July 14 ~ 1 Corinthians 8:10
For instance, say you flaunt your freedom by going to a banquet thrown in honor of idols, where the main course is meat sacrificed to idols. Isn't there great danger if someone still struggling over this issue, someone who looks up to you as knowledgeable and mature, sees you go into that banquet? The danger is that he will become terribly confused—maybe even to the point of getting mixed up himself in what his conscience tells him is wrong.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
This is where “the rubber meets the road” so to speak, in the life of Christians. There are so many things in our culture that are “not all that bad,” but for some, particularly non-believers or those not grounded in their faith, they can be a slippery slope. Take some of the latest movies… they have a demonic theme or condone immorality in some manner – or the language is just exorbitantly profane. Now, for those of us who are grounded in our faith, maybe we can watch these things and sift through the garbage and be entertained without being sucked into the underlying messages. Or can we? You know, all it takes is just the tiniest crack in the window for the devil to enter. I’m reminded of the view out my window toward the valley below. Sometimes, when the summertime clouds are just right, there is a bright “V” of light off in the distance, where a small triangle of trees and the landscape are illuminated, while the rest of the valley lies in shadows. In practically the blink of an eye, that landscape can change and everything can be shaded.
That’s how it is with us. We “think” we can watch movies with a demonic or “dark” theme and not be affected. We think we can listen to bands that have an unGodly message and profanity and not catch ourselves repeating the lyrics. We think we can hang out with people who are engaged in illegal and/or immoral behavior, and because we don’t participate directly, we’re okay. But Paul reminds us that there is danger for us to become confused, or complacent, and soon we are right in there with the others, doing the very thing we didn’t want to do!
So we must be really smart and alert. We must guard against getting into situations where there is even a chance of temptation. For Christians, the phrase “Don’t go there!” is HUGE! Where are you “going” these days that you need to leave behind?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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July 13 ~ 1 Corinthians 8:8
But fortunately God doesn't grade us on our diet. We're neither commended when we clean our plate nor reprimanded when we just can't stomach it. But God does care when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a fellow believer still vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown off track.
(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 our nephew was small, he came to visit his grandparents, and my mother-in-law served corn on the cob. She didn’t have any of those little skewers that you put in the ends to hold the cob while eating, and my nephew cried. Not understanding what was wrong, this then 4-year-old tried to explain that “that’s now how my mommy does it!” My mother-in-law improvised with toothpicks, and shortly thereafter, we got her some “official” corn-cob-shaped “handles” for her next serving! Did these skewers make the corn edible? Not really, although they were helpful in giving a 4-year-old a “handle” for his corn cob. But in the scheme of things, did this matter? No. And as with many things in our life that seem important to US, they are not on the radar screen for furthering God’s kingdom.
BUT… hanging out with your friends and drinking too much, or doing drugs… driving under the influence… even overeating and laying around like the ultimate “couch potato” and becoming overweight and unhealthy… any of these things that abuses your body displeases God. Why? You are to be an example to others of how to live the fullest, best life in Christ Jesus. When you abuse your body… when you live a life that is unhealthy – and sometimes illegal or immoral – you are not showing others how to live their best life for God. And remember, people ARE watching!
So while God may not care if you have a Snickers bar or an extra piece of pie once in awhile, He does care if you live in a way that disrespects your body – AND His gift of it! God doesn’t care if you eat your meals on a paper plate or the finest china. He doesn’t care whether you have skewers or toothpicks for your corn on the cob. He doesn’t care if you dye your hair or bleach your teeth. But He DOES care how you treat your body in general, and He does want you to respect yourself and shine as an example to others. He wants you to show them how to treat God’s creations like the temples He meant them to be. So, how are you doing? What shape are YOU in these days, and how is your example to others?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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July 12 ~ 1 Corinthians 7:20
Stay where you were when God called your name. Were you a slave? Slavery is no roadblock to obeying and believing. I don't mean you're stuck and can't leave. If you have a chance at freedom, go ahead and take it. I'm simply trying to point out that under your new Master you're going to experience a marvelous freedom you would never have dreamed of. On the other hand, if you were free when Christ called you, you'll experience a delightful "enslavement to God" you would never have dreamed of.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I was reminded of a scene from an old movie – Shenandoah – about a widower (Jimmy Stewart) and his family who live in Shenandoah, Virginia. This movie is set in the Civil War era, and the man’s young son - “Boy” - finds a Confederate cap while fishing one day, and he starts wearing it. When Union soldiers show up at the farm and see the boy in the cap, they refuse to believe he isn’t truly a Confederate Rebel, and they take him prisoner. They tell a slave on the farm – Gabriel – that he is now free. Gabriel doesn’t understand that term. He asks the widower’s daughter, Jennie, what it means to be free. She tells Gabriel this means he can go wherever he wants. Ultimately, Gabriel joins the Union Army, and ironically, he encounters “Boy” and saves him – the slave “frees” the young boy!
