Psalm 41:10
Lord, don’t you desert me! Be
gracious, Lord, and make me well again so I can pay them back! I know
you are pleased with me because you haven’t let my enemies triumph over
me. You have preserved me because I was honest; you have admitted me
forever to your presence.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
My
sister-in-law offered me these words as I headed to the hospital early
this morning. My mother was admitted last night for possible infection
and low blood sugar…a count so low that she could have died. The doctor
said she should not have even been able to walk and talk, yet she
managed to somewhat do both - and never lost consciousness.
I am
sitting in a hospital room, praying a paraphrased version of this
scripture…”Lord, don’t you desert me! Be gracious and ‘fix’ what I
cannot. Heal my mother according to YOUR will – not mine – and keep her
comfortable. Please do not let her suffer. You HAVE preserved me, and I
am learning to never question You.”
I pray that you will take
time to study this Psalm, and to make a version of these words your own
prayer. Trust God in all things. Call on Him to do what He does
best…and to handle what we cannot – and are not supposed to even
attempt.
Yesterday morning, I shared a story with my mother that
Timothy’s mother shared with me just lately. It seems that she noticed
that Timothy had stopped including his Granny in his night-time
prayers. She asked him, “Why don’t you pray for Granny anymore?” He
replied…”I don’t need to…the LORD will take care of her!”
My
mother commented that truly, God never forgets a prayer…and once we have
spoken it, we should consider it answered. I laughed and said that I
like to remind Him and keep the “din” going to heaven at a high decibel
level. But she is right…God IS faithful. He does answer “on the first
ring,” and once we have given a burden or concern to Him, He is truly
“on it!”
So I am giving God my mother…and all of my
“situations.” I can’t promise that I won’t mention them to Him again –
and again – and again! I’m pesky like that! But I am trusting
Him to handle things. I know that He will never desert me…or my
Mom...or you! I feel His grace, mercy, and healing peace…and I pray
that whatever your day brings – you feel it, too.
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label God's healing power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's healing power. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 30, 2014
Psalm 30:2-3
I prayed to you, Lord God,
and you healed me,
saving me from death
and the grave.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, my mother got a virus on her computer. She phoned in something of a panic…hoping that I would know how to fix this. I determined that it might be easier to go to her house and assess the problem than to try to help her over the phone. I really thought she had gotten “malware” – malicious software that can somewhat “freeze” the computer and deny access to certain files and programs. Mother was really upset…the messages she received indicated that her files were “dead and gone” and that retrieval was impossible.
I wish it had been as simple as “malware”. My mom, her husband Lee and I determined that she had somehow gotten something called “CryptoWall Ransomware”…a really bad virus that arrives when the user clicks (sometimes inadvertently) on a file like a PDF or a “Word” document or a .zip file…and this malicious program begins a scan of the user’s hard drive and all of its files – plus any files that might be on a “peripheral” apparatus, like a flash drive or DVD. All of these files are also encrypted, so that they no longer can be opened conventionally. The “fix” the hacker proposes is for the user to pay a “ransom” that begins at $500 and increases to $1000 or more each day that the person who has been violated waits. In return for this ransom, a “key” is provided to decrypt the files.
This is hopefully not the only repair option for this virus. We are in the process if trying some suggestions from YouTube videos and information we Googled about “CryptoWall Ransomware” that will hopefully enable my mom to remove the virus and retrieve at least SOME of her files…or a previously stored version of them. Most certainly, this will not be a 100% solution. There will be collateral damage, probably in the form of lost files and photos that Mom worked on in the last week or so. But the goal is to repair the hard drive and contain the destruction.
What does this have to do with the healing power of God? For starters, I spent more than a few minutes in prayer for help as I sat at my mother’s computer and searched for a solution. I have prayed that these “remedies” will indeed work. But more importantly, I have been reminded of another “ransom”…one that was paid for my sins – and for yours!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus covered all of our sins…and restored us COMPLETELY in the eyes of God. We don’t have to worry about the loss of “important data”. We are “fixed”, complete, whole, even better than new in the eyes of God. And it’s all because of the “blood” of Jesus Christ. He paid the price in full, so that we could be totally well. We were on the brink of death, but Jesus rescued us. The only thing we “lost" was the burden of our sins and the potential to spend eternity in hell. And I don’t think any of us minds one little bit to give up either of these!
There are “take-aways” from these situations for all of us.
My “ransom” from sin has been paid, praise God! The “hard drive” of my heart is fully protected…my Eternity with Jesus Christ is secured. He paid for the “decryption key”…and I have accepted His offer of healing and deliverance. Can you say the same thing? Will this be the day that you do?
©2014 Debbie Robus
I prayed to you, Lord God,
and you healed me,
saving me from death
and the grave.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, my mother got a virus on her computer. She phoned in something of a panic…hoping that I would know how to fix this. I determined that it might be easier to go to her house and assess the problem than to try to help her over the phone. I really thought she had gotten “malware” – malicious software that can somewhat “freeze” the computer and deny access to certain files and programs. Mother was really upset…the messages she received indicated that her files were “dead and gone” and that retrieval was impossible.
I wish it had been as simple as “malware”. My mom, her husband Lee and I determined that she had somehow gotten something called “CryptoWall Ransomware”…a really bad virus that arrives when the user clicks (sometimes inadvertently) on a file like a PDF or a “Word” document or a .zip file…and this malicious program begins a scan of the user’s hard drive and all of its files – plus any files that might be on a “peripheral” apparatus, like a flash drive or DVD. All of these files are also encrypted, so that they no longer can be opened conventionally. The “fix” the hacker proposes is for the user to pay a “ransom” that begins at $500 and increases to $1000 or more each day that the person who has been violated waits. In return for this ransom, a “key” is provided to decrypt the files.
This is hopefully not the only repair option for this virus. We are in the process if trying some suggestions from YouTube videos and information we Googled about “CryptoWall Ransomware” that will hopefully enable my mom to remove the virus and retrieve at least SOME of her files…or a previously stored version of them. Most certainly, this will not be a 100% solution. There will be collateral damage, probably in the form of lost files and photos that Mom worked on in the last week or so. But the goal is to repair the hard drive and contain the destruction.
What does this have to do with the healing power of God? For starters, I spent more than a few minutes in prayer for help as I sat at my mother’s computer and searched for a solution. I have prayed that these “remedies” will indeed work. But more importantly, I have been reminded of another “ransom”…one that was paid for my sins – and for yours!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus covered all of our sins…and restored us COMPLETELY in the eyes of God. We don’t have to worry about the loss of “important data”. We are “fixed”, complete, whole, even better than new in the eyes of God. And it’s all because of the “blood” of Jesus Christ. He paid the price in full, so that we could be totally well. We were on the brink of death, but Jesus rescued us. The only thing we “lost" was the burden of our sins and the potential to spend eternity in hell. And I don’t think any of us minds one little bit to give up either of these!
There are “take-aways” from these situations for all of us.
- We must tighten our security measures on our computers.
- We must be painfully careful about every click we make…every document we open.
- We must disconnect from the Internet when we are not using it…and disconnect “peripheral” devices when we are not using them.
- We must recognize the tremendous sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us…the “ransom” that He paid for our sins.
- We must thank God for sending Jesus…and for providing us with a “fix” that ensures us of Salvation through the ransomed blood of Jesus – and the promise of spending time in His presence in Heaven - forever and ever.
- We must guard our hearts and the privilege of a ransomed life in Christ with as much fervor and attention as we give to caring for the files on our computer…maybe even more!
- We must recognize that at the end of the day, computers and files are just stuff…important though they may seem…but our salvation through Jesus is the most important “file” that we will ever have.
My “ransom” from sin has been paid, praise God! The “hard drive” of my heart is fully protected…my Eternity with Jesus Christ is secured. He paid for the “decryption key”…and I have accepted His offer of healing and deliverance. Can you say the same thing? Will this be the day that you do?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 29, 2014
Psalm 147:3-5
He renews our hopes
and heals our bodies.
He decided how many stars
there would be in the sky
and gave each one a name.
Our Lord is great and powerful!
He understands everything.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A weather “front” came through our area yesterday, and what seemed like millions of leaves blew from the trees as the winds gusted. Our yard and driveway were covered in the results…leaves more numerous than we could ever begin to count – if we even cared to do so.
Do you realize that the stars in the universe are more numerous than these leaves? Yet God cares so much that He planned for each and every one of them – and gave.them.a.name! The God who cares that much about stars in the sky cares even more for each of us. So how could we ever doubt for one minute that He would renew our hopes and heal our bodies?
How could we ever question whether God would understand us…and everything about us? Surely the God who creates and names the stars can handle little ole me…and YOU! The question is…will we let Him? Will we trust God enough to bring Him our thoughts, dreams, desires, deepest concerns – and even our mistakes? Will we believe His promise to heal us, forgive us, restore us, and meet our every need?
It is time to “walk the Walk” in direct correlation to how we “talk the Talk”! The time has come to thank God for all that He does for us…and to mean it! We say we trust Him…that we believe that He is all-powerful, loving, filled with grace and mercy for us – that He is our “Great Healer”. So isn’t it time to let Him be all of these things in our lives? Will this be the day that we begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
He renews our hopes
and heals our bodies.
He decided how many stars
there would be in the sky
and gave each one a name.
Our Lord is great and powerful!
He understands everything.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A weather “front” came through our area yesterday, and what seemed like millions of leaves blew from the trees as the winds gusted. Our yard and driveway were covered in the results…leaves more numerous than we could ever begin to count – if we even cared to do so.
Do you realize that the stars in the universe are more numerous than these leaves? Yet God cares so much that He planned for each and every one of them – and gave.them.a.name! The God who cares that much about stars in the sky cares even more for each of us. So how could we ever doubt for one minute that He would renew our hopes and heal our bodies?
How could we ever question whether God would understand us…and everything about us? Surely the God who creates and names the stars can handle little ole me…and YOU! The question is…will we let Him? Will we trust God enough to bring Him our thoughts, dreams, desires, deepest concerns – and even our mistakes? Will we believe His promise to heal us, forgive us, restore us, and meet our every need?
It is time to “walk the Walk” in direct correlation to how we “talk the Talk”! The time has come to thank God for all that He does for us…and to mean it! We say we trust Him…that we believe that He is all-powerful, loving, filled with grace and mercy for us – that He is our “Great Healer”. So isn’t it time to let Him be all of these things in our lives? Will this be the day that we begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 28, 2014
Psalm 107-19-22
Some of you were sick because you’d lived a bad life,
your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
You couldn’t stand the sight of food,
so miserable you thought you’d be better off dead.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
he got you out in the nick of time.
He spoke the word that healed you,
that pulled you back from the brink of death.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
Offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
tell the world what he’s done—sing it out!
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.
Because it is almost Halloween and we have company visiting this week, I set a dish of candy on the ottoman that serves as our coffee table…Snickers® bars, and a bag of mixed candy “corn” and “pumpkins”. One of our guests picked up the bag and asked us, “Have you ever made yourself sick on these?” Oh, yes!
If we are honest, we’ve probably all made ourselves a little miserable on too much candy during Halloween, Christmas or Easter. We all know that over-stuffed feeling of eating too much turkey and more than one slice of our favorite dessert on Thanksgiving Day! We might have even felt so miserable that we temporarily thought we’d be better off dead! And let’s be honest…the extra pounds that stick around long after the sweet taste of whatever we thought we couldn’t live without weigh us down in more ways than one!
So it isn’t so much of a stretch to envision our lives in this context…sick from the sin of indulging in things we shouldn’t…everything from offensive language and gossip to indecent activities to mistreatment of others, and yes – gluttony, plus a myriad of transgressions of every kind! And quite often, these leave us sick at heart…weighted down with guilt and shame…if not literally wishing that we were dead. Sometimes, things can seem so bad that there doesn’t appear to be an “out”!
This is where the latter verses of this passage come into play and remind us that “God got us in the nick of time!” We can call on Him any time, day or night, and He will rescue us, heal us, and pull us from the brink of death. When we stay close to God through prayer, Bible study and fellowship with other believers, He will strengthen us against future “bouts of sin sickness”!
I believe we all have “sin sickness” from time to time…certain situations and circumstances where we overdo it and suffer the consequences. Like the Thanksgiving dinner or overindulgence in candy or sweets, we can sometimes correct this with a nap or a “time out”. But there are times, when we need “the big guns”…a rescue or “intervention”. Aren’t we glad that we serve a God who stands ready to “pull us back from the brink of death”? Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can confess our sins, ask God to forgive us, and expect Him to do this?
Are you “gorging yourself” today on some sort of sinful activity? Will you have to get to the point where you have made yourself “deathly sick” before you turn back to God…or are you ready to say, “Enough!” and call on Him for help? The choice is yours. This is no trick! “Treat” yourself to a healthy dose of God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness…and share the good news of His miraculous healing with everyone you meet!
Enjoy an extra piece of holiday pie or that Halloween candy (in moderation). But when it comes to the temptations of sin, trust in God to give you an appetite for things of His world instead. Give God the glory for His amazing love and care…and prepare to feel better in every way.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Some of you were sick because you’d lived a bad life,
your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
You couldn’t stand the sight of food,
so miserable you thought you’d be better off dead.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
he got you out in the nick of time.
He spoke the word that healed you,
that pulled you back from the brink of death.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
Offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
tell the world what he’s done—sing it out!
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.
Because it is almost Halloween and we have company visiting this week, I set a dish of candy on the ottoman that serves as our coffee table…Snickers® bars, and a bag of mixed candy “corn” and “pumpkins”. One of our guests picked up the bag and asked us, “Have you ever made yourself sick on these?” Oh, yes!
