Holy Spirit is with us wherever we are - that He cares about us and is available to help us with anything and everything!
The Holy Spirit is another gift from Jesus…a “Forever Friend” to accompany us 24/7. All that Jesus asks of us in return is that we demonstrate our love for Him by following His commands…loving others as we love ourselves…operating in humility, kindness and respect…feeding and clothing the hungry, homeless, widowed, orphaned and needy…spreading the Gospel…and offering hope and salvation through His cleansing blood to those who are lost, confused and hurting. This may sound like a tall order…but in comparison to the gifts of Salvation and the Holy Spirit, it is quite literally the least we can do.
You may be one of many who have received the gift of Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ...and this is wonderful! But have you received His gift of the Holy Spirit? Does He dwell in your heart…and do you feel His presence? Do you recognize the Spirit of Truth…is He your Forever Friend? Don’t you want this? Will you spend some time in prayer today and call on the Holy Spirit to fill your heart? All you have to do is ask…“Come, Holy Spirit…wash over me.” He’s waiting for the invitation…are you ready to extend it?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 13, 2015
John 12:24-25
“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal."
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.
It’s summer time, which means “swim lessons” for Timothy and Zola! I was talking to Timothy about the lessons and how he will learn so much this summer (his second summer for lessons). I said, “Soon, I hope you won’t even need your life jacket any longer.” He immediately wailed, “Nooooo! I’ll DROWN!” I assured him that this would not happen…that he would know how to swim, and we adults would ensure his safety. He was not having any of it!
I reminded Timothy that by the end of last summer, he was jumping into the pool and “swimming” without his life jacket…that in order to “dive” to the bottom and gather his toys, he would need to swim without it. He continued to protest, and we changed the subject. I see countless children at the local aquatic center who desperately want to jump into the pool, but they are afraid to do so. The end result is that they cling to the sides – or the ladders. Or, like my niece Zola, they cling to the neck of an adult – like her Aunt Debbie’s!
This is very much how we are as Christians…and even more so as unbelievers who are apprehensive to surrender completely to Jesus. We see what lies before us…forgiveness of sins…a “new life in Christ”…blessings, guidance and wisdom from God…the promise of Eternal Life in Heaven...and much more. And we want all of these things! But we are afraid to “take off our life jackets,” let go of the rails or a grown-up’s neck, and jump into the water!
In order to truly “live” as Christians, we have to “die” to ourselves. And this is definitely a hard thing for most of us. But it’s the only way. You cannot have both, no matter how hard some try. True Christian living is an “either/or” situation. Either you are “all in” with Him, or you’re like the seed that lies atop the ground and goes nowhere…the happy child who is swimming and “diving” for water toys…or the little kid who never even gets wet.
Before the school year ended, the children had a “water day” at school, and Greg and I visited Timothy’s class as they happily played on inflatable water slides and other toys. One little boy stood in line behind Timothy, and as children came off the slide, he moved aside and gave them his place in the line. I said to this child, “Don’t you want to take your turn?” He shook his head and said, “Water’s really not my ‘thing’.” I don’t think he ever even got wet.
Let me ask you…is Jesus your “thing?” Are you all in with Him…or standing on the sidelines? Isn’t it time you “took the plunge” and got wet? Aren’t you ready to really live in Jesus? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal."
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.
It’s summer time, which means “swim lessons” for Timothy and Zola! I was talking to Timothy about the lessons and how he will learn so much this summer (his second summer for lessons). I said, “Soon, I hope you won’t even need your life jacket any longer.” He immediately wailed, “Nooooo! I’ll DROWN!” I assured him that this would not happen…that he would know how to swim, and we adults would ensure his safety. He was not having any of it!
I reminded Timothy that by the end of last summer, he was jumping into the pool and “swimming” without his life jacket…that in order to “dive” to the bottom and gather his toys, he would need to swim without it. He continued to protest, and we changed the subject. I see countless children at the local aquatic center who desperately want to jump into the pool, but they are afraid to do so. The end result is that they cling to the sides – or the ladders. Or, like my niece Zola, they cling to the neck of an adult – like her Aunt Debbie’s!
This is very much how we are as Christians…and even more so as unbelievers who are apprehensive to surrender completely to Jesus. We see what lies before us…forgiveness of sins…a “new life in Christ”…blessings, guidance and wisdom from God…the promise of Eternal Life in Heaven...and much more. And we want all of these things! But we are afraid to “take off our life jackets,” let go of the rails or a grown-up’s neck, and jump into the water!
