August 14 ~ Colossians 3:12-17So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ - the Message - have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives - words, actions, whatever - be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
(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.)
My niece and her daughter recently posted on Facebook that they were headed to Little Rock for some back-to-school shopping. Getting ready for another school year is a “rite of passage” for thousands of families across the country this time of year. Some states have even offered tax-free days to encourage parents to get out and spend hard-earned dollars on clothing and school supplies. And even adults are busy preparing for a new Bible study class, organizing teams for soccer and pee-wee football, and making sure they have tickets - and maybe a new Razorbacks or Panthers T-shirt – for the big games this fall.
What about our Spiritual wardrobe? Have we paid attention to the garments that God has chosen for us… compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline? Do we need to pull them out of our “closet” and dust them off a bit… maybe do a little mending and repair?
This time of year is a “new beginning” for many of us as surely as New Year’s Day. Let’s resolve NOW to let Christ’s message have the “run of the house.” Let’s make a plan – and stick to it – to let every detail in our lives be done in the name of Jesus. Imagine what a difference this can make in how things go this year if we wear the basic, all-purpose “garment” of a life fully directed by Christ!
Do you remember the fun of seeing everyone again when school/games/fall activities resume… seeing how others have changed over the summer… checking out what they are wearing this year? What will YOU be wearing, Spiritually? Will others notice a change in you? What will be YOUR basic, all-purpose garment? When celebrities walk the “red carpet” at a special event, reporters often shout, “Who are you wearing?” The celebs often answer with the name of a famous fashion designer. And while this matters to the celebrity and the designer, in the scheme of things, it really isn’t all that important. We have the option of wearing the most famous Designer in the universe! Who we choose as the designer of our Spiritual wardrobe DOES matter! So this year, Who are YOU wearing? Is Jesus your Spiritual designer?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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August 13 ~ Philippians 2:12-13
What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
(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.)
Do you know the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind?” It’s a whole lot easier to do the right thing when you know people are watching, isn’t it? When you know people are watching, don’t you sit up a little straighter and work a little harder to do your best? When you think people will see you, don’t you pay a little more attention to how you are dressed? Girls may not leave the house without makeup – for guys, maybe a clean shirt and combing hair is in order.
But at home, behind closed doors, we often drop our guard. We bum around in sweats and T-shirts. I’ve heard moms complain about kids who lie around all day and watch TV, eat junk food, and won’t even shower! But let their friends call and want them to do something, and they jump into action and clean up their act – literally!
I’m afraid a lot of us are like these kids on the couch when it comes to how we live for Jesus. Most of the time, we are pretty sloppy. When we think someone is watching - like on Sundays at church – we shower, put on nice clothes, and pretend to be the real deal. But away from church, we are totally different… if not in outward actions, with our inner thoughts.
Hear this… Jesus never leaves us. His Holy Spirit is with us, and every thing we say and do is duly noted. And even if it weren’t, why would we want to be lazy or ungrateful Christians for the One who has given us everything – even His very life? Just because you are away at school and out of your parents’ house doesn’t give you license to go wild… and just because you can’t physically see Jesus Christ every minute of the day standing beside you doesn’t mean He isn’t there. So remember… Someone is always watching! Don’t act like a fool or lie around in squalor and laziness because you think nobody sees you. Don’t do things you know you shouldn’t just because you think you are away from the eyes and ears of your parents or others in authority. Keep on doing what you should do, regardless of who is around – or as this scripture says, do more!
If you can do as much (or more!) to serve Jesus and honor Him when you are alone as you do in a room filled with people or under the watchful eyes of your parents, peers or others, you will be energized and blessed like you can’t even imagine! We’re in God’s army… and the charge is to “be all that you can be” – and more! What kind of soldier are you these days?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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August 12 ~ Ephesians 4:26-27
Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry - but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your 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.)
