July 22 ~ Jeremiah 33:2-3
"This is God's Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.'
(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 friend was telling me recently about his work with a life coach. He said the coach had given him an “assignment” – to write down 100 of his accomplishments. My friend was stunned… “One hundred? He asked. The coach replied, “I could have asked for five hundred – and you have that many and more!” He went on to explain that even the things we take for granted, like learning to swim or ride a bike, are accomplishments. I said to my friend… “You know, we could take that one step further. We could also say that these are accomplishments made possible by GOD, and to downplay them or take them for granted is really an insult toward Him.” My friend agreed completely.
See, fail to recognize so very much of what God does for us – and we set tremendous limits on God because of our attitude. We give no thought to so much of what He does for us. Yet, by contrast, we assume that “this can’t happen” or “that will never change,” because we fail to recognize the limitless abilities of our GOD! Just look a butterfly that floats atop the flowers in your yard - or the hummingbird at a feeder. Look at your children… your pets and the intricacies of the color pattern in their fur… the way a wilted plant refreshes after being watered… and then tell me that God has limits!
The limits are OURS. Stop and think about this… God will tell us marvelous and wondrous things that we could never figure out on our own. But are we willing to let Him? Can we step aside and put our faith in God long enough to see Him work? Our pastor said recently that we should jot down our prayer thoughts – people and situations for whom we are praying. Then we should look back at these sometime later and see how many prayers God answered… and look at the incredible ways in which He worked. I know it seems too simple, but if we call to God, He will answer us. I don’t know about you, but "marvelous and wondrous things" sound pretty incredible to me. In the language of Facebook, I would “like” this! Wouldn’t you? Are you willing to do what is necessary… will you call to God and trust Him to answer? And will you recognize His handiwork in your life?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 21 ~ 1 Cor 1:18-25
The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written,
I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots.
So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb - preaching, of all things! - to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle - and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself - both Jews and Greeks - Christ is God's ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness."
(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 in high school, I really loved geometry. At the same time, geometry frustrated me on several levels. I loved the challenge of the proofs, but there were times when I had a problem I simply could not seem to solve… at least to my teacher’s satisfaction! In geometry you have to take an equation and solve it… but you have to “show your work.” You have to use a “proof” to explain, based on several theorems (or mathematical laws), how you got to the answer. Sometimes the answer I got was right, but the “proof” was wrong! That’s when I got frustrated.
This passage is telling us that a lot of people want hard proof of God’s existence… and of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. They want to be shown, beyond a shadow of a doubt, exactly how we are going to be forgiven of our sins and spend eternity in Heaven with God. For that matter, some want Heaven itself to be proven to them. Statements like “Look around at all of nature and the beauty and intricacies of life and tell me there is no God,” and “I know Jesus has saved me because I have faith and trust in God’s word to be true” are considered “weak” or “lame.” Some skeptics have to have physical proof… hard evidence or a “sign.”
But we who are Christians know that our faith is not geometry. All of the “proofs” in the world do not affect the promise of salvation and Eternity in Heaven. Jesus is the Son of God, sent to earth to live among man and die on a cross for his sins. The grave could not contain Jesus… He rose to sit at God’s right hand. Try as you and I might to prove all of this beyond dispute, people will continue to shoot holes in our evidence. Until they are ready to “believe and receive,” our faith will never make sense to them.
So what are we to do? How do we convince others to give their heart to Jesus? I believe the best way is by living out our faith every single day. We have to live in such a way that others want what we have… not in a bad or jealous way, but out of a sincere desire to be filled with the joy, grace and mercy of our loving Lord. We have to live in a way that shows others that God handles everything for us… and we trust Him to do just that. We have to live in a way that says to others, because God loved someone like me enough to die for my sins, I am encouraged and inspired to share love with others in any way I can.
I don’t know where you are today in this equation. I don’t know if you agree with me and accept Jesus as your Savior based on sheer faith and the promises of the Bible. Or maybe you are one of the skeptics who is saying, “Where is the proof?” I do know that my worst day walking with Jesus Christ is better than my best day without Him. I believe that God is real… that Christ is His ultimate wisdom and miracle all wrapped up into one. I look forward to spending eternity with God one day, and in the meantime, I want to serve Him however, wherever, and whenever I can.
I pray that you would consider carefully the message of the Cross. Don’t make this so complicated… the beauty of salvation is just how simple it is! Sincerely trust in God… humbly and honestly invite Jesus into your heart and ask for forgiveness of your sins. I believe you’ll get your proof… when Jesus comes into your heart, you will know that you know that you know Him, and He will be the real deal for you. The first step is yours… are you willing to take it?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 20 ~ Jeremiah 32:26-30
Then God's Message came again to Jeremiah: "Stay alert! I am God, the God of everything living. Is there anything I can't do? So listen to God's Message: No doubt about it, I'm handing this city over to the Babylonians and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He'll take it. The attacking Chaldeans will break through and burn the city down: All those houses whose roofs were used as altars for offerings to Baal and the worship of who knows how many other gods provoked me. It isn't as if this were the first time they had provoked me. The people of Israel and Judah have been doing this for a long time—doing what I hate, making me angry by the way they live." God's Decree.
