Hebrews 11:32-40
What else can I say? There isn’t
enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David,
Samuel, and the prophets. Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and
because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws
of lions and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their
enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power
to chase foreign armies away.
Some women received their loved
ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they
refused to be released. They were sure that they would get a better
reward when the dead are raised to life. Others were made fun of and
beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. Still others were
stoned to death or sawed in two or killed with swords. Some had nothing
but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and
tortured. The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander
in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the
ground.
All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still
they died without being given what had been promised. This was because
God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to
reach the goal of their faith without us.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Why
do children (of any age) get cancer? Why was 33-year-old Kathryn
Steinle randomly gunned down while out for an evening stroll with her
dad in San Francisco last week? Why did so many college athletes work
incredibly hard for a shot at a pro career…only to be overlooked in the
draft? Why can college graduates not find a job in their field? Why
was a young couple in Sandusky, Ohio, involved in a car crash last
October that left the groom dead and the bride seriously injured? Why
do we have orphans, physical abuse, and animal cruelty? Why DO bad
things happen to good people?
There is no “good” answer to this
question…at least not one that we can readily wrap our brains around and
accept. But let’s look at the last two sentences in this scripture
passage again…”This was because God had something better in store for
us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without
us.” What on earth does this mean?
It would seem that OUR
faith is tied to the faith of those who have gone before us. God does
indeed have better things in store for us, but in order to fully embrace
this concept, we have to look at the examples of those who worked hard,
served well, and maybe even seemed to do everything right – or at least
to do what they believed God was calling them to do. And yet, they
never fully realized all of their earthly hopes and dreams. Maybe they
never experienced all that they felt God had promised them in this
lifetime.
I don’t know about you, but I have had a hard time with
this idea more than once…the TRUST that God really does have something
better in store for you and me. But I must believe this…because nothing
else makes sense. Surely there is more! God is too big for this
earthly life to be “it”…don’t you think? And so I study the stories in
scripture of those who served and suffered for their faith…and I am
strengthened and encouraged in my own relationship with my Heavenly
Father.
I trust that God knows best…that He does have far better
things in store for each of us in Heaven…and this gives me hope and
fortitude for my daily journey on this earth. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label Christian faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian faith. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 11, 2015
Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A dear friend of mined recently posed two questions on Facebook that were intended to spark a conversation…”When it's all said and done...what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of living?” One person replied…”One of my questions is…why is Jesus delaying his return? This world is a big mess.” This is a valid question. And I believe we find at least part of the answer in this passage from the first chapter of Romans.
In my opinion, our job is not to question why Jesus is taking so long…or even why “bad things happen to good people”. Will the answers really make us feel any better or change what is happening? I believe the more important question to ask is, “What would You have me do with this, LORD?”…and then we must trust His answer.
I know people who have endured unspeakable challenges…and done so without complaining. They have exhibited amazing calm and peace…incredible grace and courage. They have trusted God…and He has sustained them. I’ve even heard others ask of them, “How can you be so calm and collected?” Let me assure you, these people may be crushed on the inside. They may be hurting deeply - and crying out to God for His wisdom and comfort when no one else is around. But they are also trusting God to answer. And they are finding life – and its true meaning – in the process. My answer to my friend’s question would have to be, at least in part, that we are living to love and serve Christ…to further God’s kingdom and fulfill His plans – and this includes any and all “bumps in the road”.
We need look no further than the life of Jesus Christ…His torture, crucifixion, death and resurrection…to see that “bad things happen” to even the most Perfect One. So this cannot be our crutch or excuse. Clearly our faith in God sustains us – and makes us right with Him. I’m ready to go “full in” with God – to trust Him completely. I’ve seen evidence in my own life of how He is always with me…how God handles EVERYTHING when I calm down and let Him have control.
I am learning to find joy, peace and contentment in any situation through my faith and trust in God. I know that He is “making ready” my place in Heaven…and my job is to patiently and faithfully serve Him on this earth until He calls for me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A dear friend of mined recently posed two questions on Facebook that were intended to spark a conversation…”When it's all said and done...what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of living?” One person replied…”One of my questions is…why is Jesus delaying his return? This world is a big mess.” This is a valid question. And I believe we find at least part of the answer in this passage from the first chapter of Romans.
In my opinion, our job is not to question why Jesus is taking so long…or even why “bad things happen to good people”. Will the answers really make us feel any better or change what is happening? I believe the more important question to ask is, “What would You have me do with this, LORD?”…and then we must trust His answer.
I know people who have endured unspeakable challenges…and done so without complaining. They have exhibited amazing calm and peace…incredible grace and courage. They have trusted God…and He has sustained them. I’ve even heard others ask of them, “How can you be so calm and collected?” Let me assure you, these people may be crushed on the inside. They may be hurting deeply - and crying out to God for His wisdom and comfort when no one else is around. But they are also trusting God to answer. And they are finding life – and its true meaning – in the process. My answer to my friend’s question would have to be, at least in part, that we are living to love and serve Christ…to further God’s kingdom and fulfill His plans – and this includes any and all “bumps in the road”.
We need look no further than the life of Jesus Christ…His torture, crucifixion, death and resurrection…to see that “bad things happen” to even the most Perfect One. So this cannot be our crutch or excuse. Clearly our faith in God sustains us – and makes us right with Him. I’m ready to go “full in” with God – to trust Him completely. I’ve seen evidence in my own life of how He is always with me…how God handles EVERYTHING when I calm down and let Him have control.
I am learning to find joy, peace and contentment in any situation through my faith and trust in God. I know that He is “making ready” my place in Heaven…and my job is to patiently and faithfully serve Him on this earth until He calls for me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 26, 2013
John 7:38
Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.”
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.
As I write this devotional, a gentle, steady rain is falling. This time last year, we would have given just about anything for a late-July shower. Two months of record-breaking heat and virtually no rainfall had led to a landscape that appeared to be - quite literally - scorched. We were mandated to conserve water, and of course, our entire state was under a “burn ban”. Still, destructive grass and forest fires were prevalent… and devastating to plant, animal and human life. In late August, my husband and I traveled to Texas, and as we drove through an area of south Arkansas that had actually received some life-sustaining rains, the contrast in the landscape and “greenery” was distinctive – and telling.
I read through entries in my prayer journal for the summer of 2012. In mid-June, I asked God to send rain. On July 1st, I wrote, “WE NEED RAIN!” On July 2nd, I thanked God for 1½ inches of precipitation – at least in our yard! By the middle of August, I was once again asking God to send more rain. And late in the month, He delivered once again. But the blistering heat quickly erased the benefits of these infrequent showers. The drought was so serious in our area that people gathered in at least one local church to hold a prayer meeting… to specifically ask for rain!
Quite literally, we depend upon water for our very existence… and our survival. So the image of our salvation in Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him as that of “life-giving water,” is one that we can readily understand. We need His “Living Water” for our souls. We need the “hydration” of the Holy Spirit to give us guidance, wisdom, confidence, courage… and peace. And on a rainy summer afternoon as we remember a not-so-distant time without any precipitation, we find tremendous comfort in every precious drop.
Do you experience the same solace with each drop of Christ’s Living Water? Does His love, grace, wisdom, forgiveness, comfort and encouragement soothe you like a cool drink of H2O? Do you call on the LORD to provide you with “rain” for your heart and soul… or are you lost in a spiritual drought? Have you thanked God for the “rain” He has brought about in your life… and do you appreciate how truly life-giving our salvation through Jesus Christ is? Do you trust Him… for anything and everything? Can you believe that He knows far better than we do what is best in every circumstance? Do you have faith in Him to bring the “rain” that is necessary… and to care for you even in the “arid” slumps?
Is Jesus’ “life-giving water” flowing from deep inside you? Don’t you need Him in your life? Isn’t today a great day to let the Water flow…to quench yourself from the inside out, once and for all? In the words of a familiar praise and worship song, “Let it rain! Let it rain! Open the floodgates of heaven… let it rain!”
©2013 Debbie Robus
Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.”
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.
As I write this devotional, a gentle, steady rain is falling. This time last year, we would have given just about anything for a late-July shower. Two months of record-breaking heat and virtually no rainfall had led to a landscape that appeared to be - quite literally - scorched. We were mandated to conserve water, and of course, our entire state was under a “burn ban”. Still, destructive grass and forest fires were prevalent… and devastating to plant, animal and human life. In late August, my husband and I traveled to Texas, and as we drove through an area of south Arkansas that had actually received some life-sustaining rains, the contrast in the landscape and “greenery” was distinctive – and telling.
I read through entries in my prayer journal for the summer of 2012. In mid-June, I asked God to send rain. On July 1st, I wrote, “WE NEED RAIN!” On July 2nd, I thanked God for 1½ inches of precipitation – at least in our yard! By the middle of August, I was once again asking God to send more rain. And late in the month, He delivered once again. But the blistering heat quickly erased the benefits of these infrequent showers. The drought was so serious in our area that people gathered in at least one local church to hold a prayer meeting… to specifically ask for rain!
Quite literally, we depend upon water for our very existence… and our survival. So the image of our salvation in Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him as that of “life-giving water,” is one that we can readily understand. We need His “Living Water” for our souls. We need the “hydration” of the Holy Spirit to give us guidance, wisdom, confidence, courage… and peace. And on a rainy summer afternoon as we remember a not-so-distant time without any precipitation, we find tremendous comfort in every precious drop.
Do you experience the same solace with each drop of Christ’s Living Water? Does His love, grace, wisdom, forgiveness, comfort and encouragement soothe you like a cool drink of H2O? Do you call on the LORD to provide you with “rain” for your heart and soul… or are you lost in a spiritual drought? Have you thanked God for the “rain” He has brought about in your life… and do you appreciate how truly life-giving our salvation through Jesus Christ is? Do you trust Him… for anything and everything? Can you believe that He knows far better than we do what is best in every circumstance? Do you have faith in Him to bring the “rain” that is necessary… and to care for you even in the “arid” slumps?
