Matthew 4:1-4
Then Jesus was led out
into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted there by Satan.
For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry.
Then Satan tempted him to get food by changing stones into loaves of
bread.
“It will prove you are the Son of God,” he said.
But
Jesus told him, “No! For the Scriptures tell us that bread won’t feed
men’s souls: obedience to every word of God is what we need.”
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
Excuses! Excuses! We’ve all made them…
- “If I don’t look the other way, I’ll lose my job.”
- “If I make my kids behave, they won’t like me.”
- “If I speak out against racist remarks, I’ll lose my friends.”
- “If I don’t serve on high profile committees in my church, people will think I don’t love God.”
- “I don’t approve of this person, but if I don’t support him/her, things will be really tough for me.
You
and I are often very hungry…for attention, for reassurance, for
friendship, for acceptance and approval. It’s as if we have been in the
desert for 40 days without food, and the devil comes along and says,
“Have all you can eat. It comes with some ‘strings’ and some
compromises, but they won’t really matter. What’s important is how YOU
feel…what this means for YOU in the short run. I know what you’re going
through…and only I can make you feel better! So EAT!”
Here’s
the thing…when we compromise our values or fall victim to the devil’s
schemes – or when we succumb to his temptations, we lose big time. Not
only that…when we “eat” from Satan’s plate of lies, we totally deprecate
our faith that God can handle things. We are often so fearful of what
will happen to us if we stand up for what we KNOW God is telling us is
the right thing that we completely turn our backs on Him. Essentially
we say, “LORD, I know You SAID you could handle anything, but I really
don’t believe You!”
So where will you stand today? Are you
really ready to tell the devil to get lost - and trust God…for
EVERYTHING? Dare to say, “I have no clue what this may cost me in the
short run…but I am willing to risk it to stay in Your will, LORD.” God
will make a way where you see none at all. I know, because I have done
this…more than once!
More than a few of us are “wandering in the
desert” today…and we are starving. The devil is standing before us with
the most attractive and delectable offerings to tempt us over to his
side. But God is standing there, also…and I promise, what He offers
makes Satan’s enticements look like ridiculous.
Don’t be
fooled…and don’t make the mistake of choosing poorly. TRUST GOD! Allow
HIM to feed you and meet your needs. He can…and He will! Are you
ready to take a leap of faith?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Psalm 86:11-17
Teach me to follow you,
and I will obey your truth.
Always keep me faithful.
With all my heart I thank you.
I praise you, Lord God.
Your love for me is so great
that you protected me
from death and the grave.
Proud and violent enemies,
who don’t care about you,
have ganged up to attack
and kill me.
But you, the Lord God,
are kind and merciful.
You don’t easily get angry,
and your love
can always be trusted.
I serve you, Lord,
and I am the child
of one of your servants.
Look on me with kindness.
Make me strong and save me.
Show that you approve of me!
Then my hateful enemies
will feel like fools,
because you have helped
and comforted me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
All around us, people are hurting. Even faith-filled Christians who trust God completely have a bad day now and again. A dear friend of mine who has suffered great losses in the last year – including the deaths of her husband, her brother, and her beloved cat – lost her little dog over the weekend. The father of my cousin’s wife died suddenly a few weeks ago. A few days after his burial, she had to undergo major surgery. She has experienced other “stressors” in recent weeks…and yesterday, she was overwhelmed with emotion and could not stop crying. Now she has a migraine. Both of these women are incredibly strong in their Christian faith…but “life” and the devil’s “violent enemies” have ganged up on them.
I’ve said it before, but Satan often goes after those who are securely in God’s camp even more stringently than those who are filled with sin. It’s like he figures that he has the latter group already…but he can’t stand to think he is losing a single soul to God’s Kingdom. So he hits Christians pretty hard sometimes. And that is when they need our prayers, our encouragement, and our strength to fight back and keep him on the run.