Where am I going with this? This slave didn’t know anything else, and he was probably treated pretty well in Shenandoah. So, when someone said, “You’re free,” he didn’t know what to do with that! He wasn’t even sure he wanted to be free, but he had to try… to go wherever he wanted, as Jennie encouraged him. And we may be pretty comfortable in our sin-filled life. Things may seem to be going our way, and it may be scary to think of giving all of that away to be “free” in Christ. And yes, it may even seem that giving your heart to God means becoming His “slave” and giving up your freedom.
But I assure you, this is not the case. New worlds will open up to those who truly surrender to Christ. I have said this before, but it bears repeating… I didn’t know what freedom was until I completely gave myself over to Jesus. Everything I feared I would “lose” was nothing compared to what I gained. It is a heady thing to be able to say, “Lord, if I lose EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in my life from me, it won’t matter as long as I have YOU!” It took me a LONG, LONG time to say that – and MEAN IT! But for me, that act of submission was the beginning of truly LIVING. What about you? Are you teetering on the fence… afraid to give up what you believe to be your “freedom” for a life of “slavery” to God? Don’t be afraid. Don’t waste another minute! Do it today, and learn, like Gabriel, what it really means to be free. See where God takes you and how amazing the ride can be!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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July 11 ~ Romans 8:18-21
18-21 That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.
(Scripture from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever waited a long time for something, and when it finally happened, the experience was even better than you ever imagined? Paul is telling us in this passage that for every time you have had this experience, it pales in comparison to how meeting Jesus will be. No matter how glorious and wonderful and awesome you believe Heaven will be… it will be all of that and more! And knowing this should make all of our trials and struggles on earth easier to bear.
So… the next time you are “feeling poor” and your pockets are fairly empty, think of heaven and the jewels and riches that await you there… and keep on “keepin’ on” for Jesus. The next time you are sick and your body betrays you with aches, pains, diseases and dysfunction, think of how whole you will be in Heaven… your new, perfect body God will bless you with there… and praise Him for all He is doing in your life. If your friends desert you, your marriage falls apart, or you lose a loved one, think of the arms of Jesus wrapping softly around you and drawing you close… imagine the fragrance sweeter than fresh air itself and the total bliss you feel as you cradle in the arms of your Lord… and feel a renewed strength and courage to carry on another day, knowing this reward will be yours someday.
In other words, remember Philippians 4:13, which reminds us that we can do all things through Christ Jesus, Who gives us strength (paraphrasing mine). Remember that NOTHING you can imagine can compare to how grand it will truly be when you reach Heaven. Meanwhile, do EVERYTHING you can to assure that you get there someday. Live for Jesus! Stay faithful! Share the Gospel with others! And get ready for joy and freedom beyond what you could ever imagine!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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July 10 ~ Romans 7:4
So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to "marry" a resurrection life and bear "offspring" of faith for God. For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious. In the end, all we had to show for it was miscarriages and stillbirths. But now that we're no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we're free to live a new life in the freedom of God.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.
You have probably heard the saying that “The definition of insanity is… doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” And isn’t that how we live our lives quite often. We are, honestly, somewhat insane, running around and around on the wheel of life, just like Satan’s gerbil… doing things we know are wrong – sinful – and feeling badly about them (but not badly enough!), or even asking God to forgive us and help us. Then we get back on the wheel and start all over. Talk about being stuck in a “dead-end job!”