Is Jesus’ “life-giving water” flowing from deep inside you? Don’t you need Him in your life? Isn’t today a great day to let the Water flow…to quench yourself from the inside out, once and for all? In the words of a familiar praise and worship song, “Let it rain! Let it rain! Open the floodgates of heaven… let it rain!”
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 6, 2013
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t be afraid. I am with you.
Don’t tremble with fear.I am your God.
I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have been reminded that much of what we think is important in this life probably isn’t… and we’re wasting a lot of precious time. The young wife of my cousin JD has just been called home to heaven. She was in her early forties. Angie and JD married on January 8, 2011. Together, they preached the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the United States… particularly in Arkansas, Indiana, and recently in Florida. This beautiful, Godly woman came into my cousin’s life a few short years ago and blessed him immensely. The two of them made a formidable team for Jesus and reached countless souls for Him.
For those who don’t know – or don’t remember – JD is got involved with drug abuse and drug dealing while still in high school. He ultimately ended up in prison, where he reconnected with Jesus in a profound way. JD came back into the general population a changed man. Then in late December 2008, while working as a logger, JD was hit in the face with the full force of a tree he had just cut. Virtually every bone in his face was broken, and he didn’t wake up for 9 days. JD spent the next three weeks in the hospital, and recovery and facial reconstruction took months. Through it all, he remained faithful to God and shared the message of Jesus Christ with everyone he encountered.
Believe me… I have asked God several times already why Angie has been called to heaven. She and JD were doing such tremendous work… serving so faithfully. I have asked God to strengthen JD and his immediate family – and all of us who know and love him – in the coming weeks and months. What I do know is that Angie was ready for heaven…and she was ushered into the presence of Jesus with open arms and a jubilant celebration. I also know that the service she rendered on this earth was not in vain… and will continue. God will equip JD to continue His work…He is with him and will provide him with protection – and more victories.
Surely the hand of God is evident in my cousin’s life… even on this heartbreaking day. And just as certainly, God is protecting each of us… giving us strength and reassurance – and victories. The question is… what are we giving in return? Are we serving to the best of our ability, like Angie? Is the name of Jesus on our lips and in our hearts… and is His presence in our life evident at all times? Do we exhibit in our Christian witness and daily living something that is desirable to others for themselves? Shouldn’t we?
If God calls you home this day, what will be your legacy? Will you enter His presence with assurance that you loved Him and served Him 110%? Are you able to think of your own arrival in heaven without fear or trembling, knowing that you operated fully in God’s strength and power? Wouldn’t this be a great time to make the necessary changes in your thinking… and your actions?
Please pray for JD and his family, and for Angie’s family… and also for their church family and many friends. May God bless them all.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Don’t be afraid. I am with you.
Don’t tremble with fear.I am your God.
I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
For those who don’t know – or don’t remember – JD is got involved with drug abuse and drug dealing while still in high school. He ultimately ended up in prison, where he reconnected with Jesus in a profound way. JD came back into the general population a changed man. Then in late December 2008, while working as a logger, JD was hit in the face with the full force of a tree he had just cut. Virtually every bone in his face was broken, and he didn’t wake up for 9 days. JD spent the next three weeks in the hospital, and recovery and facial reconstruction took months. Through it all, he remained faithful to God and shared the message of Jesus Christ with everyone he encountered.
Believe me… I have asked God several times already why Angie has been called to heaven. She and JD were doing such tremendous work… serving so faithfully. I have asked God to strengthen JD and his immediate family – and all of us who know and love him – in the coming weeks and months. What I do know is that Angie was ready for heaven…and she was ushered into the presence of Jesus with open arms and a jubilant celebration. I also know that the service she rendered on this earth was not in vain… and will continue. God will equip JD to continue His work…He is with him and will provide him with protection – and more victories.
Surely the hand of God is evident in my cousin’s life… even on this heartbreaking day. And just as certainly, God is protecting each of us… giving us strength and reassurance – and victories. The question is… what are we giving in return? Are we serving to the best of our ability, like Angie? Is the name of Jesus on our lips and in our hearts… and is His presence in our life evident at all times? Do we exhibit in our Christian witness and daily living something that is desirable to others for themselves? Shouldn’t we?
If God calls you home this day, what will be your legacy? Will you enter His presence with assurance that you loved Him and served Him 110%? Are you able to think of your own arrival in heaven without fear or trembling, knowing that you operated fully in God’s strength and power? Wouldn’t this be a great time to make the necessary changes in your thinking… and your actions?
Please pray for JD and his family, and for Angie’s family… and also for their church family and many friends. May God bless them all.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 18, 2012
Matthew 4:18-22
While Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen, and they were casting their net into the lake. Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One day a few months before my grandmother moved to the assisted living facility, I drove over to her house, and she wasn’t there. The door was unlocked, her purse was where she kept it, as was her walker… but she was nowhere to be found. After several minutes of frantically searching through her house and around the yard outside, I decided she had gone somewhere with a friend. If she had left for a walk around the block, she would have taken her walker. Sure enough, in a few more minutes a truck pulled up, and my grandmother and two feeble, elderly, and most unwell friends emerged. They had all been to buy some peaches somewhere out in the countryside. I reminded my grandmother that she had agreed not to ride with these people because they were in such poor health, and she said, “… but they wanted me to go with them.”
My grandmother was a “gad-about” in her time. We had a running joke that even on her sickest day, she would get up and go with the first person who stopped by and invited her. It didn’t matter who it was or where they were going, really… or in this case, that her “driver” had no business being behind the wheel of a vehicle. Someone said, “Come with me!” And she did!
If only we were as eager to follow Jesus! If only we were eager and willing to get up on our worst day and do whatever He needed us to do! But we find all sorts of excuses, don’t we? “Not today, LORD. Maybe next week – or next year. I’m not able… I’m not well… I’m not dressed nicely enough… I’m having a bad hair day…I’m busy…I’m not interested.”
When we come to the point where we can drop what we are doing to follow Jesus and serve Him, who we are as a Christian disciple changes dramatically. Total obedience to God is one of the hardest things for Christians to attain. Part of our resistance lies in our human selfishness… and part lies in the devil’s ability to fill us with fear and to convince us that following Jesus will cost us – freedom, friends, ridicule, and more. And he’ll tell you that the last thing you want to do is to “give up” anything in your already great life.
In truth, the devil wants you to stay right where you are… to never go anywhere. He wants you stuck in a rut… focused on yourself, and operating in fear. If you really, truly drop everything and follow Jesus, be prepared for some tough times, because Satan will fight like mad to get you to quit and go home. But also get ready to experience true joy and blessings. When we are fully obedient to God, even when what He asks us to do makes no sense at all, we experience real abundance. I can’t explain it fully – you have to experience this for yourself. But the best description I can offer is that complete surrender to God will bring you a joy and peace you have never known before. Even on your worst day with God, you will feel better than you did sitting at home with the devil.
So get up… get going. When Jesus says, “Come with me,” be ready to roll! Don’t look back… look to Heaven! Don’t ask, “Why, LORD?” Ask, “What next?” Make this the day you turn the corner and truly surrender to Jesus. Operate fully in the will of God, with total abandon… and experience complete joy in the LORD. Are you ready to really follow Jesus? When He calls…will you answer?
©2012 Debbie Robus
While Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen, and they were casting their net into the lake. Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One day a few months before my grandmother moved to the assisted living facility, I drove over to her house, and she wasn’t there. The door was unlocked, her purse was where she kept it, as was her walker… but she was nowhere to be found. After several minutes of frantically searching through her house and around the yard outside, I decided she had gone somewhere with a friend. If she had left for a walk around the block, she would have taken her walker. Sure enough, in a few more minutes a truck pulled up, and my grandmother and two feeble, elderly, and most unwell friends emerged. They had all been to buy some peaches somewhere out in the countryside. I reminded my grandmother that she had agreed not to ride with these people because they were in such poor health, and she said, “… but they wanted me to go with them.”
My grandmother was a “gad-about” in her time. We had a running joke that even on her sickest day, she would get up and go with the first person who stopped by and invited her. It didn’t matter who it was or where they were going, really… or in this case, that her “driver” had no business being behind the wheel of a vehicle. Someone said, “Come with me!” And she did!
If only we were as eager to follow Jesus! If only we were eager and willing to get up on our worst day and do whatever He needed us to do! But we find all sorts of excuses, don’t we? “Not today, LORD. Maybe next week – or next year. I’m not able… I’m not well… I’m not dressed nicely enough… I’m having a bad hair day…I’m busy…I’m not interested.”
When we come to the point where we can drop what we are doing to follow Jesus and serve Him, who we are as a Christian disciple changes dramatically. Total obedience to God is one of the hardest things for Christians to attain. Part of our resistance lies in our human selfishness… and part lies in the devil’s ability to fill us with fear and to convince us that following Jesus will cost us – freedom, friends, ridicule, and more. And he’ll tell you that the last thing you want to do is to “give up” anything in your already great life.
In truth, the devil wants you to stay right where you are… to never go anywhere. He wants you stuck in a rut… focused on yourself, and operating in fear. If you really, truly drop everything and follow Jesus, be prepared for some tough times, because Satan will fight like mad to get you to quit and go home. But also get ready to experience true joy and blessings. When we are fully obedient to God, even when what He asks us to do makes no sense at all, we experience real abundance. I can’t explain it fully – you have to experience this for yourself. But the best description I can offer is that complete surrender to God will bring you a joy and peace you have never known before. Even on your worst day with God, you will feel better than you did sitting at home with the devil.
So get up… get going. When Jesus says, “Come with me,” be ready to roll! Don’t look back… look to Heaven! Don’t ask, “Why, LORD?” Ask, “What next?” Make this the day you turn the corner and truly surrender to Jesus. Operate fully in the will of God, with total abandon… and experience complete joy in the LORD. Are you ready to really follow Jesus? When He calls…will you answer?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 6, 2012
James 2:24-26
You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe. For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Early in the summer, a spotted toad appeared on our back porch. He took up residence in a decorative bird house we keep on a glass-topped coffee table sitting there. One night, I discovered him pressed belly-side down against one of our picture windows, catching bugs that collected there in the light from one of our table lamps. I did a little research and learned that “Frodo,” as I named him, is a Great Plains Toad. Most likely, he moved into the bird house because his normal habitat… moist, damp earth… was not available in this summer’s drought.
