March 14 ~ Matthew 5:21-22
"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
This certainly puts a whole new spin on things, doesn’t it? Who among us hasn’t gotten angry with someone and called them an “idiot” – or worse?! Who hasn’t raised their voice to a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, or child? Who hasn’t yelled at the referee, “Aw c’mon, ref… are you KIDDING me? You have to be deaf, blind and dumb (aka “STUPID”) not to see THAT!
But this is all harmless… right? We’re just “venting” our frustrations – right? Not according to Jesus. He says anger that leads to unkind words is as bad as outright murder. He says, plainly, that words can kill. Remember when I told you that ugly words were like toothpaste… once it’s out of the tube you can’t put it back, and once you say something hurtful, it is very hard to take it back, as well? Jesus takes it one step further here… He says those ugly words are lethal!
Now, I’m willing to bet that none of us would want to commit murder. The very thought of it makes us uneasy. We would NEVER even consider it. So the next time you start to say something unkind… the next time your anger gets the best of you, remember, in Jesus’ eyes, you’re about to commit murder. Don’t do it! Learn to control your thoughts, your anger… and your words. Learn to lean on Jesus and to call on Him to give you peace – in all situations – and to “deliver you from temptation to do – or say - anything evil. The next time you are tempted to call someone an idiot… remember this passage and hold your tongue. You will be blessed in more ways than you know.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 13 ~ Matthew 5:19-20
"Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Over and over the questions arise… “Are each of the Ten Commandments equal? Is stealing as sinful as murder?” Here we see that Jesus is telling us that NO sin is acceptable to God. But let’s not overlook what else Jesus is telling us. He is saying that all sins are serious, but He is also reminding us that He died for ALL of our sins! Sure, we must not murder, lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, dishonor our parents. Sure, we are called to worship God and set aside holy time for Him. Most certainly, we must have no other gods before God Almighty.
But don’t miss this – Jesus died for our sins… and as surely as He forgives us for telling a lie or cheating, He forgives the “bigger” sins, too… IF we ask him with a humble heart. This is not a license to murder or commit adultery, but it is an assurance that there is NOTHING that can separate us from the love of Christ. There is no sin He won’t forgive if we truly repent… and the key there is found in John 8:11, where Jesus forgave the woman who was an adulteress and said “go, and sin no more.”
I hope this gives you peace and comfort. I hope that the knowledge that you have not sinned so badly that God cannot forgive you gives encouragement to seek that forgiveness today. Confess your sins and walk in the confidence of knowing that your life honors Christ and God’s Kingdom. Take your life in Christ seriously, and “go and sin no more.”
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 12 ~ Matthew 5:17-18
"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures - either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Recently I watched an episode of Extreme Makeover/Home Edition in which the crew built a home for a family in Virginia. The father was part of a National Guard unit deployed to Iraq. Prior to being called up, he had started a home for his wife and two children (one of whom is autistic), and he got it framed before he was deployed. In the following months, the framework warped and rotted and became virtually worthless. Meanwhile, the mother and two children lived in a run-down rental property. So the construction crew demolished this rotten framework and started over on the original foundation, which was solid.
The twist to this story is that the family had bought a piece of property that was once the site of a significant Civil War structure, the Chatham House. They dreamed of building a new house that would resemble this historic structure, and the ABC Extreme Makeover crew turned this dream into a reality. The father is a Civil War history buff, and he was surprised to find a new museum to house his extensive collection of memorabilia – and some donated by fellow collectors – constructed behind the family home. He was able to return to Iraq with the confidence that his family had a safe, comfortable, debt-free home in which to live. This was a great comfort to him, especially in light of knowledge that his return was not a sure thing.
