Proverbs 21:15
Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,
but for the workers of evil it’s a bad day.
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.
There is a commercial running
on local television where two young men are pulled over by a police
woman. The passenger is mocking the driver…making fun of him for
getting a ticket…teasing him about how it must feel. And then the
officer walks to the passenger side of the car and writes up the passenger for not wearing his seatbelt. The driver just looks at his passenger friend and smiles.
My
mother always told me to do the right thing and let others worry about
their own behaviors. Even when it seemed that some people were “getting
away with murder,” I was taught to “take the high road.” Whether these
folks got what they deserved at some point or not was to be of no
concern to me. Don’t misunderstand me…I’m not saying that we should
never point out evil deeds or injustice. But we should not lower
ourselves to a level where we call others names, make up lies, treat
someone unkindly, and more…just because we don’t like how they are
behaving.
Additionally, we should not boast and brag when someone
gets his/her due justice. We shouldn’t be sore losers…but we should
not be arrogant “winners,” either! God wants us to love everyone…the
good, the bad, and the ugly. And this means that we must celebrate
victories – but we must not publicly revel in the defeats of others. We
should encourage good behavior rather than always pointing out another
person’s faults. We are to be busy building up God’s Kingdom, rather
than tearing down those who do the devil’s work.
The message for
me in today’s passage is that God always prevails…and for those who are
doing His will, the day that justice triumphs is a good one. For those
who choose to follow the devil and ignore the teachings of Jesus, there
will be some bad days – and lots of defeats. It may not seem that way
“to the naked eye,” (think Jesus’ crucifixion) but I assure you, God
always makes things right. Our job is to stick with Him…to trust His
timing…and to always do the right thing.
We are to be like the
driver in the commercial, rather than the passenger…focused on the road
ahead and doing the right thing rather than making the business of
others our own. Which “seat” do you occupy these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label blaming others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blaming others. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 4, 2014
Jeremiah 17:14-18
You, Lord, are the one I praise.
So heal me and rescue me!
Then I will be completely well
and perfectly safe.
The people of Judah say to me,
“Jeremiah, you claimed to tell us
what the Lord has said.
So why hasn’t it come true?”
Our Lord, you chose me
to care for your people,
and that’s what I have done.
You know everything I have said,
and I have never once
asked you to punish them.
I trust you for protection
in times of trouble,
so don’t frighten me.
Keep me from failure
and disgrace,
but make my enemies fail
and be disgraced.
Send destruction to make
their worst fears come true.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the closing paragraphs of her book, Just Give Me Jesus*, Anne Graham Lotz talks about how Peter responds to Jesus in the 21st chapter of the Book of John. Jesus has questioned Peter and asked him more than once, “Do you really love Me?” Peter is exasperated and finally points to another beloved disciple and asks, “What about him?” In verse 22, we read...”Jesus answered, ‘What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.’”
Lotz makes the point that how Jesus works in the lives of other people – and how they respond to Him – is basically none of our business. We are not to compare ourselves with others. We are to focus on Jesus – and Jesus alone. And other people are to do the same.
This is hard. We are all about comparing ourselves to others. Are we as successful, attractive, popular, intelligent, or talented as the other guy? Surely we are healthier...our “lifestyle habits” are not as bad as his/hers...right? Clearly we are more faith-filled...a better servant...more “Christ-like”! And OBVIOUSLY, we are more humble!
Pay close attention to the words of Jeremiah - and the admonition of Anne Graham Lotz...focus solely on Jesus. Worship and adore only Him. Listen for His voice and do what He commands of you. Forget about the other guy and what he/she is doing – or not. Quit comparing yourself to everyone else, because Jesus has told us plainly in John 1:22 that whatever and however He chooses to work with others – and how they respond – is between the two of them and does not involve us. It has nothing to do with our own relationship with Jesus.
Focus on your connection with Jesus. Worship Him with every fiber of your being, and expect him to keep you “completely well and perfectly safe”, according to His will. Trust that you are operating within His will, and that He most certainly will care for you – flawlessly and entirely.
Lotz closes with an interesting question...”Have you been deeply disturbed and discouraged – even depressed – as you have looked at the lives of those who say they are disciples...and the community that calls itself the church yet not seen Jesus?” She concludes that if Jesus can’t be seen anywhere else, let Him surely be seen in your life – and mine. Jeremiah asked GOD to punish those who had criticized him and behaved poorly. Lotz is suggesting that we concentrate on ourselves and our own bond with Jesus, the healer of everyone and everything.