In order to truly “live” as Christians, we have to “die” to ourselves. And this is definitely a hard thing for most of us. But it’s the only way. You cannot have both, no matter how hard some try. True Christian living is an “either/or” situation. Either you are “all in” with Him, or you’re like the seed that lies atop the ground and goes nowhere…the happy child who is swimming and “diving” for water toys…or the little kid who never even gets wet.
Before the school year ended, the children had a “water day” at school, and Greg and I visited Timothy’s class as they happily played on inflatable water slides and other toys. One little boy stood in line behind Timothy, and as children came off the slide, he moved aside and gave them his place in the line. I said to this child, “Don’t you want to take your turn?” He shook his head and said, “Water’s really not my ‘thing’.” I don’t think he ever even got wet.
Let me ask you…is Jesus your “thing?” Are you all in with Him…or standing on the sidelines? Isn’t it time you “took the plunge” and got wet? Aren’t you ready to really live in Jesus? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 12, 2015
Hebrews 10:26-31
If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe 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.
When I was teaching kindergarten, my all-time favorite “film” to share with my students was Marlo Thomas’ production of Free to Be…You and Me. I had to order it from the Arkansas Department of Education’s film library, and it was so popular that I sometimes waited all year for our “turn” to arrive. This “film” is now available on DVD*, and I recently gave Timothy, Zola and Nathan a copy. The illustrations of presenting a positive image and being who God called you to be (although Thomas does not reference God directly), are invaluable.
Thomas included several stories by a well-known children’s author, Maurice Sendak…such as “Where the Wild Things Are,” and “Pierre.” The latter story is a really good lesson for the children in attitude. It begins…”There once was a boy named Pierre…who only would say, ‘I don’t care!’” Pierre doesn’t care about anything, and as a result, he ends up being eaten by a lion! In the end, the lion spits him out, but the adventure that ensues in the meantime is captivating and instructive!
And so it is with us as Christians. Too many of us have looked God square in the eye and said, “I don’t care!” And just as the storybook character’s choice led to a disastrous result, this sort of attitude will have the same outcome for us.
Don’t confuse sin with denial. We will all sin. All who have been saved by the blood of Jesus will need to stay continually close and repeatedly beg for His forgiveness – because we are human, and the devil is persistent. But to consciously deny Jesus…to turn our backs on Him and say, “I’m done with You,” or “I don’t care!” is to invalidate the incredible sacrifice that He made for each of us - and God will not stand for this! If you accept salvation through Jesus Christ and then throw it away…you are discarding everything…God’s blessings…His forgiveness…and ultimately, the gift of Eternity in Paradise.
In the last pages of the children’s story, Pierre decides that he cares greatly! And the lion spits him out, and all is forgiven. The last line of the book is, “The moral of ‘Pierre’ is…CARE!” The moral of our story is to care…about Jesus…about His gift of salvation…and about our attitude and our demonstration of faith to others. Every day, we must let His light shine through us. We must show God AND the world that we care about Jesus greatly…and never turn our backs on all that we have learned.
We are not little boys with bad attitudes…or we shouldn’t be! Are you showing God and others know how much you care? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.amazon.com/Free-Be-You-Marlo-Thomas/dp/B0042DN4TU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434121102&sr=8-1&keywords=free+to+be+you+and+me+dvd
If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe 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.
When I was teaching kindergarten, my all-time favorite “film” to share with my students was Marlo Thomas’ production of Free to Be…You and Me. I had to order it from the Arkansas Department of Education’s film library, and it was so popular that I sometimes waited all year for our “turn” to arrive. This “film” is now available on DVD*, and I recently gave Timothy, Zola and Nathan a copy. The illustrations of presenting a positive image and being who God called you to be (although Thomas does not reference God directly), are invaluable.
Thomas included several stories by a well-known children’s author, Maurice Sendak…such as “Where the Wild Things Are,” and “Pierre.” The latter story is a really good lesson for the children in attitude. It begins…”There once was a boy named Pierre…who only would say, ‘I don’t care!’” Pierre doesn’t care about anything, and as a result, he ends up being eaten by a lion! In the end, the lion spits him out, but the adventure that ensues in the meantime is captivating and instructive!
And so it is with us as Christians. Too many of us have looked God square in the eye and said, “I don’t care!” And just as the storybook character’s choice led to a disastrous result, this sort of attitude will have the same outcome for us.
Don’t confuse sin with denial. We will all sin. All who have been saved by the blood of Jesus will need to stay continually close and repeatedly beg for His forgiveness – because we are human, and the devil is persistent. But to consciously deny Jesus…to turn our backs on Him and say, “I’m done with You,” or “I don’t care!” is to invalidate the incredible sacrifice that He made for each of us - and God will not stand for this! If you accept salvation through Jesus Christ and then throw it away…you are discarding everything…God’s blessings…His forgiveness…and ultimately, the gift of Eternity in Paradise.
