July 31 ~ Romans 8:1-2
With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
(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.)
From our living room windows, we have a rather unique vantage point during many thunderstorms. Because our house is perched on a bluff, we can see out into the valley below us, and as a wall cloud moves over, we can clearly see the line of demarcation between clear weather and the storm. After the storm passes, we can sometimes see the backside of it in the form of a fluffy white cloud mass, sometimes spewing lightning bolts throughout those clouds or even toward the ground. This is a great visual image of our life of sin versus the life in Christ. Sin is like the dark storm cloud that drifts over us, delivering rain, wind, hail, lightning, thunder… and fear! The Holy Spirit is the strong wind behind this storm wall that drives it past us and brings the clear skies and crisp, clean air. He refreshes and washes away all of the darkness. We no longer need to be afraid… this Spirit will stick around and protect us! The bright sunshine of the Holy Spirit will shine within our hearts and give us peace and hope.
The next time you see a thunderstorm pass… when you see the dark, foreboding wall cloud… think of it as your sinful past. Recognize the stormy turbulence that sin brings to our lives. Realize that the cloud will pass, and the skies will brighten and turn blue and sunny again. Recognize that Jesus has done this in our own lives… if we have surrendered to Him. He has given us His Holy Spirit to reside within our heart… to blow away the dark cloud of sin. It now looks like a fluffy cloud line on the horizon, as the Spirit continues to move this darkness farther away from us.
Take time today to thank God for giving us His Holy Spirit. Thank Him for blowing away the dark cloud of sin and replacing it with the clean air and bright sunshine of His Holy Spirit. Celebrate in your own heart that you have “weathered the storm” of sin and chosen to live in the clear skies of serving Jesus and walking with Him each day. Thank Him for clearing the air… and breathe deeply of His love.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 30 ~ John 8:14-18
Jesus replied, "You're right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I've come from and where I go next. You don't know where I'm from or where I'm headed. You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don't make judgments like that. But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn't make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father. That fulfills the conditions set down in God's Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses. And that is what you have: You have my word and you have the word of the Father who sent me."
(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 to a haunted house on Halloween, and someone took you into a pitch-dark room and plunged your hand into a bowl of what they told you was “guts and eyeballs”? In actuality, it was spaghetti and peeled boiled eggs or great big olives. But admit it… for a minute, you really thought of guts and eyeballs, didn’t you? You decided according to what you could touch. When the lights came on and you saw the spaghetti and boiled eggs or olives, you had a completely different take on things, right? You made your first judgment out of the narrowness of your experience. Someone could stand beside you in the dark and say, “It’s really just spaghetti and boiled eggs,” but you would have to make a choice as to whether to depend on that statement being the truth or not. Largely, your decision would depend on how well you trusted that person.
How well do you trust God to tell you the truth? How much do you believe in the truth of His word? So much of what we read in the Bible is about people and events we cannot see and touch. We trust that Jesus is real… that the Holy Spirit lives within us… based upon feelings and faith. But we have never physically seen Jesus as a man. We were not physically there when He was crucified on Calvary or rose from the grave.
Recently, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of man’s first steps on the moon. There are some who claim this never happened… that it was all fabricated in a movie studio somewhere and broadcast to the masses. I watched Neil Armstrong take these first steps… on my family’s black and white television set. I believed – and I still believe today – that this really happened. How do I know for sure? I wasn’t there… I didn’t experience it firsthand. But I trust that it happened, just as I know without being there that the World Trade Center towers were hit by hijackers on 9-11, e-mail messages travel through cyberspace to reach my intended destination (usually!), and the Lakers won the 2009 NBA Championship!
We eagerly accept so many things on the word of others or limited information. We assume that events we see unfolding on television or read about in the newspaper or on the Internet are truly happening. We stand ready to trust so many people and situations as completely honest and real. Yet we are often unwilling to trust in the word of God. We are often hesitant to take Jesus at His word… to believe that the promises of God for our lives are the real deal. Why is that? This is not spaghetti and boiled eggs or olives representing guts and eyeballs… this is the word of God, spoken over our lives to lead us to righteousness and an Eternity in His presence! Isn’t it about time we started believing? Isn’t it about time we started trusting in GOD? We have His word… what else do we need?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 29 ~ Mark 10:41-45
When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John. Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served - and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."