I so hoped that Frodo would hang around for Timothy’s visit in August… and he did. We enjoyed watching Frodo – and his new cohort we dubbed “Little Frodo” – as they moved in and out of the bird house. We laughed as we watched “Big Frodo” attach to our picture window at night and catch bugs. Frodo grew accustomed to us, and I even put out water for him in a little dish on the table. I know he enjoyed it, because we would find it splashed across the table the next day.
After Timothy went home, we were a little lonesome. Remnants of a hurricane threatened to move things around on our back porch, so we did some rearranging before the storm hit. My husband gently moved the bird house to the porch floor underneath the coffee table and surrounded it with bricks. Frodo played on the bricks and around the bird house… and then he disappeared. For several days, the toads were gone. I know it’s silly, but I was truly sad and missed them. I had grown fond of looking for them peering from the bird house opening each morning. I missed seeing the toad on the window at night. And I was a little worried… what had happened to Frodo during the storm’s wind and rain?
My answer came four days later when I happened to pass the window, and there was Frodo… perched inside the bird house with his head hanging out. He was back! He probably took refuge in one of our many potted plants on the porch. But I was so glad to see him. And I felt God saying, “I take care of my creatures… ALL of them.”
I know this is a little bit of a weird analogy, but I have faithfully taken care of this little toad and his buddy most of the summer. And yes, he is just a toad… but God has used him to teach me a couple of lessons about faith. We are all “toads” of one sort of another, but God uses us to accomplish many things… if only we will let him. Just as he used the prostitute Rahab, God uses any who willingly serves Him – in spite of our brokenness!
I’m glad that Frodo has returned. He serves as a reminder to me that God is in control… that if He can meet the needs of a tiny Great Plains Toad, He surely cares about my needs. I am encouraged to stay faithful… to be strong and confident… and to look for ways to serve God when He calls upon me. What about you… does your faith need a little boost today? Are you serving faithfully and confidently? Does your witness show others that God cares for all of His “toads?” Shouldn’t it?
©2012 Debbie Robus
You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe. For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Early in the summer, a spotted toad appeared on our back porch. He took up residence in a decorative bird house we keep on a glass-topped coffee table sitting there. One night, I discovered him pressed belly-side down against one of our picture windows, catching bugs that collected there in the light from one of our table lamps. I did a little research and learned that “Frodo,” as I named him, is a Great Plains Toad. Most likely, he moved into the bird house because his normal habitat… moist, damp earth… was not available in this summer’s drought.
I so hoped that Frodo would hang around for Timothy’s visit in August… and he did. We enjoyed watching Frodo – and his new cohort we dubbed “Little Frodo” – as they moved in and out of the bird house. We laughed as we watched “Big Frodo” attach to our picture window at night and catch bugs. Frodo grew accustomed to us, and I even put out water for him in a little dish on the table. I know he enjoyed it, because we would find it splashed across the table the next day.
After Timothy went home, we were a little lonesome. Remnants of a hurricane threatened to move things around on our back porch, so we did some rearranging before the storm hit. My husband gently moved the bird house to the porch floor underneath the coffee table and surrounded it with bricks. Frodo played on the bricks and around the bird house… and then he disappeared. For several days, the toads were gone. I know it’s silly, but I was truly sad and missed them. I had grown fond of looking for them peering from the bird house opening each morning. I missed seeing the toad on the window at night. And I was a little worried… what had happened to Frodo during the storm’s wind and rain?
My answer came four days later when I happened to pass the window, and there was Frodo… perched inside the bird house with his head hanging out. He was back! He probably took refuge in one of our many potted plants on the porch. But I was so glad to see him. And I felt God saying, “I take care of my creatures… ALL of them.”
I know this is a little bit of a weird analogy, but I have faithfully taken care of this little toad and his buddy most of the summer. And yes, he is just a toad… but God has used him to teach me a couple of lessons about faith. We are all “toads” of one sort of another, but God uses us to accomplish many things… if only we will let him. Just as he used the prostitute Rahab, God uses any who willingly serves Him – in spite of our brokenness!
I’m glad that Frodo has returned. He serves as a reminder to me that God is in control… that if He can meet the needs of a tiny Great Plains Toad, He surely cares about my needs. I am encouraged to stay faithful… to be strong and confident… and to look for ways to serve God when He calls upon me. What about you… does your faith need a little boost today? Are you serving faithfully and confidently? Does your witness show others that God cares for all of His “toads?” Shouldn’t it?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 17, 2012
Romans 7:21-23
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
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.
You know me and my “reality TV” hobby… I was watching a show called “My 600-lb. Life” on TLC, and this morbidly obese man, Henry, had gastric bypass surgery. Initially weighing in at 715 lbs., Henry ultimately lost 500 pounds over the course of five years. Some of this came in the form of cosmetic surgery to remove excessive skin… but most was a result of eating less and burning body fat. However, this was a very difficult journey for Henry, as it is for so many… in large part because of the temptations that surrounded him.
Henry’s family continued to eat all the wrong things – in excessive quantities – directly in front of him. Once, when he returned home after a month in the hospital for “skin” surgery, his sister said something to the effect of… “We’ve got to stop and get Momma something to eat on the way home. She said she was hungry and not to come home without a sandwich or something.” The next scene was all of Henry’s family, chowing down on burgers, fries and more, while he looked on pitifully. He admitted that sometimes he wanted to throw up his hands and just go back to eating. The man who had overcome so much… lost at least two persons in body weight… acquired an entirely new, much smaller wardrobe – even down to underwear, socks and shoes… and rekindled his relationship with the love of his life… still wanted to eat whatever and whenever he pleased.
Surely this passage has it right… there are times when parts of us covertly rebel and take charge. And like Henry, this is when we have to stand up and leave the room or do whatever it takes to strengthen our resolve to stay on course. This is when we truly have to “speak of things that be not as though they are!” We must use our mouth to call on God to rescue us… and we must do so with confidence that He will do exactly this!
The point is that life is hard… there are always going to be challenges, and Satan is NEVER going away. The minute we think we have it all together is the very moment he will show up full force to try to derail us. We must speak against anything that comes between us and living in God’s will. We must declare that we will not give in – or fold up. We will persevere by the strength of God Almighty, and we will come out on top. You may only have 5 pounds you wish to lose, but temptations still abound. You may have a “habit” you are trying to kick, and temptations keep trying to reel you back in.
You may be working toward a goal, like a college degree, training for a job promotion, or just getting your life on track in general… and roadblocks may keep appearing. Don’t give up! Keep on working toward whatever God is trying to give you. Call on Him to help you – and declare that you know He is going to deliver!
We know that when we get on track, challenges are going to show up almost like clockwork. By God’s grace, we are bigger than those challenges… and we have His full force behind us. Tell whatever part of you that is listening to Satan to get on board or move over, because you are committed to God, and He will not allow you to fail! This is great news! This is worthy of a shout! Praise God… with Him all things are possible… with God, we cannot be defeated!
©2012 Debbie Robus
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
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.
You know me and my “reality TV” hobby… I was watching a show called “My 600-lb. Life” on TLC, and this morbidly obese man, Henry, had gastric bypass surgery. Initially weighing in at 715 lbs., Henry ultimately lost 500 pounds over the course of five years. Some of this came in the form of cosmetic surgery to remove excessive skin… but most was a result of eating less and burning body fat. However, this was a very difficult journey for Henry, as it is for so many… in large part because of the temptations that surrounded him.
Henry’s family continued to eat all the wrong things – in excessive quantities – directly in front of him. Once, when he returned home after a month in the hospital for “skin” surgery, his sister said something to the effect of… “We’ve got to stop and get Momma something to eat on the way home. She said she was hungry and not to come home without a sandwich or something.” The next scene was all of Henry’s family, chowing down on burgers, fries and more, while he looked on pitifully. He admitted that sometimes he wanted to throw up his hands and just go back to eating. The man who had overcome so much… lost at least two persons in body weight… acquired an entirely new, much smaller wardrobe – even down to underwear, socks and shoes… and rekindled his relationship with the love of his life… still wanted to eat whatever and whenever he pleased.
Surely this passage has it right… there are times when parts of us covertly rebel and take charge. And like Henry, this is when we have to stand up and leave the room or do whatever it takes to strengthen our resolve to stay on course. This is when we truly have to “speak of things that be not as though they are!” We must use our mouth to call on God to rescue us… and we must do so with confidence that He will do exactly this!
The point is that life is hard… there are always going to be challenges, and Satan is NEVER going away. The minute we think we have it all together is the very moment he will show up full force to try to derail us. We must speak against anything that comes between us and living in God’s will. We must declare that we will not give in – or fold up. We will persevere by the strength of God Almighty, and we will come out on top. You may only have 5 pounds you wish to lose, but temptations still abound. You may have a “habit” you are trying to kick, and temptations keep trying to reel you back in.
You may be working toward a goal, like a college degree, training for a job promotion, or just getting your life on track in general… and roadblocks may keep appearing. Don’t give up! Keep on working toward whatever God is trying to give you. Call on Him to help you – and declare that you know He is going to deliver!
