Daily Devotional for November 21, 2016

Romans 5:6-8
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway.

We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

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’ve all heard stories of a parent who jumped into the water to save a drowning child…and ended up drowning instead.  I know of a woman who was killed when she pushed her child out of the way of an oncoming truck.  While none of us can say for certain we would do in such a situation, I’m pretty sure I would risk my life for that of one of our children. And you probably would, also.

Conversely, you may have said of someone, “I would not walk across the street to spit on him if he was on fire!”  Now, whether you meant this or not…it was a harsh statement, to be certain.  But sometimes, the devil whispers in our ear and causes us to feel this way about people.  And sometimes, we play the “stranger card.”  We say, “I don’t know him/her…what happens is none of my business.”

Here’s the thing…it’s ALL the business of Jesus!  And aren’t we glad?!  Jesus gave His very life for us before we were even formed!  He sacrificed His blood on the cross for the child who is so precious to you and me…the stranger…and even that person we would not venture to save!  JESUS will save them, if only they will call on Him.

This kinda puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?  Jesus died for ALL of us…even those we find despicable!  He didn’t pick and choose based on race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, politics, socio-economics, or even attitudes and opinions!  In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”  He doesn’t specify WHO can come to Him…ALL are welcome!

As we approach Thanksgiving Day and reflect on our blessings, we must surely include Jesus among them.  We should all be grateful for how He welcomes each of us…and the incredible sacrifice that He made on our behalf.  There is nothing we can offer Jesus that is truly special…yet He died for us anyway.  We are all afforded equal opportunity to receive salvation in Him. We didn’t deserve it…we can’t earn it…but still, He laid down His life for each of us.

There might be someone, somewhere, who would be willing to lay down his/her life for you and me…and vice versa.  But only Jesus can say that He could do this for ANYONE and EVERYONE. Whether we accept Him as our Savior was not a deciding factor…He did it anyway.

Praise God for sending His precious Son – for His incredible, selfless gift.  My prayer is that you have embraced Jesus for yourself – that you have humbly and gratefully surrendered your heart to Him and asked that He forgive your sins – and fill your heart forever. ThisThanksgiving, can you count Jesus as your biggest blessing?  Isn’t it time you could?
 
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 21, 2016

John 3:16-17
God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

This morning, I taught the Sunday school lesson to 2nd and 3rd graders.  The topic was missions, based on the story in Acts 10 of Cornelius and his encounter with Simon Peter.  Although these 8-and-9-year-olds love to get off topic, we talked about two primary points this morning…1) that Jesus did not die for the sins of only the “clean” – or any particular race, ethnic group, skin or eye color, or other distinguishing characteristic; and 2) we are ALL missionaries!

In an effort to explain “clean” and “unclean,” I turned to the book of Leviticus and read the children a few of the laws of that day…how you were not to touch a dead body…how pigs were considered off limits (they were APPALLED that this meant no bacon!)…how people were not to handle certain animals that crawled on the ground (which meant one little boy would not have been able to go hiking this afternoon to search for lizards and snakes!).  One of the boys asked, “So what changed? Why don’t we have to follow these laws today?”  That was the perfect segue to a discussion about Christ’s death on the cross to pay for our sins, once and for all.  With the blood of Jesus, we were ALL given the opportunity to be “washed clean” forever!

The children and I talked about discrimination…how Salvation through Jesus is available to EVERYONE…not just a chosen few.  We talked about how we can demonstrate this to others – particularly by our words and actions.  And I emphasized to these young disciples that each of them is a “missionary”…that others are watching their words and actions to see if they line up with the teachings of Jesus. Some of the children are going with their families to Peru this summer on a “mission trip.”  I stressed to all of the children that you do not have to travel to a foreign country to do mission work for Jesus…there are plenty of opportunities in our own backyards. So we all have work to do!

Here’s the thing for you and me…God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for ALL of us… so that everyone who has faith in Him can have everlasting life.  This is the best news ever!  There is not a single person on this earth who cannot spend Eternity in heaven with Jesus if they call on Him to forgive their sins and cover them with His blood. 

AND…we are ALL missionaries.  You may not think of yourself in this manner, but you truly are “on a mission” for God…or you should be. When I asked the children what their “mission” was…they would say, “To tell others about Jesus.”  I told them repeatedly that this includes more than literally telling people about Jesus.  We minister to others and “witness” to them by our words and our actions…how we worship God – and particularly by how we treat others.  If we honor Jesus’ commandment to love others as He loves us – and as we love ourselves – He will be glorified.  Others will see the awesome power, grace and mercy of Jesus in our lives…and hopefully want this for themselves. 

I can think of nothing better than to hear someone say to me, “How do I get what you have?” (meaning the peace and joy of belonging to Jesus).  God loved us enough to send Jesus.  How will we share that love with others, as He desired?  Are you really ready to feed his sheep and be a “missionary” for Him?  Don’t you think it’s time you were?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 14, 2014

December 14 ~ Isaiah 60:19-22
You won’t need the light
    of the sun or the moon.
I, the Lord your God,
will be your eternal light
    and bring you honor.
Your sun will never set
    or your moon go down.
I, the Lord, will be
    your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow
    will come to an end.
Your people will live right
    and always own the land;
they are the trees I planted
    to bring praise to me.
Even the smallest family
    will be a powerful nation.
I am the Lord,
and when the time comes,
    I will quickly do all this.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
All around the world, the Christmas season is being heralded in song and light.  No doubt, thousands of churches presented special music this morning in honor of Jesus’ birthday.  I know ours did…from preschool “Little Ringers” who rang bells to accompany “Silent Night” to elementary school children who sang about “David’s Dynasty” to our adult choir who presented their annual Christmas Cantata.  Advent candles were lit, and there was a lighted Chrismon tree in our church’s sanctuary.  Even Burger King was playing Christmas carols to accompany our lunch!
 
Obviously, there is something special about songs we only sing for one month out of the year.  Lights and decorations that fill our homes, stores, churches and streets for these four weeks or so take on a magical air.  But at the heart of these enhancements, we are celebrating something incredible…the carefully crafted and orchestrated plan of God to bring Jesus to Earth to be our eternal light!
 
The great thing about Christmas is that anyone can celebrate, because Jesus came to earth for everyone.  Individuals, couples, small families, large families in every nation of the world can all participate.  God sent Jesus to be the Light of the WORLD!  This is reason to sing…to have parties, to light up our homes, and to exchange gifts in symbolic praise for the Ultimate Gift we have been given!
 
As you go about the coming days of this Christmas Season, consider the real message of lights, decorations and Christmas carols.  Stop to praise God for sending an Everlasting Light to fill our hearts, save us from our sins, and prepare a place for us for all Eternity!  Invite Jesus to dwell in your heart and celebrate His love and care every single day…and let these next eleven days be a giant revelry in His honor!
 
©2014 Debbie Robus