(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 see this over and again. People love to assume authority. It’s human nature. That’s why parents are sideline coaches at Little League and high school ballgames. This is why political appointees are quick to step to the podium and say, “I am in charge here.” This is how elected officials come to feel they are above reproach. I’ve been reading lately about yet another “religious” group who believes that “men of power” are selected by God because of their wealth and power… and any sins or indiscretions they commit will be overlooked because we need their leadership and power! I know – this is SCARY thinking, right?!
Maybe some people need Mark 10:41-45 plastered on their foreheads! God is not calling us to be “the boss!” Even Jesus came to earth serve others, in part, so why do we think we deserve to be served in any way, shape or form? True servanthood doesn’t include being able to do whatever we please – whenever we please – because we are “God’s servants.” In fact, just the opposite should be true. If we are really God’s servants, we will do whatever pleases GOD… whenever it pleases Him… and it will not be about us in any manner.
On the Walk to Emmaus, there are dozens of people who serve in all capacities… from those who help with talks and discussions and serve as ministers and lay leaders to those who help with music to those who prepare food in the kitchen. But there are also those who pray – continually - during the 72-hour weekend. There are those who carry luggage and make beds and create agape (love gifts) and those who work behind the scenes to organize the entire event. A Walk to Emmaus is a great model for true, Godly servitude. “Leaders” are no more vital to this event than the kitchen person who takes out the trash and makes the morning coffee. No musician or minister is more powerful than the person who prays for the Walk and those who attend. Persons who attend a Walk to Emmaus are in no way more powerful or Godly than someone who doesn’t. But hopefully they understand the blessings and responsibilities of servanthood a little better after their Emmaus experience.
Anything done in God’s name for another person is powerful. Many of the smallest gestures, if done in the right spirit and with the love of Christ, have more impact and are more pleasing to God than preaching an amazing sermon, creating and performing incredible praise and worship music, or donating thousands of dollars to a church and its missions. God does not approve of anyone throwing his/her weight around in the name of serving Him. He rewards the quiet, small servitude of those who humbly minister in His name. Where do you fit into this equation? Are you power hungry, or is your heart that of a Godly servant? Being a Godly leader is important… but we must all be His servants first. The real road to greatness begins with servanthood. Are you on this road?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 28 ~ Matthew 7:3
"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
(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.)
Ouch! This passage is a little painful for most of us, isn’t it?! Most of us have a very bad habit of passing judgment on others. It’s that “If I ran the zoo” mentality of thinking we know what is wrong with everyone else – and how to fix them! But the truth of the matter is that we are all just as mixed up and messed up as the other guy. None of us is perfect. None of us is sinless. We are all human, and as such, we are subject to mistakes, idiosyncracies, and failures.
Things are not always as they seem. When my maternal grandmother was in the nursing home, she spent nearly every moment that my mother and I were there complaining about something… the food, the care, she wanted to go home, this hurt, that didn’t feel right… the list was endless. Yet we would meet people in the store or at church, and they would say, “Your mother/grandmother is such a joy. I visited her recently and we had a great time together. She was joking and laughing, and simply a delight to be around.” Really? Had they visited the same person we visited? Obviously, my grandmother painted quite a different picture for others than she did for us!
But isn’t that how life is in general? We see things one way, while others see them quite differently. So for us to judge others based on our limited knowledge is unfair at best, and downright sinful in many cases. We wouldn’t want others “painting us with such a broad brush,” would we? If we knew what others were thinking of us, we might be quite hurt and upset… because their opinions were formed without all of the facts and circumstances of any given situation.
We need to focus on keeping our own lives in order, on track and more Godly. We need to focus on what God wants us to do and on loving others in His name – warts and all –rather than finding fault… in others or ourselves. Focus on what is good and right – what pleases God and furthers His kingdom. GOD will take care of the judgment… He will set things right and create circumstances to correct our errors and sins. This is not our job! We need to focus on Jesus… focus on loving and serving Him. We need leave the reprimanding to The One who has the facts and the authority to judge and reprimand! We may want to run the zoo, but we are not "The Zookeeper"!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 27 ~ Matthew 5:25-26
"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won't get out without a stiff fine.