In the last pages of the children’s story, Pierre decides that he cares greatly! And the lion spits him out, and all is forgiven. The last line of the book is, “The moral of ‘Pierre’ is…CARE!” The moral of our story is to care…about Jesus…about His gift of salvation…and about our attitude and our demonstration of faith to others. Every day, we must let His light shine through us. We must show God AND the world that we care about Jesus greatly…and never turn our backs on all that we have learned.
We are not little boys with bad attitudes…or we shouldn’t be! Are you showing God and others know how much you care? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.amazon.com/Free-Be-You-Marlo-Thomas/dp/B0042DN4TU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434121102&sr=8-1&keywords=free+to+be+you+and+me+dvd
Daily Devotional for June 11, 2015
Galatians 2:19-21
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.
Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.
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.
In the early 1980s, actor/comedian Billy Crystal created a recurring character on NBC’s Saturday Night Live named Fernando. This was a parody of the real performer, Fernando Lamas…and the catchphrase was, “You look mahvelous!” It didn’t matter what anyone said or did, “Fernando” would say, “But you look mahvelous!” That’s what’s wrong with a lot of us as Christians…we’re so busy trying to “look mahvelous” that we have totally forgotten about following and serving God.
I love how Paul says that he quit being a “law man” so that he could be God’s man. Isn’t that exactly how we should be looking at this? Shouldn’t we be more focused on living the life of Christ rather than our own…doing the things that Jesus taught us, like loving one another, keeping the peace and getting along rather than insisting on our own way. Shouldn’t we be striving to stay pure in heart and mind - hungering for the word of God? What could happen if we lived our lives in such a way that others saw Jesus in us…rather than someone who was trying to impress or create a good image of themselves for the world?
We must ask ourselves…do we want to look like true disciples of Christ…or do we merely care about looking “mahvelous?” As Paul points out, the latter indicates the opinion that there was no good reason for Christ’s death on the cross. And I just don’t buy that…do you? Are you following the rules…of society, the church, and your peers…or are you following God? How you answer makes all the difference!
©2015 Debbie Robus
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.
Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.
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.
In the early 1980s, actor/comedian Billy Crystal created a recurring character on NBC’s Saturday Night Live named Fernando. This was a parody of the real performer, Fernando Lamas…and the catchphrase was, “You look mahvelous!” It didn’t matter what anyone said or did, “Fernando” would say, “But you look mahvelous!” That’s what’s wrong with a lot of us as Christians…we’re so busy trying to “look mahvelous” that we have totally forgotten about following and serving God.
I love how Paul says that he quit being a “law man” so that he could be God’s man. Isn’t that exactly how we should be looking at this? Shouldn’t we be more focused on living the life of Christ rather than our own…doing the things that Jesus taught us, like loving one another, keeping the peace and getting along rather than insisting on our own way. Shouldn’t we be striving to stay pure in heart and mind - hungering for the word of God? What could happen if we lived our lives in such a way that others saw Jesus in us…rather than someone who was trying to impress or create a good image of themselves for the world?
We must ask ourselves…do we want to look like true disciples of Christ…or do we merely care about looking “mahvelous?” As Paul points out, the latter indicates the opinion that there was no good reason for Christ’s death on the cross. And I just don’t buy that…do you? Are you following the rules…of society, the church, and your peers…or are you following God? How you answer makes all the difference!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 10, 2015
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember that the Sabbath Day belongs to me. You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day—not you, your children, your slaves, your animals, or the foreigners who live in your towns. In six days I made the sky, the earth, the oceans, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That’s why I made the Sabbath a special day that belongs to me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t attend worship every single Sunday. Sometimes I am not feeling well…sometimes in the winter the weather is too icy…and sometimes, I just don’t go. When Greg and I were still business owners, we often had to work on Sundays. We had deadlines to meet…work that had to get done. And as business owners and the only two employees for many years, the workload fell on our shoulders - regardless of what day the calendar showed.
Do not judge me! I understand fully the significance of the Sabbath…and even on my busiest day – or the days when I “play hooky,” I try to spend time with God…to listen for His voice, study His word...and to reflect on what He has in store for me. Sometimes, we all need to sit quietly and let God fill us…whether we’re sitting on a pew in a church sanctuary – or on our couch or back porch, drinking a cup of coffee. There are times when God wants us to simply be still and take a breather…from EVERYTHING!
