March 21 ~ Revelation 3:20-21
"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!”
(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 stopped by to visit a friend or family member to find that they were just sitting down to a meal? More than once, haven’t they said, “Pull up a chair and eat with me!” Whether you stayed or not, didn’t that make you feel welcome – and included? Didn’t you feel like you were important – like you belonged?
Imagine you are passing by a restaurant, and you peer through the window and you see people you know inside – friends and/or family members. They are eating and fellowshipping and enjoying their meal. And they see you – you are quite sure of that – but they don’t acknowledge you at all. It is as if you are not even standing there. Imagine how that would feel. Imagine if your mother or father looked at you – and right through you – and did not invite you in to enjoy the meal and sit at the table. Imagine how sad, empty and heartbroken you would be.
Now picture God’s table of honor. Your friends and family members who believe in Jesus are there… they are eating and talking and laughing. They are obviously happy beyond expression… honored, delighted… thrilled! You want so badly to be a part of the celebration… to revel in the glory of sitting alongside our Jesus… and you can! It is truly so very easy. All you have to do is commit your heart to Him now… live for Him and serve Him completely – NOW!
When the day comes that He returns to gather His conquerors over sin, you will be right there in the thick of things.
Don’t even “go there” to the window on the outside. Don’t allow even a whisper of a chance that you could be left standing on the other side of the window. Find joy each and every day in knowing that you are living in a way that secures your seat at His table. Some days will be harder than others… but keep focused on the future… the Eternal future… and your place at the Lord’s Table forever and ever. Armed with this knowledge and promise, you are equipped to handle anything! Do everything you can to prepare to pull up a chair and eat with fellow believers at the Lord’s table!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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March 20 ~ Revelation 3:11-12
"I'm on my way; I'll be there soon. Keep a tight grip on what you have so no one distracts you and steals your crown. I'll make each conqueror a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, a permanent position of honor. Then I'll write names on you, the pillars: the Name of my God, the Name of God's City - the new Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven - and my new Name.”
(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 were ever a Boy Scout or Girl Scout, you remember how hard you worked to attain badges that signified certain achievements or accomplishments… levels of knowledge and skill in a variety of subjects. I remember pouring over the Girl Scout manual and studying the requirements for particular badges. Some were easy, while others were very hard and time consuming. Some almost seemed out of reach… and those were the ones I seemed to want the worst! It was always a special day when I received a new badge to sew on my sash.
Imagine it… when Christ comes again, He will honor each of US by writing the names of God, the New Jerusalem (God’s city), and His own new name on us. These names will be our badge of honor and signify that we did the work, fought the fight, conquered sin because of Jesus, and lived for Him. I’m telling you, THESE are the “badges” I want to receive! Notice I didn’t say “earn,” because I don’t believe we can earn them… Jesus bought and paid for them on the cross when He died for our sins. BUT… in order to receive them, we must live for Him… we must keep a tight grip on our salvation so that we are eligible to receive these rewards. Did I mention we will get a crown, too? It just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?!
The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America are great organizations. They build strong character and help young people develop mentally and physically into wonderful adults. But scouting badges will not get a person into heaven. Only accepting Jesus and serving Him will do… and we will spend our entire earthly LIVES working on these rewards. This is so worth the time and energy. It is so worth our faithfulness – our service on this earth. The prize is a permanent position of honor… a pillar with the Holy names of God and His Son written upon us. What are you working toward today? Is this YOUR goal? Jesus is on His way… will you be ready?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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March 19 ~ Revelation 3:5
"Conquerors will march in the victory parade, their names indelible in the Book of Life. I'll lead them up and present them by name to my Father and his 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. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
If you have ever watched “The Price is Right,” you know that when the announcer says “C’mon down,” and calls a person by name, they sometimes go a little nuts! They are so excited to hear their name and be chosen to compete, that they yell and scream and run down the aisle like they are on fire. And the contestant who comes closest to the actual price of the item shown is even more excited as he/she is chosen to come up on stage and vie for an even bigger reward. But the BIGGEST reward can come at the end of the show for some lucky contestant who has persevered and played the game well. Boats, houses full of furniture, cars, trips and more can be attained. But truly, this IS just a game… and in many ways, the contestants are more than a little lucky.