We know that when we get on track, challenges are going to show up almost like clockwork. By God’s grace, we are bigger than those challenges… and we have His full force behind us. Tell whatever part of you that is listening to Satan to get on board or move over, because you are committed to God, and He will not allow you to fail! This is great news! This is worthy of a shout! Praise God… with Him all things are possible… with God, we cannot be defeated!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 24, 2012
Acts 4:11-16
While the man kept holding on to Peter and John, the whole crowd ran to them in amazement at the place known as Solomon's Porch. Peter saw that a crowd had gathered, and he said: Friends, why are you surprised at what has happened? Why are you staring at us? Do you think we have some power of our own? Do you think we were able to make this man walk because we are so religious? The God that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and our other ancestors worshiped has brought honor to his Servant Jesus. He is the one you betrayed. You turned against him when he was being tried by Pilate, even though Pilate wanted to set him free. You rejected Jesus, who was holy and good. You asked for a murderer to be set free, and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done. You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
More than once, I’ve heard someone say to another person… “I know you have a direct line to heaven, so please pray for me,” or something to that effect. And I admit, I have said that a few times to someone who I thought was a strong disciple of Christ. The trouble with this concept is that the “direct line” to God is not exclusive to a select few people. God does not give more attention to one person over another. We all have the same “line” to God… the difference is in how we utilize it.
Honestly, most people probably say this to another person as a way of paying them a compliment or acknowledging the blessings of his/her faithfulness. But we really need to be careful what we say… even with the best of intentions. What makes the prayers of certain people seem more effective is a result of their level of faith and trust in God. In truth, their prayers are not heard more often than ours… ahead of ours… or instead of ours! But their trust in God to answer may trump ours any day of the week.
People who go to church every Sunday, sing in the choir, serve in leadership roles in the church, or do mission work do not have their prayers answered - or live a problem-free life - because of their actions. Your heart… and your faith… are what matters. The most powerful, faithful, devoted servant of God may be a little old lady in the nursing home who trusts God to meet her needs and prays daily – and faithfully – for the needs of others. The soldier stationed in a foreign country who trusts God for safety and “daily bread” – in the trenches and for his/her family back at home – may receive more of God’s blessings than the deacon or church leader who is always in “high profile” for his/her latest projects, missions, or acts of service. Some of the people you consider to be “strong Christians” may actually have fairly weak faith behind their public persona.
What makes a Christian strong, confident, able and blessed is a matter of faith, not specific actions or mere talk. We can say all the right things… work in the church and serve in our community… be a “good person” and a friend to everyone we encounter… and still not operate in faith. Until we develop a deep, abiding faith in God… until we trust Him completely and operate from this foundation rather than the expectations and standards of the world… we will never truly experience all that God has for us.
Do not misunderstand me. Service is important… Jesus commanded us to love one another and to serve in His name. Corporate worship is important… we are called to fellowship with others – to come together to praise God and study His word. A positive attitude and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others is mandated by scripture. But all of these are fueled by a genuine faith in our Heavenly Father. Without a true faith in the promises of God, much of what we say and do is merely “lip service” to make us look good and feel better.
We cannot know for certain what is in another person’s heart… and we are not to judge anyway. We must cultivate our own relationship with God based entirely in faith that He will meet our every need, according to His will. We must trust Him to make us strong and well… and to always “take our calls.” People are watching… and they may see what appears to be a faith-filled Christian with a “direct line” to God. But God knows our hearts. He knows whether we are merely “religious” or truly operating in faith and trust. He hears our prayers… and more importantly, the intention behind them. What are your intentions… are you operating in faith, or merely “talking religion?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
While the man kept holding on to Peter and John, the whole crowd ran to them in amazement at the place known as Solomon's Porch. Peter saw that a crowd had gathered, and he said: Friends, why are you surprised at what has happened? Why are you staring at us? Do you think we have some power of our own? Do you think we were able to make this man walk because we are so religious? The God that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and our other ancestors worshiped has brought honor to his Servant Jesus. He is the one you betrayed. You turned against him when he was being tried by Pilate, even though Pilate wanted to set him free. You rejected Jesus, who was holy and good. You asked for a murderer to be set free, and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done. You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
More than once, I’ve heard someone say to another person… “I know you have a direct line to heaven, so please pray for me,” or something to that effect. And I admit, I have said that a few times to someone who I thought was a strong disciple of Christ. The trouble with this concept is that the “direct line” to God is not exclusive to a select few people. God does not give more attention to one person over another. We all have the same “line” to God… the difference is in how we utilize it.
Honestly, most people probably say this to another person as a way of paying them a compliment or acknowledging the blessings of his/her faithfulness. But we really need to be careful what we say… even with the best of intentions. What makes the prayers of certain people seem more effective is a result of their level of faith and trust in God. In truth, their prayers are not heard more often than ours… ahead of ours… or instead of ours! But their trust in God to answer may trump ours any day of the week.
People who go to church every Sunday, sing in the choir, serve in leadership roles in the church, or do mission work do not have their prayers answered - or live a problem-free life - because of their actions. Your heart… and your faith… are what matters. The most powerful, faithful, devoted servant of God may be a little old lady in the nursing home who trusts God to meet her needs and prays daily – and faithfully – for the needs of others. The soldier stationed in a foreign country who trusts God for safety and “daily bread” – in the trenches and for his/her family back at home – may receive more of God’s blessings than the deacon or church leader who is always in “high profile” for his/her latest projects, missions, or acts of service. Some of the people you consider to be “strong Christians” may actually have fairly weak faith behind their public persona.
What makes a Christian strong, confident, able and blessed is a matter of faith, not specific actions or mere talk. We can say all the right things… work in the church and serve in our community… be a “good person” and a friend to everyone we encounter… and still not operate in faith. Until we develop a deep, abiding faith in God… until we trust Him completely and operate from this foundation rather than the expectations and standards of the world… we will never truly experience all that God has for us.
Do not misunderstand me. Service is important… Jesus commanded us to love one another and to serve in His name. Corporate worship is important… we are called to fellowship with others – to come together to praise God and study His word. A positive attitude and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others is mandated by scripture. But all of these are fueled by a genuine faith in our Heavenly Father. Without a true faith in the promises of God, much of what we say and do is merely “lip service” to make us look good and feel better.
We cannot know for certain what is in another person’s heart… and we are not to judge anyway. We must cultivate our own relationship with God based entirely in faith that He will meet our every need, according to His will. We must trust Him to make us strong and well… and to always “take our calls.” People are watching… and they may see what appears to be a faith-filled Christian with a “direct line” to God. But God knows our hearts. He knows whether we are merely “religious” or truly operating in faith and trust. He hears our prayers… and more importantly, the intention behind them. What are your intentions… are you operating in faith, or merely “talking religion?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 11, 2011
John 19: 25-27
Jesus' mother stood beside his cross with her sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too. When Jesus saw his mother and his favorite disciple with her, he said to his mother, "This man is now your son." Then he said to the disciple, "She is now your mother." From then on, that disciple took her into his own home.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have a collection of nativity scenes that I display on my piano and other areas of my piano room each Christmas. This collection includes probably a dozen “nativity” Christmas ornaments that hang on our big tree, as well. Numbering well over 50 sets, my collection would be considered out of control by some. But for me, setting out my nativities is one of the highlights of the Christmas season.
In recent years, I began to acquire the occasional Madonna figurine at auctions and sales, and these began to find a home in my display. I am not one who prays to the Virgin Mary. I do not believe she has the Divine Power of Jesus or our Heavenly Father. But I do respect her as a very important person in Christian history. And as I have “mothered” little Timothy often in the last two years, I have come to better understand her position – her sacrifices – and her deep, abiding faith.
I am not sure I could have accepted Mary’s mission. When the angel appeared and said, “You are going to bear a baby, even though you are a virgin and it could very well cost you your reputation and your fiancé,” I might have said, “Whoa… hang on there! I think I’ll pass!” But scripture says that Mary accepted the angel’s declaration – in fact, she welcomed it! She trusted God to work out the details… and He did.
I am pretty sure I could not have followed my son - who was beaten almost beyond recognition - up the hill to Calvary and watch as soldiers drove spikes through his hands and feet and hung him on a cross to die. Yet Mary endured this and stayed with Jesus until the very end of His earthly life.
Yes, I have a newfound respect for Mary in recent years. When I look at my figurines that are supposed to remind me of her, I am indeed reminded of the incredible faith that she exhibited. Each Christmas season, as I display my nativity scenes and remember the birth of Jesus, I will look at my Madonna figurines and remind myself that God can do incredible things, if only we will trust Him. I may never have true Mother Mary faith… but I can keep trying. Will you?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus' mother stood beside his cross with her sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too. When Jesus saw his mother and his favorite disciple with her, he said to his mother, "This man is now your son." Then he said to the disciple, "She is now your mother." From then on, that disciple took her into his own home.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have a collection of nativity scenes that I display on my piano and other areas of my piano room each Christmas. This collection includes probably a dozen “nativity” Christmas ornaments that hang on our big tree, as well. Numbering well over 50 sets, my collection would be considered out of control by some. But for me, setting out my nativities is one of the highlights of the Christmas season.
In recent years, I began to acquire the occasional Madonna figurine at auctions and sales, and these began to find a home in my display. I am not one who prays to the Virgin Mary. I do not believe she has the Divine Power of Jesus or our Heavenly Father. But I do respect her as a very important person in Christian history. And as I have “mothered” little Timothy often in the last two years, I have come to better understand her position – her sacrifices – and her deep, abiding faith.
I am not sure I could have accepted Mary’s mission. When the angel appeared and said, “You are going to bear a baby, even though you are a virgin and it could very well cost you your reputation and your fiancé,” I might have said, “Whoa… hang on there! I think I’ll pass!” But scripture says that Mary accepted the angel’s declaration – in fact, she welcomed it! She trusted God to work out the details… and He did.
I am pretty sure I could not have followed my son - who was beaten almost beyond recognition - up the hill to Calvary and watch as soldiers drove spikes through his hands and feet and hung him on a cross to die. Yet Mary endured this and stayed with Jesus until the very end of His earthly life.
Yes, I have a newfound respect for Mary in recent years. When I look at my figurines that are supposed to remind me of her, I am indeed reminded of the incredible faith that she exhibited. Each Christmas season, as I display my nativity scenes and remember the birth of Jesus, I will look at my Madonna figurines and remind myself that God can do incredible things, if only we will trust Him. I may never have true Mother Mary faith… but I can keep trying. Will you?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 20, 2011
John 17:24-26
Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them—who you are and what you do—and continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them.
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.