Here’s the thing…attending a worship service every Sunday morning and/or evening (or both) does not make us superior Christians…or even mean that we are truly living “in God’s will.” I believe that corporate worship is important…that we demonstrate to others our desire to humbly come before God and worship Him as a body of believers…to learn more about His word, how He works, and His missions. I believe that fellowship with others is important…both for those who are born-again Christians, those who may be seeking God - and those who don’t have a clue who God is, much less that they need Him in their lives.
I also believe that some use the Sabbath to make a point rather than to make a difference. For some, Sunday is the day to put on a show and give others the impression that we are good, faithful, and pleasing to God…while in truth, we may be none of these things. In our heart, we may not be seeking a deeper relationship with God and communion with other believers. We may be hoping to impress everyone with our appearance (in every sense of this word), our presence in the choir or as an usher (or simply filling a pew)…and going through the motions of worship for an hour or so.
We do need to give God our time and attention! We do need to take a breath, sit quietly, and let Him fill us – and we need to do this often! We need to recognize God’s power and supremacy…to acknowledge all that He has created…to humble ourselves before Him and seek His presence – and His voice. We need to spend time worshipping God…and getting our “marching orders!” We need to fellowship with others - without a personal agenda or ulterior motives.
The God who did so much for us deserves our full time and attention on a regular basis. The Sabbath is a great day for this...but it’s not the only day. The important thing is how we spend time with God…rather than when…and how often this happens. Are you making quality time for God in your life…resting in Him and creating an atmosphere in which He can truly speak to you? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Remember that the Sabbath Day belongs to me. You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day—not you, your children, your slaves, your animals, or the foreigners who live in your towns. In six days I made the sky, the earth, the oceans, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That’s why I made the Sabbath a special day that belongs to me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t attend worship every single Sunday. Sometimes I am not feeling well…sometimes in the winter the weather is too icy…and sometimes, I just don’t go. When Greg and I were still business owners, we often had to work on Sundays. We had deadlines to meet…work that had to get done. And as business owners and the only two employees for many years, the workload fell on our shoulders - regardless of what day the calendar showed.
Do not judge me! I understand fully the significance of the Sabbath…and even on my busiest day – or the days when I “play hooky,” I try to spend time with God…to listen for His voice, study His word...and to reflect on what He has in store for me. Sometimes, we all need to sit quietly and let God fill us…whether we’re sitting on a pew in a church sanctuary – or on our couch or back porch, drinking a cup of coffee. There are times when God wants us to simply be still and take a breather…from EVERYTHING!
Here’s the thing…attending a worship service every Sunday morning and/or evening (or both) does not make us superior Christians…or even mean that we are truly living “in God’s will.” I believe that corporate worship is important…that we demonstrate to others our desire to humbly come before God and worship Him as a body of believers…to learn more about His word, how He works, and His missions. I believe that fellowship with others is important…both for those who are born-again Christians, those who may be seeking God - and those who don’t have a clue who God is, much less that they need Him in their lives.
I also believe that some use the Sabbath to make a point rather than to make a difference. For some, Sunday is the day to put on a show and give others the impression that we are good, faithful, and pleasing to God…while in truth, we may be none of these things. In our heart, we may not be seeking a deeper relationship with God and communion with other believers. We may be hoping to impress everyone with our appearance (in every sense of this word), our presence in the choir or as an usher (or simply filling a pew)…and going through the motions of worship for an hour or so.
We do need to give God our time and attention! We do need to take a breath, sit quietly, and let Him fill us – and we need to do this often! We need to recognize God’s power and supremacy…to acknowledge all that He has created…to humble ourselves before Him and seek His presence – and His voice. We need to spend time worshipping God…and getting our “marching orders!” We need to fellowship with others - without a personal agenda or ulterior motives.
The God who did so much for us deserves our full time and attention on a regular basis. The Sabbath is a great day for this...but it’s not the only day. The important thing is how we spend time with God…rather than when…and how often this happens. Are you making quality time for God in your life…resting in Him and creating an atmosphere in which He can truly speak to you? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 9, 2015
Ephesians 3:7-10
This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.
And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!
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 began a 7-week Bible study at my church. The “facilitator” for this study is my cousin, Natalie. Let me tell you, these Bible studies are well attended…and my “facilitating cousin” is a large part of the reason. Natalie begins her Bible studies by telling us how she fought God on this for many years…how He kept nudging her to “lead” a Bible study, and she kept saying, “I’m not qualified.” Then she said the notion of being a “facilitator” came along, which she interpreted to mean that she would turn on the DVD player for the opening video, and ask the questions in the study guide…and she said, “I can do this!”
Let me assure you, Natalie does far more than operate the DVD player and ask questions! God uses her in an amazing way, and as we like to say in my family, “A good time is had by all.” We also learn and grow in God’s word and in the fellowship of Christian women.