As Christians, we are lucky, too… but life on this earth and our eternity is NOT a game. There are striking similarities… if we live for Jesus, some day He will call us by name to “C’mon down” and be presented to Almighty God and His angels. If our name is in the Book of Life, we will not only be called to the altar before God, but we will be given an Eternity at His table in heaven. Our “prizes” will be the mansion and rewards He has prepared for us there… eternity in the presence of our Morning Star, Jesus Christ… healthy, whole bodies reunited with our loved ones who have preceded us. Thinking about how glorious it will be is almost overwhelming. And I like to think that we will run to Jesus yelling and screaming and “going nuts” like the contestants on a game show!
On the television game show, if the price is right, you get to go forward. Our spiritual life is NOT a game, but how well we live – and WHO we serve – determines if we move ahead. The “price” has been paid… and it was right on the money. No guessing is required, no games must be played… all we have to do is invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, and then live for Him. Sounds like a bargain to me! I’m working toward the day when I hear, “C’mon down” and get to revel in the glory of God and His angels. Aren’t you?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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March 18 ~ Revelation 2:25-28
"The rest of you Thyatirans, who have nothing to do with this outrage, who scorn this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity, be assured I'll not make life any harder for you than it already is. Hold on to the truth you have until I get there.
"Here's the reward I have for every conqueror, everyone who keeps at it, refusing to give up: You'll rule the nations, your Shepherd-King rule as firm as an iron staff, their resistance fragile as clay pots. This was the gift my Father gave me; I pass it along to you—and with it, the Morning Star!
(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 heard someone say, “What if there is no heaven? What if we lived this ‘Christian’ life for nothing, and we missed out on all the fun?” Or maybe you have heard someone say, “He/she is just ‘sewing some wild oats.’” This passage is warning us against “playing around with the Devil.” Profundity refers to something that is deep and far-reaching. I assure you, the Devil is both deep and far-reaching, but not in knowledge and wisdom! When he tricks us into thinking we have time to fool around with sin… or that we might be “wasting the times our lives” living for Christ, he is LYING!!!
This passage spells out the reward for remaining faithful and loyal to Christ… we will conquer the devil’s hold on our lives. He will not rule us or defeat us. We will be given the same strength to defeat HIM that God gave to Christ. AND… we also get Christ himself… the Morning Star… in the form of the Holy Spirit who will be our constant Companion and Comforter.
So……here’s the deal… if we stay focused on Jesus… if we remember that His Holy Spirit is with us always, all of the tricks and temptations and LIES that the devil hands us each day will fall away and be broken like fragile clay pots. We can call on God to arm us with everything we need to defeat Satan every minute of every day. Rest assured that there is no “fun” on earth that is worth risking eternity in heaven. It can’t compare anyway. Know that He is God… know that He has made us… we are HIS people… we are HIS sheep. God is watching over us and preparing great things for us. In the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart asks Donna Reed, “What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.” Jesus is offering us so much more than the moon. Hang in there and live strong in Christ… say the word, and God will give you the Morning Star!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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March 17 ~ Revelation 2:17
"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'll give the sacred manna to every conqueror; I'll also give a clear, smooth stone inscribed with your new name, your secret new name."
(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 been talking to someone – either in person or on the phone – and you felt like they were not listening? Have you ever asked, “Are you there?” or “Are you listening to me?” Seven times in Revelation, we find the phrase, “He that hath ear, let him hear…” (or in The Message, “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words…” It’s as if the Apostle John is saying “Are you listening?”
So what, exactly, are we supposed to hear? First, every person who gives their heart to Jesus and allows Him to conquer sin for them will receive “sacred manna” – heavenly food… SPIRITUAL food that is far more filling than anything we can eat on this earth. God has promised that to those who remain faithful.
Has anyone ever called you by a special name… a name nobody else used for you? I’m not talking about a four-letter name – I mean a special name of endearment that has meaning just for you and the person who uses it. For others to use this name in referring to you would almost be invasive and hurtful. It is private – a “code” between you and the person. God has promised to give us a white stone (which signifies purity and innocence and privilege, among other things), and that stone will contain our new name… a name known only to God. This name will be special – meaningful because it is secret – written on the white stone and shared between you and God!
When you stop to think that God has a special, secret name for EACH ONE of His children – every single soul who has committed their heart to Christ – it boggles the mind, doesn’t it? To think that God has this capacity is overwhelming. To think that He is saving special names and Holy food for us is better than anticipating ANY other gifts! And all of this is on top of HEAVEN itself!