As Christians who believe what David says in this Psalm, we know that God can always be trusted…that He is kind, merciful, and working non-stop to strengthen and protect us. Still, there are days when we are discouraged…frustrated...when we have a weak moment and fall to our knees in despair. And that is when other believers must step in…with love, mercy, grace, compassion, prayers and encouragement. We must be on the lookout for those among us who are in great need of our support – whether they appear to be faith-filled believers or the worst sinner we can imagine! We must reach out to them in the name of Jesus, remembering how He became accessible to the least of those among us – and offered hope, a better way…and a new life in Him.
Look around. Who needs you today? Where is Satan’s gang of enemies bearing down on someone? How can you help? Can you offer a prayer…a helping hand…a shoulder to cry on…or a rally cry of “Beat it, Devil!”? Can you share with someone how God has helped you through a similar situation…how He met your needs even when you felt like everything was hopeless? Because if we are honest…we’ve all “been there, done that”!
So what are you waiting for? Who’s waiting on you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their life today? Isn’t it time you got to work?
©2014 Debbie Robus
James 4:7-10
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
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 learned a valuable lesson when Timothy visited us last month. For him, chocolate and sugar are tools of the devil! They turn him into a “spinning top”… a whirling dervish who is cranky, irritable and erratic. The two times he was allowed to have a hefty snack of chocolate milk and chocolate cookies, we all paid the price! Once he “bottomed out” from his chocolate/sugar high, he slept… and slept… and slept for what became an almost three-hour nap!
It didn’t take me long to figure out that I needed to divert Timmy’s attention… to encourage him to put chocolate milk and cookies out of his mind and focus on something else… another food, a toy or game, or some other activity. More than once, there were tears and wails of “But I want chocolate! I need chocolate!” We had to get really serious about our efforts to resist this temptation.
This is an over-simplification of our own inner struggle… or maybe it’s not. So often, the first step in resisting the devil is to divert our focus. Sure, those cookies in the cabinet call our name. Yes, many of us want another cigarette or one more drink. Of course we miss our friends and the old “fun” we used to have. It’s hard to stop peppering our language with four-letter words after years of doing so… especially if “everyone else is doing it.” And the very thing you think will be hardest to hand over to God may be the easiest. The devil is incredibly crafty! It’s the littlest things that will trip you up! After all, one of the most difficult things for me to resist was sweet tea!
We all “play the field” in a variety of ways. God wants us to surrender to Him… to RUN to Him in everything from our diet and health to bad habits, gossip, lying, cheating, and illicit or immoral behaviors… and even the temptation to overindulge in chocolate milk and cookies! It won’t be easy. James tells us to cry our eyes out and be sad… mourn our old ways, if we have to. But in the end, we must give them to God.
As more time elapsed without chocolate, Timmy adjusted and quit asking for the milk and cookies. It helped that I put them away where he couldn’t see them. You may have to do this with your own temptations. Put them out of view… move away from the crowd who entices you to behave in a way that is harmful or sinful…divert your attention and focus on things that are Godly, healthy, and pure. Do what it takes to get serious… really serious! Concentrate on seeking God’s will… and finding it! Allow Him to work in and through you… to change you from the inside out.
I’m not saying that our cravings for the things that are bad for us will ever completely disappear. In fact, I’m pretty sure they won’t, because Satan is never going away. But neither is God… and I know WHO ultimately wins! Are you ready to fall to your knees and hit “rock bottom” so that you can be set upright on your feet? It’s time to get serious… to leave the devil in the dust and whisper God’s name… to call on Him to draw near and work His will. We all must renew our resolve to operate in the serious surety of a life in Christ… instead of the fun and games uncertainty the devil offers. I’m ready to do this. Are you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
John 15:18-20
"If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you.
"When that happens, remember this: Servants don't get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I recently watched a program on the Documentary Channel entitled “Save the Farm.” According to information posted at http://www.cinemalibrestudio.com/savethefarm/about_the_farm.html “The South Central Farm (SCF) sprung up on an abandoned industrial area, approximately 14 acres. The land had been acquired in 1986 by the City of Los Angeles through eminent domain from developer Ralph Horowitz for $4.7 million. The land was to be used for an incinerator project, but the community voted it down, and the vacant lot became a dumping ground. After the Rodney King riots of 1992, Mayor Bradley mitigated the land to the community, and Doris Block, the President of the Food Bank, founded the farm. For fourteen years, the farm provided local, organic food and medicinal remedies for 350 families as well as thousands of area residents. At the weekly farmer's market, people could go into the farm plots and tell the farmers exactly what they wanted so that nothing went to waste.”
