13-14 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, "I'm the one who needs to be baptized, not you!"
15 But Jesus insisted. "Do it. God's work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism." So John did it.
16-17 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God's Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Just a few Sundays ago, many of us gathered on the shores of Sandy Beach and witnessed the baptism of eight young people who had committed their lives to Christ. Most of these children were about 12 years old. Family and friends gathered to the tune of 50-75 people, I’d guess. The pastor called each child to come forward individually and said, “Somebody say something nice about this person.” He especially asked for comments from their parents. Some of the mothers were so overcome with emotion they could not speak. More than one dad choked back tears as he talked of his child and how precious he/she was to him. Clearly these children are the love and delight of their parents’ lives.
More importantly, though, is that each child there… and indeed, each PERSON on the beach that day, is marked by the love and delight of our Heavenly Father. He loves each and every one of us as dearly as He loves His only Son, Jesus Christ.Baptism is often referred to as an outward symbol of an inner commitment. But baptism is much more than this. Baptism represents burying our “old sinful self” and rising with Christ into a new life filled with His Holy Spirit. Baptism also symbolizes that we now belong wholly and completely to God, and we are HIS forever… chosen and marked by His love… the delight of His life. Does it get any better than that?
Do we HAVE to be baptized to receive the Holy Spirit and God’s love and delight? Absolutely not! Baptism IS just symbolic. The KEY is to take the steps that lead to baptism – to give your sinful heart to God, to be washed clean with the blood of Jesus Christ, and to allow His Holy Spirit to fill you and make you a new creature in Him. If baptism is a follow-up to this, that’s great. If the opportunity to be baptized is not available to you, God will still love you. He will still claim you and delight in you.
Are YOU one of His chosen, marked children? Have you taken the steps to be one of God’s beloved? If you have not, I pray you will get in touch with someone who can lead you through the steps… someone who can pray with you and “do God’s work,” as John the Baptist did. If you ARE a believer already – if the Holy Spirit lives in your heart, are you seeking opportunities to “do God’s work” and win others into the Kingdom? The time has come for each of us to step up our efforts, to be more bold, and to do more work. Are you up to the challenge?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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August 27 ~ Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
18-20 After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.
(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.)
If you read the entire 5th chapter of Ecclesiastes, you will better understand this passage. Solomon is explaining to us that we spend too much time griping and complaining about what we don’t have, materially, and how to get more of it. In a nutshell – he is referring to money and wealth. We all know people who are faced with a really hard life, and they are ready and willing to tell us how hard and rough it is! We also know people who have an equally hard, rough life, but the average person would never know it. They make the most of what God has given them and realize that in all circumstances and situations, God is with us and will supply our needs.
I know there are times when we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. I see families who are enduring financial hardship, illness, strife between family members, and jobs that tax the body and barely pay the bills. And I see how this comes together to crush their spirit and weight them down. Yet I see other families who seem to have one trouble and trial after another heaped upon them, and they continue to smile and forge ahead, praising and worshipping God and blessings others in the wake.
What makes the difference? It’s all a matter of faith and perspective. Paul tells us in Philippians 4 that “I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” That is such good advice for all of us. We CAN make it through anything with God. We don’t have to have money – or even health, family and friends around us, and a fancy home. We don’t have to have designer clothes or a fast car. All we have to have is Jesus – and all we have to do is keep our focus on HIM. God will handle the rest.
It’s all a matter of perspective and faith – how is yours today?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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August 26 ~ Matthew 2:7-12
7-8 Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, "Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I'll join you at once in your worship."
9-10 Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!
11 They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
12 In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.
(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 went an estate auction. The estate was that of a man who had attended church with us, and I had known him all of my life. He was a man of incredible integrity and kindness, and a deacon in the church. As I looked through the items for sale, I was drawn to the bookshelf, where I found a copy of The Confession of Faith he had been presented when he became a deacon. I also found a copy of The Book of Common Prayer. In it are scripture “lessons” to be used as inspiration for morning and evening prayers. Honestly, if you read all of these scriptures every day and prayed morning and evening, you would spend a LOT of time in prayer each day! And that would certainly be a good idea for all of us!As I looked through the scripture for evening prayer for today, I found this particular passage. I was struck by two times the scholars listened and paid attention. First, the scholars were told to follow the star in the eastern sky and it would lead them to the baby Jesus, and Matthew notes that they were in the right place at the right time. Isn’t that often the case when we listen to God? Doesn’t He lead us to the right place at the right time, if only we will pay attention? And so often, when we do NOT listen, don’t we end up way off track?