My cousin is incredibly capable. She has a Master’s Degree in education…she is an 18-year veteran of the public school classroom (kindergarten, no less!), the mother of two beautiful children…a wife, daughter, friend and servant in ways that I cannot count. And she has a knack for engaging people. To even suggest that God might not be able to use her seems ludicrous to those who know and love her.
Natalie will tell you that she grew up “in the Bible”…that she was “practically born on the third pew on the left” in the sanctuary of our church. She will also tell you that she didn’t really KNOW the Bible until she started attending Bible studies some twelve years ago…and then her knowledge grew as she helped her own children with their own Bible drills. Natalie states all of this to qualify that she felt terribly inadequate to lead Bible studies…and yet God clearly showed her that this was one of her “callings.” So she answered His call.
What is God calling you to do? Where is He showing you a need that only you can fill – even though you feel incredibly unqualified to do so? When will we learn that with God, all things are possible…that HE makes the difference in these situations and fills in the gaps? I’m not saying that we are all called to facilitate Bible studies…because that is most certainly not the case! But God can use you somewhere…in ways you probably never imagined. And whatever He calls you to do, He will equip you to handle!
God has a plan and a purpose for your life…and He is working out each and every detail. Are you paying attention? Are you ready to answer His call? Will this be the week that you do?
©2015 Debbie Robus
This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.
And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!
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 began a 7-week Bible study at my church. The “facilitator” for this study is my cousin, Natalie. Let me tell you, these Bible studies are well attended…and my “facilitating cousin” is a large part of the reason. Natalie begins her Bible studies by telling us how she fought God on this for many years…how He kept nudging her to “lead” a Bible study, and she kept saying, “I’m not qualified.” Then she said the notion of being a “facilitator” came along, which she interpreted to mean that she would turn on the DVD player for the opening video, and ask the questions in the study guide…and she said, “I can do this!”
Let me assure you, Natalie does far more than operate the DVD player and ask questions! God uses her in an amazing way, and as we like to say in my family, “A good time is had by all.” We also learn and grow in God’s word and in the fellowship of Christian women.
My cousin is incredibly capable. She has a Master’s Degree in education…she is an 18-year veteran of the public school classroom (kindergarten, no less!), the mother of two beautiful children…a wife, daughter, friend and servant in ways that I cannot count. And she has a knack for engaging people. To even suggest that God might not be able to use her seems ludicrous to those who know and love her.
Natalie will tell you that she grew up “in the Bible”…that she was “practically born on the third pew on the left” in the sanctuary of our church. She will also tell you that she didn’t really KNOW the Bible until she started attending Bible studies some twelve years ago…and then her knowledge grew as she helped her own children with their own Bible drills. Natalie states all of this to qualify that she felt terribly inadequate to lead Bible studies…and yet God clearly showed her that this was one of her “callings.” So she answered His call.
What is God calling you to do? Where is He showing you a need that only you can fill – even though you feel incredibly unqualified to do so? When will we learn that with God, all things are possible…that HE makes the difference in these situations and fills in the gaps? I’m not saying that we are all called to facilitate Bible studies…because that is most certainly not the case! But God can use you somewhere…in ways you probably never imagined. And whatever He calls you to do, He will equip you to handle!
God has a plan and a purpose for your life…and He is working out each and every detail. Are you paying attention? Are you ready to answer His call? Will this be the week that you do?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 8, 2015
Deuteronomy 8:3
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to both you and your ancestors. He did it to help you realize that food isn’t everything, and that real life comes by obeying every command of God.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
You can’t make this stuff up! I once witnessed a fairly heated discussion at a family dinner between two “camps” – one that swore that Showboat® pork ‘n beans could not be beat…and another that insisted that VanCamp’s® pork ‘n beans were most surely the best! We are a culture obsessed with food…not as sustenance to fuel our bodies and minds, but as art and entertainment. We don’t look at a banana and consider how its nutrients and fiber can make us strong and healthy…we think about how it will taste and whether it has gotten too ripe for consumption. OR…we envision it slathered with ice cream, coated in chocolate, or incorporated into muffins, cake or “quickbread!”
We do not plan our meals based on our true hunger and nutritional needs…but more often around social events, what we are “hungry for” at the moment, and which restaurant we have not patronized this week! We think that we would die without certain foods…or without eating SOMETHING every few hours. In truth, most of us would survive far longer without eating than we can imagine. And were we truly hungry, a lot of “foods” we would never otherwise consider eating might look pretty tasty!
While I have never fasted…at least in a spiritual context…I know people who have done this. They used the time and “energy” that we all pour into thinking about food to concentrate on prayer, Bible study, and seeking God’s presence in their lives. While I do not believe this is the right practice for me…I do not criticize anyone who wants to engage in an occasional Spiritual fast.