In 2004, Horowitz sued the city of Los Angeles for breach of contract, and ultimately, he was able to purchase the property from the city for $5 million in a transaction that was not made public. He sent eviction notices to all of the farmers, and he advertised the property for sale at $16.3 million… more than three times the purchase price. Through court injunctions, the farmers were able to hang on for nearly 2 years. By 2006, the farmers and supporters – including many celebrities like Darryl Hannah and Willie Nelson – managed to raise the $16.3 million to keep their land… but Horowitz refused to sell to them. Ultimately, County Sheriff’s department officers arrested some 40 people who were protesting peacefully on the property, and the farm plots were bulldozed.
Aside from the heartless, seemingly evil intentions of this land developer, I was struck most by the heartbreak of the people who watched their food supply – the way they fed, medicated, and supported their families – be destroyed in seconds. Grown men heaved and sobbed at the chain link fence as they watched this unfold. Small children cried out, “Why are they doing this, Momma?” People collapsed from the overwhelming devastation of what was happening. Many chanted and prayed for God to save their land. But in the end, the farm was completely destroyed.
The people have moved on - with help from the celebrities who fought for them and others. They have found other plots of land to farm – though none as close to their homes as this farm. I would bet that many of them would tell us that living on God’s terms instead of the world’s has sustained them. Throughout history, countless people have survived oppression by living on God’s terms. And we can learn great lessons from their struggles.
As I watched this 30-minute story, I was reminded that everyone is going through something. Our outcome will be determined by our attitude… and our faith. We can let the haters of this world… those who are influenced by the devil… get us down. Or we can operate on God’s terms and trust Him to orchestrate our lives… to create outcomes that are best for us and grow us in our faith and courage. We can allow God to use us and our experiences to witness to others - and show them how to operate on His terms, also.
According to information on the website, the land was still undeveloped as of May 2011… and still for sale for $16.3 million. For me, this is symbolic of many instances in life where our “irritant” doesn’t go away… the “hater” or the situation that challenges us may continue to be in our face each and every day, just as this land sits in front of many of the former “farmers” and taunts them. But we can call on God to strengthen us and give us the resolve to rise above our hurts and frustrations… to enable us to say, “You have no power here. I belong to Someone who IS all powerful… HE is meeting my needs each and every day.”
Whatever challenges you face, find your strength and courage in God. Don’t let the godless haters get you down. Don’t throw up your hands and say, “This is simply too much.” Remember, with God, all things are possible. Operate on His terms…and let the “haters” beware. They have no power when Almighty God is present.”
©2012 Debbie Robus
May 5 ~ Matthew 4:1-11
Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread." Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."
For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone." Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare test the Lord your God."
For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, "They're yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they're yours." Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."
The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus' needs.
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.
Do you know anyone who doesn’t like to be pampered? Everyone likes a little TLC… and when you are sick or injured, the care and “ministry” of others is even more important. I have watched my grandmother’s whole demeanor change after a bath. I’ve seen her relax and even smile after she was put back into a clean bed. The difference in her entire appearance and reactions when she is pain-free is striking. Surely angels have been surrounding her and giving her care in these last few days.
Just as importantly, angels have surrounded my grandmother and my family mentally, emotionally, and Spiritually… and protected us from as much as a stubbed toe. There have been moments when the devil tried to slip in… a sense of doubt here… little mis-steps there… but each time, I’ve felt God saying, “Beat it, Satan!” And I have to tell you, I’ve even said this out loud myself a time or two! Each time, I’ve felt like God’s angels came and took care of us… and drove the devil away in the process.