(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 don’t have to look very far to find people who are holding a grudge against someone for one thing or another. Recently, someone asked me, “What’s the deal with So-and-so? Why doesn’t he/she get along with Such-and-such?” My answer was “This feud has been going on so long that I honestly don’t know how it started… and I’m not sure the parties involved even know any more.” It gets to the point where some people are just mad or fighting to be mad or fighting!
I have a friend who likes to say, “Build a bridge – and get over it!” “Build a bridge” has become something of a running gag between us. But truthfully, this is what the Scripture is telling us. Build a bridge… and get over whatever is troubling you. It may not be easy to swallow your pride and take the first step, but the end result is well worth the effort. This is how families of murder victims reach out to the murderer. This is how parties in a divorce become friendly – if only for the sake of children or other family members. This is how nations get along after their previous generations have ravaged each other in war.
Sometimes, the hardest relationships to mend are those that are closest… our family, our dearest friends, our co-workers. But God is calling us to make the first move – to set things right between ourselves. The alternative might not actually result in jail time or a fine, but it may feel like it deep in your gut! Don’t let anger, resentment, bitterness – offense – eat away at you. Step out in faith and extend your hand and the love of Christ within you… and see what happens. At the very least, your conscience will be clear. Build a bridge and get over it. The other person may not choose to come along, but the structure is in place.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 26 ~ Matthew 5:8-12
"You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
"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.)
Suppose you were at a party, and some of the others in attendance handed you a gun and said, “We’re gonna rob a convenience store. You can either go with us, or you can leave now.” You would leave, right? Suppose you were at the party, but instead of handing you a gun, these people handed you a joint or a pill and said, “You can either get high with us or leave.” Would you still leave? What if you were under legal drinking age, and someone handed you a beer, a glass of wine, or an alcoholic beverage. Would you drink it… or would you leave the party?
As Christians and as moral, upstanding citizens, we wouldn’t think of robbing a bank or convenience store. But would we feel the same way about cheating on our taxes or taking home paper clips and pens from the office? When someone comments on our Facebook page with an obscenity, we would hopefully remove it at once … but what if that same comment contained a racial slur or even the hint of disrespect toward another person, or a comment that contradicted our faith? Would we leave it – and leave others to wonder where we stood? Would we delete it and say nothing? Or would we challenge the comment – kindly of course – and let others know we do not agree with the statement? It’s one thing to avoid hurting someone else’s feelings by deleting their comments or post… but it’s quite another to even give the impression you approve of obscene or unkind comments.
I will be the first to admit this is a slippery slope – and it has probably cost me a “friend” or two in the bargain. For instance, the Internet has become a rather accepted venue for people to spew all sorts of venom – and some of it in the name of Jesus! So when I receive e-mail that is disrespectful toward our President, or unkind (and in some cases, downright obscene) toward a political leader or even a celebrity, or voices a moral or political opinion with the assumption that I agree and support it (and I don’t feel it lines up with my faith), I have to respond. Usually, I let the sender know (nicely) that I do not agree with these comments and would appreciate not receiving them in the future. In most cases, the person stops… whether he/she agrees remains a mystery. In a couple of cases, the sender sent even MORE material, and I had to hit the “block” button.
The point is, standing up for your faith in Jesus and for His teachings is not always easy or popular with the people you hang around each and every day. Some of them even feel that they are doing and saying things that please Jesus! But the bottom line is that, with Christ, there are no gray areas – no “either or” situations. We must all search our hearts, seek God’s word and His will, and then act accordingly. Cheating is cheating, lying is lying, spite is spite.
If choosing to do the right thing costs us an earthly friend or two but gains us the applause of Jesus, this is a small price to pay for His approval and pleasure. Sure, we are blessed when we cooperate with others and attempt to “keep the peace” – but not if it means compromising our values and going along with things that don’t line up with the word of God – or even the law (like underage drinking or leaving obscene comments on our Facebook wall) . Store up your treasure – and your popularity – in heaven by doing the right things and making good choices here and now. Hang tough in your faith, and be blessed forever and ever!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 25 ~ Mark 12:29-31
Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these."