Regardless of how you feel about the Civil War or the war in Iraq, this story is an illustration of how a thread of the past continues to run through our future. God was working in the lives of people in during the Civil War… and He is working in our lives today. We are all participants in one long story that started before Adam and Eve were formed in the Garden of Eden and will continue into Eternity. When we think all is lost… when we think the “framework is rotten,” God steps in and shows us how He can take the foundation and rework it into something to continue for future generations. When we see people whose lives are turned upside-down by illness, injury or war, we see God restore with transplants, artificial limbs, skin grafts, hearing aids and eyeglasses, chemo treatments, and more… and send His children back into the world to continue to further His kingdom.
God is still on the throne! God is still working. Where we see hopeless situations and “rotten wood,” He sees the bigger picture and a chance to “flip our house” into something of value and purpose. So what is rotten in your world today? Where is God pulling it all together and expanding His universe? Are you paying attention, or are you in the way? Search your heart and see where God is remodeling YOUR “house”!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 11 ~ Matthew 5:14-16
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
A few years ago, I wrote a book called “What to Say and Do… When You Don’t Know What to Say and Do.” I wrote this book in large part because people were often saying to me, “Well, I would love to do something for So-and-So, but I just don’t know how – I never know what to say.” The people making these comments were quite often what I considered “good Christian folks” who were active in their church and kind, caring people. But because they felt inadequate or inept, they missed opportunities to “let their light [for Christ] shine” – and they missed a chance to be blessed in the bargain.
In my book, I outlined several situations that might feel awkward - everything from illness and death of a loved one to happy events like birthdays and anniversaries. I made dozens of suggestions for ways to show you care, things to say, and what NOT to say and do. Almost all of it was just common sense things, but when we get in a situation where we feel intimidated, we don’t often use our heads, do we? And while we should call on God to help us figure it out, we usually just wring our hands, shrug our shoulders and blow it off... “I can’t do it… that’s just too tough to handle!”
I’m here to tell you that you can handle anything with God! He has called you to be a “Light for Christ” and to let that light shine. That means calling on Him for strength and courage, stepping up and stepping out, and blessing others in Jesus’ name. In our house are a couple of lamps that we have set on timers, so that they come on during the day/evening and stay on until well into the night. They are just little corners of light to keep our house inviting and cozy, and we never come into a dark house. What about your own life? Are the “lamps of Jesus” on in you? When people meet you, do you welcome them and invite them to share in His love, or is your “house” dark? Jesus is calling us today to “turn on the light and let it shine”! Are you ready to kick off the bucket?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 10 ~ Matthew 5:13
"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When my grandmother was in the hospital, her dietary chart was flagged as “no salt” due to her heart problems and high blood pressure. At home, she salts pretty much everything – probably twice! – so she was not a happy camper without any salt. She asked me one day, “have you ever tried to eat food without any salt? It’s awful!” She sent me on a mission to find her salt, and I confess, I did it! I figure at 95 years young, if she wants salty food, she should have it! And I have to agree that salt can often make or break the taste of food and whether we enjoy it. Salt often brings out the flavor of the food and makes it much more pleasurable.
Now suppose I had taken my grandmother packets of what was labeled as salt, but it was actually a placebo, and it didn’t enhance the flavor of the food at all. Would she have been happy? Would the food have tasted any better? If I had told her it was salt when it indeed was not, would she have trusted me and believed me in the future?
So it is with our daily walk with Christ. We are to be His “salt”. We are to enhance the “flavor” of Christian living – to do all we can every day to make others’ lives better… and to spread the message of Jesus and His grace and mercy. If our salt has lost its “saltiness” – if we have slacked off in our daily walk with Christ, we can’t be effective as His disciples. We must stay fresh! We must stay awake and alert and be the “salt of the earth” for Christ. How’s your flavor these days?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 9 ~ Matthew 5:11-12
"Not only that - count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens - give a cheer, even! - for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
“Jesus freak”…”Bible thumper”…”Holy Roller”… “Charismatic”…”prude”… “goody-two-shoes”… “weirdo”… have you ever been called one of these names or something like it because you are a Christian? Have you ever been criticized for your faith? My friend Boyd made the comment that he really didn’t want to give up his “pagan” friends when he became a Christian, but then he realized it wasn’t an issue because they didn’t want to be around him! And what this passage tells us is that this is a GOOD thing! It means that these people realize, on some level, that what they are doing or how they are living could stand to improve. They are uncomfortable around you because they are reminded of their sinful nature.