I bought a book at a yard sale for my nephew Timothy called I Wanted to Know All about God by Virginia Kroll and Debra Reid Jenkins. I also bought him a beginning book of prayers. He calls these his “God books,” and we read them over and over. I have talked about God and Jesus to Timothy since he was an infant… sung “Jesus Loves Me” and other praise and worship songs. But how do you explain God and Jesus to a toddler? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not really any different than talking to someone older. In the beginning, much of getting to know God is pure faith. Someone tells us that He exists and what He has done, and we trust that this is the truth.
The book I Wanted to Know All about God does a great job of planting seeds…with phrases like “I wondered what God's love feels like, and Grandma put her arms around me and gave me a big hug"; "I wondered if God is strong, and the ocean roared in my ears"; and one of Timmy’s favorites…"I wondered if God likes art, and I saw a spiderweb in my uncle's barn.” The illustrations are beautiful paintings that showcase God’s creations, especially children. It’s a start… and learning about God through His love for us and all of nature is a good beginning at any age.
Whether we are two, twelve, twenty-two, or older, our knowledge and communion with God grow as we learn more about Him. We become more accustomed to feeling His love in our daily lives and we feel Jesus’ presence through His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Wherever you are on your Spiritual journey, I hope you are finding God today. The book concludes with this… “I wanted to know where God likes to visit, and I felt someone knocking at my heart. Now when I go out looking for God, I know exactly where to find Him.” Do you know where to find God today? Is He knocking at your heart?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them—who you are and what you do—and continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them.
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.
I bought a book at a yard sale for my nephew Timothy called I Wanted to Know All about God by Virginia Kroll and Debra Reid Jenkins. I also bought him a beginning book of prayers. He calls these his “God books,” and we read them over and over. I have talked about God and Jesus to Timothy since he was an infant… sung “Jesus Loves Me” and other praise and worship songs. But how do you explain God and Jesus to a toddler? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not really any different than talking to someone older. In the beginning, much of getting to know God is pure faith. Someone tells us that He exists and what He has done, and we trust that this is the truth.
The book I Wanted to Know All about God does a great job of planting seeds…with phrases like “I wondered what God's love feels like, and Grandma put her arms around me and gave me a big hug"; "I wondered if God is strong, and the ocean roared in my ears"; and one of Timmy’s favorites…"I wondered if God likes art, and I saw a spiderweb in my uncle's barn.” The illustrations are beautiful paintings that showcase God’s creations, especially children. It’s a start… and learning about God through His love for us and all of nature is a good beginning at any age.
Whether we are two, twelve, twenty-two, or older, our knowledge and communion with God grow as we learn more about Him. We become more accustomed to feeling His love in our daily lives and we feel Jesus’ presence through His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Wherever you are on your Spiritual journey, I hope you are finding God today. The book concludes with this… “I wanted to know where God likes to visit, and I felt someone knocking at my heart. Now when I go out looking for God, I know exactly where to find Him.” Do you know where to find God today? Is He knocking at your heart?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 4, 2011
Psalm 127:1-2
If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn't guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?
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.
I don’t know about you, but plop me in front of the television after dinner, and unless the show or movie is really compelling – or I have something to do with my hands, like folding clothes – I will often be asleep before the first sitcom ends! Yet when I go to bed, I toss and turn and am wide awake! My mind races and I think of all sorts of things… what I need to do the next day, what I must buy at the grocery store, wondering why I ate that ice cream and/or didn’t work out, and more. If something happens to be weighing on my mind – a concern or a problem – I find drifting off to sleep even more challenging.
For some, going to sleep is not the issue – it’s staying asleep! Some people wake up too early in the mornings – others wake in the middle of the night. But many find going back to sleep to be difficult, if not impossible.
If you are one of those who cannot fall asleep because your “worries of the day” are weighing you down, this passage is for you. If you wake in the night, and your mind starts to race and keep you up, this passage is also for you. The bottom line is that God wants us to rest. He wants to take our worries, cares, mental lists and the “video loop of our day” and handle all of these things for us… and we need to let Him.
“Oh, if it were only that simple!” you may say. It actually can be. The next time you find yourself wide awake, pray. Ask God to take whatever is on your mind and keeping you up and handle it for you. Then simply start to talk to God… to pray for others… to express your cares and your burdens. I find that often I am talking to God one minute, and the next thing I know, I’ve “prayed myself to sleep!” The worst that can happen is that you make good use of your awake time by communicating with God. And often, as you share your thoughts with Him, He gathers them up and handles them so that you can rest.
You might think this passage is telling you not to work so hard. There is nothing wrong with hard work. But this passage is about a healthy balance… and rest… and resting in the LORD. The latter is something we all need to do more often. God is better than Ambien, Lunesta or Tylenol P.M.! If you are trying to handle life without Him, you’re bound to be in for some sleepless nights.
How much have you made God a part of things in your life? Do you have a good balance of work and rest? Is He handling things for you on a regular basis? How well have you been sleeping lately?
©2011 Debbie Robus
If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn't guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?
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.
I don’t know about you, but plop me in front of the television after dinner, and unless the show or movie is really compelling – or I have something to do with my hands, like folding clothes – I will often be asleep before the first sitcom ends! Yet when I go to bed, I toss and turn and am wide awake! My mind races and I think of all sorts of things… what I need to do the next day, what I must buy at the grocery store, wondering why I ate that ice cream and/or didn’t work out, and more. If something happens to be weighing on my mind – a concern or a problem – I find drifting off to sleep even more challenging.
For some, going to sleep is not the issue – it’s staying asleep! Some people wake up too early in the mornings – others wake in the middle of the night. But many find going back to sleep to be difficult, if not impossible.
If you are one of those who cannot fall asleep because your “worries of the day” are weighing you down, this passage is for you. If you wake in the night, and your mind starts to race and keep you up, this passage is also for you. The bottom line is that God wants us to rest. He wants to take our worries, cares, mental lists and the “video loop of our day” and handle all of these things for us… and we need to let Him.
“Oh, if it were only that simple!” you may say. It actually can be. The next time you find yourself wide awake, pray. Ask God to take whatever is on your mind and keeping you up and handle it for you. Then simply start to talk to God… to pray for others… to express your cares and your burdens. I find that often I am talking to God one minute, and the next thing I know, I’ve “prayed myself to sleep!” The worst that can happen is that you make good use of your awake time by communicating with God. And often, as you share your thoughts with Him, He gathers them up and handles them so that you can rest.
You might think this passage is telling you not to work so hard. There is nothing wrong with hard work. But this passage is about a healthy balance… and rest… and resting in the LORD. The latter is something we all need to do more often. God is better than Ambien, Lunesta or Tylenol P.M.! If you are trying to handle life without Him, you’re bound to be in for some sleepless nights.
How much have you made God a part of things in your life? Do you have a good balance of work and rest? Is He handling things for you on a regular basis? How well have you been sleeping lately?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 10, 2011
John 12:24-26
I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I was cleaning my desk this morning (those of you who know me can start laughing now), and I came across a note I had made that said, “Sidewalk Prophets – The Words I Would Say.” I Googled the phrase and found the YouTube video for this song. I had heard it on Christian radio one day and noted the names of the song and artist. This morning, I listened to it again and bookmarked it for future listening.
I had already found my scripture passage for today… the words practically leapt off the page at me. The message I received loud and clear is that life will not be easy or pleasant for us every single day just because we invite Jesus to be LORD of our life. If everything were hunky-dory every day, most of us would decide we really didn’t need a Savior, wouldn’t we?!
In order to truly prove to God that we are with Him 100%, we have to endure some bumps in the road… set our own personal agendas aside… and follow Him completely. We may have to work at a job we don’t particularly enjoy. We may have to get up at 3:00 a.m. with a sick baby or miss a party because our mom or grandma needs our help. We may have to tell our friends, “I’m sorry, but I can’t come with you,” as they get in a car and head for the liquor store and an all-nighter. We may have to speak up and share our disapproval to the person who makes unkind comments toward someone of another ethnicity, religious belief or lifestyle choice that differs from his/hers.
Recently I made the comment that I have had to do things in the past that did not make me happy… but they were the right thing to do – and I know God was guiding my steps. We don’t always get to have things our way, particularly if we are genuine Disciples of Christ. But the rewards and blessings far outweigh any momentary unhappiness we might encounter.
I encourage you to click on the video at the end of this post and listen to “The Words I Would Say.” If you don’t care to listen, take a look at the lyrics I’ve provided. Let Jesus speak to you through them today. Hear Him tell you to be strong in Him… never give up hope… don’t live life in fear and don’t forget why you are here! God’s got His hand on you… come find peace in the Father.
©2011 Debbie Robus
I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I was cleaning my desk this morning (those of you who know me can start laughing now), and I came across a note I had made that said, “Sidewalk Prophets – The Words I Would Say.” I Googled the phrase and found the YouTube video for this song. I had heard it on Christian radio one day and noted the names of the song and artist. This morning, I listened to it again and bookmarked it for future listening.
I had already found my scripture passage for today… the words practically leapt off the page at me. The message I received loud and clear is that life will not be easy or pleasant for us every single day just because we invite Jesus to be LORD of our life. If everything were hunky-dory every day, most of us would decide we really didn’t need a Savior, wouldn’t we?!
In order to truly prove to God that we are with Him 100%, we have to endure some bumps in the road… set our own personal agendas aside… and follow Him completely. We may have to work at a job we don’t particularly enjoy. We may have to get up at 3:00 a.m. with a sick baby or miss a party because our mom or grandma needs our help. We may have to tell our friends, “I’m sorry, but I can’t come with you,” as they get in a car and head for the liquor store and an all-nighter. We may have to speak up and share our disapproval to the person who makes unkind comments toward someone of another ethnicity, religious belief or lifestyle choice that differs from his/hers.
Recently I made the comment that I have had to do things in the past that did not make me happy… but they were the right thing to do – and I know God was guiding my steps. We don’t always get to have things our way, particularly if we are genuine Disciples of Christ. But the rewards and blessings far outweigh any momentary unhappiness we might encounter.