(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.)
We really don’t have to look very far to see people for whom stress is a way of life. I am thinking in particular of a lifelong friend of my mother’s who seems to always have about nine family crises happening at once. Her household includes her husband and a grandson, her elderly father, other relatives who visit frequently, a number of pets - and on any given day, trips to the ER, accidents so bizarre you couldn’t make them up, and a variety of challenging situations. Did I mention she was the recipient of a life-saving liver transplant two years ago? And yet, she seems to thrive on this chaos. Notice I didn’t say she enjoyed it, but I think we would worry if she telephoned someday and said nothing was wrong!
So what is her secret? How does she manage in such turmoil? She stays focused on God. Even while waiting for a liver transplant, she debated whether to miss her Bible study in a nearby town, knowing if she got “the call” it would add extra minutes to her drive to the hospital in Memphis. She has always been a woman of faith who trusted God to see her through every challenge – and He has!
I could cite examples of other people who face extraordinary challenges and obstacles each and every day yet remain positive and upbeat… and steadfast in their faith and trust in God. See, these people know what we should all know… that nothing is too big for God to handle. They understand that whatever “battles” we have, God will fight them for us… if we will let Him. We don’t have to figure things out for ourselves… often we couldn’t anyway. All we have to do is trust God and say, “This is yours, Lord. If you want me to do something, show me. But otherwise, I’m letting you handle this.”
I promise, for every challenge, illness, accident, struggle, disappointment, battle, and question you have, God has an answer. Some of us are “circling the drain,” so to speak, but God can rescue us. He will not let us “go down the tubes,” unless we choose to do so. We can choose to let Him save us. Obviously, this doesn’t mean all of our troubles will be over, but it does mean everything will be okay. There will never be something we can’t handle with God’s help – the key is to include Him. What about you? Have you asked for help… or are you still trying to do things on your own? Isn’t it about time you “let go and let God?”
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 19 ~ Romans 8:26-28
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something 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.)
In our house I have several lights that are on timers. The little clock ticks all day and night, and at specific times, the lights come on and go off. I don’t do anything – but these timers work in the background so that we have illumination in certain places at specific times.
There are times when I spend an hour or more a day (or evening) just sitting somewhere quietly and talking to God – praying for my family and friends and the situations of the day. Sometimes I even make lists and pray over them. But lately, I find that my prayers have been more on the variety of the “wordless sighs and aching groans” that Paul talks about in this passage. As situations arise throughout the day, I find that I am simply saying, “Thank you, Jesus,” for this or that… or “Help me, Lord,” in specific situations.
Sometimes I will hear about a person who has a specific need, and I will speak a prayer at that moment for the person. By the end of the day, I realize that I have talked to God off and on all day, but I have not set aside a specific time for quiet, contemplative prayer. And I’ll admit, sometimes, I just have to say, “Oh, Lord… YOU know!” and rest in the fact that He DOES know what I need better than I do. I’ll admit, it often bothers me that I came to the end of another day and didn’t take time to sit quietly and meditate with God… or to intercede. I wonder… am I that disjointed or “busy” that I can’t sit for awhile in the presence of my Heavenly Father?
But this scripture has renewed my faith and encouraged me. Even when I am not satisfied with my methods for communicating with God, the very fact that I do communicate pleases Him. God understands this season in my life… He knows better than I the “whys and wherefores” of my life, and He is creating the best possible outcome for me and others. I know times of quiet meditation will come again. But most importantly, I know that in the meantime, God is still with me – He still hears me. Like the timers we have on the lighting in our home, God is working to make sure that we are properly “illuminated” and that our prayers are heard – and answered.
If you are communicating with God - even in groans and sighs – He is hearing you. He will work all things together in your life for good, even when you are tired and discouraged. This is incredible news… this is our HOPE and our promise! Be encouraged… keep communicating with God… and watch Him work!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 18 ~ 1 John 1:8-10
If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins - make a clean breast of them - he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God - make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance 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.)
Recently we watched the movie Flywheel. This movie was produced by the same group who made Facing the Giants and Fireproof. The production quality is not that great (they tell you right at the start they spent $20,000 to make the movie!), and the story is a bit corny in spots, but it’s still worth your time. Basically, this is the story of a used-car salesman who is fairly successful – but at the expense of his customers. For a couple of years, he operates on the theory that he is providing a good living for his family, and that whatever people are stupid enough to believe – and/or pay – is their problem, not his.