If we are honest, we’ve probably all made ourselves a little miserable on too much candy during Halloween, Christmas or Easter. We all know that over-stuffed feeling of eating too much turkey and more than one slice of our favorite dessert on Thanksgiving Day! We might have even felt so miserable that we temporarily thought we’d be better off dead! And let’s be honest…the extra pounds that stick around long after the sweet taste of whatever we thought we couldn’t live without weigh us down in more ways than one!
So it isn’t so much of a stretch to envision our lives in this context…sick from the sin of indulging in things we shouldn’t…everything from offensive language and gossip to indecent activities to mistreatment of others, and yes – gluttony, plus a myriad of transgressions of every kind! And quite often, these leave us sick at heart…weighted down with guilt and shame…if not literally wishing that we were dead. Sometimes, things can seem so bad that there doesn’t appear to be an “out”!
This is where the latter verses of this passage come into play and remind us that “God got us in the nick of time!” We can call on Him any time, day or night, and He will rescue us, heal us, and pull us from the brink of death. When we stay close to God through prayer, Bible study and fellowship with other believers, He will strengthen us against future “bouts of sin sickness”!
I believe we all have “sin sickness” from time to time…certain situations and circumstances where we overdo it and suffer the consequences. Like the Thanksgiving dinner or overindulgence in candy or sweets, we can sometimes correct this with a nap or a “time out”. But there are times, when we need “the big guns”…a rescue or “intervention”. Aren’t we glad that we serve a God who stands ready to “pull us back from the brink of death”? Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can confess our sins, ask God to forgive us, and expect Him to do this?
Are you “gorging yourself” today on some sort of sinful activity? Will you have to get to the point where you have made yourself “deathly sick” before you turn back to God…or are you ready to say, “Enough!” and call on Him for help? The choice is yours. This is no trick! “Treat” yourself to a healthy dose of God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness…and share the good news of His miraculous healing with everyone you meet!
Enjoy an extra piece of holiday pie or that Halloween candy (in moderation). But when it comes to the temptations of sin, trust in God to give you an appetite for things of His world instead. Give God the glory for His amazing love and care…and prepare to feel better in every way.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 26, 2014
Psalm 91:9-10
For Jehovah is my refuge! I choose the God above all gods to shelter me. How then can evil overtake me or any plague come near?
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
If it weren't so pitiful, it would almost be funny how people have reacted to the recent news about the appearance of the ebola virus in our country. When the deadly illness first struck people in Dallas, Texas, I had Facebook "friends" who actually said, "Omigosh! That's only 6 hours away from here!" Helloooooo! You're not going to get it over the Internet!
Fear is one of the devil's biggest weapons. If he can just make us fear something...if he can confuse us and cause us not to understand, investigate, and/or get all of the facts...he can really mess with our minds and our hearts. And many of us seem to "go there" with warp speed!
In this scripture passage, we are reminded that God is our refuge...our shelter...the "soft (and safe) place to fall". When we are securely grounded in Him...when we are firmly entrenched in the clutches of His hand, what can really harm us?
Does this mean that we will never get sick...that nothing "bad" will ever happen to us? NO! But one of the keys to this passage is the word overtake. Nothing can overtake us when God is in control. When we are safely sheltered in His arms, we can face any challenge...we can battle any illness, or injury...we can work our way through grief and loss - and find a place of recovery and restoration. When God is our refuge, "plagues" may come dangerously close...but we will never be overcome by them.
I am participating in a six-week Bible study with a wonderful group of ladies. One night, the facilitator asked us what was keeping us from discovering our "Best Yes"...from doing what we know that God is calling us to do - and finding a million excuses for doing anything and everything else. What is really holding us back? And the answer we collectively agreed upon was...fear...fear of the unknown...fear of what might (or might not) happen...fear of rejection and ridicule...fear of failure. And we had to agree that for those who truly believe in the shelter and refuge of God Almighty, fear is totally ludicrous!
So I guess my question for us today is this...are we really dwelling in the shelter and refuge of God? Or have we stepped away and given the devil a chance to latch hold of us? God's arms are open...He is waiting to offer us safety and protection. In His grip, nothing can overtake us. So where will you choose to reside?
©2014 Debbie Robus
For Jehovah is my refuge! I choose the God above all gods to shelter me. How then can evil overtake me or any plague come near?
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
If it weren't so pitiful, it would almost be funny how people have reacted to the recent news about the appearance of the ebola virus in our country. When the deadly illness first struck people in Dallas, Texas, I had Facebook "friends" who actually said, "Omigosh! That's only 6 hours away from here!" Helloooooo! You're not going to get it over the Internet!
Fear is one of the devil's biggest weapons. If he can just make us fear something...if he can confuse us and cause us not to understand, investigate, and/or get all of the facts...he can really mess with our minds and our hearts. And many of us seem to "go there" with warp speed!
In this scripture passage, we are reminded that God is our refuge...our shelter...the "soft (and safe) place to fall". When we are securely grounded in Him...when we are firmly entrenched in the clutches of His hand, what can really harm us?
Does this mean that we will never get sick...that nothing "bad" will ever happen to us? NO! But one of the keys to this passage is the word overtake. Nothing can overtake us when God is in control. When we are safely sheltered in His arms, we can face any challenge...we can battle any illness, or injury...we can work our way through grief and loss - and find a place of recovery and restoration. When God is our refuge, "plagues" may come dangerously close...but we will never be overcome by them.
I am participating in a six-week Bible study with a wonderful group of ladies. One night, the facilitator asked us what was keeping us from discovering our "Best Yes"...from doing what we know that God is calling us to do - and finding a million excuses for doing anything and everything else. What is really holding us back? And the answer we collectively agreed upon was...fear...fear of the unknown...fear of what might (or might not) happen...fear of rejection and ridicule...fear of failure. And we had to agree that for those who truly believe in the shelter and refuge of God Almighty, fear is totally ludicrous!
So I guess my question for us today is this...are we really dwelling in the shelter and refuge of God? Or have we stepped away and given the devil a chance to latch hold of us? God's arms are open...He is waiting to offer us safety and protection. In His grip, nothing can overtake us. So where will you choose to reside?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 24, 2014
Proverbs 4:20-27
Dear friend, listen well to my words;
tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
body and soul, they’re bursting with health.
Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
that’s where life starts.
Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth;
avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.
Keep your eyes straight ahead;
ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
leave evil in the dust.
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, Greg is busy mowing our yard. His head is down, and he is focused straight ahead as he makes sure that each row neatly lines up next to the one before it - with no gaps. Were he to look to the left or right and allow his focus to wander, there is no telling what "pattern" we might end up with in our yard! Like a lot of things in life, this is a task that requires one to "keep it between the lines" and to "ignore all sideshow distractions."
How does this have relevance for us? Think about your life as if you were mowing a lawn. You have a task at hand...school, work, caring for your family, staying healthy, eating, sleeping, maintaining relationships...and yes, working on your Christian discipleship through prayer, Bible study, discipleships, and fellowship/worship with other believers. As long as you "push the mower" in a straight line and stay focused, everything goes well.
Then a "distraction" comes along. "Life" throws you a curve ball. Someone asks you to do something you don't want to do - or can't - and rather than tell them "No," you dodge and weave and say, "Let me think about it and get back to you." You've just looked to the left and gotten off track. Or someone says, "Hey, did you hear about So-and-so?" and you drop what you are doing to hear all of the juicy tidbits. You just veered to the right...and there goes another "jog" in your neatly trimmed "yard"!
Someone makes you doubt yourself - or your faith - and you stop in your tracks...frozen...unable to move in any direction. Your friends or family members express viewpoints with which you do not agree...or speak against someone or a particular group. You are uncomfortable and feel God telling you that this is not right...but you don't want to embarrass anyone - especially yourself - so you say nothing...or nod in silent agreement. Either way, you have veered off the course that God set for your life...and you probably don't fell all that great deep within your heart because of it.
This passage is a reminder for us to examine our hearts...and to spend some time talking with God. It's a wake-up call to have something of a "review" or "tune-up" to see where we have gotten off course...and where God is calling us to get back into His "lane"!
When Greg gets done mowing our yard, it looks like a beautiful, smooth green carpet. I'm afraid that the "carpet" of our lives often has quite a few frays and snags that stick up or out and mar the landscape. But we can change this. We can ask God to help us get back on track, and to stay there. God can help us keep vigilant watch over our hearts...and to avoid the distractions that pull us to one side or the other. And in doing so, we can really live...healthy, happy, and bursting with confidence that He is guiding our steps.
Who is really steering your life these days? It's a question we all need to ask ourselves. Getting to the right answer may take some work and attention, but it will be so worth the effort. Are you ready to start paying closer attention? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Dear friend, listen well to my words;
tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
body and soul, they’re bursting with health.
Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
that’s where life starts.
Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth;
avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.
Keep your eyes straight ahead;
ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
leave evil in the dust.
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, Greg is busy mowing our yard. His head is down, and he is focused straight ahead as he makes sure that each row neatly lines up next to the one before it - with no gaps. Were he to look to the left or right and allow his focus to wander, there is no telling what "pattern" we might end up with in our yard! Like a lot of things in life, this is a task that requires one to "keep it between the lines" and to "ignore all sideshow distractions."
How does this have relevance for us? Think about your life as if you were mowing a lawn. You have a task at hand...school, work, caring for your family, staying healthy, eating, sleeping, maintaining relationships...and yes, working on your Christian discipleship through prayer, Bible study, discipleships, and fellowship/worship with other believers. As long as you "push the mower" in a straight line and stay focused, everything goes well.
Then a "distraction" comes along. "Life" throws you a curve ball. Someone asks you to do something you don't want to do - or can't - and rather than tell them "No," you dodge and weave and say, "Let me think about it and get back to you." You've just looked to the left and gotten off track. Or someone says, "Hey, did you hear about So-and-so?" and you drop what you are doing to hear all of the juicy tidbits. You just veered to the right...and there goes another "jog" in your neatly trimmed "yard"!
Someone makes you doubt yourself - or your faith - and you stop in your tracks...frozen...unable to move in any direction. Your friends or family members express viewpoints with which you do not agree...or speak against someone or a particular group. You are uncomfortable and feel God telling you that this is not right...but you don't want to embarrass anyone - especially yourself - so you say nothing...or nod in silent agreement. Either way, you have veered off the course that God set for your life...and you probably don't fell all that great deep within your heart because of it.
This passage is a reminder for us to examine our hearts...and to spend some time talking with God. It's a wake-up call to have something of a "review" or "tune-up" to see where we have gotten off course...and where God is calling us to get back into His "lane"!
When Greg gets done mowing our yard, it looks like a beautiful, smooth green carpet. I'm afraid that the "carpet" of our lives often has quite a few frays and snags that stick up or out and mar the landscape. But we can change this. We can ask God to help us get back on track, and to stay there. God can help us keep vigilant watch over our hearts...and to avoid the distractions that pull us to one side or the other. And in doing so, we can really live...healthy, happy, and bursting with confidence that He is guiding our steps.
Who is really steering your life these days? It's a question we all need to ask ourselves. Getting to the right answer may take some work and attention, but it will be so worth the effort. Are you ready to start paying closer attention? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 15, 2014
October 15 ~ Mark 11:22-24
Jesus told his disciples:
Have faith in God! If you have faith in God and don’t doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Several years ago, I watched a certain televangelist’s morning program every week. In fact, I recorded his “sermons” and studied them each Sunday afternoon. Do not judge! I gained a lot of Bible knowledge from this exercise. That is not to say that I believed everything this man taught – or his interpretation of the scriptures he presented each day. He took the scripture promise of Mark 11:22-24 in a totally different direction – and he quoted other scriptures in an attempt to support his stance.
This man believed that God wanted us to all live in “McMansions”, drive an expensive vehicle (or own a fleet of cars), wear expensive watches and diamond jewelry, own private jets and more. He assured us that all of this was within our reach...if we would believe for it AND “sow seeds” of money gifts to the church – even when we couldn’t pay our light bill! This is called “prosperity teaching/preaching”, and it’s become quite popular in certain “Christian” circles. No apologies are made for having excessive wealth...this is considered God’s reward or “favor” for faithfulness and obedience.
One of the things I did learn from all of this was how to study the scriptures for myself...to dig deeply and discover what God intended me to glean from His word. And here’s what I feel He tells me about this particular set of verses...”the rest of the story”!
If you continue reading in Mark 11, verses 25-26 say, “Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.” Oh, but wait! You mean...I have to forgive others in order to “move that mountain”? Certainly! John 15:16 says “You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.” So I have to ask for GOD’s will rather than my own? Most definitely!
In Isaiah 55:9, God tells us, “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.” Then we must not only have faith in God...but also in His ways – even when they are not what we expected or desired? Absolutely!
So while we may grow up wanting to be an architect or ballerina...believing with every fiber of our being that we will end up in the NBA or the NFL...or that we will marry the person of our dreams, have 2.5 children and the proverbial “house with the picket fence, two cars a dog and a cat” and live happily ever after...God may have far different plans. We can believe all day long that all we have to do is ask God for something, and He will give it to us...but if it doesn’t fit into His perfect plan, this simply will not happen. If we operate with anger, hatred, ill will or unforgiveness in our hearts and ask God to produce certain results, we’ve gotten it all wrong.
Understand this...God is in the business of miracles and moving mountains. He is ready, willing, and able to answer our prayers...to help us soar to heights beyond any we could ever imagine. But this only happens within His will and the parameters that He has outlined for us. We must have obedient faith...we must get rid of any ulterior or selfish motives...we must come to Him with a humble attitude and a genuine confidence that His answer is the best one. If all of these things come together as God desires, the “mountain” will be moved. If it is not...we must be ready to accept this and ask, “What did YOU have in mind, LORD?”