So as we go through hard times… as we struggle with issues like money, school, health, joblessness, rearing children, losing loved ones, conflicts and wars and a world seemingly out of control… remember what awaits us. Focus on your future with God and the gifts He is preparing for you – the sacred manna and the secret name – and heaven itself. Live each day in a way that prepares you for this future. Keep your eye on the prize. “He that hath ear, let him hear.” Are YOU listening?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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March 16 ~ Revelation 2:10
"Fear nothing in the things you're about to suffer - but stay on guard! Fear nothing! The Devil is about to throw you in jail for a time of testing - ten days. It won't last forever.
"Don't quit, even if it costs you your life. Stay there believing. I have a Life-Crown sized and ready for 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.)
On page 107 of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life, he says that “The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant.” On page 111, Warren says of the psalmist David… “he believed God would let him say what he felt and still love him.” On page 110, he says, “The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found.”
Well into my early adulthood, I believed that challenging God was a sin, if not out and out blasphemy. I wasn’t to question GOD! I wasn’t to ask Him why things were happening… I was just to accept them as “God’s will.” For a long time, I did not question when challenges came, and especially in times when I didn’t feel God’s presence. And that was pretty frustrating and confusing. I’ve always known that God’s ways are perfect – as is His timing. But it took a long time for me to realize that in times of pain and suffering, holding onto my faith was a form of worship.
Even more frustrating have been times when I felt distance from God. I knew in reason He didn’t leave me, but as Warren says, sometimes He seems a little AWOL. In Isaiah 45:15, we read “Clearly, you are a God who works behind the scenes, God of Israel, Savior God.” (MSG) Warren explains that during these times of seeming “absence,” our faith in God is strengthened. We learn to depend on Him and trust Him apart from our feelings… to truly experience God completely. I will tell you, this is a challenge for me. When you are reading the Bible, praying, studying God’s word through books by Christian authors and meditating on Him, and yet you feel a distance from Him – an “unsettled spirit,” – it is hard to remain faithful.
But just like when one works out and lift weights and seem to get nowhere fast, we must hold on and persevere. We must stay positive and confident that results will come. Our joy in the Lord will return and our hearts will be full… and we will have grown in the process. Every step we take on this earth can be a building block for our eternity in heaven. We may experience times of loneliness, and the costs may be high… but the end result will be so worth the struggle. How are your “exercises” going these days?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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March 15 ~ Revelation 2:7
"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'm about to call each conqueror to dinner. I'm spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God's orchard."
(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.)
Family dinners are a big part of my heritage. From the time I was a child, my family – all of it – gathered each Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day for gargantuan meals. Every holiday food you can imagine was represented, and adults and children, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and sometimes close friends gathered to stuff themselves silly. We “grazed” all day and then warmed leftovers for dinner as if we had not just eaten! As our family dynamics have changed in recent years, the family dinners have pretty much gone by the wayside. But we have fond memories of those “glory days” of gluttony and fellowship!
One year I had surgery shortly before Thanksgiving Day, and I was unable to travel the ninety miles to my parents’ house for the holiday dinner. I remember my parents telephoning us shortly before the noon meal, and I could hear the laughter and conversation of guests in the background… the doorbell as more arrived… and I could almost “smell” the turkey and dressing! Knowing we were missing out on the fun and festivities made me sad. It wasn’t about the food as much as the fellowship… the distance between us was profound – like a deep canyon – and it was a hard day. Trust me, we did not go hungry that day, as our neighbors brought us not one, but TWO of their own family’s Thanksgiving dinners. But the food did not quite make up for the missed fellowship.
When I think of this, I think of what it would be like to know that God was having a banquet dinner for His children… and I was not included. Sure, every food imaginable would be served. We are talking GOD and Heaven here! But it’s more than that – the fellowship of being in His presence… the beauty and bounty of HIS table… the glory of sitting in the company of fellow believers at the feet of our Heavenly Father – to miss this would be more than I could bear. I know that this banquet is coming. I am as certain that this is a sure thing as I am that I am breathing! I am certain I am on the guest list – and I plan to be there! Everything I do between now and that day, I hope will glorify God and get me one step closer to the party!
I am serving the devil with notice… BRING IT ON! Give me your best shot, if you must, but know this… I will NOT fold. My ears are awake, and I hear the “wind words” of God calling to me. I got my invitation, and I hope each day I live out my R.S.V.P. I am a conqueror in Christ, and I’m preparing for His banquet table. Are you?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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