But what I do think we need to do is pay closer notice to what grabs our attention. We need to “feed” on God’s word…both His scriptures, and what He tells us and shows us every single day. Recently, my niece Jasmine said that Zola asked her, “Mom, what are you doing?” Jasmine told her, “I’m talking to God.” Four-year-old Zola replied, “Again?!!” Jasmine explained to Zola that we can talk to God any time, as often as we like/need - even all day if we want!
God’s nurture and sustenance is unlike any ordinary meal…we can feast on His provisions night and day! The time has come for us to change our diet…to focus less on edible nourishment, and more on God’s spiritual manna. He may not help us choose which pork ‘n beans are best, but He will supply our needs in every area of real importance. Will this be the day that you begin to truly feed on a steady regimen of God’s word and commands? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to both you and your ancestors. He did it to help you realize that food isn’t everything, and that real life comes by obeying every command of God.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
You can’t make this stuff up! I once witnessed a fairly heated discussion at a family dinner between two “camps” – one that swore that Showboat® pork ‘n beans could not be beat…and another that insisted that VanCamp’s® pork ‘n beans were most surely the best! We are a culture obsessed with food…not as sustenance to fuel our bodies and minds, but as art and entertainment. We don’t look at a banana and consider how its nutrients and fiber can make us strong and healthy…we think about how it will taste and whether it has gotten too ripe for consumption. OR…we envision it slathered with ice cream, coated in chocolate, or incorporated into muffins, cake or “quickbread!”
We do not plan our meals based on our true hunger and nutritional needs…but more often around social events, what we are “hungry for” at the moment, and which restaurant we have not patronized this week! We think that we would die without certain foods…or without eating SOMETHING every few hours. In truth, most of us would survive far longer without eating than we can imagine. And were we truly hungry, a lot of “foods” we would never otherwise consider eating might look pretty tasty!
While I have never fasted…at least in a spiritual context…I know people who have done this. They used the time and “energy” that we all pour into thinking about food to concentrate on prayer, Bible study, and seeking God’s presence in their lives. While I do not believe this is the right practice for me…I do not criticize anyone who wants to engage in an occasional Spiritual fast.
But what I do think we need to do is pay closer notice to what grabs our attention. We need to “feed” on God’s word…both His scriptures, and what He tells us and shows us every single day. Recently, my niece Jasmine said that Zola asked her, “Mom, what are you doing?” Jasmine told her, “I’m talking to God.” Four-year-old Zola replied, “Again?!!” Jasmine explained to Zola that we can talk to God any time, as often as we like/need - even all day if we want!
God’s nurture and sustenance is unlike any ordinary meal…we can feast on His provisions night and day! The time has come for us to change our diet…to focus less on edible nourishment, and more on God’s spiritual manna. He may not help us choose which pork ‘n beans are best, but He will supply our needs in every area of real importance. Will this be the day that you begin to truly feed on a steady regimen of God’s word and commands? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 7, 2015
Colossians 1:24-25
You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don’t walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.
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 get my message?” This is a common question frequently asked by many of us…in many contexts… Did you receive my text? ~ Did you hear the voice mail message I left you? ~ Do you understand what I am saying to you? ~ ARE YOU LISTENING?
When it comes to the message of Jesus, we who have committed our lives to following and serving Him are to convey His teachings, sentiments, and desires for mankind to the world at large. And as Paul points out, we often get distracted or diverted. We are so busy making a point rather than making a difference that we fail to keep the main thing the main thing! (How do you like how I managed to work TWO clichés into one sentence there?!)
Many people are so busy promoting their own agendas and trying to instill fear in others that they have not only distorted the Message…they have quit listening to God for themselves. Rather than emphasize that Jesus died on the cross for ALL OF US…they would rather promote an “us vs. them” mentality – toward people of other religious beliefs, races, ethnicities, political viewpoints, sexual orientations, economic levels, and more.
Take a good hard look at Jesus…He practiced NONE of these behaviors. He did not say to the woman at the well, “You’re unworthy to talk to Me.” He did not look at those who were mentally ill and say, “I want nothing to do with you.” Jesus didn’t look down on the poor and afflicted, the Samaritans, or the tax collectors. Jesus did not choose one person or group of people over another!
If we want to be like Jesus…if we truly want to be His messengers…we have to follow His example. We have to stop sharing gossip, propaganda, and untruths. We have to start being kind to ALL people. We have to quit judging others. We must start loving every person and seeing him/her as God’s creation…worthy of that same incredible gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ which we have received. This is not the same as condoning sinful actions. Study Jesus…you will see how He made the distinction. We must learn to do this in our own daily living.