I don’t know what “mountains” you are asking God to move today. Perhaps you are asking for healing for yourself or someone you know. Maybe you are struggling at school or in the workplace...looking for a job...grappling with bills and a way to make ends meet...fighting for your marriage or resolution in another personal relationship...coping with the challenges of aging (your own or someone else’s)...seeking a deeper spiritual connection and/or grappling with relationships that involve fellow believers and/or your church family. Whatever your situation entails...God has a plan. He already knows what is best for us. But He wants us to ask for His help...in the right way, with the right attitude and expectations.
A lot of people want to tout the “power of positive thinking”...the notion that if we just believe strongly enough...if we just envision what we want with enough conviction...it will happen. Don’t leave God out of this equation. There is no “secret”, as some would have you believe. Everything is clearly spelled out in the scriptures...and everything you ask for in prayer – according to God’s perfect will – can indeed be yours. What are you asking for today...and how did you ask? There is faith...and then there is faith. In which will you choose to operate? How you answer may spell the difference in what happens to the “mountain”!
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus told his disciples:
Have faith in God! If you have faith in God and don’t doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Several years ago, I watched a certain televangelist’s morning program every week. In fact, I recorded his “sermons” and studied them each Sunday afternoon. Do not judge! I gained a lot of Bible knowledge from this exercise. That is not to say that I believed everything this man taught – or his interpretation of the scriptures he presented each day. He took the scripture promise of Mark 11:22-24 in a totally different direction – and he quoted other scriptures in an attempt to support his stance.
This man believed that God wanted us to all live in “McMansions”, drive an expensive vehicle (or own a fleet of cars), wear expensive watches and diamond jewelry, own private jets and more. He assured us that all of this was within our reach...if we would believe for it AND “sow seeds” of money gifts to the church – even when we couldn’t pay our light bill! This is called “prosperity teaching/preaching”, and it’s become quite popular in certain “Christian” circles. No apologies are made for having excessive wealth...this is considered God’s reward or “favor” for faithfulness and obedience.
One of the things I did learn from all of this was how to study the scriptures for myself...to dig deeply and discover what God intended me to glean from His word. And here’s what I feel He tells me about this particular set of verses...”the rest of the story”!
If you continue reading in Mark 11, verses 25-26 say, “Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.” Oh, but wait! You mean...I have to forgive others in order to “move that mountain”? Certainly! John 15:16 says “You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.” So I have to ask for GOD’s will rather than my own? Most definitely!
In Isaiah 55:9, God tells us, “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.” Then we must not only have faith in God...but also in His ways – even when they are not what we expected or desired? Absolutely!
So while we may grow up wanting to be an architect or ballerina...believing with every fiber of our being that we will end up in the NBA or the NFL...or that we will marry the person of our dreams, have 2.5 children and the proverbial “house with the picket fence, two cars a dog and a cat” and live happily ever after...God may have far different plans. We can believe all day long that all we have to do is ask God for something, and He will give it to us...but if it doesn’t fit into His perfect plan, this simply will not happen. If we operate with anger, hatred, ill will or unforgiveness in our hearts and ask God to produce certain results, we’ve gotten it all wrong.
Understand this...God is in the business of miracles and moving mountains. He is ready, willing, and able to answer our prayers...to help us soar to heights beyond any we could ever imagine. But this only happens within His will and the parameters that He has outlined for us. We must have obedient faith...we must get rid of any ulterior or selfish motives...we must come to Him with a humble attitude and a genuine confidence that His answer is the best one. If all of these things come together as God desires, the “mountain” will be moved. If it is not...we must be ready to accept this and ask, “What did YOU have in mind, LORD?”
I don’t know what “mountains” you are asking God to move today. Perhaps you are asking for healing for yourself or someone you know. Maybe you are struggling at school or in the workplace...looking for a job...grappling with bills and a way to make ends meet...fighting for your marriage or resolution in another personal relationship...coping with the challenges of aging (your own or someone else’s)...seeking a deeper spiritual connection and/or grappling with relationships that involve fellow believers and/or your church family. Whatever your situation entails...God has a plan. He already knows what is best for us. But He wants us to ask for His help...in the right way, with the right attitude and expectations.
A lot of people want to tout the “power of positive thinking”...the notion that if we just believe strongly enough...if we just envision what we want with enough conviction...it will happen. Don’t leave God out of this equation. There is no “secret”, as some would have you believe. Everything is clearly spelled out in the scriptures...and everything you ask for in prayer – according to God’s perfect will – can indeed be yours. What are you asking for today...and how did you ask? There is faith...and then there is faith. In which will you choose to operate? How you answer may spell the difference in what happens to the “mountain”!
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 14, 2014
Malachi 4:2-3
But for you that honor my name, victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays, and you will jump around like calves at play. When I come to bring justice, you will trample those who are evil, as though they were ashes under your feet. I, the Lord All-Powerful, have spoken!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In 2005, former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood received a Grammy Award for the Best Female Country Vocal Performance of “Before He Cheats*”. The lyrics to this song say in part...
I found this passage rich with message and meaning on several levels:
If only we could learn to operate more in the joy of the LORD and focus on pleasing Him. If only we could learn to more fully trust His power to handle our worries and concerns...to heal our heartaches just as surely as He heals our wounds and diseases...we would surely be more effective disciples – with contented souls! I am so ready to “let go and let God”...to trust that He’s got my back – now and for all eternity. I’m ready to focus less on the other guy and more on Jesus. I’m ready to bask in the healing rays of God’s sunshine – and to feel my heart leaping with joy like young calves at play. Aren’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Before He Cheats ~ ©2005 ~ written by Chris Tompkins & Josh Kear ~ Performed by Carrie Underwood for Arista Nashville Records ~ Sony Music Nashville (US) www.aristanashville.com
But for you that honor my name, victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays, and you will jump around like calves at play. When I come to bring justice, you will trample those who are evil, as though they were ashes under your feet. I, the Lord All-Powerful, have spoken!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In 2005, former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood received a Grammy Award for the Best Female Country Vocal Performance of “Before He Cheats*”. The lyrics to this song say in part...
I dug my key into the sideMaybe you haven’t felt like taking a key to someone’s car, slashing the seats and tires, or smashing in the headlights. But let’s be honest...we’ve all been irritated about something or someone at one time or another - and at least secretly wished that “someday, he/she will be sorry.” At the end of the day, we are human – and sinful...which means we all will eventually seek “revenge” of some kind...even if it is to delight in a “tit for tat” bad call during a ballgame – or to take comfort in the thought that one of these days, another person will have to answer for his/her “sins” and missteps. Our victorious “jumping around like calves at play” is often somewhat misguided!
of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive,
carved my name into his leather seats...
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights,
slashed a hole in all 4 tires...
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.
I found this passage rich with message and meaning on several levels:
- When you drill it all down, we don’t have to worry about the other guy – God will handle him/her.
- All we are called to do is honor the name of God - every day, in all things.
- Doing the right thing will be its own reward...God will fill us with joy and a lightness of heart and mind that has us practically leaping in the air with delight.
- God is in complete control. This should “lighten our load”. We should feel calmer...more peaceful, collected and confident as we leave our worries and concerns in God’s hands and focus only on loving and serving Him in everything.
If only we could learn to operate more in the joy of the LORD and focus on pleasing Him. If only we could learn to more fully trust His power to handle our worries and concerns...to heal our heartaches just as surely as He heals our wounds and diseases...we would surely be more effective disciples – with contented souls! I am so ready to “let go and let God”...to trust that He’s got my back – now and for all eternity. I’m ready to focus less on the other guy and more on Jesus. I’m ready to bask in the healing rays of God’s sunshine – and to feel my heart leaping with joy like young calves at play. Aren’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Before He Cheats ~ ©2005 ~ written by Chris Tompkins & Josh Kear ~ Performed by Carrie Underwood for Arista Nashville Records ~ Sony Music Nashville (US) www.aristanashville.com
Daily Devotional for October 11, 2014
John 14:1
“Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me."
Romans 15:13
So I pray for you Gentiles that God who gives you hope will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. I pray that God will help you overflow with hope in him through the Holy Spirit’s power within you.
Psalm 40:4
Many blessings are given to those who trust the Lord and have no confidence in those who are proud or who trust in idols.
John 6:29
Jesus told them, “This is the will of God, that you believe in the one he has sent.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In the book One Thousand Gifts*, author Ann Voskamp talks about standing in her laundry room one day and staring out at the barn that housed their livelihood - pigs. The market for the sale of swine had plummeted in Canada, and Voskamp worried about how they would pay bills, feed their family...in short, how they would survive. She relates how stressed she felt...and how sad. Her husband tried to reassure her that all would be well, and she desperately wanted to believe him. So she sought answers – and comfort - in these scripture passages.
Voskamp realized that stress was stealing her joy...and that when you drill it down, operating in stress is really a sin. How so? When we allow stress, worry and fear to overtake our thoughts, we fail to trust completely in God and His power to “work things together for good”. We cannot be stressed and claim to fully believe that God will heal us...that He can – and will – fix things. As Voskamp puts it...”stress brings no joy.”
I read this part of Voskamp’s book several times and let her thoughts and the scriptures soak into my heart. I thought about “stressful” situations in my life – and in the lives of others that I know and love. I looked at the ways that God has seen many of us through seemingly impossible or unbearable situations...different for each person, but alike in many ways. I thought of the griefs, sadnesses, heartaches, illnesses, injuries, disappointments, tests and trials that have come into all of our lives. I considered the times when many of us were scared half to death and couldn’t believe that things would ever be “right” again...how a lot of us have wondered if we would ever know joy and peace again. And to a person, I could not think of a single fellow believer that God did not rescue and restore from these things.
Here’s the deal...whatever you are “stressed” over today...wherever you are worried, fearful, and uncertain...it’s time for you to move in a different direction. Voskamp admits that operating in complete trust involves work...that we have to work at remaining intentional and focused on God and His power and ability to handle every aspect of our lives. Trusting God to rescue, heal and restore us is our primary job...our main purpose...our true “life’s work”.
It’s time to shift gears...to examine where we are focused – what drives us. If we find that we are in any way operating in stress, worry or fear, we need a “makeover”. We may not be able to accomplish complete success in a single day...but we have to start somewhere. So let’s begin by studying these scripture verses and thanking God for His gifts...Jesus Christ, unconditional love and care, healing, forgiveness, joy and blessings.
Make a list of the ways that God has blessed your life...the times that He has rescued or healed you...the ways that He has brought about a positive outcome where all you saw was a rotten mess! Thank Him...over and over...for His generosity, grace and mercy. Then pledge to honor His commitment to you by giving Him your full trust over a specific situation that is stressing you presently. Each day, add another “stressor”...and continue giving God your worries and burdens until you find yourself operating more and more in trust – and joy – and less in the pointless, dead-end futility of stress.
God has you in the palm of His hand...don’t you know that? When you gave your heart to Jesus, you promised to honor His promises by giving Him your full trust. God has held up His end of the bargain...isn’t it time you did the same?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* One Thousand Gifts ~ ©2010 Ann Morton Voskamp ~ One Zondervan Press ~ www.zondervan.com
“Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me."
Romans 15:13
So I pray for you Gentiles that God who gives you hope will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. I pray that God will help you overflow with hope in him through the Holy Spirit’s power within you.
Psalm 40:4
Many blessings are given to those who trust the Lord and have no confidence in those who are proud or who trust in idols.
John 6:29
Jesus told them, “This is the will of God, that you believe in the one he has sent.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In the book One Thousand Gifts*, author Ann Voskamp talks about standing in her laundry room one day and staring out at the barn that housed their livelihood - pigs. The market for the sale of swine had plummeted in Canada, and Voskamp worried about how they would pay bills, feed their family...in short, how they would survive. She relates how stressed she felt...and how sad. Her husband tried to reassure her that all would be well, and she desperately wanted to believe him. So she sought answers – and comfort - in these scripture passages.
Voskamp realized that stress was stealing her joy...and that when you drill it down, operating in stress is really a sin. How so? When we allow stress, worry and fear to overtake our thoughts, we fail to trust completely in God and His power to “work things together for good”. We cannot be stressed and claim to fully believe that God will heal us...that He can – and will – fix things. As Voskamp puts it...”stress brings no joy.”
I read this part of Voskamp’s book several times and let her thoughts and the scriptures soak into my heart. I thought about “stressful” situations in my life – and in the lives of others that I know and love. I looked at the ways that God has seen many of us through seemingly impossible or unbearable situations...different for each person, but alike in many ways. I thought of the griefs, sadnesses, heartaches, illnesses, injuries, disappointments, tests and trials that have come into all of our lives. I considered the times when many of us were scared half to death and couldn’t believe that things would ever be “right” again...how a lot of us have wondered if we would ever know joy and peace again. And to a person, I could not think of a single fellow believer that God did not rescue and restore from these things.
Here’s the deal...whatever you are “stressed” over today...wherever you are worried, fearful, and uncertain...it’s time for you to move in a different direction. Voskamp admits that operating in complete trust involves work...that we have to work at remaining intentional and focused on God and His power and ability to handle every aspect of our lives. Trusting God to rescue, heal and restore us is our primary job...our main purpose...our true “life’s work”.
It’s time to shift gears...to examine where we are focused – what drives us. If we find that we are in any way operating in stress, worry or fear, we need a “makeover”. We may not be able to accomplish complete success in a single day...but we have to start somewhere. So let’s begin by studying these scripture verses and thanking God for His gifts...Jesus Christ, unconditional love and care, healing, forgiveness, joy and blessings.