Where is your focus today? Are you busy comparing yourself with others and hoping you “fare pretty well”? Or are you fixated on praising and pleasing Jesus – and living in His perfect healing and the safety of His protection? Is time you for a shift of emphasis? Wouldn’t this be a good day to begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Just Give Me Jesus - ©2000 Anne Graham Lotz – Word Publishing, a Thomas Nelson Company
You, Lord, are the one I praise.
So heal me and rescue me!
Then I will be completely well
and perfectly safe.
The people of Judah say to me,
“Jeremiah, you claimed to tell us
what the Lord has said.
So why hasn’t it come true?”
Our Lord, you chose me
to care for your people,
and that’s what I have done.
You know everything I have said,
and I have never once
asked you to punish them.
I trust you for protection
in times of trouble,
so don’t frighten me.
Keep me from failure
and disgrace,
but make my enemies fail
and be disgraced.
Send destruction to make
their worst fears come true.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the closing paragraphs of her book, Just Give Me Jesus*, Anne Graham Lotz talks about how Peter responds to Jesus in the 21st chapter of the Book of John. Jesus has questioned Peter and asked him more than once, “Do you really love Me?” Peter is exasperated and finally points to another beloved disciple and asks, “What about him?” In verse 22, we read...”Jesus answered, ‘What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.’”
Lotz makes the point that how Jesus works in the lives of other people – and how they respond to Him – is basically none of our business. We are not to compare ourselves with others. We are to focus on Jesus – and Jesus alone. And other people are to do the same.
This is hard. We are all about comparing ourselves to others. Are we as successful, attractive, popular, intelligent, or talented as the other guy? Surely we are healthier...our “lifestyle habits” are not as bad as his/hers...right? Clearly we are more faith-filled...a better servant...more “Christ-like”! And OBVIOUSLY, we are more humble!
Pay close attention to the words of Jeremiah - and the admonition of Anne Graham Lotz...focus solely on Jesus. Worship and adore only Him. Listen for His voice and do what He commands of you. Forget about the other guy and what he/she is doing – or not. Quit comparing yourself to everyone else, because Jesus has told us plainly in John 1:22 that whatever and however He chooses to work with others – and how they respond – is between the two of them and does not involve us. It has nothing to do with our own relationship with Jesus.
Focus on your connection with Jesus. Worship Him with every fiber of your being, and expect him to keep you “completely well and perfectly safe”, according to His will. Trust that you are operating within His will, and that He most certainly will care for you – flawlessly and entirely.
Lotz closes with an interesting question...”Have you been deeply disturbed and discouraged – even depressed – as you have looked at the lives of those who say they are disciples...and the community that calls itself the church yet not seen Jesus?” She concludes that if Jesus can’t be seen anywhere else, let Him surely be seen in your life – and mine. Jeremiah asked GOD to punish those who had criticized him and behaved poorly. Lotz is suggesting that we concentrate on ourselves and our own bond with Jesus, the healer of everyone and everything.
Where is your focus today? Are you busy comparing yourself with others and hoping you “fare pretty well”? Or are you fixated on praising and pleasing Jesus – and living in His perfect healing and the safety of His protection? Is time you for a shift of emphasis? Wouldn’t this be a good day to begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Just Give Me Jesus - ©2000 Anne Graham Lotz – Word Publishing, a Thomas Nelson Company
Daily Devotional for April 14, 2013
Genesis 39
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields. Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said, “My master isn’t worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. No one in my master’s house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn’t given me is you, and that’s because you are his wife. I won’t sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving her hanging onto his coat.
When this happened, she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A dear family friend is celebrating his 80th birthday today. My husband and I shared a lunch table at a local restaurant with him and his wife and another lifelong friend, and he told us that the way to keep from getting older is to lie about your age! Of course, he was joking… but how often do we make excuses – or lie – in order to avoid the truth? At our worship service today, the pastor said, “You can say ‘I don’t want to,’ but don’t tell me you don’t have time for ministries of the church and Bible study, because everybody is busy.” I cannot judge another person’s time constraints, but maybe it is time for us to merely say, “I do not feel that God is calling me to do this now,” or simply to answer with, “I don’t want to do this.” After all, nobody truly cares to hear our excuses – even if they are sound and fair.
As for lying and making up justifications to cover our tracks or relocate blame… this is never acceptable. And we do this all the time. Oh, maybe we don’t deliberately lie or blame someone else… but our “excuses” shift the responsibility all the same…
Who do you want to be like…Potiphar’s wife – or Joseph? Are your words and actions such that you want to blame them on someone else… or are you a trustworthy, upright servant? Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about this… and about your own situation. Discover where you need to operate with more honesty and genuineness… and leave excuse making to the devil, where it belongs.