What he comes to see is how he is not only cheating his customers… he is cheating himself, his family, his employees – and GOD! I don’t want to give away the whole story, but let’s just say that this salesman learns some tough lessons about how God operates. He learns that it is never too late to change… that even when WE think everything is in such a mess that there is no way out, GOD can make a way. When we give our situation – and our very lives – over to God and let Him do what HE wants with us… amazing things happen.
I’ll admit that this movie oversimplifies things - not all situations have an easy, happy ending where everything is perfect in an instant just because we turn our lives – and our messes - over to God. For some of us, the road back may be long and filled with struggle and tremendous effort. But in the end, the results will be worth it. I’m not saying that we will all live in a nice house with a picket fence and the perfect family and life. But when we live for God and give Him full control – complete rule over our life – He will meet our needs and bless us in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. Open your heart and mind to the possibilities. Commit your life and all that you say and do to God… and watch what happens. I promise… it’s gonna be amazing!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 17 ~ Joel 2:28-32
"And that's just the beginning: After that -
"I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters.
Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions.
I'll even pour out my Spirit on the servants, men and women both.
I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below:
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Judgment Day of God, the Day tremendous and awesome.
Whoever calls, 'Help, God!' gets help.
On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be a great rescue - just as God said.
Included in the survivors are those that God calls."
(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 our 25th wedding anniversary, my parents and my 9-year-old niece brought us a cake, and we celebrated together. We reminisced about the wedding and how things had changed in a quarter century – the clothes we wore and how stylish we thought we were at the time. My niece said, “I want to see the video!” We laughed and explained that in 1974, there was no such thing as “home video” – at least not as we know it today. She was amazed, and I’m sure she thought we adults were all ancient!
This made me stop and think about how many advances we have made in the world in just my lifetime. I can remember when we first got air conditioning and when my grandparents got a COLOR television! Many of you may not remember rotary dial telephones, reel-to-reel tape recorders, slide projectors, or filmstrips in your classrooms! And if I look at my grandmother’s life, I realize that in nearly 97 years, she has seen us go from horse-drawn wagons to space shuttles, those old wooden box telephones on the wall and party lines to cell phones and Skype, cooking on a wood stove to microwaves, slate chalkboards for writing lessons in the classroom to texting on hand-held devices, and more!
For all of the changes that we have witnessed in the last century, there is one thing that never changes… God’s promises. Everything God has ever said He would do has happened. Every person who has asked for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit has received it. Whoever calls “Help, God!” really does get His help! In essence, there really isn’t anything new under the sun… or I should say, under The SON! Yes, technology improves and changes. But the basic needs and challenges of man do not. And GOD doesn’t change. He still cares for us just as He did those foretold by the prophet Joel. He still answers when we call… He still pours out His Spirit on us.
It is important that we stop and think about this. The most vital aspect of our lives – our relationship with God – never changes… and hasn’t for thousands of years. When everything seems impossible… when challenges seem too big to handle… we can look to God and remind ourselves of His consistency! Day in and day out, He is with us, answering us, blessing us and meeting our needs… and that will never change! Praise be to God for His amazing, unending grace and mercy over us. Let us never forget how He cares for us!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 16 ~ Joel 2:25-27
"I'll make up for the years of the locust, the great locust devastation—
Locusts savage, locusts deadly, fierce locusts, locusts of doom,
That great locust invasion I sent your way.
You'll eat your fill of good food. You'll be full of praises to your God,
The God who has set you back on your heels in wonder.
Never again will my people be despised.
You'll know without question that I'm in the thick of life with Israel,
That I'm your God, yes, your God, the one and only real God.
Never again will my people be despised.
(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 played a video game where the deeper you got into the game, the faster opponents and objects came at you? I’m thinking of a game on my laptop called “Otto’s Magic Blocks.” The object is to use your arrow buttons to bounce a character from one block to another until every block is lit. Sounds easy enough… but there are little “gremlins” that pop up along the way. You have to figure out – in a big hurry! – how to maneuver around these “gremlins.” And you have limited time and three “strikes” before you are “out” and the game is over.
If you finally manage to conquer Level I, you work on Level II, which has a more complicated block pattern, and more “gremlins!” As you manage to progress through the levels, everything gets more complicated, and the “gremlins” keep on coming. The games can be fun, but also frustrating – and even maddening. You want to overcome and make it to the next level to make up for the feelings of frustration and irritation along the way!
Sometimes our life is like “Otto’s Magic Blocks” – frustrating, challenging, maddening at times, and filled with “gremlins.” Like the years of the locusts that devastated and just kept on coming in scripture, our hours seem like they are filled with one thing or another to complicate our lives at best… and devastate us at worst. But GOD can restore us. He can conquer any “gremlin.” He can set us back on our feet and fill us with His blessings. And He will do just this. No matter what comes our way… no matter what “gremlins” or “locusts” challenge, madden, or devastate us… GOD can make up for it. Focus on Him. Stay strong in Him, and know that He will make it all right again. God will bring you through to the next level. With God, it’s “game over… you win!”
©2009 Debbie Robus
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