Make a list of the ways that God has blessed your life...the times that He has rescued or healed you...the ways that He has brought about a positive outcome where all you saw was a rotten mess! Thank Him...over and over...for His generosity, grace and mercy. Then pledge to honor His commitment to you by giving Him your full trust over a specific situation that is stressing you presently. Each day, add another “stressor”...and continue giving God your worries and burdens until you find yourself operating more and more in trust – and joy – and less in the pointless, dead-end futility of stress.
God has you in the palm of His hand...don’t you know that? When you gave your heart to Jesus, you promised to honor His promises by giving Him your full trust. God has held up His end of the bargain...isn’t it time you did the same?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* One Thousand Gifts ~ ©2010 Ann Morton Voskamp ~ One Zondervan Press ~ www.zondervan.com
Daily Devotional for October 7, 2014
Luke 13:15-16
But Jesus shot back, “You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?”
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 began to write this
devo, I glimpsed out my office window to see a little turtle crawling
across the driveway. Unlike our image of turtles as slow-moving
creatures, this little guy was in a hurry. It was as if he thought, “I
shouldn’t be here...I better get a move on and get outta here!” By the
same token, I have a “to-do” list for this day that is longer than my
arm...but I found myself out on the driveway, photographing a turtle and
marveling at how intricately he is created. From the honey-comb
pattern of his hard-shelled back to the delicate little claws on the
tips of his toes that help him grip the land as he travels along - and
the ingenious way he can retreat inside his shell and protect himself
from prey – God packed a punch of beauty and intricate design in this
small package!
I grabbed my camera and headed for the window, and then the front porch as he scurried on toward the yard – and ultimately into the safety of an adjacent woods. Then I posted a few of these pictures on Facebook with the verse from Psalm 139:14...”I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...”(NIV).
Here’s the thing...a lot of the time, we would say, “It’s just a turtle. Why stop my day and go to the trouble to grab a camera and take pictures?! Surely I need to be doing something more responsible or meaningful with these few minutes.” In other words...this is just not done – or it shouldn’t be! Had I kept on writing, the turtle would have wandered away, and life would have gone on as usual. But I would have missed a moment of “eucharisteo” – a chance to recognize the intricacies and artistry of God...and to give thanks for His attention to detail. I would have squandered a chance to be reminded that the God who cares so much about the last element of how a turtle’s body is knit together and functions also cares that much about me!
God doesn’t really care about our timetables. He wants us to be attuned to His. He doesn’t care nearly as much about “convention”, ritual and tradition as we do. God would far rather we notice His presence in the brief encounter with a turtle. He would rather we take time to heal someone in Jesus’ name on the Sabbath than worry about what day it is. In other words, God would rather you worry less about “how things are supposed to be done” and more about what you are actually doing that honors and glorifies Him!
Look at it this way...we will often stop everything to check our e-mail messages or read through posts on Facebook – but we won’t stop to speak to someone in the grocery store or the hallway at school or church. We will spend an hour watching “The Real Housewives of Something”...or “Swamp People”...but we won’t take 30 minutes to call a friend, write a note of encouragement, or knock on our neighbor’s door and ask how he/she is doing. We have all manner of time to scour magazines or the Internet for the latest scouting report on our favorite team...or the photos of George Clooney’s wedding – but we can’t sit quietly and watch God paint a picture with His glorious sunsets or the rising of a harvest moon!
Don’t miss the “turtles” in your life. Don’t waste a single chance for “eucharisteo”. Forget about how things have traditionally been done and ask God to show you how He wants you to do things! Embrace all that He has planned for you. Make sure you are always in His will and experiencing His healing power in even the smallest moments. Quit worrying about what others think. Concentrate on finding – and sharing – God’s love and care...even in a brief encounter with a turtle.
©2014 Debbie Robus
But Jesus shot back, “You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?”
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 grabbed my camera and headed for the window, and then the front porch as he scurried on toward the yard – and ultimately into the safety of an adjacent woods. Then I posted a few of these pictures on Facebook with the verse from Psalm 139:14...”I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...”(NIV).
Here’s the thing...a lot of the time, we would say, “It’s just a turtle. Why stop my day and go to the trouble to grab a camera and take pictures?! Surely I need to be doing something more responsible or meaningful with these few minutes.” In other words...this is just not done – or it shouldn’t be! Had I kept on writing, the turtle would have wandered away, and life would have gone on as usual. But I would have missed a moment of “eucharisteo” – a chance to recognize the intricacies and artistry of God...and to give thanks for His attention to detail. I would have squandered a chance to be reminded that the God who cares so much about the last element of how a turtle’s body is knit together and functions also cares that much about me!
God doesn’t really care about our timetables. He wants us to be attuned to His. He doesn’t care nearly as much about “convention”, ritual and tradition as we do. God would far rather we notice His presence in the brief encounter with a turtle. He would rather we take time to heal someone in Jesus’ name on the Sabbath than worry about what day it is. In other words, God would rather you worry less about “how things are supposed to be done” and more about what you are actually doing that honors and glorifies Him!
Look at it this way...we will often stop everything to check our e-mail messages or read through posts on Facebook – but we won’t stop to speak to someone in the grocery store or the hallway at school or church. We will spend an hour watching “The Real Housewives of Something”...or “Swamp People”...but we won’t take 30 minutes to call a friend, write a note of encouragement, or knock on our neighbor’s door and ask how he/she is doing. We have all manner of time to scour magazines or the Internet for the latest scouting report on our favorite team...or the photos of George Clooney’s wedding – but we can’t sit quietly and watch God paint a picture with His glorious sunsets or the rising of a harvest moon!
Don’t miss the “turtles” in your life. Don’t waste a single chance for “eucharisteo”. Forget about how things have traditionally been done and ask God to show you how He wants you to do things! Embrace all that He has planned for you. Make sure you are always in His will and experiencing His healing power in even the smallest moments. Quit worrying about what others think. Concentrate on finding – and sharing – God’s love and care...even in a brief encounter with a turtle.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 5, 2014
Jeremiah 33:6-9
Nevertheless the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s damage and give her prosperity and peace. I will rebuild the cities of both Judah and Israel and restore their fortunes. And I will cleanse away all their sins against me and pardon them. Then this city will be an honor to me, and it will give me joy and be a source of praise and glory to me before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see the good I do for my people and will tremble with awe!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
One of my favorite TV shows is called “Rehab Addict”. It features Nicole Curtis, a young woman who buys really old, run-down houses in Detroit and Minneapolis...and completely restores them. Her specialty is using restoration hardware and vintage materials that she reclaims from other old homes – or purchases at a local salvage yard and thrift stores. She repairs old hardwood floors...light fixtures...stained glass windows...claw-footed bath tubs and vintage kitchen sinks...and so much more...and creates comfortable modern homes with a vintage feel.
Many of the houses that Curtis purchases were scheduled for condemnation. Some have windows that have been boarded up...graffiti that defaces the interior and exterior walls...and crumbling sidewalks and porches. Nothing seems to be too difficult for Curtis and her team to tackle...and when the program did show an old home that was too far gone being demolished, she was standing on the sidelines with tears pouring down her face.
Nicole Curtis is one of many restoration and renovation experts who have a vision. They see beauty and purpose where most of us would see something that needed to go. They have the foresight and ability to clean away the grime, sand and polish the years of wear and tear, and turn back time.
Most of us are a lot like those houses. We’ve become worn with time and “life”...and maybe stained with our sins and wrongdoings. Some of us are downright sick from all of it and in need of a profound healing and restoration. And God offers us exactly this! He has the vision of who and what we are supposed to be...what He intended for us. God also has the ability to restore us to our former purpose...to cleanse us of the stains of our sins and heal us where the gaping wounds of our bad choices and wrong paths have left us scarred and worn.
If you’re like me, you know at least one person of whom you have said, “If God can fix So-and-so, He can fix ANYBODY!” And maybe that “So-and-So” is YOU! The point is that God does not desire that a single one of us be “torn down and piled into the dumpster”. He sees us as He designed us...and He can get us back into prime condition. Aren’t you ready for a spiritual renovation and restoration...even if all you need is just a “light refreshing”? Isn’t this the perfect time to humble yourself before God and ask Him to “do a good work in you”? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Nevertheless the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s damage and give her prosperity and peace. I will rebuild the cities of both Judah and Israel and restore their fortunes. And I will cleanse away all their sins against me and pardon them. Then this city will be an honor to me, and it will give me joy and be a source of praise and glory to me before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see the good I do for my people and will tremble with awe!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
One of my favorite TV shows is called “Rehab Addict”. It features Nicole Curtis, a young woman who buys really old, run-down houses in Detroit and Minneapolis...and completely restores them. Her specialty is using restoration hardware and vintage materials that she reclaims from other old homes – or purchases at a local salvage yard and thrift stores. She repairs old hardwood floors...light fixtures...stained glass windows...claw-footed bath tubs and vintage kitchen sinks...and so much more...and creates comfortable modern homes with a vintage feel.
Many of the houses that Curtis purchases were scheduled for condemnation. Some have windows that have been boarded up...graffiti that defaces the interior and exterior walls...and crumbling sidewalks and porches. Nothing seems to be too difficult for Curtis and her team to tackle...and when the program did show an old home that was too far gone being demolished, she was standing on the sidelines with tears pouring down her face.
Nicole Curtis is one of many restoration and renovation experts who have a vision. They see beauty and purpose where most of us would see something that needed to go. They have the foresight and ability to clean away the grime, sand and polish the years of wear and tear, and turn back time.
Most of us are a lot like those houses. We’ve become worn with time and “life”...and maybe stained with our sins and wrongdoings. Some of us are downright sick from all of it and in need of a profound healing and restoration. And God offers us exactly this! He has the vision of who and what we are supposed to be...what He intended for us. God also has the ability to restore us to our former purpose...to cleanse us of the stains of our sins and heal us where the gaping wounds of our bad choices and wrong paths have left us scarred and worn.
If you’re like me, you know at least one person of whom you have said, “If God can fix So-and-so, He can fix ANYBODY!” And maybe that “So-and-So” is YOU! The point is that God does not desire that a single one of us be “torn down and piled into the dumpster”. He sees us as He designed us...and He can get us back into prime condition. Aren’t you ready for a spiritual renovation and restoration...even if all you need is just a “light refreshing”? Isn’t this the perfect time to humble yourself before God and ask Him to “do a good work in you”? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 3, 2014
James 5:13-16
Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually be singing praises to the Lord.
Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour a little oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him. And their prayer, if offered in faith, will heal him, for the Lord will make him well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him.
Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I pushed my 3-year-old friend Isaac across the floor of the church nursery as he rode a four-wheeled scooter of sorts. When I stopped, he said, “Do it again!” I told him that I needed to rest. “Why?” he asked. “Because I’m tired!” “But why?” he protested. “Because I’m old!” Again he asked, “But WHY?” “I just am, Buddy,” I told him...”I just am.”
“Why?” is one of the most frequent questions we ask.
Hear the words of James: “...pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest power of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” Does it say anywhere in this passage that God will give us exactly what we prayed for – specifically as we asked for it? Does James tell us that God is selfish and answers where, when and how He wants – just to feel superior? While God would have every right to do this, He simply doesn’t operate that way!
God loves you. He wants you to be well...healthy...whole...complete in every way. But God has a grand plan for all of us...and even though it might not seem so, His designs are always perfect. So when you feel like you can’t catch a break, God may be building your strength and character. When your relationships don’t work out, God may be grooming the perfect friend or partner for you – and teaching you the art of patience. When you want to “skip steps” and move on to another phase of your life, God may be slowing you in order to prevent some sort of unfortunate or disastrous outcome.
When you can’t find a job or feel unhappy or unfulfilled in the one you have, God may be preparing you - for a better one. When you or someone you love is sick or injured - and healing doesn’t seem to come as you asked - know that God IS at work. Healing comes in many forms...and God will choose what is best for His purposes - and for your situation.
When you feel that God is not answering your prayers, examine HOW you are praying. Do you place conditions on Him? Do you pray specifically – and expect only that outcome? Or do you ask God to meet your needs and the needs of those for whom you pray – but always according to HIS will and the plans that He has prepared? Do you really TRUST God to do what is best...do you petition Him in prayer and then allow Him room to work?
Believe me, I know this is hard. Timothy loves to watch the old classic “Frosty the Snowman.” In the story, the magician tells the children and Frosty, “I want that [magic] hat...and I want it NOW!” I think of this phrase often when I am talking to God, because so often, we pray for the “magic hat”! We want Him to answer us exactly as we asked...and we want it NOW! This is simply not how God operates...and with good reason. But I cannot underscore enough how much He loves you and wants to hear from you...how much God wants to give you the very best. And He will do exactly this, if we will only call on Him in faith to answer our prayers and heal us in every way.
How will you talk to God today? Will you allow Him to answer you in His way...to heal you according to His will? Are you ready to trust in His love completely and believe that He has your best interest at heart? Will your prayers be filled with “Whys”...or with praise for the answers He will surely give? What perfect healing will God accomplish in your life today? Aren’t you ready to find out?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually be singing praises to the Lord.
Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour a little oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him. And their prayer, if offered in faith, will heal him, for the Lord will make him well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him.
Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I pushed my 3-year-old friend Isaac across the floor of the church nursery as he rode a four-wheeled scooter of sorts. When I stopped, he said, “Do it again!” I told him that I needed to rest. “Why?” he asked. “Because I’m tired!” “But why?” he protested. “Because I’m old!” Again he asked, “But WHY?” “I just am, Buddy,” I told him...”I just am.”
“Why?” is one of the most frequent questions we ask.
- “Why can’t I catch a break?”
- “Why can’t I find a mate – or maintain a relationship?”
- “Why can’t I skip college and get on with my life?”
- “Why can’t I find a job?”
- “Why can’t I – or someone I love – get well?”
- “Why won’t You answer my prayers, LORD?”
