Luke 14:25-33
One day when large groups of people
were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who
comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children,
brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone
who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my
disciple.
“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new
house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you
can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of
money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will
poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’
“Or
can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without
first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to
face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he
can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?
“Simply
put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans
or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.
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 have a friend whose
grandfather was told by his Jewish parents that he would no longer be
welcome in their home if he chose Jesus…and he made the heartbreaking
decision to say “Goodbye” to his family. I know someone whose husband
told her, “It’s Him or me.” She chose Jesus…(and for the record, her
husband is still with her)!
I know countless people of all ages
and “positions” who have had to make hard choices between pleasing
someone else or “fitting in”…and following Jesus. I know people who
have lost their jobs because they wouldn’t lie or “cook the books” and
children who have been ridiculed and labeled “Jesus Freaks” because they
chose to honor God with their words and actions rather than go along
with the crowd. And when you are a kid going against the grain with
your peers or your parents…or a spouse or partner standing up to your
significant other and saying, “I choose Jesus over you”…this can be a
truly daunting decision. When you have mouths to feed and bills to pay,
it’s hard to tell your boss, I will not do this because it dishonors
God.
No one ever said being a Christian would be easy. And if
everyone failed to tell you this when you gave your heart and sinful
nature to Jesus, consider yourself told here and now! There will be
days when it seems so much easier to say, “Yeah, whatever!” and move
right along in the groove with everyone else. It’s hard to say “No” to
your friends, family, and co-workers…especially when they can’t seem to
see what all the fuss is about. There are a lot of Christians who are
somewhat “half-baked.” They have given their heart to Jesus and asked
for their sins to be forgiven…but they refuse to give Him everything.
They want to hold certain associations, attitudes and behaviors in
reserve. But you cannot be Jesus’ disciple if you aren’t willing to give
him every single speck of your life…body, mind and soul.
When it comes to Christian discipleship, good enough is simply not good enough!
Where are you still holding out on Jesus today? Where have you failed
to fully surrender to Him? Who – or what – are you putting ahead of
serving Christ completely? Will this be the day that you totally go
“all in” with Him and become His disciple, once and forever? Are you
ready to fall to your knees and get started?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label developing Christian discipleship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label developing Christian discipleship. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 23, 2015
Philippians 3:15-19
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.
Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
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.
It started simply enough…I opened a drawer in the kitchen one morning, rummaged for what I was needing, and ended up taking everything out of the drawer and reorganizing it. Soon, I had moved on to the next drawer…and the next…and a couple of hours later, every drawer in the kitchen had been cleaned and organized. I felt like a new woman! That was early January. I was so inspired and motivated by my newly organized kitchen drawers that I moved on to other drawers and closets.
I am not finished, but I am just a closet and a couple of drawers away from having reorganized my entire house. It’s not perfect…by a long stretch. And I bet I could go back through and weed out even more unnecessary “stuff” and make things look a whole lot better. But I am very much a “work in progress” – even in the areas of closets and drawers!
I’ll admit…more than once, I got sidetracked – and discouraged. After all, what difference does it make if there is a mess behind the cabinet doors? Who cares what’s in the drawers... and is it really worth my time and energy to finish this project? I only had to think of the time I’ve wasted looking for a particular fastener or thread spool in my sewing cabinet to realize that the days I spent organizing, cleaning and alphabetizing these items will make my future sewing projects – and other activities - go so much smoother. And I will be able to accomplish a lot more with less stress!
The old adage that anything worth doing is worth doing right is true…and nowhere more than in our Spiritual life. If we are going to do this “Disciple of Christ thing”…if we are going to walk with Jesus, follow His teachings, share His Good News, and bask in His blessings…doesn’t it make sense to stay on course and do the hard work?