Wherever you are today… whatever Satan is trying to do to you… however you are tempted to give in to challenges and the devil’s little voice that pokes at you and fills you with doubt… stay close to God and trust His word. Continue to worship Him and rest in His care and protection. Serve God with absolute single-heartedness and tell Satan to “take a hike!”
I am a strong believer in angels and their power. I have seen evidence of God’s protection… and I’ve met several of His “angels” along the way. You may even be one of them! Have faith in God… let a steady stream of His words guide and comfort you. Believe with all your heart that He will keep you safe from even as much as a stubbed toe… and do your part by trusting and believing His promises.
May 4th was National Star Wars Day, and I saw more than one Facebook post that said, “May the Fourth be with you!”… a cute play on words, of course. Today is Cinco de Mayo… a celebration of freedom and democracy… and I am saying, “May God’s angels be with you. May you feel the freedom of a life in His care surround you today – and always.” Have a blessed, angel-filled day!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Proverbs 3:5-12
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health… your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.
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.
This morning, I downloaded the pattern for making a crochet button necklace. I saw my friend wearing one, and I liked it enough to want to make some with my old buttons. I can already tell from reading the instructions that I will probably have to start over more than once before I get the hang of it, but I will keep trying, and the end result will be really cool.
As with many things that don’t work out on the first try, I will probably grow a little frustrated. And I will have to be careful not to race ahead, assuming that I already know how to do the next stitch. I looked my friend’s necklace over carefully, but I have enough sense to realize that I need instructions in order to make a decent replica on my own! So I will be happy for the free instructions I found online, and I will welcome the “corrections” that will come as I attempt to create my own fashion accessory.
We often trust our own instincts and try to figure things out on our own… frequently with less than stellar results. We resent instruction, and we ignore even some of the most glaring signs that we are headed in the wrong direction. Worse yet, we listen to people who are not helpful at best – and sometimes those who may be downright evil in one way or another. If we are going to “walk in the fear of the LORD,” we have to humble ourselves and detach from evil ways. We cannot hang out with evil people… or do things we did before we committed to Christ.
This is not a bad thing… or a “death sentence!” When we walk in the “fear” (respect and honor) of the LORD and seek His guidance in all things, He will elevate us to heights we have never known… and the end result will be beautiful, healthy, and glowing! I find that learning new things is beneficial in so many ways… even if it is how to make a crochet button necklace! Learning more about the LORD and His desires for me is even better - and draws me closer to walking in His purpose for my life.
In my prayer journal notes, I have written… “Whether or not the world is ever impressed with you doesn’t ever matter to God. You don’t ever have to “kiss up” to get ahead. Walking in the fear of the LORD will get you where you need to be – to your one true root purpose.” Are you seeking God’s direction and respectfully trusting Him from the bottom of your heart? Are you healthy and glowing… do your bones “vibrate with life” in Him? Are you still learning from God… or are you stubbornly clinging to your old life and its evil pull?
God wants to do beautiful things in and through you. He wants to reveal His purpose and help you to grow in its fullness. What is holding you back today? Isn’t it time to listen to God’s instruction for your life? Are you ready to start learning again?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Ephesians 4:25-32
What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Scripture 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.
Unless you have been under a rock for the last two weeks, you know that we’ve had a scandal brewing in Arkansas involving the head football coach at one of our leading state universities. Bobby Petrino was fired on April 10th… dismissed “with cause”… meaning his $3.86 million annual salary ceases, and he is no longer employed by the state of Arkansas. Any way you slice it, this has been a sad situation for many… and as University of Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long put it in a press conference after the firing, “… it’s because people’s lives are affected here, and that’s what we sometimes miss.” This is an example of how we are all connected to each other in the body of Christ, and how one person’s lies affects not only others, but themselves.
Even though this would be a good “lesson” in and of itself, I want to focus on another portion of this scripture passage. See, I’ve been frustrated and judgmental of several people lately, if only in my own heart. I’ve deemed more than one person to be self-absorbed and inconsiderate of others’ feelings… “What were they thinking? How could they claim to be a caring, even “Godly” person and treat someone else with such disregard?” I’ve judged people who seemed inattentive to their family members and friends… and people who claim to serve God at every turn but only seem to truly serve themselves. On the surface, it often appears to us as “outsiders” that others are only doing what makes them feel good – and never considering how it affects anyone else.