Hear the words of James: “...pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest power of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” Does it say anywhere in this passage that God will give us exactly what we prayed for – specifically as we asked for it? Does James tell us that God is selfish and answers where, when and how He wants – just to feel superior? While God would have every right to do this, He simply doesn’t operate that way!
God loves you. He wants you to be well...healthy...whole...complete in every way. But God has a grand plan for all of us...and even though it might not seem so, His designs are always perfect. So when you feel like you can’t catch a break, God may be building your strength and character. When your relationships don’t work out, God may be grooming the perfect friend or partner for you – and teaching you the art of patience. When you want to “skip steps” and move on to another phase of your life, God may be slowing you in order to prevent some sort of unfortunate or disastrous outcome.
When you can’t find a job or feel unhappy or unfulfilled in the one you have, God may be preparing you - for a better one. When you or someone you love is sick or injured - and healing doesn’t seem to come as you asked - know that God IS at work. Healing comes in many forms...and God will choose what is best for His purposes - and for your situation.
When you feel that God is not answering your prayers, examine HOW you are praying. Do you place conditions on Him? Do you pray specifically – and expect only that outcome? Or do you ask God to meet your needs and the needs of those for whom you pray – but always according to HIS will and the plans that He has prepared? Do you really TRUST God to do what is best...do you petition Him in prayer and then allow Him room to work?
Believe me, I know this is hard. Timothy loves to watch the old classic “Frosty the Snowman.” In the story, the magician tells the children and Frosty, “I want that [magic] hat...and I want it NOW!” I think of this phrase often when I am talking to God, because so often, we pray for the “magic hat”! We want Him to answer us exactly as we asked...and we want it NOW! This is simply not how God operates...and with good reason. But I cannot underscore enough how much He loves you and wants to hear from you...how much God wants to give you the very best. And He will do exactly this, if we will only call on Him in faith to answer our prayers and heal us in every way.
How will you talk to God today? Will you allow Him to answer you in His way...to heal you according to His will? Are you ready to trust in His love completely and believe that He has your best interest at heart? Will your prayers be filled with “Whys”...or with praise for the answers He will surely give? What perfect healing will God accomplish in your life today? Aren’t you ready to find out?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 2, 2014
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord God
has taken control of me!
The Lord has chosen and sent me
to tell the oppressed
the good news,
to heal the brokenhearted,
and to announce freedom
for prisoners and captives.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
BibleStudyTools.com defines the word eucharisteo (pronounced yoo-khar-is-teh'-o) as a Greek verb that means “to be grateful, feel thankful, give thanks”. Author Ann Voskamp used “eucharisteo” as the theme of her book, One Thousand Gifts. I am reading this book now and discovering how Voskamp found gratitude and thanks – and praised God – in even the smallest of things...”clean sheets smelling like wind...hot oatmeal tasting like home...bare toes in early light*.”
In this context, we can also find eucharisteo...we can learn to be grateful to God for His presence in the seemingly inane moments of our day...as well as those we deem to be “huge”! In light of this scripture passage from Isaiah, the “eucharisteo” moment came for me when the prophet says, “The Lord has chosen and sent me...” Commentaries maintain that Isaiah was talking about himself as a prophet...OR that this foretells the words of Jesus in Luke 4:18, which begins...” The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me...”
I believe that this verse applies to those of us who are Disciples of Christ, as well. I don’t mean to sound arrogant – or to claim that I can literally perform the miracles of Jesus. But aren’t we called to “tell the oppressed the good news?” Doesn’t God call on us to minister to others and “heal the brokenhearted?” Aren’t we commissioned to let others know that freedom is possible from whatever binds them and holds them captive?
Opportunities for eucharisteo abound for each of us...but do we recognize them? We say that the Holy Spirit has taken control of us...but do we demonstrate His love and care in our own lives? If we were more aware of God’s presence in the small things of our day, wouldn’t we live with more purpose and intention? Do you look for the opportunity to serve as God’s agent as you attend classes, shop for groceries, prepare meals and feed your children, do your job, care for a loved one, or interact with family members and friends?
I’m not talking about literally preaching the Gospel...reciting scriptures...praying aloud...or other demonstrations we typically consider when we hear the words “witness” or “ministry”. Your body language and overall attitude and demeanor...whether you smile at others and appear pleasant and approachable...your attention to small details...your level of thoughtfulness - all of these things speak to your character as a Christian. They represent your “eucharisteo” for all that God has done for you.
When I reflect on my life, there are times when I wish I had more fully realized my “mission” and demonstrated it to others. I wish I had more fully recognized the “ministry” in my responsibilities as a teacher of young children and “loved on them” even more in the name of Jesus. I now realize how profoundly He was there with me, using me to touch these little hearts and minds each day...but oh, how I wish I had recognized my part in this more. I would have loved a little deeper, held them a little closer, lingered a little longer over their stories, pictures, songs, recitations, giggles and tears. In short, I would have paid closer attention to the small moments and shared in their savoring and nurture.
For me, this is today’s lesson. God has chosen us to be His...with intention and purpose. We have a mission to accomplish for Him...to use the power of the Holy Spirit within us to share His good news...to heal the brokenhearted by demonstrating His grace, love, mercy and forgiveness...and to express hope and freedom from the things that bind and enslave us – through salvation in Jesus Christ. It’s a tall order...but nothing less than what we should expect from the One who honored and blessed us with His choosing.
Where does God want to use you today? Are you living with intention and purpose...and with “eucharisteo”? Do you recognize your mission and your ministry? Are you so caught up in the big picture that you have neglected the smaller things that truly matter? Will this be the day you begin to change your focus? Are you ready to slow down, pay closer attention...and give God your very best? Are you ready to get started?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* One Thousand Gifts ~ ©2010 Ann Morton Voskamp ~ One Zondervan Press ~ www.zondervan.com
The Spirit of the Lord God
has taken control of me!
The Lord has chosen and sent me
to tell the oppressed
the good news,
to heal the brokenhearted,
and to announce freedom
for prisoners and captives.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
BibleStudyTools.com defines the word eucharisteo (pronounced yoo-khar-is-teh'-o) as a Greek verb that means “to be grateful, feel thankful, give thanks”. Author Ann Voskamp used “eucharisteo” as the theme of her book, One Thousand Gifts. I am reading this book now and discovering how Voskamp found gratitude and thanks – and praised God – in even the smallest of things...”clean sheets smelling like wind...hot oatmeal tasting like home...bare toes in early light*.”
In this context, we can also find eucharisteo...we can learn to be grateful to God for His presence in the seemingly inane moments of our day...as well as those we deem to be “huge”! In light of this scripture passage from Isaiah, the “eucharisteo” moment came for me when the prophet says, “The Lord has chosen and sent me...” Commentaries maintain that Isaiah was talking about himself as a prophet...OR that this foretells the words of Jesus in Luke 4:18, which begins...” The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me...”
I believe that this verse applies to those of us who are Disciples of Christ, as well. I don’t mean to sound arrogant – or to claim that I can literally perform the miracles of Jesus. But aren’t we called to “tell the oppressed the good news?” Doesn’t God call on us to minister to others and “heal the brokenhearted?” Aren’t we commissioned to let others know that freedom is possible from whatever binds them and holds them captive?
Opportunities for eucharisteo abound for each of us...but do we recognize them? We say that the Holy Spirit has taken control of us...but do we demonstrate His love and care in our own lives? If we were more aware of God’s presence in the small things of our day, wouldn’t we live with more purpose and intention? Do you look for the opportunity to serve as God’s agent as you attend classes, shop for groceries, prepare meals and feed your children, do your job, care for a loved one, or interact with family members and friends?
I’m not talking about literally preaching the Gospel...reciting scriptures...praying aloud...or other demonstrations we typically consider when we hear the words “witness” or “ministry”. Your body language and overall attitude and demeanor...whether you smile at others and appear pleasant and approachable...your attention to small details...your level of thoughtfulness - all of these things speak to your character as a Christian. They represent your “eucharisteo” for all that God has done for you.
When I reflect on my life, there are times when I wish I had more fully realized my “mission” and demonstrated it to others. I wish I had more fully recognized the “ministry” in my responsibilities as a teacher of young children and “loved on them” even more in the name of Jesus. I now realize how profoundly He was there with me, using me to touch these little hearts and minds each day...but oh, how I wish I had recognized my part in this more. I would have loved a little deeper, held them a little closer, lingered a little longer over their stories, pictures, songs, recitations, giggles and tears. In short, I would have paid closer attention to the small moments and shared in their savoring and nurture.
For me, this is today’s lesson. God has chosen us to be His...with intention and purpose. We have a mission to accomplish for Him...to use the power of the Holy Spirit within us to share His good news...to heal the brokenhearted by demonstrating His grace, love, mercy and forgiveness...and to express hope and freedom from the things that bind and enslave us – through salvation in Jesus Christ. It’s a tall order...but nothing less than what we should expect from the One who honored and blessed us with His choosing.
Where does God want to use you today? Are you living with intention and purpose...and with “eucharisteo”? Do you recognize your mission and your ministry? Are you so caught up in the big picture that you have neglected the smaller things that truly matter? Will this be the day you begin to change your focus? Are you ready to slow down, pay closer attention...and give God your very best? Are you ready to get started?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* One Thousand Gifts ~ ©2010 Ann Morton Voskamp ~ One Zondervan Press ~ www.zondervan.com
Daily Devotional for October 1, 2014
Isaiah 58:4-11
Look, what good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. Is this what I want—this doing of penance and bowing like reeds in the wind, putting on sackcloth and covering yourselves with ashes? Is this what you call fasting?
No, the kind of fast I want is that you stop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly and give them what they earn. I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor, and destitute. Clothe those who are cold, and don’t hide from relatives who need your help.
If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. “Yes, I am here,” he will quickly reply. All you need to do is to stop oppressing the weak and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors!
Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Police officers and the Prosecuting Attorney from Pulaski County, Arkansas, held a press conference on September 30, 2014, to discuss the death of 49-year-old realtor Beverly Carter, who was abducted and murdered while showing property in the county on September 25th. A reporter asked Sheriff Doc Holladay how the family received the news – and how they were holding up. Holladay remarked that the Carter family was “obviously distressed, distraught and concerned...but I think they have a religious strength that a lot of people may not have, and in that, they are surrounded by the closest of their friends, their church family, and those kinds of things that help strengthen them to get through this process...”
In the last 36+ hours of my grandmother’s life, many people came to stand with me...say a prayer over her...and even sing her a song. Greg barely left my side. The aides and staff at my grandmother’s assisted living facility went above and beyond any requirements of their job...some of them coming in on their day off to sit with her and kiss her “Good-bye.” More than two dozen members of her church prepared a pre-funeral meal...then served it and handled all of the clean-up. The only thing we had to lift was a fork to our faces! A lot of these dear souls called and sent cards and continued to remember us with prayer and support for days and weeks afterward.
Many of these same people had stood with my family in “dark hours” before. Several of them spent the better part of several days at my mother’s home ministering to us on more than one occasion when loved ones passed. When I fell a few years ago and broke my ankle, some of these same folks were among the first to visit me and bring me get-well gifts, food and encouragement.
Here’s the thing...I am not poor, sick, helpless, homeless, or destitute. I like to think that my faith is strong...that I trust God to see me through anything. But we all have needs at one time or another. This passage speaks to those who have profound hardships...but it also speaks to those in our midst that appear to have it all together – or who don’t seem to have any necessities. When we assume this to be the case, we often miss an opportunity to serve God and bless them...and receive a blessing in the bargain.
Do not misunderstand...we need to help the homeless...to work in the soup kitchens and visit those in prison...to reach out to the sick, infirm, elderly and housebound. We need to be on the lookout for ways to lift up those who are destitute and desperate. Bible studies, spiritual retreats and outreach ministries are important. But we must be very careful not to be so swallowed up in the pride of “serving those less fortunate”...and pumping our chests at what good deeds we are performing for God...that we neglect our “next-door neighbor”. Just because you share a pew with someone every Sunday doesn’t mean that he/she doesn’t have tremendous challenges and heartaches. We need to remember that lifting each other within the body of Christ is equally important!
My challenge for all of us is to read this passage from Isaiah carefully...and then put it into action. Look around...see who is sick, injured, hurting in some way – or just struggling to “keep all of the balls in the air.” Do they need a helping hand...an understanding ear...a visit or phone call to say, “I’m in your corner?” Are we so busy doing the “visible” ministries – or those that are “fun” or make us feel good that we are neglecting our brothers and sisters who are in our line of sight virtually every day? Is there someone who used to attend your church that has “dropped off the radar”? Have you reached out to them to find out what happened?
Never underestimate the needs within your own family of believers. Never downplay your own challenges and hardships...or deny another believer the opportunity to minister to you. When this passage tells us not to hide from relatives who need our help, this includes fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! God is calling us to help others...including those in our immediate “circle”. Don’t “fail to see the forest for the trees”. Ask God to show you how, who, and where to minister to others in His name...to offer His healing and help to them...and to heal yourself in the process. Be part of the support group that rallies around others, regardless of who – or where – they are.
Sheriff Holladay concluded his remarks about the family of Beverly Carter by saying that “they need support to continue”. Who in your line of sight needs the same? Will you help those in trouble and allow your light to shine out from the darkness in service and glory to God? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Look, what good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. Is this what I want—this doing of penance and bowing like reeds in the wind, putting on sackcloth and covering yourselves with ashes? Is this what you call fasting?
No, the kind of fast I want is that you stop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly and give them what they earn. I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor, and destitute. Clothe those who are cold, and don’t hide from relatives who need your help.
If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. “Yes, I am here,” he will quickly reply. All you need to do is to stop oppressing the weak and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors!
Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Police officers and the Prosecuting Attorney from Pulaski County, Arkansas, held a press conference on September 30, 2014, to discuss the death of 49-year-old realtor Beverly Carter, who was abducted and murdered while showing property in the county on September 25th. A reporter asked Sheriff Doc Holladay how the family received the news – and how they were holding up. Holladay remarked that the Carter family was “obviously distressed, distraught and concerned...but I think they have a religious strength that a lot of people may not have, and in that, they are surrounded by the closest of their friends, their church family, and those kinds of things that help strengthen them to get through this process...”
In the last 36+ hours of my grandmother’s life, many people came to stand with me...say a prayer over her...and even sing her a song. Greg barely left my side. The aides and staff at my grandmother’s assisted living facility went above and beyond any requirements of their job...some of them coming in on their day off to sit with her and kiss her “Good-bye.” More than two dozen members of her church prepared a pre-funeral meal...then served it and handled all of the clean-up. The only thing we had to lift was a fork to our faces! A lot of these dear souls called and sent cards and continued to remember us with prayer and support for days and weeks afterward.
Many of these same people had stood with my family in “dark hours” before. Several of them spent the better part of several days at my mother’s home ministering to us on more than one occasion when loved ones passed. When I fell a few years ago and broke my ankle, some of these same folks were among the first to visit me and bring me get-well gifts, food and encouragement.
Here’s the thing...I am not poor, sick, helpless, homeless, or destitute. I like to think that my faith is strong...that I trust God to see me through anything. But we all have needs at one time or another. This passage speaks to those who have profound hardships...but it also speaks to those in our midst that appear to have it all together – or who don’t seem to have any necessities. When we assume this to be the case, we often miss an opportunity to serve God and bless them...and receive a blessing in the bargain.
Do not misunderstand...we need to help the homeless...to work in the soup kitchens and visit those in prison...to reach out to the sick, infirm, elderly and housebound. We need to be on the lookout for ways to lift up those who are destitute and desperate. Bible studies, spiritual retreats and outreach ministries are important. But we must be very careful not to be so swallowed up in the pride of “serving those less fortunate”...and pumping our chests at what good deeds we are performing for God...that we neglect our “next-door neighbor”. Just because you share a pew with someone every Sunday doesn’t mean that he/she doesn’t have tremendous challenges and heartaches. We need to remember that lifting each other within the body of Christ is equally important!
My challenge for all of us is to read this passage from Isaiah carefully...and then put it into action. Look around...see who is sick, injured, hurting in some way – or just struggling to “keep all of the balls in the air.” Do they need a helping hand...an understanding ear...a visit or phone call to say, “I’m in your corner?” Are we so busy doing the “visible” ministries – or those that are “fun” or make us feel good that we are neglecting our brothers and sisters who are in our line of sight virtually every day? Is there someone who used to attend your church that has “dropped off the radar”? Have you reached out to them to find out what happened?
Never underestimate the needs within your own family of believers. Never downplay your own challenges and hardships...or deny another believer the opportunity to minister to you. When this passage tells us not to hide from relatives who need our help, this includes fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! God is calling us to help others...including those in our immediate “circle”. Don’t “fail to see the forest for the trees”. Ask God to show you how, who, and where to minister to others in His name...to offer His healing and help to them...and to heal yourself in the process. Be part of the support group that rallies around others, regardless of who – or where – they are.
Sheriff Holladay concluded his remarks about the family of Beverly Carter by saying that “they need support to continue”. Who in your line of sight needs the same? Will you help those in trouble and allow your light to shine out from the darkness in service and glory to God? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 30, 2014
Isaiah 55:9-11
Just as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
my thoughts and my ways
are higher than yours.
“Rain and snow fall from the sky.
But they don’t return
without watering the earth
that produces seeds to plant
and grain to eat.
That’s how it is with my words.
They don’t return to me
without doing everything
I send them to do.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A 49-year-old realtor left her home in central Arkansas to meet a potential client at a nearby-but-secluded riverfront property and was never heard from again. Her body was retrieved four days later from a shallow grave - at a location nearly 30 miles away from the house she was showing. The person believed to have kidnapped and murdered her was apprehended, and people began to ask, “Why did this happen?
“Why?” seems to be the pervading question in many of life’s circumstances. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Why are young mothers and fathers with little ones to rear and so many obligations taken from this earth? Why do children get cancer and other illnesses? Why are babies born with defects? Why are there wars, famines, droughts and other natural disasters? Why can’t I find a job, friend, mate – or my “place” in this world? When a deranged person is about to behead another...or a demented adult is begins to abuse or molest a child, why doesn’t God stop it? If God loves us SO much, why doesn’t He make our lives more comfortable and fix all of these things?
Recently, we hired a painter to do some work at our house. One of the projects was to repaint the front door. He worked for several hours to make our metal door to look as if it were made of wood. The painter remarked to me that there were always moments in the process where everything looked like a giant mess...but as he kept working at it, the end result came into focus. I’ve done a few faux finish projects, and I shared with him that I once purchased a wall sconce on clearance at a home decorating store. Friends who were with me asked, “Why in the world would you want that? What will you do with it?” I assured them that by the time I finished my project, they would not recognize the original piece. And just as this painter noted in his project, there were moments when I thought, “This is the biggest mess...it will never look like anything!” But I kept working...adding and removing...daubing here and patting there...and the beauty of the piece began to come through. Before I knew it, I the sconce looked just as I had envisioned – or even better! And my friends could not believe it was the same ugly item I had purchased.
I use these illustrations to show you that God has a “vision” that we cannot comprehend. He can take what appears to be a “total mess” and turn it into a masterpiece. Like the faux finishes, there may be times when things look like they are in such a state that we feel as if they are beyond repair. But God uses His strength and power to create something beautiful...and His handiwork is fully displayed.
So many people get bogged down in the question...“Why me, LORD?” Why can’t we skip the “ugly” steps in the “faux finish” of life and go straight to the pretty results? Surely we are missing something here...but what? And that is the crux of this passage from Isaiah...”My thoughts and my ways are higher than yours”. This is where we have to truly exercise our faith as Christians. We have to step out and trust that God has a perfect plan...and believe that even in the most heinous of situations or our deepest grief and heartache, He will produce something positive and beautiful.
Will we ever see the final product – God’s “vision”? Yes...but maybe not in this lifetime. Someday, we will understand all of this. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul assures us that “Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.” I have no clue what God intended for this realtor and her family. It occurs to me that at the very least, realtors everywhere may change how they show property. They may become more cautious and/or meet clients in pairs...particularly when the property is in a remote location.
I know that in my own life, I have been kept from getting a job I wanted – only to be granted a better one! Twenty-four-year-old Blessing Offor took the stage on NBC’s “The Voice” and sang his way into the competition. Judges were astonished to learn that Offor was born blind in one eye, and an accident took his vision in the other eye before he was eleven. He explained that “I had to figure out what God meant by this”...adding, “This is just another thing to work through.”
We’ve all got things to work through...and we won’t understand “what God meant by this” much of the time. But we can be assured that nothing is wasted. We can trust that God - our great provider, protector and healer – is using the “rain” in our lives to “water seeds and produce good fruit”. Our real question should not be “Why me, LORD?”...but rather, “What are You showing me?” Shouldn’t we be asking God to reveal to us how to accomplish His will with each and every circumstance of our lives? Don’t you think it’s time we did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Just as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
my thoughts and my ways
are higher than yours.
“Rain and snow fall from the sky.
But they don’t return
without watering the earth
that produces seeds to plant
and grain to eat.
That’s how it is with my words.
They don’t return to me
without doing everything
I send them to do.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A 49-year-old realtor left her home in central Arkansas to meet a potential client at a nearby-but-secluded riverfront property and was never heard from again. Her body was retrieved four days later from a shallow grave - at a location nearly 30 miles away from the house she was showing. The person believed to have kidnapped and murdered her was apprehended, and people began to ask, “Why did this happen?
“Why?” seems to be the pervading question in many of life’s circumstances. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Why are young mothers and fathers with little ones to rear and so many obligations taken from this earth? Why do children get cancer and other illnesses? Why are babies born with defects? Why are there wars, famines, droughts and other natural disasters? Why can’t I find a job, friend, mate – or my “place” in this world? When a deranged person is about to behead another...or a demented adult is begins to abuse or molest a child, why doesn’t God stop it? If God loves us SO much, why doesn’t He make our lives more comfortable and fix all of these things?
Recently, we hired a painter to do some work at our house. One of the projects was to repaint the front door. He worked for several hours to make our metal door to look as if it were made of wood. The painter remarked to me that there were always moments in the process where everything looked like a giant mess...but as he kept working at it, the end result came into focus. I’ve done a few faux finish projects, and I shared with him that I once purchased a wall sconce on clearance at a home decorating store. Friends who were with me asked, “Why in the world would you want that? What will you do with it?” I assured them that by the time I finished my project, they would not recognize the original piece. And just as this painter noted in his project, there were moments when I thought, “This is the biggest mess...it will never look like anything!” But I kept working...adding and removing...daubing here and patting there...and the beauty of the piece began to come through. Before I knew it, I the sconce looked just as I had envisioned – or even better! And my friends could not believe it was the same ugly item I had purchased.
I use these illustrations to show you that God has a “vision” that we cannot comprehend. He can take what appears to be a “total mess” and turn it into a masterpiece. Like the faux finishes, there may be times when things look like they are in such a state that we feel as if they are beyond repair. But God uses His strength and power to create something beautiful...and His handiwork is fully displayed.
So many people get bogged down in the question...“Why me, LORD?” Why can’t we skip the “ugly” steps in the “faux finish” of life and go straight to the pretty results? Surely we are missing something here...but what? And that is the crux of this passage from Isaiah...”My thoughts and my ways are higher than yours”. This is where we have to truly exercise our faith as Christians. We have to step out and trust that God has a perfect plan...and believe that even in the most heinous of situations or our deepest grief and heartache, He will produce something positive and beautiful.
Will we ever see the final product – God’s “vision”? Yes...but maybe not in this lifetime. Someday, we will understand all of this. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul assures us that “Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.” I have no clue what God intended for this realtor and her family. It occurs to me that at the very least, realtors everywhere may change how they show property. They may become more cautious and/or meet clients in pairs...particularly when the property is in a remote location.
I know that in my own life, I have been kept from getting a job I wanted – only to be granted a better one! Twenty-four-year-old Blessing Offor took the stage on NBC’s “The Voice” and sang his way into the competition. Judges were astonished to learn that Offor was born blind in one eye, and an accident took his vision in the other eye before he was eleven. He explained that “I had to figure out what God meant by this”...adding, “This is just another thing to work through.”
We’ve all got things to work through...and we won’t understand “what God meant by this” much of the time. But we can be assured that nothing is wasted. We can trust that God - our great provider, protector and healer – is using the “rain” in our lives to “water seeds and produce good fruit”. Our real question should not be “Why me, LORD?”...but rather, “What are You showing me?” Shouldn’t we be asking God to reveal to us how to accomplish His will with each and every circumstance of our lives? Don’t you think it’s time we did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 28, 2014
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 taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent edition of ABC’s 20/20, I heard the story of 12-year-old Payton Leutner, who was stabbed 19 times on May 31, 2014, by two classmates who had invited her for a sleepover in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The morning after celebrating the 12th birthday of one of the girls, they invited Payton to join them for a game of “hide-and-seek” in the woods. Payton reluctantly went along, and soon one of the girls was sitting on her and holding her down, while the other stabbed her in an attempt to kill her. This was all a plot by these two young girls to do something they thought would please “Slender Man”, a fictitious online character who supposedly lives in the woods in a mansion. These girls convinced themselves that Slender Man is real, and that they would commit this murder, and then escape into the woods to find him and his mansion...and live there forever.
In a story of heroics (and an untold story of God’s grace), Payton Leutner willed herself to live. She crawled out of the woods to a sidewalk-like trail in the park that had been blocked off to the public with a chain. Remarkably, a bicyclist chose to ignore the signs and chain and take this trail on that very morning, and he discovered little Payton lying in the grass - clinging to life. Doctors told her parents, Joe and Stacie Leutner, that one of the stab wounds missed Payton’s heart by less than a hair’s breadth. Had this wound been less than a millimeter farther in one direction, it would have been almost instantly fatal.
When Stacie Leutner first saw Payton in the hospital, she said that she was very pale. Stacie told ABC news anchor David Muir that Payton put her hand out, and she rushed over to her. She said, “I put my arms around her and I laid next to her, and I hugged her and I said, ‘You're gonna be okay. It's gonna be fine.’" As the doctors and nurses wheeled Payton away for surgery, her mother told her that she loved her...and that she would be okay.
Virtually any mother would have said and done the same thing. But Stacie Leutner could not be sure that her reassurances were accurate. She really didn’t know with certainty that Payton would be okay...that the surgeon and his team could repair all of the damage. Truthfully, Joe and Stacie Leutner do not know yet whether Payton will fully recover mentally and emotionally. She seems to be doing well...but who knows what long-term effects such a traumatic experience will have on this child. Still, in the moment, reassurance was all they had...and it’s all they have now as they hope and pray that Payton truly won’t suffer any lasting damage.
You and I often face situations that are fraught with opportunities for fear to take over. We receive unsettling news...we face challenges of a physical, mental or emotional nature...we have cause to worry to the point of making ourselves sick! And in all of these circumstances, God says, “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.” The difference between these words as spoken by a mortal parent and those of our Heavenly father is important. Our earthly parents want this to be so...they hope that the outcome will be as they spoke of it. But God guarantees His promises! When He says that He will make us strong and give us victories, we can count on Him to make it happen!