Thankfully, there are very few things in life that truly make me angry. I know people who are always “angry” about something, and they are no fun to be around! But there are some things – especially lately – that are happening in our country – and in the world – which make me angry. Most of these are due to misinformation and deliberate efforts by some to skew the truth and smear others. And in some cases, things are getting very nasty! This is why anger is so dangerous… it quite often leads to sin… lying, gossip, backbiting, hurting others.
So how do we deal with this? In some cases, we can get involved and try to mediate the situation. Or we can use positive resources at our disposal to speak the truth. Better yet, we can pray… for all parties involved.
If you are angry about a situation over which you have limited control (if any), like world events and atrocities, by all means, pray about these situations. You’d be amazed at how much impact your prayers can have on even these circumstances. But if your anger is directed at a more personal – or local – situation, do what you can to resolve this as quickly as possible. Make peace with your friend, family member or co-worker. Call a truce with whatever agency you feel has wronged you. Do your best to “get over it” and move ahead. Pray! Ask God to heal your heart about the situation. Do not allow your anger to fester and provide a breeding ground for sin. Satan LOVES anger, and he can use it to cause all manner of trouble. Do NOT give him this satisfaction.
Almost everyone learns Ephesians 4:26… “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath” – or in this translation, “don’t go to bed angry.” If we all check our anger at the bedroom door each night, Satan will be furious. But we will sleep like babies, knowing that God is handling our troubles AND our frustrations… and keeping us out of hot water as a result!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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August 11 ~ Ephesians 4:30-32
Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
(Scripture from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When you wake up in the morning and get out of bed, you probably never give any thought to your breathing. We all pretty well assume that we will wake up each morning and breathe! After I broke my ankle and was unable to walk for a few months, I gained a new appreciation for many things I had taken for granted beforehand. One thing that seems rather insignificant is the ability to get up in the middle of the night and walk to the bathroom. That seems like such a silly thing… until you can’t do it! While my foot was healing, it was a huge ordeal to lift my “boot” and position myself on the side of the bed… reach across the floor for my crutches - which were propped against a wall – then hobble to the bathroom. Then I had to return to bed, “park” the crutches, ease myself back into bed and lift my heavy, booted foot and try to get comfortable again. The whole process took several minutes and greatly interrupted my sleep pattern each night.
Now that you are feeling sufficiently sorry for me (!), consider this. Is your relationship with God like my little ordeal? Is it as natural as breathing – or as comfortable and easy as bouncing out of bed and moving wherever and whenever you need? Or is your Spiritual life laborious, like lugging a heavy “boot” around on your foot? Do you trudge around as a Christian as if you are on crutches that rub and chafe against your sides and slow your steps? Are you weighed down by backbiting, profanities, gossip, arguing, and grudges?
Jesus has promised in Matthew 11:30 that His “yoke” is easy and His “burden” is light. In other words, the “yoke” of Christ is the challenge of living for Him - keeping Him first in our lives. The “burden” he takes from us is our “boot” – all of the weights of the world (like arguing and grudges) can be given to Him to carry. Sounds like a fairly good exchange to me! If we focus on trading our “boot burden” for Jesus’ “yoke,” we will get better and better at living for Him. Ultimately, the goal is for this to become as natural as breathing… and this IS possible. Meanwhile, our efforts to change will please God and warm His heart… and we will feel stronger and stronger as we get fit and heal in Jesus Christ.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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August 10 ~ Philippians 2:1-8
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that - a crucifixion.
(Scripture from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
In just a few short days, school will be in session again. For some of you who are teachers, the new year has already begun. For many of you, it is about time to go back to school, and for others, fall Bible studies are starting… or another season of football! Whatever the next few months bring your way, this passage issues a challenge to ALL of us… to live for Christ. Love others with HIS love. Approach everything with the attitude that “it’s not about me… it’s all about Jesus.”
So if you are a student, love others you encounter (including your teachers) with the love of Christ. Remember that your education is a gift from God and that you are not studying for yourself… you are studying to be the most educated servant of Christ possible. If you are a teacher, coach, Bible study or Sunday School leader, remember that God has entrusted you with the instruction and nurture of your students. It is up to you to share Him with them… even in your body language, your attitudes, and how you conduct your life.