I encourage you to click on the video at the end of this post and listen to “The Words I Would Say.” If you don’t care to listen, take a look at the lyrics I’ve provided. Let Jesus speak to you through them today. Hear Him tell you to be strong in Him… never give up hope… don’t live life in fear and don’t forget why you are here! God’s got His hand on you… come find peace in the Father.
©2011 Debbie Robus
- The Words I Would Say
©2009 Sidewalk Prophets – These Simple Truths
http://www.sidewalkprophets.com/
Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,
Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,
From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,
Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say
Daily Devotional for October 3, 2011
Psalm 116:1-2
I love you, LORD! You answered my prayers. You paid attention to me, and so I will pray to you as long as I live.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy loves a YouTube video from Sesame Street that features comedian Jon Stewart demonstrating the word “practice.” In this clip, Stewart reads the definition of the word “practice” several times, reiterating that practice means to do something over and over again until you get it right. When it comes to prayer, we could all use some practice!
The more I pray, the more I see God at work and experience His answers… feel His presence and His attention to even the tiniest details of my life. And I have to tell you, this motivates me to pray even more… to pray to God as long as I live!
I encourage you to give prayer some practice… to pray over and over again until you get it right… feel God’s attention and His answers. I am pretty sure you will find the same outcome as I did… and you will want to pray as long as you live, also.
We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. God is waiting to talk with us… to lavish His love and attention upon us. Won’t you “pick up the phone”, so to speak, and dial in to a connection with Him? See for yourself what blessings the “practice” of prayer can bring to you and those for whom you pray.
©2011 Debbie Robus
I love you, LORD! You answered my prayers. You paid attention to me, and so I will pray to you as long as I live.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy loves a YouTube video from Sesame Street that features comedian Jon Stewart demonstrating the word “practice.” In this clip, Stewart reads the definition of the word “practice” several times, reiterating that practice means to do something over and over again until you get it right. When it comes to prayer, we could all use some practice!
The more I pray, the more I see God at work and experience His answers… feel His presence and His attention to even the tiniest details of my life. And I have to tell you, this motivates me to pray even more… to pray to God as long as I live!
I encourage you to give prayer some practice… to pray over and over again until you get it right… feel God’s attention and His answers. I am pretty sure you will find the same outcome as I did… and you will want to pray as long as you live, also.
We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. God is waiting to talk with us… to lavish His love and attention upon us. Won’t you “pick up the phone”, so to speak, and dial in to a connection with Him? See for yourself what blessings the “practice” of prayer can bring to you and those for whom you pray.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 25, 2011
John 10:1-6
Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.
Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We were sharing a nice backyard fire with friends one evening, and the conversation turned to our cats. Our friends said they merely have to call, “Breakfast!” and their cat comes running from wherever he is to be fed. He knows the tone and structure of that word… he knows his master’s voice. I seriously doubt that I could get their cat to come if I uttered the same word.
Our cats hear the tinkling of a spoon on a dish in the kitchen, and they come running. They will often come to us when we call them. But let a stranger come to our house, and they run as fast as they can to a familiar hiding place and snuggle in there. They will not follow strangers… they run away and hide.
When I talk to my mom, sister, grandmother, niece, cousin, and a few of my best friends, I never have to identify myself on the telephone. They know instantly they are talking to me… they recognize my voice… and I recognize theirs. I know my husband’s voice and the voices of several others so well I can “hear” them just by calling them to mind. And you can probably do the same thing.
The question is…do we know God’s voice as well as that of our significant other, parents, family and friends? Do we recognize God when He speaks to us – and follow Him… or do we turn and run away? Are we so attuned to God’s voice that we can “hear” it by merely thinking of Him? I cannot stress enough how important it is that we recognize God when He speaks to us. We must trust Him to be our “Good Shepherd” and lead us in the right direction… and we must get in line behind Him and go along – wherever He leads.
Spend as much time as it takes getting to really know God. Get so comfortable and familiar with His voice that you know when He speaks to you. Ask Him to always lead you in the right direction… and trust Him to do so. Follow the Good Shepherd... never run away… and always answer when He calls your name.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.
Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We were sharing a nice backyard fire with friends one evening, and the conversation turned to our cats. Our friends said they merely have to call, “Breakfast!” and their cat comes running from wherever he is to be fed. He knows the tone and structure of that word… he knows his master’s voice. I seriously doubt that I could get their cat to come if I uttered the same word.
Our cats hear the tinkling of a spoon on a dish in the kitchen, and they come running. They will often come to us when we call them. But let a stranger come to our house, and they run as fast as they can to a familiar hiding place and snuggle in there. They will not follow strangers… they run away and hide.
When I talk to my mom, sister, grandmother, niece, cousin, and a few of my best friends, I never have to identify myself on the telephone. They know instantly they are talking to me… they recognize my voice… and I recognize theirs. I know my husband’s voice and the voices of several others so well I can “hear” them just by calling them to mind. And you can probably do the same thing.
The question is…do we know God’s voice as well as that of our significant other, parents, family and friends? Do we recognize God when He speaks to us – and follow Him… or do we turn and run away? Are we so attuned to God’s voice that we can “hear” it by merely thinking of Him? I cannot stress enough how important it is that we recognize God when He speaks to us. We must trust Him to be our “Good Shepherd” and lead us in the right direction… and we must get in line behind Him and go along – wherever He leads.
Spend as much time as it takes getting to really know God. Get so comfortable and familiar with His voice that you know when He speaks to you. Ask Him to always lead you in the right direction… and trust Him to do so. Follow the Good Shepherd... never run away… and always answer when He calls your name.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 13, 2011
1 Kings 8:54-61
When Solomon finished his prayer at the altar, he was kneeling with his arms lifted toward heaven. He stood up, turned toward the people, blessed them, and said loudly:
Praise the LORD! He has kept his promise and given us peace. Every good thing he promised to his servant Moses has happened.
The LORD our God was with our ancestors to help them, and I pray that he will be with us and never abandon us. May the LORD help us obey him and follow all the laws and teachings he gave our ancestors.
I pray that the LORD our God will remember my prayer day and night. May he help everyone in Israel each day, in whatever way we need it. Then every nation will know that the LORD is the only true God.
Obey the LORD our God and follow his commands with all your heart, just as you are doing today.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
At the risk of sounding like a certain politician, I can see Greers Ferry Dam from my house! As I looked at the dam this morning… formidable, sturdy and powerful… able to restrain the 40,000-acres of water known as Greers Ferry Lake, I was impressed. The thought of how important this structure is to our area astounds me. I remember the floods of my childhood… when the area known as “Swinging Bridge” and other spots up and down the Little Red River were covered in water and impassable.
I recall the floods of a year or two ago, when water was slowly released from some of the floodgates every day for a month to prevent the lake from spilling over the top and wreaking havoc downstream. I know it didn’t seem like a slow release to those along the river, but in the scheme of things, it was a trickle. I’ve seen the choppy raging waters on the lake side of the dam… and today, I observed a serene calm… water as “slick as glass.”
In all of this, I was reminded of the power of God… and His promises. Just as we depend on the dam to hold back our lake and prevent a catastrophic flood downstream, we depend on God to make good on what He has promised us… and He does! Just as water may flow from a floodgate and temporarily disrupt life downstream from time to time, God allows us to sometimes wallow in our sins and mistakes, so that we better appreciate His wonderful work in our lives. Just like the massive concrete structure is powerful and sturdy enough to hold back the waters of our lake - releasing only when necessary - God is in control of our lives and the daily situations and challenges we face. He monitors all of it and controls things according to our best interest.
I look at that dam every day of my life, and I try not to take it for granted. But I also don’t dwell on what would happen if it were compromised, because I am trusting that this will never happen. But unlike God’s promises, I can’t be totally sure of this. Isn’t it good to know that what God has said He will do for us really will happen? Aren’t you comforted to know that you can always depend on God… to bless you, protect you, and meet all of your needs?
Isn’t our God worthy of our praise… our obedience… and our whole heart? Have you committed to Him for this? Have you spoken with Him lately and thanked Him for His promises… His peace… and every good thing He gives us? Isn’t today a good day to begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
When Solomon finished his prayer at the altar, he was kneeling with his arms lifted toward heaven. He stood up, turned toward the people, blessed them, and said loudly:
Praise the LORD! He has kept his promise and given us peace. Every good thing he promised to his servant Moses has happened.
The LORD our God was with our ancestors to help them, and I pray that he will be with us and never abandon us. May the LORD help us obey him and follow all the laws and teachings he gave our ancestors.
I pray that the LORD our God will remember my prayer day and night. May he help everyone in Israel each day, in whatever way we need it. Then every nation will know that the LORD is the only true God.
Obey the LORD our God and follow his commands with all your heart, just as you are doing today.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
At the risk of sounding like a certain politician, I can see Greers Ferry Dam from my house! As I looked at the dam this morning… formidable, sturdy and powerful… able to restrain the 40,000-acres of water known as Greers Ferry Lake, I was impressed. The thought of how important this structure is to our area astounds me. I remember the floods of my childhood… when the area known as “Swinging Bridge” and other spots up and down the Little Red River were covered in water and impassable.
I recall the floods of a year or two ago, when water was slowly released from some of the floodgates every day for a month to prevent the lake from spilling over the top and wreaking havoc downstream. I know it didn’t seem like a slow release to those along the river, but in the scheme of things, it was a trickle. I’ve seen the choppy raging waters on the lake side of the dam… and today, I observed a serene calm… water as “slick as glass.”
In all of this, I was reminded of the power of God… and His promises. Just as we depend on the dam to hold back our lake and prevent a catastrophic flood downstream, we depend on God to make good on what He has promised us… and He does! Just as water may flow from a floodgate and temporarily disrupt life downstream from time to time, God allows us to sometimes wallow in our sins and mistakes, so that we better appreciate His wonderful work in our lives. Just like the massive concrete structure is powerful and sturdy enough to hold back the waters of our lake - releasing only when necessary - God is in control of our lives and the daily situations and challenges we face. He monitors all of it and controls things according to our best interest.