I would bet that at one time or another in our lives, every single one of us heard our parents tell us that everything would be alright...and we believed them – even when a small part of us might have known that they could not be sure they were speaking the truth. So why would we doubt or question God when He promises to heal us and give us strength and victory? Don’t we know that God’s word is infallible? Don’t we believe that God’s promises are steadfast and certain?
One of the hardest things for Payton Leutner to process has been the knowledge that her two friends meant to kill her. She is still wrestling with this profound betrayal. And her parents acknowledge that they are concerned for these two little girls and their families. But they believe that Payton was rescued for a reason...that she is here for a purpose and meant to do something special. Perhaps God is using this little girl and her story to remind parents to pay a little closer attention to what their children are doing...and to remind us of His presence and power.
Where is God telling you today that He will heal you...protect you...make you strong and give you victories? Do you trust Him and believe His promises? Isn’t it time you did? How would your life be different if you “let go and let God” have control? Wouldn’t you like to find out?
©2014 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 taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent edition of ABC’s 20/20, I heard the story of 12-year-old Payton Leutner, who was stabbed 19 times on May 31, 2014, by two classmates who had invited her for a sleepover in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The morning after celebrating the 12th birthday of one of the girls, they invited Payton to join them for a game of “hide-and-seek” in the woods. Payton reluctantly went along, and soon one of the girls was sitting on her and holding her down, while the other stabbed her in an attempt to kill her. This was all a plot by these two young girls to do something they thought would please “Slender Man”, a fictitious online character who supposedly lives in the woods in a mansion. These girls convinced themselves that Slender Man is real, and that they would commit this murder, and then escape into the woods to find him and his mansion...and live there forever.
In a story of heroics (and an untold story of God’s grace), Payton Leutner willed herself to live. She crawled out of the woods to a sidewalk-like trail in the park that had been blocked off to the public with a chain. Remarkably, a bicyclist chose to ignore the signs and chain and take this trail on that very morning, and he discovered little Payton lying in the grass - clinging to life. Doctors told her parents, Joe and Stacie Leutner, that one of the stab wounds missed Payton’s heart by less than a hair’s breadth. Had this wound been less than a millimeter farther in one direction, it would have been almost instantly fatal.
When Stacie Leutner first saw Payton in the hospital, she said that she was very pale. Stacie told ABC news anchor David Muir that Payton put her hand out, and she rushed over to her. She said, “I put my arms around her and I laid next to her, and I hugged her and I said, ‘You're gonna be okay. It's gonna be fine.’" As the doctors and nurses wheeled Payton away for surgery, her mother told her that she loved her...and that she would be okay.
Virtually any mother would have said and done the same thing. But Stacie Leutner could not be sure that her reassurances were accurate. She really didn’t know with certainty that Payton would be okay...that the surgeon and his team could repair all of the damage. Truthfully, Joe and Stacie Leutner do not know yet whether Payton will fully recover mentally and emotionally. She seems to be doing well...but who knows what long-term effects such a traumatic experience will have on this child. Still, in the moment, reassurance was all they had...and it’s all they have now as they hope and pray that Payton truly won’t suffer any lasting damage.
You and I often face situations that are fraught with opportunities for fear to take over. We receive unsettling news...we face challenges of a physical, mental or emotional nature...we have cause to worry to the point of making ourselves sick! And in all of these circumstances, God says, “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.” The difference between these words as spoken by a mortal parent and those of our Heavenly father is important. Our earthly parents want this to be so...they hope that the outcome will be as they spoke of it. But God guarantees His promises! When He says that He will make us strong and give us victories, we can count on Him to make it happen!
I would bet that at one time or another in our lives, every single one of us heard our parents tell us that everything would be alright...and we believed them – even when a small part of us might have known that they could not be sure they were speaking the truth. So why would we doubt or question God when He promises to heal us and give us strength and victory? Don’t we know that God’s word is infallible? Don’t we believe that God’s promises are steadfast and certain?
One of the hardest things for Payton Leutner to process has been the knowledge that her two friends meant to kill her. She is still wrestling with this profound betrayal. And her parents acknowledge that they are concerned for these two little girls and their families. But they believe that Payton was rescued for a reason...that she is here for a purpose and meant to do something special. Perhaps God is using this little girl and her story to remind parents to pay a little closer attention to what their children are doing...and to remind us of His presence and power.
Where is God telling you today that He will heal you...protect you...make you strong and give you victories? Do you trust Him and believe His promises? Isn’t it time you did? How would your life be different if you “let go and let God” have control? Wouldn’t you like to find out?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 27, 2014
Hosea 14:1-4
Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
Return to the Lord and say,
“Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
of praise instead of bulls.
Assyria can’t save us,
and chariots can’t help.
So we will no longer worship
the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
to orphans.”
Israel, you have rejected me,
but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
without limit.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein is credited with saying that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!” By this “definition,” we are all more than a little insane. We know that eating too much and sitting on our duffs will likely keep us from being fit and healthy...yet we continue to stuff our faces with all the wrong things and slack on the exercise regimens. We know that other habits will produce unhealthy results, also...yet we can’t seem to kick them, either!
We understand that a negative attitude breeds negativity in those around us...yet we continue to gossip, backbite, speak and think cynically, and treat others unkindly. We even say we understand that we need to study God’s word, communicate with Him continually in prayer and meditation (listening), and fellowship with other believers who can encourage us in order to be healthy spiritually. But many of us spend more time watching TV and surfing the Internet than we would ever hope to spend strengthening our relationship with God...and then we wonder why our lives seem to be coming apart at the seams – or are far less satisfying and “successful” than we would hope in so many areas.
Quite honestly, we are the modern-day “children of Israel”. God has given us every chance in the book to make changes and do better...and we continue to falter and/or fail. But here’s the Good News. God will not give up on us! He offers us a chance to make things right. If we are truly repentant, He will heal us and love us like we never imagined possible.
We really can break the cycle...we most certainly can do better and “get healthy” – not just spiritually, but in other ways, as well. And it begins with our admission that we have failed to be obedient...that we have worshipped “idols” rather than God – money, fame or “success”, possessions, friends, other people and relationship, and more...that we have not listened to God and sought a deep and abiding relationship and continual dialogue with Him. God will honor true repentance. He knows when we are genuine and sincere...and when we aren’t. IF we come to him with an apologetic heart...and an authentic desire to change, He will heal us and forgive us - and set us upright.
God is willing to forgive and restore us. It may seem like insanity to think that He would do this over and over again, but the only “insane” thing about it is how madly in love God is with each of us! He is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain a relationship with us...but we have to be willing to give Him our heart and soul – quite literally.
We have to be ready to truly lay down our “idols” and do whatever God asks of us...whenever and wherever we are needed. In return, He will say, “My anger is gone, and I am ready to heal you and love you without limit.” Are you ready to accept His gifts and be healed?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
Return to the Lord and say,
“Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
of praise instead of bulls.
Assyria can’t save us,
and chariots can’t help.
So we will no longer worship
the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
to orphans.”
Israel, you have rejected me,
but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
without limit.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein is credited with saying that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!” By this “definition,” we are all more than a little insane. We know that eating too much and sitting on our duffs will likely keep us from being fit and healthy...yet we continue to stuff our faces with all the wrong things and slack on the exercise regimens. We know that other habits will produce unhealthy results, also...yet we can’t seem to kick them, either!
We understand that a negative attitude breeds negativity in those around us...yet we continue to gossip, backbite, speak and think cynically, and treat others unkindly. We even say we understand that we need to study God’s word, communicate with Him continually in prayer and meditation (listening), and fellowship with other believers who can encourage us in order to be healthy spiritually. But many of us spend more time watching TV and surfing the Internet than we would ever hope to spend strengthening our relationship with God...and then we wonder why our lives seem to be coming apart at the seams – or are far less satisfying and “successful” than we would hope in so many areas.
Quite honestly, we are the modern-day “children of Israel”. God has given us every chance in the book to make changes and do better...and we continue to falter and/or fail. But here’s the Good News. God will not give up on us! He offers us a chance to make things right. If we are truly repentant, He will heal us and love us like we never imagined possible.
We really can break the cycle...we most certainly can do better and “get healthy” – not just spiritually, but in other ways, as well. And it begins with our admission that we have failed to be obedient...that we have worshipped “idols” rather than God – money, fame or “success”, possessions, friends, other people and relationship, and more...that we have not listened to God and sought a deep and abiding relationship and continual dialogue with Him. God will honor true repentance. He knows when we are genuine and sincere...and when we aren’t. IF we come to him with an apologetic heart...and an authentic desire to change, He will heal us and forgive us - and set us upright.
God is willing to forgive and restore us. It may seem like insanity to think that He would do this over and over again, but the only “insane” thing about it is how madly in love God is with each of us! He is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain a relationship with us...but we have to be willing to give Him our heart and soul – quite literally.
We have to be ready to truly lay down our “idols” and do whatever God asks of us...whenever and wherever we are needed. In return, He will say, “My anger is gone, and I am ready to heal you and love you without limit.” Are you ready to accept His gifts and be healed?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 26, 2014
Hosea 6:1-3
Let’s return to the Lord.
He has torn us to shreds,
but he will bandage our wounds
and make us well.
In two or three days
he will heal us
and restore our strength
that we may live with him.
Let’s do our best
to know the Lord.
His coming is as certain
as the morning sun;
he will refresh us like rain
renewing the earth
in the springtime.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our cats somewhat “chose sides” more than a decade ago. It started when we got a big television that apparently made some sort of noise that scared Lucy. She preferred that I watch TV in our bedroom, where she would happily join me on the bed and lie pressed against my side... on her back – and often with all four legs in the air! Mabel was perfectly content to stay with Greg and enjoy his attention as she curled up on the footrest of his recliner. When we moved into a two-story house, and Greg established an office space upstairs, Mabel somewhat became the “upstairs cat”, while Lucy is never very far from me downstairs.
So when Greg and a neighbor took an overnight motorcycle trip, poor little Mabel was more than a bit lost. She hung out with Lucy and me downstairs...but sometimes she roamed the house and cried as she looked for her “other owner”. She brought a toy mouse, hoping that Greg would appear and praise her. She stood up on the back door and pawed toward the handle, thinking he must surely be in the garage. And when I went upstairs to check on her once, she was curled atop a pair of Greg’s jeans. I stroked her face and cooed to her in a soothing tone and assured her that he would be back very soon...and that all would be well. If she could just hang on and take a little snooze, her buddy would be home before she knew it.
In this passage from Hosea, you really need to read Chapter 5 first to understand these verses. The people of Israel have been sinful and terribly disobedient, and God has allowed them to suffer as a result. In Hosea 5:13-16, we read...” Israel was brutally crushed. They got what they deserved for worshiping useless idols. Now I, the Lord, will fill Israel with maggots and make Judah rot. When Israel and Judah saw their sickness and wounds, Israel asked help from Assyria and its mighty king.” So the words of the first verses in Chapter 6 are those of the Israelites, who have realized that they caused their own suffering. But they also recognize that God will forgive them...heal and restore them...if only they will turn back to Him. He will return and make them well.
In our own ways, you and I have been as sinful and disobedient as the Israelites. It’s a wonder that God has not grown as disgusted with us and allowed us to be “filled with maggots and rot”. Amazingly, God provided us with a covenant in the form of the blood of Jesus. And while we may experience temporary discomfort (and it may even seem like God is crushing us!), we can call on Him to save us by Jesus’ blood, and He will rescue and restore us. This may happen quickly – or we may not fully be refreshed and renewed until Jesus greets us in heaven. But all who earnestly call on the name of Jesus are guaranteed forgiveness and healing.
Our sweet little calico cat did nothing to deserve the feelings of loneliness and desertion she experienced. Mabel will “get over it” quickly, and in a few days, she will have totally forgotten that she and Greg were ever separated. On the other hand, we have done plenty to alienate ourselves from God and disappoint Him. The love, grace and mercy He demonstrates to us is truly inexplicable...but nonetheless welcome!
The thought of God “bandaging our wounds, and making us well” is like a healing balm to my soul. The promise of Jesus waiting in heaven to welcome us with open arms for all eternity gives me strength and courage for this earthly journey. I know that He is coming for me someday...and this motivates me to turn to Him and let Him make me well. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Let’s return to the Lord.
He has torn us to shreds,
but he will bandage our wounds
and make us well.
In two or three days
he will heal us
and restore our strength
that we may live with him.
Let’s do our best
to know the Lord.
His coming is as certain
as the morning sun;
he will refresh us like rain
renewing the earth
in the springtime.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our cats somewhat “chose sides” more than a decade ago. It started when we got a big television that apparently made some sort of noise that scared Lucy. She preferred that I watch TV in our bedroom, where she would happily join me on the bed and lie pressed against my side... on her back – and often with all four legs in the air! Mabel was perfectly content to stay with Greg and enjoy his attention as she curled up on the footrest of his recliner. When we moved into a two-story house, and Greg established an office space upstairs, Mabel somewhat became the “upstairs cat”, while Lucy is never very far from me downstairs.
So when Greg and a neighbor took an overnight motorcycle trip, poor little Mabel was more than a bit lost. She hung out with Lucy and me downstairs...but sometimes she roamed the house and cried as she looked for her “other owner”. She brought a toy mouse, hoping that Greg would appear and praise her. She stood up on the back door and pawed toward the handle, thinking he must surely be in the garage. And when I went upstairs to check on her once, she was curled atop a pair of Greg’s jeans. I stroked her face and cooed to her in a soothing tone and assured her that he would be back very soon...and that all would be well. If she could just hang on and take a little snooze, her buddy would be home before she knew it.