The other thing the scholars paid attention to was the dream… which kept them from returning to Herod or sending word about the baby Jesus, which would have been disastrous. God used dreams a lot in Old Testament times and even after Christ’s birth. And sometimes, He may even use dreams to warn us today – to give us that “uneasy” feeling that causes us to question our choices. More often, it is that “still small Voice” that whispers to you inside your head. “Do you really want to do that?” “Should you say that?” “Should you go there?”
It is so important that we tune in to God and His message for us. We must always be attentive and seeking Him and His word for us. To do otherwise could have disastrous results. Stay awake and alert! Pay attention! God is speaking to us – do you hear Him?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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August 25 ~ Philemon 1:8-20
8-9 In line with all this I have a favor to ask of you. As Christ's ambassador and now a prisoner for him, I wouldn't hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I'd rather make it a personal request.
10-14 While here in jail, I've fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter - Onesimus! He was useless to you before; now he's useful to both of us. I'm sending him back to you, but it feels like I'm cutting off my right arm in doing so. I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I'm in jail for the Message. But I didn't want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn't willingly agreed to.
15-16 Maybe it's all for the best that you lost him for a while. You're getting him back now for good -and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That's what he was to me - he'll be even more than that to you.
17-20 So if you still consider me a comrade-in-arms, welcome him back as you would me. If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account. This is my personal signature – Paul - and I stand behind it. (I don't need to remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?) Do me this big favor, friend. You'll be doing it for Christ, but it will also do my heart good.
(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 are no doubt wondering why I chose to include this passage. At first glance it seems a little quirky, I know. Who is this Onesimus guy Paul is talking about and saying he “fathered” in prison? Well, really, this passage is about forgiveness. Paul didn’t literally father Onesimus, but they grew to be close friends while both were in prison, and Paul is obviously much older and considers himself like a father-figure to the slave, Onesimus, who must have done something pretty bad to land in prison. According to information I gathered from NetBible.org,
- “Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon, who was a wealthy citizen of Colosse, and a prominent member of the church there. Onesimus was still a heathen when he defrauded his master and ran off from Colosse. He found his way to Rome, where evil men tended to flock as to a common center, as Tacitus tells us they did at that period. In Rome he came into contact with Paul, who was then in his own hired house, in military custody.
What brought him into contact with Paul we do not know. It may have been hunger; it may have been the pangs of conscience. He could not forget that his master's house in Colosse was the place where the Christians met in their weekly assemblies for the worship of Christ. Neither could he forget how Philemon had many a time spoken of Paul, to whom he owed his conversion. Now that Onesimus was in Rome--what a strange coincidence--Paul also was in Rome.
The result of their meeting was that Onesimus was converted to Christ, through the instrumentality of the apostle. His services had been very acceptable to Paul, who would gladly have kept Onesimus with him; but as he could not do this without the knowledge and consent of Philemon, he sent Onesimus back to Colosse, to his master there.”
The point of this passage and including it for you is to show you that people CAN and DO make mistakes, but people CAN and DO change. We all know someone who has made bad choices. And maybe they have hurt a lot of people in the process, like YOU! But it is not our place to judge them and/or condemn them. IF the person has sincerely tried to make things right and to do better, we must embrace that and forgive them and move ahead. I never said this would be easy, but if we want to please God, we have to be willing to forgive and to be compassionate and loving to ALL who love the Lord and sincerely serve Him. We have to leave the past in the past.
And while I am beating this drum, you might want to back up into Titus and read Paul’s words about forgetting genealogy. We can’t say, “Well his daddy was this way, or her momma always did such-and-such, so what do you expect?!” NO! We have to consider everyone on their own merits… “generational curses” CAN and ARE broken by people who truly surrender their sins to Jesus Christ. So just because someone’s family history included a “legacy” of one sin or another doesn’t mean that this person will continue that. With God’s help – and with a humble heart, the person CAN change and be redeemed.
One last thing… remember that we are all sinners, every one of us. And while our sins may not seem as big to us as the other guy’s, they are every bit as big to God. And who among us doesn’t want to be forgiven, embraced, welcomed, and given a second chance. So while you are asking forgiveness for your sins, ask for compassion for the other guy. Remember to share God’s love with him or her, and do your heart – and God’s – well!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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August 24 ~ Titus 3:3-8
3-8 It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come - an eternity of life! You can count on this.
(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.)
Have you ever gotten in your car to go somewhere and realized that the last time you drove it was down a dusty road? Or maybe it’s springtime, and your vehicle is covered in a haze of yellow pollen? Makes you sort of feel dirty all over, even inside your car, doesn’t it?! You can’t wait to get to the car wash and get all of that nastiness rinsed off and see the paint sparkle and shine again.