©2013 Debbie Robus
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields. Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said, “My master isn’t worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. No one in my master’s house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn’t given me is you, and that’s because you are his wife. I won’t sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving her hanging onto his coat.
When this happened, she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A dear family friend is celebrating his 80th birthday today. My husband and I shared a lunch table at a local restaurant with him and his wife and another lifelong friend, and he told us that the way to keep from getting older is to lie about your age! Of course, he was joking… but how often do we make excuses – or lie – in order to avoid the truth? At our worship service today, the pastor said, “You can say ‘I don’t want to,’ but don’t tell me you don’t have time for ministries of the church and Bible study, because everybody is busy.” I cannot judge another person’s time constraints, but maybe it is time for us to merely say, “I do not feel that God is calling me to do this now,” or simply to answer with, “I don’t want to do this.” After all, nobody truly cares to hear our excuses – even if they are sound and fair.
As for lying and making up justifications to cover our tracks or relocate blame… this is never acceptable. And we do this all the time. Oh, maybe we don’t deliberately lie or blame someone else… but our “excuses” shift the responsibility all the same…
- We claim we can’t participate in a certain group or event because of our past, when in truth the only judgments being made about us are our own. We all get about 15 minutes of “fame,” and chances are good that yours was over a long time ago!
- We use our family, friends, work, school, and extracurricular activities as an “alibi”… as in “I had to study,” or “I had a softball practice and couldn’t get there”… even when we know we could have made arrangements to juggle our schedule.
- We tell a friend that “I wasn’t going to share your secret, but So-and-so pried it out of me,” knowing all the time that we couldn’t wait to spread the gossip.
- We know that a friend or fellow Christian is lovingly making suggestions to help us, but since we don’t want to hear them, we become upset and defensive… and declare that “I can’t handle all of his/her pressure!”
- We don’t like an activity in which we agreed to participate… we don’t like our coursework at school… or we’re dissatisfied in our job. So rather than admit this and try to work on an alternative, we deliberately perform poorly and secretly hope that we will be asked to step aside... we’ll flunk out... or our employer will ask us to leave. This self-sabotage somehow seems better and easier to swallow than admitting the truth!
Who do you want to be like…Potiphar’s wife – or Joseph? Are your words and actions such that you want to blame them on someone else… or are you a trustworthy, upright servant? Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about this… and about your own situation. Discover where you need to operate with more honesty and genuineness… and leave excuse making to the devil, where it belongs.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 28, 2013
March 28 ~ Psalm 25:19-21
Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
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.
Nearly all of us have written a term paper at some point. If you were taught as I was, you began with an outline. You thought of the things you wanted to include… and you made notes and lists of the points you planned to cover. Honestly, for a while, the whole thing may have looked like quite a jumble of confusion. You might have even said, “The devil is having fun here… this paper is a mess!” But over time, things came together, and what seemed unconquerable at the outset became something you were proud to present to your instructor… or at least relieved to have finished!
A couple of months ago, I was not paying close attention as I cut the sleeves off a ladies knit shirt to make pants for my niece, Zola. I realized that I had cut the fabric in a way that I had two right legs – or was it two left legs?! At any rate, the outcome was not going to be a wearable pair of pants! I was in trouble. I felt I had wasted a really cute shirt, and naturally I blamed the devil for distracting me and causing me to cut the material incorrectly! But I was determined not to let him win. You can call me silly, but I began to pray… “LORD, what can I do with this? How can I take these pieces and create something useful – and cute – from them?” (I really do pray over mundane things like how to salvage a thrift-store shirt!)
I began to move the pieces of fabric around. “What if I used this piece this way?” I would ask myself. “Suppose I turned those mismatched ‘pant legs’ into sleeves?” And soon, everything was coming together to create a darling dress and matching accessories… all of which looked adorable on Zola and was one of her mother’s favorite outfits to date! God used all of His skill to help me use my skills to pull together a wonderful finished product.
So often, we throw up our hands and say, “So-and-so is out to get me,” or “I can’t win for losing… the odds are just not in my favor.” What we fail to recognize is how God has our back... if only we will keep our chin up and do what He expects. If we will continue to take the high road… if we will stay focused and maintain a positive attitude… if we will trust Him for an outcome… God will put us together into an incredible finished product!
I firmly believe this. I have full confidence that God can make lemonade from “lemons” like us! I am quite certain that operating with integrity brings about positive results…and amazing finished products! You can let the devil and his agents have their way in your life… or you can choose to live for God - and trust His outcomes. It’s totally your call… what do you say?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
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.