So what do you do when people alienate you or put you down or try to discredit you? You pray for them. You love them. A very wise older man in our community used to say, “love people… just love ‘em.” And you know what? It works! People can’t stand it when they try to hurt you and you won’t let them! People can’t understand a grace and mercy that would allow you to be kind to them and even be happy in spite of their mistreatment. There is an old saying that “you get more flies with honey than vinegar” – and the same is true about for Christians. Being ridiculed for loving and serving God is an honor and a privilege… and how you react can be one of the greatest forms of witness you will ever experience.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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March 8 ~ Matthew 5:10
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.”
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Honestly, I can’t say I have ever been persecuted because of my commitment to God. But I know there are those who have been. Have you ever heard of Corrie Ten Boom? In 1943-44, the Ten Boom family hid Jews from the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) in their Haarlem, Netherlands, home and helped them get to safety via a “Dutch underground.” According to a page on www.corrietenboom.com, “on February 28, 1944, this family was betrayed and the Gestapo raided their home. The Gestapo set a trap and waited throughout the day, seizing everyone who came to the house. By evening about 30 people had been taken into custody! Casper [the father], [sisters] Corrie and Betsie were all arrested. Corrie’s brother Willem, sister Nollie, and nephew Peter were at the house that day, and were also taken to prison.
Although the Gestapo systematically searched the house, they could not find what they sought most. They suspected Jews were in the house, but the Jews were safely hidden behind a false wall in Corrie’s bedroom. In this "hiding place" were two Jewish men, two Jewish women and two members of the Dutch underground. Although the house remained under guard, the Resistance was able to liberate the refugees 47 hours later. The six people had managed to stay quiet in their cramped, dark hiding place for all that time, even though they had no water and very little food. The four Jews were taken to new "safe houses," and three survived the war. One of the underground workers was killed during the war years, but the other survived.
Because underground materials and extra ration cards were found in their home, the Ten Boom family was imprisoned. Casper (84 years old) died after only 10 days in Scheveningen Prison. When Casper was asked if he knew he could die for helping Jews, he replied, ‘It would be an honor to give my life for God's ancient people.’ Corrie and Betsie spent 10 months in three different prisons, the last was the infamous Ravensbruck Concentration Camp located near Berlin, Germany. Life in the camp was almost unbearable, but Corrie and Betsie spent their time sharing Jesus' love with their fellow prisoners. Many women became Christians in that terrible place because of Corrie and Betsie's witness to them. Betsie (59) died in Ravensbruck, but Corrie survived.
Four Ten Booms gave their lives for this family’s commitment, but Corrie came home from the death camp. She realized her life was a gift from God, and she needed to share what she and Betsie had learned in Ravensbruck: "There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still" and "God will give us the love to be able to forgive our enemies." At age 53, Corrie began a world-wide ministry which took her into more than 60 countries in the next 33 years! She testified to God’s love and encouraged all she met with the message that "Jesus is Victor."Content © Corrie ten Boom House Foundation, E. Smith.
I honestly don’t know if I could be as courageous as the Ten Booms. If I were tortured because of my faith, would I stay strong, or would I cave? What about you? Clearly this persecution drove the Ten Booms deeper into relationship with Christ, especially Corrie Ten Boom. She is like the “poster child” for staying faithful in religious persecution. But what makes her any different from us? What did she have that we don’t? I hope we are never challenged in this way. I hope we are never persecuted… in ways great or small… for our faith in Jesus. But if we are troubled… if we are challenged in any way, I pray that we will remember the Ten Booms… and the promise of God’s blessings… and remain faithful and strong.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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