Students, teachers, parents, coaches, employees, bosses, leaders, volunteers – whatever your “position” – Jesus has modeled selfless, obedient living. He has given us a perfect example of how to live without being obsessed over getting our own advantage. He has shown us how to love and serve others with a sweet spirit – setting our own desires aside. It may not always be easy… there are just some people and situations that are hard to love – but that’s the point. If we can model this behavior even when it is unpleasant or uncomfortable, we truly do “get” what it means to follow Christ. So what will you do? Do you get Jesus?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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August 9 ~ Ephesians 4:14-16
No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.
(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 all know someone who is over age 21 but still acts like a child at times. We can all name someone who seems to have “never grown up,” although in terms of years, this should have happened a long time ago. Instead, they seem to continue to want to sponge off Mom and Dad or keep going to school to avoid getting a job. They decide to trek across Europe and “find themselves” or take a low-paying job that barely puts gas in the car while they live in their parents’ basement. Television sitcoms have fun with these sorts of characters on several networks.
But ultimately, when you think of people like this, don’t you groan – if only just a little? Don’t you think, “They need to get with it and grow up!”? The truth is, there are a whole lot of Christians who are just like this. They accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and asked God to forgive their sins, then they Spiritually “went home to their parents’ basement” and back to life as they knew it. Maybe they don’t drink or party as much now. Maybe they don’t curse any more… and MAYBE they come to church every Sunday. But that’s about where it ends.
I am reading a book by Bishop T.D. Jakes called Life Overflowing… 6 Pillars for Abundant Living. (©2008 Bethany House Publishers). In a chapter titled “Hope,” he writes “Nothing is more wonderful than knowing God! I did not say knowing about God. Many people know about God, even those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ. Knowing God is something entirely different! It is having an intimate, daily, walking-and-talking relationship with Him. Knowing God is experiencing his presence in us and moving through us at all times.” And this means, my friend, that we must grow up in our relationship with God and move out of the basement!
What about you? Where are you hanging out these days? Do you really know God? Or are you a “babe in the woods” – an “easy mark for imposters?” I pray that you will get busy learning who God really is and developing an “intimate, daily, walking-and-talking relationship with Him.” May Christ’s very breath and blood truly flow through you – and out toward others in your path.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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August 8 ~ Galatians 5:22-24
But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.
(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.)
Do you know someone who never seems to have a bad day? You know for a fact that they have struggles, worries, concerns – that “stuff” happens to them just like anyone else. And yet, they don’t seem to freak out over it, or become disgruntled or disillusioned. On the other hand, you probably know plenty of people who never seem to be satisfied… even when things are all going fairly well. What makes the difference? The answer may seem oversimplified, but here goes… the difference is whether these people are living GOD’s way or the world’s way! What does this mean, exactly?
* God’s way says, “Let HIM handle this and do the worrying while YOU focus on doing things for others, praising Him for grace and mercy, and enjoying all of God’s blessings in your life.
* God’s way says, “Find ways to be happy in your present situation – school, job, relationship and focus on God, trusting HIM to move you if/when He decides.”
* God’s way says, “Seek HIS will in all things, and LISTEN for His answers, so that you are committed to people and situations that are God’s idea, not yours.”
I will be the first to tell you that I have not always been a happy camper. There have been situations and circumstances in my life that I did not enjoy. And sometimes I neglected to trust God, and I pouted, griped and grumbled – and I was pretty miserable. But there have also been times when I relied on God during undesirable and/or unpleasant circumstances, and HE made the difference – in my attitude and the ultimate outcome.
Don’t let the world tell you that YOU can make things happen – that YOU can create your own satisfaction. Don’t let the world tell you that you have no control over your circumstances. YOU don’t have control… but GOD does! Don’t let your ego and your selfish desires keep you from truly enjoying His gifts. Let go – let GOD… give Him every single facet of your life and watch amazing changes take place!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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