That’s a really good example of how God must feel when He cleanses us from our sins. We must look pretty sad to Him – all dirty and covered in a layer of nasty filth… grime and pollen and dirt and mud from our stupid, stubborn, sinful ways. But He washes us clean, gives us a new life in Him, and we are shiny and sparkly and pure in His eyes. Amazing, isn’t it?! Truly, becoming a clean, new creature in Christ is as easy for us – if not easier – than running your vehicle through the car wash! Because of the generous grace and mercy of our loving Lord, we can invite Him to come into our hearts and fill us with His Holy Spirit, and it’s a “done deal!”
So what shape is your “vehicle” in these days? Are you due a “car wash”? Do you need to turn to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of something and wash you clean – make you shiny and sparkly again? You know He will do it … there is NOTHING you can’t ask of Him and NOTHING you can’t confess. Don’t go around with a “dirty vehicle” any longer. Restoration is just a prayer away! Isn’t it time for you to “come clean” with God?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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August 23 ~ Titus 2:1-8
1-6 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.
7-8 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.
(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.)
Here’s the deal… your mission, should you choose to accept it (and you HAVE chosen such by becoming a Christian)… is to lead by example. Yes, you need to speak the truth and share your faith in Jesus – and His message of salvation. But what good is all of that if you share one message and live out another?
I am reminded once again of a dear friend of mine who has now gone to heaven. Betty Ray was a darling, bubbly little lady who lit up a room with her smile and her laugh. One Sunday, I found myself standing behind Betty as we lined the aisle of the church to participate in Holy Communion. I locked my arms around Betty and gave her a big ole hug.
A year or so later, when Betty was very ill and battling cancer, I visited her at home, and she said, “You may not remember, but one Sunday you hugged me as we stood in line to take Communion, and that made my day! I have never forgotten it.” Honestly, until that moment, I had forgotten… but that simple gesture of love and friendship had meant the world to her. Something that seemed as natural to me as breathing had far more significance to my friend Betty… and I will never forget her or that experience.
I guess I am a “hugger” and didn’t know it! Just lately, another widowed lady in our community told my mother-in-law, “I just love Debbie… she always hugs me when she sees me.” I guess I do… I really had never thought about it. This little lady is also very sweet and it just seems like a natural thing to hug her when we meet in the store or at a yard sale.
Have I told you this week that people are always watching you?*lol* Something as simple as a hug may say to someone else –“ I care about you”. And as they look at your life and how you are living and conducting yourself, they may realize that you love with the love of God. Your hugs and love and honorable conduct are an outpouring of the love, grace and mercy that God shows to you… and believe me, others who see “the real deal” in you will want it for themselves!
Show all God has given you in your own example. Be solid and sane in your words and actions… share God’s love with others. Hug somebody! You never know who you might influence. You might make someone’s day… and you might just gain another soul for God’s Kingdom in the process!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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August 22 ~ Titus 1:1-4
1-4 I, Paul, am God's slave and Christ's agent for promoting the faith among God's chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it. My aim is to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end. This is the life God promised long ago - and he doesn't break promises! And then when the time was ripe, he went public with his truth. I've been entrusted to proclaim this Message by order of our Savior, God himself. Dear Titus, legitimate son in the faith: Receive everything God our Father and Jesus our Savior give 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. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Can you imagine starting out a letter or an e-mail message to someone you know this way? Can you imagine beginning with “Hey there… I am God’s slave and Christ’s agent. It’s my job to get the word out and to give people hope in Jesus Christ. God promised us Eternal life and sent His only Son to die for our sins so that we could be entitled to spend eternity with Him. God sent ME to tell you this. So ‘believe and receive’ this message!” “Are you kidding me?” you are probably saying. You would probably check out a message like this on Snopes.com or something, wouldn’t you?!
But isn’t this message really a “proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” in a nutshell? Doesn’t it pretty well say everything? And when you drill it down, isn’t this what we should be saying to people every chance we get, whether in e-mail, by notes and letters, by the example of our life, and in person when we speak? How often do we miss out on even the simplest of opportunities to share Jesus and His message with others? How hard would it be to say, “God loves you – He has not forgotten you” to someone who is hurting? How difficult is it to tell someone you are praying for them? What could it hurt to stand up to someone who says “I am an atheist, agnostic, Wiccan, (or other non-Christian belief) and say (kindly, of course!), “Well, I am a Christian – my sins were bought and paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross, and I am planning to spend eternity in heaven with Him… and YOU can, too!” What is the worst that can happen? Isn’t it worth risking someone laughing, or walking away, or even a little ridicule?
As Christians, we have been given a tremendous privilege… but also a huge responsibility. We are each one of us an agent of Jesus Christ on this earth… and a servant of the Most High God. Are we acting like one? Shouldn’t we be?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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