Nearly all of us have written a term paper at some point. If you were taught as I was, you began with an outline. You thought of the things you wanted to include… and you made notes and lists of the points you planned to cover. Honestly, for a while, the whole thing may have looked like quite a jumble of confusion. You might have even said, “The devil is having fun here… this paper is a mess!” But over time, things came together, and what seemed unconquerable at the outset became something you were proud to present to your instructor… or at least relieved to have finished!
A couple of months ago, I was not paying close attention as I cut the sleeves off a ladies knit shirt to make pants for my niece, Zola. I realized that I had cut the fabric in a way that I had two right legs – or was it two left legs?! At any rate, the outcome was not going to be a wearable pair of pants! I was in trouble. I felt I had wasted a really cute shirt, and naturally I blamed the devil for distracting me and causing me to cut the material incorrectly! But I was determined not to let him win. You can call me silly, but I began to pray… “LORD, what can I do with this? How can I take these pieces and create something useful – and cute – from them?” (I really do pray over mundane things like how to salvage a thrift-store shirt!)
I began to move the pieces of fabric around. “What if I used this piece this way?” I would ask myself. “Suppose I turned those mismatched ‘pant legs’ into sleeves?” And soon, everything was coming together to create a darling dress and matching accessories… all of which looked adorable on Zola and was one of her mother’s favorite outfits to date! God used all of His skill to help me use my skills to pull together a wonderful finished product.
So often, we throw up our hands and say, “So-and-so is out to get me,” or “I can’t win for losing… the odds are just not in my favor.” What we fail to recognize is how God has our back... if only we will keep our chin up and do what He expects. If we will continue to take the high road… if we will stay focused and maintain a positive attitude… if we will trust Him for an outcome… God will put us together into an incredible finished product!
I firmly believe this. I have full confidence that God can make lemonade from “lemons” like us! I am quite certain that operating with integrity brings about positive results…and amazing finished products! You can let the devil and his agents have their way in your life… or you can choose to live for God - and trust His outcomes. It’s totally your call… what do you say?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 16, 2013
March 16 ~ Job 2:9
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, author Harold S. Kushner tells the story of Martin Gray, who survived the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Holocaust. He married, built a successful life, and raised a family. One day his wife and children were killed in a forest fire that destroyed their home in the south of France. Some demanded an inquiry as to whether there was negligence or someone was at fault. But Gray refused. He said that accusing others for your misery only makes you lonelier. He maintained that life has to be lived for something, not against it.
An awful lot of us are living our lives against something. We are seeking blame or making excuses. Basically, we are ready to “curse God and die.” I once knew someone who turned her back on God after her father’s death. In her words, “What kind of God would allow my daddy to suffer like that?!” Indeed, it does often seem hard to comprehend the hardships some face. But giving situations a purpose and meaning often makes them more bearable Kushner points out that soldiers who lose a limb fighting for something have a better outlook than those who suffered the same in jury in a car or boating accident.
It often seems that in order to maintain our integrity, we must find the purpose for everything… and it had better be a good one! In other words, when troubles come, we give up on God and take whatever means necessary to survive and/or feel good. We are easily persuaded to “curse God and die” – inwardly, at least, if not literally.
My prayer for each of us today is that we would not sit back and wait on God to show us His purpose for our lives in each situation… but that we would endeavor to find it and to create good outcomes out of even seemingly bad situations. THIS is the mark of integrity… to consistently maintain our values, principles, and expectations… to never waiver in our faith - even when things are crumbling around us. The person of integrity doesn’t ask, “Why me, LORD?” He/she asks, “Where do I go from here? What are You showing me?”
These are the questions for today… “What is God showing you? And what are you doing with it?” Will you give meaning to the things that happen in your life - with God’s help - or are you ready to curse Him and die? Are you living your life for something… or against it? The choice is yours. Our reactions to people, situations and circumstances gives them meaning – either positive or negative. What are yours saying about you… and your faith in God to handle all things?
©2013 Debbie Robus
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, author Harold S. Kushner tells the story of Martin Gray, who survived the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Holocaust. He married, built a successful life, and raised a family. One day his wife and children were killed in a forest fire that destroyed their home in the south of France. Some demanded an inquiry as to whether there was negligence or someone was at fault. But Gray refused. He said that accusing others for your misery only makes you lonelier. He maintained that life has to be lived for something, not against it.
An awful lot of us are living our lives against something. We are seeking blame or making excuses. Basically, we are ready to “curse God and die.” I once knew someone who turned her back on God after her father’s death. In her words, “What kind of God would allow my daddy to suffer like that?!” Indeed, it does often seem hard to comprehend the hardships some face. But giving situations a purpose and meaning often makes them more bearable Kushner points out that soldiers who lose a limb fighting for something have a better outlook than those who suffered the same in jury in a car or boating accident.