This brings me to the last portion of this passage… “Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” At the end of the day, we are all selfish and self-centered at times. Each of us has lied and thought of no one but ourselves. We’ve all said things we shouldn’t. And we have all had to bow before Jesus and ask for forgiveness, which has been quickly and freely granted.
So we must offer the same gentleness and sensitivity to those who make a mess of things… if only in our own estimation. We are right to be angry – to a point. I think our disappointment with Coach Petrino is justified. But at the end of the day, he is a child of God as much as you and I… and entitled to the same forgiveness from Jesus as we are (if he asks for it – and I believe he will). Judgment is not our job… but extending to others the forgiveness we have received certainly is!
I was called up short by these last verses. I have to release my anger and frustration toward others and offer them sensitivity, gentleness, and forgiveness – whether they ask me for it or not. Otherwise, the devil will use this negative “energy” to gnaw at me and steal my joy… and I am not willing to compromise this gift! There are at least two things we should take away from the scripture passage today:
- There is no room for ego in the life of a Christian. The choices and decisions we make affect others. “What about me?” will simply not cut it, if we truly want to live for Jesus. Virtually nothing in this life is totally about you or me.
- We must all realize that we can’t ask Jesus to forgive us… and then continue to judge others. We must operate in humility and an understanding that we are only one prayer for forgiveness away from being in the “hot seat” ourselves.
I’ll be the first to admit that I still have a long way to go in my quest to stop judging others. That’s the devil’s doing… trying to keep me from growing closer to God. But the last thing in the world I want is to grieve my Heavenly Father… and I know that judgment and insensitivity toward others grieves Him just as much. I must continually seek the Holy Spirit and make a place for Him in my heart, so that I have adequate protection – and ammunition – for fighting these feelings. I am not taking this gift for granted… are you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
1 Peter 5:7-10
Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
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 keep a little calendar on my desk called “365 Days of Humor for Women.” There is a quote for each day of the year. Today’s quote was, “Some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.” That’s pretty funny stuff on the surface. The sad part is that some of us choose to be “the statue” pretty much every day of the year! And that’s how we get into trouble. See, the devil can move about easily in our suggestive realm. So when we speak negatively, we just as well open the door and say, “Come on in, buddy, and sit a spell!”
We give the devil room to work when we continually harbor negative thoughts. Part of keeping our guard up is making a concerted effort to see the good in all situations and people. I know it’s hard. I’ve been “the statue” more days than I care to acknowledge… and to a large degree it’s often been my own doing! Joel Osteen likes to say, “You can be a victim, or a victor!”
The choice is ours. We can take those “statue” days and turn them into opportunities to do better… for ourselves and by others. When someone mistreats you, make a vow to treat that person or someone else even better. When life throws you a curve ball, ask God to show you how to find your way to a bigger opportunity… or to give you His solution to your present dilemma.
Whatever images, suggestions, visions, dreams, impressions, feelings and thoughts that don’t contribute directly to our faith need to be blasted into the stratosphere. We need to fill our hearts and minds with those things that line up with God’s will for our lives… to continually seek to turn negative thoughts and events into positive ones (with God’s help), and to always ask Him “What would you have me learn from this?” Sure, there will still be “statue” events. But how we handle them will speak volumes about how big our faith in God is to set us upright, dust us off, and get us going in the right direction again.
Are you awake and alert these days… carefully guarding your thoughts and actions against the devil’s efforts to get a foothold? Or are you napping on the job? Have you set yourself up to experience the powerful “last word” of God… or would you rather be a “statue?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
1 John 3:7-10
Children, don't be fooled. Anyone who does right is good, just like Christ himself. Anyone who keeps on sinning belongs to the devil. He has sinned from the beginning, but the Son of God came to destroy all that he has done. God's children cannot keep on being sinful. His life-giving power lives in them and makes them his children, so that they cannot keep on sinning. You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On the reality TV show, “What Not to Wear,” the fashion experts take all of the clothing in a person’s closet and analyze each piece. Most, if not all of it, ends up in a symbolic trash can. The person with such poor fashion sense is told, “You can never wear this again.” A lot of these people protest, beg, plead, and even cry. They want to keep “just one thing,” for “old time’s sake”. But the fashion experts are insistent that the old things must go. When the person is “made over,” they usually comment that they would not want their old things in the closet again. They see how much better the “new person” they have become truly is… and often the transformation is internal as well as external.