I look at that dam every day of my life, and I try not to take it for granted. But I also don’t dwell on what would happen if it were compromised, because I am trusting that this will never happen. But unlike God’s promises, I can’t be totally sure of this. Isn’t it good to know that what God has said He will do for us really will happen? Aren’t you comforted to know that you can always depend on God… to bless you, protect you, and meet all of your needs?
Isn’t our God worthy of our praise… our obedience… and our whole heart? Have you committed to Him for this? Have you spoken with Him lately and thanked Him for His promises… His peace… and every good thing He gives us? Isn’t today a good day to begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 6, 2011
John 8:31-38
Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered, "We are Abraham's children! We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?"
Jesus replied: I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! And slaves don't stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. If the Son gives you freedom, you are free! I know that you are from Abraham's family. Yet you want to kill me, because my message isn't really in your hearts. I am telling you what my Father has shown me, just as you are doing what your father has taught you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One morning recently, Timothy woke up coughing and wheezing. He could barely get his breath. So my husband and I whisked him away to the ER, where a respiratory therapist tried to administer a breathing treatment… in the form of a mask that had a happy dragon face and smoke coming out. But Timmy did not understand, and he was in hysterics. He resisted the very thing that would free him from being unable breathe.
Even in his two-year-old mind, I think Timmy knew that the treatment was helping him, but he was a slave to his determination to fight us and resist the mask. Thankfully we were able to hold him still enough for a little bit, and the treatment helped greatly… and we think he will be fine. But I hope we don’t have to force another breathing treatment upon him any time soon!
We are so often the stubborn (or scared) two-year-old. Our sin is familiar. We don’t like anything that takes us outside of our “comfort zone,” even when we know it might help… and we are assured it won’t harm us in any way. God will never force Himself on us, so if we resist Him, we simply don’t get the “treatment” He offers for our sin. But if we will cooperate and trust Him, we can be free in ways we never imagined.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve hung onto some sins and sinful ways when I knew that “letting go and letting God” would be so much better. It’s the first step that is sometimes the hardest. But God understands. We tried to tell Timothy that it would all be okay… that nothing bad would happen to him. God is trying to tell us that, too… that what He offers will make us feel so much better. Are you ready to listen… and be free?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered, "We are Abraham's children! We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?"
Jesus replied: I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! And slaves don't stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. If the Son gives you freedom, you are free! I know that you are from Abraham's family. Yet you want to kill me, because my message isn't really in your hearts. I am telling you what my Father has shown me, just as you are doing what your father has taught you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One morning recently, Timothy woke up coughing and wheezing. He could barely get his breath. So my husband and I whisked him away to the ER, where a respiratory therapist tried to administer a breathing treatment… in the form of a mask that had a happy dragon face and smoke coming out. But Timmy did not understand, and he was in hysterics. He resisted the very thing that would free him from being unable breathe.
Even in his two-year-old mind, I think Timmy knew that the treatment was helping him, but he was a slave to his determination to fight us and resist the mask. Thankfully we were able to hold him still enough for a little bit, and the treatment helped greatly… and we think he will be fine. But I hope we don’t have to force another breathing treatment upon him any time soon!
We are so often the stubborn (or scared) two-year-old. Our sin is familiar. We don’t like anything that takes us outside of our “comfort zone,” even when we know it might help… and we are assured it won’t harm us in any way. God will never force Himself on us, so if we resist Him, we simply don’t get the “treatment” He offers for our sin. But if we will cooperate and trust Him, we can be free in ways we never imagined.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve hung onto some sins and sinful ways when I knew that “letting go and letting God” would be so much better. It’s the first step that is sometimes the hardest. But God understands. We tried to tell Timothy that it would all be okay… that nothing bad would happen to him. God is trying to tell us that, too… that what He offers will make us feel so much better. Are you ready to listen… and be free?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 5, 2011
John 8:23-24
Jesus said, "You're tied down to the mundane; I'm in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I'm living on other terms. I told you that you were missing God in all this. You're at a dead end. If you won't believe I am who I say I am, you're at the dead end of sins. You're missing God in your lives."
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.
A professor at my university alma mater, Arkansas Tech, has done a study on boxers and boxing matches. He has found a correlation between those boxers who believe they will do well… and speak and train positively for a good outcome and their overall success rate. Boxers who go into a match concerned that their opponent may be stronger… or considering themselves the underdog… generally do not perform as well throughout their career.
The professor is using this research to illustrate the power of positive thinking in any arena… even boxing. One of the points he makes is that successful boxers visualize themselves winning. You could argue that the boxer doesn’t know for a fact he will win. He can’t see the win, literally. But he believes in himself… he works hard to accomplish his goal…and in essence, he is in touch with what is beyond his horizons.
We are so often like those Jesus was talking to in this passage… we live in terms of what we see and touch. If something is not right in front of us, we won’t believe in it. So we fail to understand how God can do such mighty, powerful, amazing things for us… because we can’t physically see and touch Him. So often we miss God in all this and are at a dead end… and for many of us, it is a dead end of sins, just like Jesus describes.
Search your heart today… see where you may be missing God in your life. Ask Him to be present… to give you His Holy Spirit to fill your heart. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins, and accept His salvation… the gift of His blood on the cross. Oh, sure… you can’t see a single bit of this, but you can envision it. You can feel the Holy Spirit at work in your life… and you can see evidence of God’s hand in even the most mundane parts. Start to picture your life with God and believe that He is doing great things in and through you. Like the boxer, imagine a positive outcome… expect it! See where your faith can take you… and prepare to be amazed and truly blessed!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, "You're tied down to the mundane; I'm in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I'm living on other terms. I told you that you were missing God in all this. You're at a dead end. If you won't believe I am who I say I am, you're at the dead end of sins. You're missing God in your lives."
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.
A professor at my university alma mater, Arkansas Tech, has done a study on boxers and boxing matches. He has found a correlation between those boxers who believe they will do well… and speak and train positively for a good outcome and their overall success rate. Boxers who go into a match concerned that their opponent may be stronger… or considering themselves the underdog… generally do not perform as well throughout their career.
The professor is using this research to illustrate the power of positive thinking in any arena… even boxing. One of the points he makes is that successful boxers visualize themselves winning. You could argue that the boxer doesn’t know for a fact he will win. He can’t see the win, literally. But he believes in himself… he works hard to accomplish his goal…and in essence, he is in touch with what is beyond his horizons.
We are so often like those Jesus was talking to in this passage… we live in terms of what we see and touch. If something is not right in front of us, we won’t believe in it. So we fail to understand how God can do such mighty, powerful, amazing things for us… because we can’t physically see and touch Him. So often we miss God in all this and are at a dead end… and for many of us, it is a dead end of sins, just like Jesus describes.
Search your heart today… see where you may be missing God in your life. Ask Him to be present… to give you His Holy Spirit to fill your heart. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins, and accept His salvation… the gift of His blood on the cross. Oh, sure… you can’t see a single bit of this, but you can envision it. You can feel the Holy Spirit at work in your life… and you can see evidence of God’s hand in even the most mundane parts. Start to picture your life with God and believe that He is doing great things in and through you. Like the boxer, imagine a positive outcome… expect it! See where your faith can take you… and prepare to be amazed and truly blessed!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 26, 2011
John 6:61-65
Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, "Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don't make anything happen. Every word I've spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this." (Jesus knew from the start that some weren't going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, "This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father."
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.
Many people take life-saving medications every single day. It may be a blood pressure pill, or insulin for diabetes… an anti-convulsant, something to lower your cholesterol, or a drug that regulates your thyroid. Those with some form of cancer may take chemotherapy that causes cancer cells to shrink, decrease, or even disappear forever.
While these medications are working inside us, we cannot see them. We trust they are there, doing what we want them to do… but we don’t have any “physical” proof aside from feeling better, not having a heart attack or going into a diabetic coma - or suffering the effects of whatever the drugs are supposed to cure or control. In general, we don’t question this process… we merely accept it.
As our Great Physician, Jesus brings us the life-saving “medication” of God’s Holy Spirit. We can accept this gift and invite the Holy Spirit to live within us… but we have to fully trust that He will heal us and make us right. Just like our medications that we readily put into or on our bodies, we cannot see God at work through His Holy Spirit. But also like the medications, we can see the end results. What happens “in between” is a matter of faith and trust.
We seem more than willing to trust that a pill, injection or topical cream will help us feel better. So why can’t we trust that the “prescription” offered by Jesus Christ can heal us, too? Why do we resist the One who could possibly heal us of everything? Why is faith – the most important component of a Christian life – the most difficult concept to embrace? Most of us would never even think of skipping our daily medications, so why would we ever even consider a day without the Holy Spirit?
Isn’t it time to “let go and let God?” Isn’t it time to recognize that sheer muscle and will power will not get you into heaven? Only faith and trust in God - and salvation through the blood of Jesus - can accomplish this. Take the “medicine” that can bring Eternal life! Trust in God today… invite Jesus into your heart. If you have done so already, maybe you need to “refill your prescription” and renew your faith.
Now is the time for us to start to believe in the unseen… to trust that God is working in and through us – from the inside out… and offering us the best “medicine” we could ever hope to receive.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, "Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don't make anything happen. Every word I've spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this." (Jesus knew from the start that some weren't going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, "This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father."
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.
Many people take life-saving medications every single day. It may be a blood pressure pill, or insulin for diabetes… an anti-convulsant, something to lower your cholesterol, or a drug that regulates your thyroid. Those with some form of cancer may take chemotherapy that causes cancer cells to shrink, decrease, or even disappear forever.
While these medications are working inside us, we cannot see them. We trust they are there, doing what we want them to do… but we don’t have any “physical” proof aside from feeling better, not having a heart attack or going into a diabetic coma - or suffering the effects of whatever the drugs are supposed to cure or control. In general, we don’t question this process… we merely accept it.