(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 know this passage… we sing about it in church… “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind… and with all your strength.” And if someone asked us, “Do you love the Lord?” we would probably not hesitate to say, “Absolutely! Of course!” But let’s break this down… when we ding the car door and don’t say anything to our parents or our spouse, are we loving God with all our heart? When someone gives us an extra $10 bill when making change, and we consider it our lucky day – do we love God with all our mind? When someone irritates us and we are “snippy” in return, are we loving God with all our soul? When “life” knocks us down, and we choose to stay there and wallow in our pity and that of others… have we loved God with all our strength?
See, loving God completely means counting on Him to see us through any and every situation. Loving God completely means respecting and revering Him in even the smallest of things, like admitting a car ding. And I haven’t even gotten to loving others as we love ourselves, which is the second part of this passage! If we treated others like we want to be treated, a whole lot of things would be very different in this world!
We need to take a long, hard look at this passage and examine every aspect of our lives. We need to think about the things we say and do – how we act and react to people and situations – and ask ourselves, “Am I loving God? Am I loving others like I want to be loved?” Unless the answer is “Absolutely – of course!” we have some work to do. How are YOU loving – and living – today?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 24 ~ Romans 5:3-5
There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
(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 am a “fixer.” When problems arise, I like to solve them… and quickly! But there are a lot of things that I just cannot fix. And there have been some incredibly valuable lessons for me in this realization. Death is one of these times. When the doctor says to you, “There is no brain activity,” or “We’ve done all we can do,” you have to accept that you are hemmed in with troubles, and there is no way out. The only option is to be patient, and wait for what God will do next.
When I heard the x-ray technician say, “Your ankle is broken,” I had no choice but to accept the splint – and subsequent cast and boot – and take a seat on the sidelines of life for a few months. The upside was that I had big chunks of time to write devos, read and study the Bible and some good books I’d been saving, and communicate with friends and family via e-mail, notes, cards and phone calls. I learned to appreciate the luxury of a hot shower and an unencumbered good night’s sleep (i.e. sleeping without a Frankenstein boot on my foot!). I was blessed with hot meals, love and concern from many wonderful people. I developed a greater appreciation for waking up healthy every day and the ability to walk across the room on my own two feet. Now, on days when I grumble about exercising, I remember that there was a time when I wondered if I would EVER be able to walk on the treadmill again, much less jog a few steps here and there. On mornings when I don’t want to get up, I think about people who can’t get out of bed, and I am humbled… and grateful!
Out of our troubles, inconveniences, stresses and struggles, God can bring us to new levels of patience, joy and gratitude. Just look back on the challenges you have already faced in life and ask yourself… “What did God show me through this?” Evaluate how well you paid attention to the blessings intermingled with the trials. Did you see them? Do you see them now?God never wastes an opportunity – to teach us AND to bless us. Sometimes we are just too busy trying to “fix” things to see that He has already done this! Don’t miss the blessings OR the lessons. Even in the worst, most tragic situation, God is still working to bring you joy and blessings. Open your heart and mind to His possibilities. Stay awake and alert - don’t miss a single thing God has in store for you!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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July 23 ~ Habakkuk 2:1-3
What's God going to say to my questions? I'm braced for the worst. I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I'll wait to see what God says, how he'll answer my complaint.
And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time.
(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 talking on the phone with a friend recently, and I was telling her about Bro. Tommy’s sermon on finding time to reflect and pray - how he recommended making notes of the people and situations for which we prayed. At a later date, he suggests we go back and read through our notes and see how many prayers God has answered… and HOW He answered them. My friend added… “yes, and see how many have NOT been answered!”
We laughed, and I kidded her about her pessimism. She said she will see a name or situation and think, “I’ve been praying about that for seven years now and nothing has changed.” But in all honesty, I pointed out to her… these are prayers that God has either not answered yet – or He has answered in a way we didn’t expect. Listen again to what scripture is telling us in Habakkuk… “If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.”
I realize more every day how badly we want to “drive the car” – and I count myself chief among those who fall into this trap. It’s time we realized that this is Satan’s trap! If he can just keep us thinking that God isn’t working fast enough – or in the right way… that our needs and prayers are not being met… he still has us in his clutches. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in Satan’s clutches – in even the smallest of ways. So I am making a concerted effort to stop this! I am really working to “let go and let God.” I’m ready for the blessings… I’m ready for the release from the burden of feeling *I* have to make things happen. I’m ready to take a backseat and let Someone else do the driving. Are you?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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