We have to get off of this “wheel” and exchange the oppressive shackles of Satan for the loving arms of Jesus. And it really is just that simple – and at the same time, just that hard. Because Satan has made that little “wheel” of sin look pretty attractive, and I know sometimes it seems like nothing will ever be as good or as fun or as exciting as the life he offers. But honestly, it’s not a life at all… it is a sentence and a prison and a hopelessness, because nothing ever really changes. Nothing ever really gets better… there is no gain… no prize.
BUT… with God, ALL things are possible. The hardest step is the first one… that leap of faith that HE truly is going to make your life better. And I won’t tell you there will never be another “bump in the road” – or even a time when you feel like you are running in circles… but God is your ticket to get off that merry-go-round and start to truly live. So what’s keeping you? Wouldn’t you rather be free?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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July 9 ~ Romans 6:19
I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?
(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 I was little, I had a toy top. It was made of tin, with a wooden handle that had some sort of spring-loaded action. When you held onto the wooden handle “knob” and pumped up and down, you heard the mechanism inside whirring, and the round metal base of the toy started to spin on its point, and when you let go, this beautiful, bright-colored piece of metal spun around on its axis across the room… at least for a few seconds.
As the momentum started to disappear, the top started to wobble from side to side and “spin” erratically, until it was really teetering and wandering aimlessly in all directions. Then it fell to the ground – “crashed and burned” so to speak. And isn’t that how we do so often? We are “on top of the world” and our colors are bright, and our spin is perfect, and we whir through life thinking we are free. But our “freedom” depends on the “spinner” of the top… whomever or whatever pumped that handle and made us spin. If our “spinner” was Satan, we won’t spin very long before we crash and burn, because he really doesn’t care about our ride, as long as we keep coming back for another. But if GOD is our “Spinner,” the ride is liberating – and eternal! And instead of bright reds, blues and yellows on our top, someday He will change those to golds and silvers, diamonds and rubies!
I know it seems like we are all “spinning madly” most days… but the key is to ask yourself, “Who is at the controls?” If Satan is spinning your world, you will forever be trapped. But if God spins, you win – your freedom, His love and grace, and a spot in heaven for all eternity. Pretty much a no-brainer, isn’t it?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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July 8 ~ Romans 6:15
[ What Is True Freedom? ] So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!
(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.)
There is a game on my computer called “Otto’s Magic Blocks.” Have you heard of it? The concept is similar to the old “Pac-Man” in that you have these blocks, and you have a little guy who bounces from block to block, and there are land mines and gremlins that pop up, and the object is to bounce onto every block without being hit. The first round is fairly simple, but as you go up to the next level, as with most games, it gets harder and harder, and by Level 3, I am struggling to beat all the gremlins and get across the board! You get somewhere around 3 chances, and then you are out – game over! Well, you know what that means – you have to try again… and again… and again… and soon, an hour has gone by (or more), and then of course, once you conquer Level 3, you want to do Level 4 at least once!
I’ve learned that the smartest thing for me to do is NEVER open that game and start playing! I become a “slave” to beating the gremlins, and I waste time. Oh, sure, I build dexterity, and maybe strengthen my hand-eye coordination and even work my brain as I “strategize” about the best route to take to avoid being obliterated. But what do I really gain by spending time trying to beat a little pink monster on my computer screen?
And so it is with our sins and the devil, but on a much bigger playing field. We cannot think for one minute that because we gave our heart to Jesus, He will allow us to do whatever we please, whenever we please and forgive us for anything sinful we do. And it is so easy to fall into sin… by Satan’s design. So, we do something sinful, and we quickly ask God to forgive us, but like the game, we decide that one more time won’t hurt – for old times’ sake, maybe. But that one time turns into another, and another, and soon we are right back where we started - Satan’s slave - continually sinning and feeling bad and running to God and begging for His forgiveness. Stop the madness! Get off of the vicious roller coaster and give it up to Jesus. There is HUGE freedom in that. I know it sounds too easy, but just “let go and let God.” “Be still and know that I am God,” we read in Psalm 46:10. When was the last time you were still and let Him work?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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