In this passage from Hosea, you really need to read Chapter 5 first to understand these verses. The people of Israel have been sinful and terribly disobedient, and God has allowed them to suffer as a result. In Hosea 5:13-16, we read...” Israel was brutally crushed. They got what they deserved for worshiping useless idols. Now I, the Lord, will fill Israel with maggots and make Judah rot. When Israel and Judah saw their sickness and wounds, Israel asked help from Assyria and its mighty king.” So the words of the first verses in Chapter 6 are those of the Israelites, who have realized that they caused their own suffering. But they also recognize that God will forgive them...heal and restore them...if only they will turn back to Him. He will return and make them well.
In our own ways, you and I have been as sinful and disobedient as the Israelites. It’s a wonder that God has not grown as disgusted with us and allowed us to be “filled with maggots and rot”. Amazingly, God provided us with a covenant in the form of the blood of Jesus. And while we may experience temporary discomfort (and it may even seem like God is crushing us!), we can call on Him to save us by Jesus’ blood, and He will rescue and restore us. This may happen quickly – or we may not fully be refreshed and renewed until Jesus greets us in heaven. But all who earnestly call on the name of Jesus are guaranteed forgiveness and healing.
Our sweet little calico cat did nothing to deserve the feelings of loneliness and desertion she experienced. Mabel will “get over it” quickly, and in a few days, she will have totally forgotten that she and Greg were ever separated. On the other hand, we have done plenty to alienate ourselves from God and disappoint Him. The love, grace and mercy He demonstrates to us is truly inexplicable...but nonetheless welcome!
The thought of God “bandaging our wounds, and making us well” is like a healing balm to my soul. The promise of Jesus waiting in heaven to welcome us with open arms for all eternity gives me strength and courage for this earthly journey. I know that He is coming for me someday...and this motivates me to turn to Him and let Him make me well. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 24, 2014
Exodus 23:25-26
Worship only me, the Lord your God! I will bless you with plenty of food and water and keep you strong. Your women will give birth to healthy children, and everyone will live a long life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law has been going through old photo albums and journals...many that belonged to her mother and her aunts and uncles. In some of these, there are accounts of the 1918-1919 flu pandemic and its effects. Greg’s family hails from Iowa. I have heard about the 1918 Flu Pandemic most of my life...ancestors of mine succumbed to it in rural Arkansas communities just east of where I live today, including four people in one family alone who died over the course of a couple of days.
I had not realized that this was such a widespread “event”, but information at http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/index.html explains that this deadly outbreak covered not only much of the United States – but Europe, as well, since soldiers were traveling back and forth to fight in the war, and they carried the flu with them. I’ve heard my grandparents and other relatives share recollections (a few firsthand!) of how no one dared to even try to go to a home and care for the sick, for fear that they would also become ill with the virus. Burying the dead was a challenge...many people were too sick to even dig the graves for those who had perished.
I share this as a way of way of demonstrating that hardships are nothing new. If you think you or your family has it rough...if you think you have been given “too much to handle”...consider that you probably don’t have a corner on that market! So why do your problems seem bigger than those of others? It may have more to do with where your focus and your worship lie than what is actually happening to you.
In a crazy twist of events that can only be described as a “God thing,” I became friends with Veronica Squef, a young woman who lives in Massapequa, New York – a community on Long Island. Veronica’s husband, Keith Glascoe, was a firefighter who lost his life on 9-11-2001. Veronica and Keith had two boys, Nolan (age 2), and Owen (age 1). She was pregnant with their third child – Keith, Jr. – who was born in April 2002. I have never met Veronica and her boys in person, but we correspond frequently through the mail and via Facebook. I asked her one day...”What is your secret? How have you survived this all?” She replied that her boys were her focus...that every day she reminded herself that “you have three boys who are counting on you”...and this motivated her to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Now I ask you...Who do you think whispers this encouragement to her each day and undergirds her efforts?
Focus is the key. We can focus on God and trust Him to bless us...to feed us...to keep us healthy and strong...to give us the courage and energy to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Or we can wallow in our struggles and sorrows – and we ALL have them – and have a giant pity party. We can pretend that we are the most persecuted person on the planet, wring our hands and cry, “Why ME, Lord?!”...and flounder in the “wilderness” of misery and defeat.
Like so many things in life...this is our choice. But it doesn’t have to be so. Regardless of what we face today, God can help us handle things. We need to stop and fully recognize how incredibly – and abundantly – we are loved and nurtured by God. We need to start focusing on His tremendous gifts and the amazing power of His care and blessings. We need to shift our focus from our own selfishness and pity to the compassionate, merciful sacrifices of Jesus for each of us – and how we can glorify His ransom and shower Him with our praises and service.
Choosing life in Christ...and an emphasis on worshipping God in all things and at all times...will not guarantee that every day will be a bed of roses and all of your problems and challenges will disappear. But this shift in attention and motivation invites God to share the burden... to heal your heart, mind and soul...and to carry you when you cannot walk on your own. Don’t you want this? Isn’t He worth it? Where will you choose to direct your focus? Who do you truly worship?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Worship only me, the Lord your God! I will bless you with plenty of food and water and keep you strong. Your women will give birth to healthy children, and everyone will live a long life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law has been going through old photo albums and journals...many that belonged to her mother and her aunts and uncles. In some of these, there are accounts of the 1918-1919 flu pandemic and its effects. Greg’s family hails from Iowa. I have heard about the 1918 Flu Pandemic most of my life...ancestors of mine succumbed to it in rural Arkansas communities just east of where I live today, including four people in one family alone who died over the course of a couple of days.
I had not realized that this was such a widespread “event”, but information at http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/index.html explains that this deadly outbreak covered not only much of the United States – but Europe, as well, since soldiers were traveling back and forth to fight in the war, and they carried the flu with them. I’ve heard my grandparents and other relatives share recollections (a few firsthand!) of how no one dared to even try to go to a home and care for the sick, for fear that they would also become ill with the virus. Burying the dead was a challenge...many people were too sick to even dig the graves for those who had perished.
I share this as a way of way of demonstrating that hardships are nothing new. If you think you or your family has it rough...if you think you have been given “too much to handle”...consider that you probably don’t have a corner on that market! So why do your problems seem bigger than those of others? It may have more to do with where your focus and your worship lie than what is actually happening to you.
In a crazy twist of events that can only be described as a “God thing,” I became friends with Veronica Squef, a young woman who lives in Massapequa, New York – a community on Long Island. Veronica’s husband, Keith Glascoe, was a firefighter who lost his life on 9-11-2001. Veronica and Keith had two boys, Nolan (age 2), and Owen (age 1). She was pregnant with their third child – Keith, Jr. – who was born in April 2002. I have never met Veronica and her boys in person, but we correspond frequently through the mail and via Facebook. I asked her one day...”What is your secret? How have you survived this all?” She replied that her boys were her focus...that every day she reminded herself that “you have three boys who are counting on you”...and this motivated her to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Now I ask you...Who do you think whispers this encouragement to her each day and undergirds her efforts?
Focus is the key. We can focus on God and trust Him to bless us...to feed us...to keep us healthy and strong...to give us the courage and energy to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Or we can wallow in our struggles and sorrows – and we ALL have them – and have a giant pity party. We can pretend that we are the most persecuted person on the planet, wring our hands and cry, “Why ME, Lord?!”...and flounder in the “wilderness” of misery and defeat.
Like so many things in life...this is our choice. But it doesn’t have to be so. Regardless of what we face today, God can help us handle things. We need to stop and fully recognize how incredibly – and abundantly – we are loved and nurtured by God. We need to start focusing on His tremendous gifts and the amazing power of His care and blessings. We need to shift our focus from our own selfishness and pity to the compassionate, merciful sacrifices of Jesus for each of us – and how we can glorify His ransom and shower Him with our praises and service.
Choosing life in Christ...and an emphasis on worshipping God in all things and at all times...will not guarantee that every day will be a bed of roses and all of your problems and challenges will disappear. But this shift in attention and motivation invites God to share the burden... to heal your heart, mind and soul...and to carry you when you cannot walk on your own. Don’t you want this? Isn’t He worth it? Where will you choose to direct your focus? Who do you truly worship?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 23, 2014
Exodus 15:26
That’s the place where God set up rules and procedures; that’s where he started testing them.
God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.”
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.
We all know people who go to see a doctor about a particular ailment, then they refuse to accept his/her prescription. Maybe the doctor says, “You have skin cancer or pre-cancerous cells. Stay out of the sun...wear a hat...use a high SPF sunscreen every day!” Or the doctor tells you to stop smoking and/or drinking...drop some pounds or eat less...drink more water...exercise more...or change another lifestyle habit. A specific course of treatment might be recommended...chemotherapy or other medications...radiation...physical therapy...or surgery. And you might walk out of the office and flatly refuse to do any of this.
Sometimes, the doctor cannot heal us if we won’t allow it! This is especially true when it comes to our relationship with God, our Great Healer. I will tell you that I have spent a lot of time talking to God...telling Him my “ailments”, worries, concerns and needs. But I haven’t always paid attention to His “prescription”. I’m betting it is very much the same for you.
Do not misunderstand me...if you are sick right now and cannot seem to improve, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not listening and doing everything you are being told to do...that God is not healing you as a form of punishment. I believe that our definition of “healing” is very different from God’s. In her book Feathers From My Nest*, author/speaker Beth Moore tells about moving from Arkansas to Texas as a teenager. Her parents would not delay their departure for even one hour so that she could get in a car and go down the street with friends for a “farewell lunch”. Upon arriving in Texas, they learned that the teens had been in a serious car accident, and that at one was injured and two were killed – including her best friend in the whole world. Beth Moore relates how she had been so angry with her parents for their decision...had hardly spoken a word to them all the way to their new home. While she still doesn’t fully understand why this tragedy happened, Moore says that she realized that her safety – and possibly her very life – had been spared.
We will not always understand how God heals...and that’s okay. All we have to do is trust that He is indeed our Healer. God will heal some instantly and completely - while others, like the Apostle Paul, will be left with a “thorn in the flesh” that must be tolerated. Some will be given health and restoration on this earth...others will receive their healing in Heaven. God will use physicians, counselors, family and friends, teachers, coaches, and ministers of all kinds to deliver His healing. Relief and restoration won’t always come in the form of a pill or surgery...a splint or a crutch. But never doubt for one minute that God will heal us when we trust Him. And if you want “maximum results” (as the pill bottle sometimes describes), practice obedience, faithfulness, and servitude!
In the human world, the choice to skip medication or treatment is a very personal one...and you might even feel that God is telling you to choose another option – or no treatment whatsoever. But we won’t know for sure that we are hearing from God if we are not truly paying attention and listening for His voice. Two entertainers were bantering back and forth on a television show in a light-hearted debate, and one said to the other, “Oh, just SHUSH IT!” Maybe it’s time for us to “shush it” with God...and let Him do the talking for a while. The ultimate “Doctor” IS in...are you listening to what He has to say?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Feathers From My Nest...”A Mother’s Reflections” - ©2001 Beth Moore ~ Broadman and Holman - Nashville, Tennessee
That’s the place where God set up rules and procedures; that’s where he started testing them.
God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.”
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.
We all know people who go to see a doctor about a particular ailment, then they refuse to accept his/her prescription. Maybe the doctor says, “You have skin cancer or pre-cancerous cells. Stay out of the sun...wear a hat...use a high SPF sunscreen every day!” Or the doctor tells you to stop smoking and/or drinking...drop some pounds or eat less...drink more water...exercise more...or change another lifestyle habit. A specific course of treatment might be recommended...chemotherapy or other medications...radiation...physical therapy...or surgery. And you might walk out of the office and flatly refuse to do any of this.
Sometimes, the doctor cannot heal us if we won’t allow it! This is especially true when it comes to our relationship with God, our Great Healer. I will tell you that I have spent a lot of time talking to God...telling Him my “ailments”, worries, concerns and needs. But I haven’t always paid attention to His “prescription”. I’m betting it is very much the same for you.
Do not misunderstand me...if you are sick right now and cannot seem to improve, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not listening and doing everything you are being told to do...that God is not healing you as a form of punishment. I believe that our definition of “healing” is very different from God’s. In her book Feathers From My Nest*, author/speaker Beth Moore tells about moving from Arkansas to Texas as a teenager. Her parents would not delay their departure for even one hour so that she could get in a car and go down the street with friends for a “farewell lunch”. Upon arriving in Texas, they learned that the teens had been in a serious car accident, and that at one was injured and two were killed – including her best friend in the whole world. Beth Moore relates how she had been so angry with her parents for their decision...had hardly spoken a word to them all the way to their new home. While she still doesn’t fully understand why this tragedy happened, Moore says that she realized that her safety – and possibly her very life – had been spared.
We will not always understand how God heals...and that’s okay. All we have to do is trust that He is indeed our Healer. God will heal some instantly and completely - while others, like the Apostle Paul, will be left with a “thorn in the flesh” that must be tolerated. Some will be given health and restoration on this earth...others will receive their healing in Heaven. God will use physicians, counselors, family and friends, teachers, coaches, and ministers of all kinds to deliver His healing. Relief and restoration won’t always come in the form of a pill or surgery...a splint or a crutch. But never doubt for one minute that God will heal us when we trust Him. And if you want “maximum results” (as the pill bottle sometimes describes), practice obedience, faithfulness, and servitude!
In the human world, the choice to skip medication or treatment is a very personal one...and you might even feel that God is telling you to choose another option – or no treatment whatsoever. But we won’t know for sure that we are hearing from God if we are not truly paying attention and listening for His voice. Two entertainers were bantering back and forth on a television show in a light-hearted debate, and one said to the other, “Oh, just SHUSH IT!” Maybe it’s time for us to “shush it” with God...and let Him do the talking for a while. The ultimate “Doctor” IS in...are you listening to what He has to say?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Feathers From My Nest...”A Mother’s Reflections” - ©2001 Beth Moore ~ Broadman and Holman - Nashville, Tennessee
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