In terms of our Christian faith, we have been “made over.” And many of us have tossed our “old life” into the trash can. The trouble is… a lot of us kept one or two things in the back of the closet… for sentimental reasons…out of fear… or “just because.” And we keep dragging these things back out from time to time and wearing them!
You may have read today’s passage and asked, “If God saved us through the blood of Jesus, why are we still bothered by the devil?” In my prayer journal/sermon notes, I have written that the word “destroy” is a Greek root word – luo – which means “to undo and loosen.” Jesus “loosed” us from the curse of sin. He did not “half-save” us… but He didn’t wipe it out the curse of sin, because we have to do that by choosing to follow God completely. It may seem like we are free from the bondage of sin, doing things our way and receiving blessings… but until we completely follow the will of God, we will never experience His full blessings.
If you want to be blessed, to prosper and fully lose the curses of your old sinful life, you must obey God’s word. You must ask Him to strengthen you with the courage to dump ALL of your old ways in the “trash can” and “dress yourself” in His grace, mercy, love, and righteousness.
Too many of us are bogged down by the baggage of old sins that we cannot seem to surrender. We often make excuses… “it’s always been this way”…”this is as good as it gets”…”this is all I deserve”…”I’m doing the best I can.” In truth, God has so much more He wants to give us… we deserve more as His heirs… and until we completely surrender to His will, we can do much more to draw closer to Him!
Ask God to show you how and where you need to shed roadblocks to living fully in His blessings. Listen for His answers. Trust Him to give you the strength and courage to take whatever steps are necessary… and put on His full armor. Dress yourself in the glory of the LORD, and get ready to be amazed by His blessings upon the “new you”… and the lives of those you encounter.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Proverbs 20:27
Our inner thoughts are a lamp from the LORD, and they search our hearts.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
You’ve probably known someone who got dressed in the dark and came to school or work wearing a black shoe and a brown one – or two different colored socks or something else mismatched. Without appropriate light to guide us, we often make mistakes. And while some are minor in the scheme of things – like getting dressed in the dark - some are more serious. Reaching into a poorly lit knife drawer could result in a bad cut. We probably wouldn’t put our hand into black, murky water without know what was in there. We’re not inclined to drive a car into a shadowy, deserted area without knowing what lies ahead… or to enter a pitch black room in an unfamiliar building.
Satan operates within the darkness of our hearts. He fills the inner recesses with unkind thoughts, temptations, self-serving desires, and much more. He cannot operate in the light. So when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts, it’s as if we have “lit” our hearts with the Word of God and banished the devil. Just as the light of a candle can guide us into a dark room, God can illuminate our heart and show us where the wiles of Satan are lurking – and help us to get rid of him. We can then receive all that we need to operate skillfully in the realm of God and His purposes.
We need to learn to believe God with our heart… how to operate in His light… and then give Him room to do exactly this! Don’t miss out on all God wants to give you. Turn on the “Light!” There is no limit to what God can use to get His word to you… to light the darkest recesses of your heart and fill you with His Holy Spirit. The only limitations are those we place on Him to do this, through lack of knowledge, an openness and willingness of our heart, and continual communication with Him.
We need to humanly, consciously open our heart to all that God wants to give us. We must allow Him to “turn on the Light,” and guide our natural thoughts and transform them into holy ones. Just as we would never reach into a dark drawer or step into a pitch black room, we must never operate from a place of darkness. Make room for God in your heart. Allow Him to illuminate you from the inside out… to drive Satan completely away. Let God fill you with His Light - and all of the blessings that follow.
©2012 Debbie Robus