The Apostle Paul was exactly right…You don’t walk away from a gift like Jesus, and there is no other Message but His. Are you grounded and steady in a bond of trust, constantly tuned in and focused on Him? Are you truly a messenger of HIS Message? Isn’t it time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don’t walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.
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 get my message?” This is a common question frequently asked by many of us…in many contexts… Did you receive my text? ~ Did you hear the voice mail message I left you? ~ Do you understand what I am saying to you? ~ ARE YOU LISTENING?
When it comes to the message of Jesus, we who have committed our lives to following and serving Him are to convey His teachings, sentiments, and desires for mankind to the world at large. And as Paul points out, we often get distracted or diverted. We are so busy making a point rather than making a difference that we fail to keep the main thing the main thing! (How do you like how I managed to work TWO clichés into one sentence there?!)
Many people are so busy promoting their own agendas and trying to instill fear in others that they have not only distorted the Message…they have quit listening to God for themselves. Rather than emphasize that Jesus died on the cross for ALL OF US…they would rather promote an “us vs. them” mentality – toward people of other religious beliefs, races, ethnicities, political viewpoints, sexual orientations, economic levels, and more.
Take a good hard look at Jesus…He practiced NONE of these behaviors. He did not say to the woman at the well, “You’re unworthy to talk to Me.” He did not look at those who were mentally ill and say, “I want nothing to do with you.” Jesus didn’t look down on the poor and afflicted, the Samaritans, or the tax collectors. Jesus did not choose one person or group of people over another!
If we want to be like Jesus…if we truly want to be His messengers…we have to follow His example. We have to stop sharing gossip, propaganda, and untruths. We have to start being kind to ALL people. We have to quit judging others. We must start loving every person and seeing him/her as God’s creation…worthy of that same incredible gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ which we have received. This is not the same as condoning sinful actions. Study Jesus…you will see how He made the distinction. We must learn to do this in our own daily living.
The Apostle Paul was exactly right…You don’t walk away from a gift like Jesus, and there is no other Message but His. Are you grounded and steady in a bond of trust, constantly tuned in and focused on Him? Are you truly a messenger of HIS Message? Isn’t it time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 6, 2015
2 Timothy 3:16-17
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A friend posed the question, ” Just as the greeting card companies ‘created’ holidays...I think Facebook has created this whole ‘last day of school’ pic. I don't ever recall my mom taking a picture of me on the last day. First day...sure, but last day? Meh.” She added that she felt that technology as a whole…Facebook, Pinterest, and more…has contributed to the documentation of so many activities and “memories” that were never captured before. Several friends acknowledged that before the age of digital photos and social media, there were indeed fewer photos taken.
I’ve been scanning my parents’ old photo albums recently, and there is a photo of me on my first day of kindergarten, maybe a couple from first grade, and after that, it’s pretty well a birthday party or a Christmas here and there. And so far, I have not unearthed any photos of my sister and brother on their first days of school. The cost and hassle of film, photo development, and more most certainly kept these efforts at “memory making” to a minimum!
Someone made the comment that our parents and grandparents had their own version of Facebook and other social media for such documentation. She said, “…they're called scrapbooks, and parents have been doing them probably since the beginning of cameras. Technology has only made it easier for preserving memories and sharing!” The advances in technology have perhaps allowed us to document too much – as my friend suggested – but this has also provided a vehicle for us to stay in touch with relatives and friends near and far…to allow them to keep up with family members and stay “in the loop.”
If we look at the Bible as a whole…most of us would agree that some of the Old Testament laws and rituals no longer have relevance, now that we have Jesus. We no longer have to sacrifice animals to atone for sins. We’re not too worried that touching a pig skin will make us unclean these days…or whether certain situations require us to perform a “purification ritual.” But we must not “throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Even the passages in Leviticus that outline all of the “rules and rites” for serving God have meaning for us today – if only to remind us of all that Jesus has done for us…how He removed all of the rigmarole and simplified our faith, in many regards.
There is “meat” in the Psalms and Proverbs…wisdom, comfort and healing in the words of the kings and psalmists. The stories of great rulers and soldiers, prophets, parents, families and strong men and women illustrate that there is truly nothing under the sun…that struggles have been around since Creation. We talk a lot about how bad things are now…how much worse they are! Read the Old Testament…you’ll find plenty of accounts of physical and mental abuse, alcoholism and drug abuse, abductions, murder, sexual immorality, incest, poverty, gluttony, crime and even “celebrities” of sorts.