It often seems that in order to maintain our integrity, we must find the purpose for everything… and it had better be a good one! In other words, when troubles come, we give up on God and take whatever means necessary to survive and/or feel good. We are easily persuaded to “curse God and die” – inwardly, at least, if not literally.
My prayer for each of us today is that we would not sit back and wait on God to show us His purpose for our lives in each situation… but that we would endeavor to find it and to create good outcomes out of even seemingly bad situations. THIS is the mark of integrity… to consistently maintain our values, principles, and expectations… to never waiver in our faith - even when things are crumbling around us. The person of integrity doesn’t ask, “Why me, LORD?” He/she asks, “Where do I go from here? What are You showing me?”
These are the questions for today… “What is God showing you? And what are you doing with it?” Will you give meaning to the things that happen in your life - with God’s help - or are you ready to curse Him and die? Are you living your life for something… or against it? The choice is yours. Our reactions to people, situations and circumstances gives them meaning – either positive or negative. What are yours saying about you… and your faith in God to handle all things?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 20, 2012
Ephesians 4:26-28
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.
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.
My daily calendar quote for yesterday was, “The man who can’t dance thinks the band is no good.” I think this probably describes a good number of people who are not taking ownership for their problems or responsibilities. It’s someone else’s fault… or another person’s problem… but certainly no fault of their own. In a way, this is the same thing as stealing. If we allow others to accept responsibility for our problems… debts… mistakes… or even unhappiness, we are making ends meet at their expense.
So when you “borrow” from your friends – a place to stay, food, clothing, money – with no agreement or plan for restitution… you are stealing from them. If the friends allow this, you are letting them to own your problems instead of taking responsibility for them yourself. When you say or do something you shouldn’t and try to pawn it off on another person – or make excuses – you have pretty much stolen that person’s integrity, as in the case of the man who can’t dance. It’s really not the band’s fault… but he doesn’t want to be honest and admit that he has shortcomings. He would rather allow the band to own the deficiencies.
The daily quote for today was, “When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt!” I think this is timely advice. When you are doing what God has called you to do… acting responsibly – even if it means admitting mistakes and making an effort to correct them… keep going. Don’t stop! Don’t get bogged down by anger, frustration, embarrassment, disappointment, or discouragement. Trust God to help you come out on top!
Pastor Joel Osteen paraphrases Philippians 4:13 in this manner… “It's not how you start that counts, it's how you finish. Shake off the past and keep running toward the prize!” Today is the day to stand up and accept responsibility for where we are in life… to do an honest day’s work in all arenas… and to move forward. There is no time for getting angry about the past… no room for the devil to get any pleasure in this! Let’s push on – with God’s help. Let’s ask God to show us how to quit focusing on the band and improve our “dancing!”
©2012 Debbie Robus
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.
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.
My daily calendar quote for yesterday was, “The man who can’t dance thinks the band is no good.” I think this probably describes a good number of people who are not taking ownership for their problems or responsibilities. It’s someone else’s fault… or another person’s problem… but certainly no fault of their own. In a way, this is the same thing as stealing. If we allow others to accept responsibility for our problems… debts… mistakes… or even unhappiness, we are making ends meet at their expense.
So when you “borrow” from your friends – a place to stay, food, clothing, money – with no agreement or plan for restitution… you are stealing from them. If the friends allow this, you are letting them to own your problems instead of taking responsibility for them yourself. When you say or do something you shouldn’t and try to pawn it off on another person – or make excuses – you have pretty much stolen that person’s integrity, as in the case of the man who can’t dance. It’s really not the band’s fault… but he doesn’t want to be honest and admit that he has shortcomings. He would rather allow the band to own the deficiencies.
The daily quote for today was, “When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt!” I think this is timely advice. When you are doing what God has called you to do… acting responsibly – even if it means admitting mistakes and making an effort to correct them… keep going. Don’t stop! Don’t get bogged down by anger, frustration, embarrassment, disappointment, or discouragement. Trust God to help you come out on top!
Pastor Joel Osteen paraphrases Philippians 4:13 in this manner… “It's not how you start that counts, it's how you finish. Shake off the past and keep running toward the prize!” Today is the day to stand up and accept responsibility for where we are in life… to do an honest day’s work in all arenas… and to move forward. There is no time for getting angry about the past… no room for the devil to get any pleasure in this! Let’s push on – with God’s help. Let’s ask God to show us how to quit focusing on the band and improve our “dancing!”
©2012 Debbie Robus
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