As our Great Physician, Jesus brings us the life-saving “medication” of God’s Holy Spirit. We can accept this gift and invite the Holy Spirit to live within us… but we have to fully trust that He will heal us and make us right. Just like our medications that we readily put into or on our bodies, we cannot see God at work through His Holy Spirit. But also like the medications, we can see the end results. What happens “in between” is a matter of faith and trust.
We seem more than willing to trust that a pill, injection or topical cream will help us feel better. So why can’t we trust that the “prescription” offered by Jesus Christ can heal us, too? Why do we resist the One who could possibly heal us of everything? Why is faith – the most important component of a Christian life – the most difficult concept to embrace? Most of us would never even think of skipping our daily medications, so why would we ever even consider a day without the Holy Spirit?
Isn’t it time to “let go and let God?” Isn’t it time to recognize that sheer muscle and will power will not get you into heaven? Only faith and trust in God - and salvation through the blood of Jesus - can accomplish this. Take the “medicine” that can bring Eternal life! Trust in God today… invite Jesus into your heart. If you have done so already, maybe you need to “refill your prescription” and renew your faith.
Now is the time for us to start to believe in the unseen… to trust that God is working in and through us – from the inside out… and offering us the best “medicine” we could ever hope to receive.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 18, 2011
Psalm 107:5-15
You were hungry and thirsty and about to give up. You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the LORD, and he rescued you. Right away he brought you to a town. You should praise the LORD for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
To everyone who is thirsty, he gives something to drink; to everyone who is hungry, he gives good things to eat. Some of you were prisoners suffering in deepest darkness and bound by chains, because you had rebelled against God Most High and refused his advice.
You were worn out from working like slaves, and no one came to help. You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the LORD, and he rescued you. He brought you out of the deepest darkness and broke your chains. You should praise the LORD for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On August 5th, 12-year-old Charles “Dale” Ostrander was swimming off the coast of Washington state, just north of Long Beach. Dale was with a church group, swimming in the Pacific Ocean, when a riptide current pulled him under and began to sweep him out to sea. A 12-year-old girl with a surfboard tried to rescue Dale, but the current was too swift. When she made it to shore, she clung to the sand and said, “He’s dead. What am I supposed to do?” More rescuers retrieved Dale’s body from the waters, where he had been pulled underwater for 20-25 minutes. He was unconscious and limp. Nobody gave Dale much hope for survival. Dale’s fellow church members fell to their knees on the beach and prayed for him
In a blog established to chronicle this story – www.prayersfordale.blogspot.com – a post dated August 14th describes how Dale’s father, Chad, spoke to the congregation at church several days later:
Some of us are in some pretty strong currents, too. We have our own “riptides” pulling us under, and we are drowning a little every day. Others among us have “circled the drain” from time to time…yet God rescued us. Did we stop to thank Him? Did we even recognize His powerful hands reaching down and saving us?
Do we understand that we are often suffering under the chains and riptides of our own making… and God stands ready to save us, if only we will ask? Truly, the rescue of this 12-year-old boy is a miracle… and not all horrific events like this come to such a happy end. But so often, we fail to recognize that a rescue from our troubles is only a prayer away. We fail to see that we can ask God for anything… and He will answer perfectly. And often if we do ask, we fail to believe that God really heard us… and that help truly is on the way.
Clearly this boy’s parents prayed faithfully… trusting God for a perfect outcome. They didn’t know if that would mean life for their son on this earth – or in heaven. But they prayed and believed anyway, as did the fellow church members who were with Dale Ostrander on August 5th. The question for us is… are we praying faithfully and believing God will deliver a perfect outcome? Are we thanking Him for all of the times He has rescued us already… and trusting Him to be our lifeline in the future? Isn’t it about time we stuck out our hand and let God pull us safely to shore, so to speak? Are you ready for a rescue?
©2011 Debbie Robus
You were hungry and thirsty and about to give up. You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the LORD, and he rescued you. Right away he brought you to a town. You should praise the LORD for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
To everyone who is thirsty, he gives something to drink; to everyone who is hungry, he gives good things to eat. Some of you were prisoners suffering in deepest darkness and bound by chains, because you had rebelled against God Most High and refused his advice.
You were worn out from working like slaves, and no one came to help. You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the LORD, and he rescued you. He brought you out of the deepest darkness and broke your chains. You should praise the LORD for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On August 5th, 12-year-old Charles “Dale” Ostrander was swimming off the coast of Washington state, just north of Long Beach. Dale was with a church group, swimming in the Pacific Ocean, when a riptide current pulled him under and began to sweep him out to sea. A 12-year-old girl with a surfboard tried to rescue Dale, but the current was too swift. When she made it to shore, she clung to the sand and said, “He’s dead. What am I supposed to do?” More rescuers retrieved Dale’s body from the waters, where he had been pulled underwater for 20-25 minutes. He was unconscious and limp. Nobody gave Dale much hope for survival. Dale’s fellow church members fell to their knees on the beach and prayed for him
In a blog established to chronicle this story – www.prayersfordale.blogspot.com – a post dated August 14th describes how Dale’s father, Chad, spoke to the congregation at church several days later:
- “Brother Ostrander said, ‘We didn't understand, we just accepted. I knelt by his bed and put Dale on the altar, like Abraham. I told God, “You offered your son, you know how it feels. Thank you for letting us say goodbye.” We tried to let the girls know that he wasn't coming back. That night, the doctor knelt down right by Dale's ear and said, “Dale, open your eyes!” and his eyes opened! We thought, “Wow, there's hope!”’
- Today Dale got up and walked down the hall with help from the physical therapist. In Chad Ostrander's words: ‘God has shown us a miracle.’"
Some of us are in some pretty strong currents, too. We have our own “riptides” pulling us under, and we are drowning a little every day. Others among us have “circled the drain” from time to time…yet God rescued us. Did we stop to thank Him? Did we even recognize His powerful hands reaching down and saving us?
Do we understand that we are often suffering under the chains and riptides of our own making… and God stands ready to save us, if only we will ask? Truly, the rescue of this 12-year-old boy is a miracle… and not all horrific events like this come to such a happy end. But so often, we fail to recognize that a rescue from our troubles is only a prayer away. We fail to see that we can ask God for anything… and He will answer perfectly. And often if we do ask, we fail to believe that God really heard us… and that help truly is on the way.
Clearly this boy’s parents prayed faithfully… trusting God for a perfect outcome. They didn’t know if that would mean life for their son on this earth – or in heaven. But they prayed and believed anyway, as did the fellow church members who were with Dale Ostrander on August 5th. The question for us is… are we praying faithfully and believing God will deliver a perfect outcome? Are we thanking Him for all of the times He has rescued us already… and trusting Him to be our lifeline in the future? Isn’t it about time we stuck out our hand and let God pull us safely to shore, so to speak? Are you ready for a rescue?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 17, 2011
Psalm 107:1-3
Shout praises to the LORD! He is good to us, and his love never fails. Everyone the LORD has rescued from trouble should praise him, everyone he has brought from the east and the west, the north and the south.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My great-aunt Altha used to say, “Don’t borrow trouble.” And I will have to say, she practiced this motto fairly well. She chose not to dwell on unpleasant thoughts… and at least appeared to put them out of her mind. But for many of us, troubles are like an old security blanket that we wrestle and wallow and continually hold tightly to our chests. We know that God is faithful to answer our prayers. We know that He has rescued us from past troubles. But instead of praising Him and resting in the comfort of knowing that He will do this again, we worry and wallow!
I will admit that I have my moments. I want to pick up burdens and troubles and carry them around like an old, familiar blanket. But I’m learning more and more every day about trusting God and praising Him… especially in times of trouble. God has rescued me so many times. All I have to do is reflect a moment on how much He has loved me and cared for me in the past to realize that He is still in the business of being good to His children!
So stop and take a deep breath. Whatever you are going through today… and I mean whatever is troubling you… remind yourself that God is in control, and He is in the business of rescuing His children from trouble. Ask Him to take care of your burdens for you… your challenges, ailments, sorrows and grief - and your worries of all sorts. Thank Him in advance for handling these things for you. Then step out in confidence that all will be well.
This is not pie-in-the-sky dreams… this is the truth! It may seem like your world is crashing down around you… you may feel the walls caving in… but God is there to hold everything together and rescue you. All you have to do is let Him… believe in His power… and thank Him for His love.
Don’t borrow trouble… let God have it all. Give Him praise for His unfailing, amazing love and care… and thank Him for being so good to us.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Shout praises to the LORD! He is good to us, and his love never fails. Everyone the LORD has rescued from trouble should praise him, everyone he has brought from the east and the west, the north and the south.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My great-aunt Altha used to say, “Don’t borrow trouble.” And I will have to say, she practiced this motto fairly well. She chose not to dwell on unpleasant thoughts… and at least appeared to put them out of her mind. But for many of us, troubles are like an old security blanket that we wrestle and wallow and continually hold tightly to our chests. We know that God is faithful to answer our prayers. We know that He has rescued us from past troubles. But instead of praising Him and resting in the comfort of knowing that He will do this again, we worry and wallow!
I will admit that I have my moments. I want to pick up burdens and troubles and carry them around like an old, familiar blanket. But I’m learning more and more every day about trusting God and praising Him… especially in times of trouble. God has rescued me so many times. All I have to do is reflect a moment on how much He has loved me and cared for me in the past to realize that He is still in the business of being good to His children!
So stop and take a deep breath. Whatever you are going through today… and I mean whatever is troubling you… remind yourself that God is in control, and He is in the business of rescuing His children from trouble. Ask Him to take care of your burdens for you… your challenges, ailments, sorrows and grief - and your worries of all sorts. Thank Him in advance for handling these things for you. Then step out in confidence that all will be well.
This is not pie-in-the-sky dreams… this is the truth! It may seem like your world is crashing down around you… you may feel the walls caving in… but God is there to hold everything together and rescue you. All you have to do is let Him… believe in His power… and thank Him for His love.
Don’t borrow trouble… let God have it all. Give Him praise for His unfailing, amazing love and care… and thank Him for being so good to us.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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