If you read the Old Testament alongside the New Testament, you will clearly see how much Jesus has done for us. You will better understand how we got here, and why Salvation in Jesus is SO important…and such a blessing! You will grow in courage and strength as you read the sagas of many who struggled so mightily – yet remained so faithful to God. They didn’t have the opportunity to know a Savior who could redeem them, once and for all, like we do. Still, they persevered.
Sometimes we have to look back at how things were…how far we’ve come…to appreciate what we have today. Just as with the new technologies that have at least enhanced – if not improved – our daily living…we can see that Jesus has made everything better. God has always been with us…we have always had the opportunity to know Him and serve Him…but Jesus is the ultimate “technological advancement” that allows us to live Godly lives with relative ease. We can more readily share God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness with others now. We can reach more people, because Jesus showed us how to live unencumbered by our sins…to love others in His name…to serve God at every turn…to forget about our own desires and focus on His.
Jesus showed us how to make a difference, instead of just a point. God’s Word is our “scrapbook” of sorts that outlines where we’ve been…and illustrates where we are headed. And every page of it is important. Each of us has the opportunity to share our own testimony as we live and serve in Jesus’ name. Will your story be one of faith and progress? What sort of “memories” will you contribute?
©2015 Debbie Robus
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A friend posed the question, ” Just as the greeting card companies ‘created’ holidays...I think Facebook has created this whole ‘last day of school’ pic. I don't ever recall my mom taking a picture of me on the last day. First day...sure, but last day? Meh.” She added that she felt that technology as a whole…Facebook, Pinterest, and more…has contributed to the documentation of so many activities and “memories” that were never captured before. Several friends acknowledged that before the age of digital photos and social media, there were indeed fewer photos taken.
I’ve been scanning my parents’ old photo albums recently, and there is a photo of me on my first day of kindergarten, maybe a couple from first grade, and after that, it’s pretty well a birthday party or a Christmas here and there. And so far, I have not unearthed any photos of my sister and brother on their first days of school. The cost and hassle of film, photo development, and more most certainly kept these efforts at “memory making” to a minimum!
Someone made the comment that our parents and grandparents had their own version of Facebook and other social media for such documentation. She said, “…they're called scrapbooks, and parents have been doing them probably since the beginning of cameras. Technology has only made it easier for preserving memories and sharing!” The advances in technology have perhaps allowed us to document too much – as my friend suggested – but this has also provided a vehicle for us to stay in touch with relatives and friends near and far…to allow them to keep up with family members and stay “in the loop.”
If we look at the Bible as a whole…most of us would agree that some of the Old Testament laws and rituals no longer have relevance, now that we have Jesus. We no longer have to sacrifice animals to atone for sins. We’re not too worried that touching a pig skin will make us unclean these days…or whether certain situations require us to perform a “purification ritual.” But we must not “throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Even the passages in Leviticus that outline all of the “rules and rites” for serving God have meaning for us today – if only to remind us of all that Jesus has done for us…how He removed all of the rigmarole and simplified our faith, in many regards.
There is “meat” in the Psalms and Proverbs…wisdom, comfort and healing in the words of the kings and psalmists. The stories of great rulers and soldiers, prophets, parents, families and strong men and women illustrate that there is truly nothing under the sun…that struggles have been around since Creation. We talk a lot about how bad things are now…how much worse they are! Read the Old Testament…you’ll find plenty of accounts of physical and mental abuse, alcoholism and drug abuse, abductions, murder, sexual immorality, incest, poverty, gluttony, crime and even “celebrities” of sorts.
If you read the Old Testament alongside the New Testament, you will clearly see how much Jesus has done for us. You will better understand how we got here, and why Salvation in Jesus is SO important…and such a blessing! You will grow in courage and strength as you read the sagas of many who struggled so mightily – yet remained so faithful to God. They didn’t have the opportunity to know a Savior who could redeem them, once and for all, like we do. Still, they persevered.
Sometimes we have to look back at how things were…how far we’ve come…to appreciate what we have today. Just as with the new technologies that have at least enhanced – if not improved – our daily living…we can see that Jesus has made everything better. God has always been with us…we have always had the opportunity to know Him and serve Him…but Jesus is the ultimate “technological advancement” that allows us to live Godly lives with relative ease. We can more readily share God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness with others now. We can reach more people, because Jesus showed us how to live unencumbered by our sins…to love others in His name…to serve God at every turn…to forget about our own desires and focus on His.
Jesus showed us how to make a difference, instead of just a point. God’s Word is our “scrapbook” of sorts that outlines where we’ve been…and illustrates where we are headed. And every page of it is important. Each of us has the opportunity to share our own testimony as we live and serve in Jesus’ name. Will your story be one of faith and progress? What sort of “memories” will you contribute?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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