Jesus does not offer us short-cuts to full-blown discipleship…and with good reason – He doesn’t take them, either! Read the New Testament and study His 30+ years on this earth. Read Paul’s letters and see how Jesus left a legacy of ministry with His disciples…to be carried on through the generations – even to us and beyond. There is very little that is easy and simple, once you open your heart and invite Jesus to dwell there and guide your every breath. But oh, it’s so worth the effort. The joy and blessings you feel in opening your Spiritual “closet and drawers” and finding peace and organization… purpose and overflow…are so worth any struggle and challenge.
Will everything stay neat and orderly? Probably not? Will you have to reorganize a “drawer or closet” from time to time – both spiritually and physically? Most likely. Will it be worth the effort? Most definitely!
Won’t you make this the day that you start to get organized…in your Spiritual fellowship with Jesus AND maybe your physical life? Will this be the day that you open your heart and see Christ in charge instead of chaos? Are you ready to get busy “cleaning” and get back on the right path? Don’t you think you should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.
Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
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.
It started simply enough…I opened a drawer in the kitchen one morning, rummaged for what I was needing, and ended up taking everything out of the drawer and reorganizing it. Soon, I had moved on to the next drawer…and the next…and a couple of hours later, every drawer in the kitchen had been cleaned and organized. I felt like a new woman! That was early January. I was so inspired and motivated by my newly organized kitchen drawers that I moved on to other drawers and closets.
I am not finished, but I am just a closet and a couple of drawers away from having reorganized my entire house. It’s not perfect…by a long stretch. And I bet I could go back through and weed out even more unnecessary “stuff” and make things look a whole lot better. But I am very much a “work in progress” – even in the areas of closets and drawers!
I’ll admit…more than once, I got sidetracked – and discouraged. After all, what difference does it make if there is a mess behind the cabinet doors? Who cares what’s in the drawers... and is it really worth my time and energy to finish this project? I only had to think of the time I’ve wasted looking for a particular fastener or thread spool in my sewing cabinet to realize that the days I spent organizing, cleaning and alphabetizing these items will make my future sewing projects – and other activities - go so much smoother. And I will be able to accomplish a lot more with less stress!
The old adage that anything worth doing is worth doing right is true…and nowhere more than in our Spiritual life. If we are going to do this “Disciple of Christ thing”…if we are going to walk with Jesus, follow His teachings, share His Good News, and bask in His blessings…doesn’t it make sense to stay on course and do the hard work?
Jesus does not offer us short-cuts to full-blown discipleship…and with good reason – He doesn’t take them, either! Read the New Testament and study His 30+ years on this earth. Read Paul’s letters and see how Jesus left a legacy of ministry with His disciples…to be carried on through the generations – even to us and beyond. There is very little that is easy and simple, once you open your heart and invite Jesus to dwell there and guide your every breath. But oh, it’s so worth the effort. The joy and blessings you feel in opening your Spiritual “closet and drawers” and finding peace and organization… purpose and overflow…are so worth any struggle and challenge.
Will everything stay neat and orderly? Probably not? Will you have to reorganize a “drawer or closet” from time to time – both spiritually and physically? Most likely. Will it be worth the effort? Most definitely!
Won’t you make this the day that you start to get organized…in your Spiritual fellowship with Jesus AND maybe your physical life? Will this be the day that you open your heart and see Christ in charge instead of chaos? Are you ready to get busy “cleaning” and get back on the right path? Don’t you think you should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 8, 2015
John 17:12-19
While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true.
I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still in the world, so that my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t.
Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On March 1, 2015, giant panda cub Bao Bao was officially and completely separated from her mother, Mei Xiang, at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. This weaning process actually began several weeks earlier, as the two spent more and more time away from each other, and Bao Bao began to munch on bamboo to supplement her mother’s nursing. Now she is completely dependent on the cane for her sustenance.
According to information found at https://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/, "Giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are at the National Zoo under a Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement, signed in January 2011, between the Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. This extends the Zoo’s giant panda program through 2015. Mei and Tian are the focus of an ambitious research, conservation, and breeding program designed to preserve this endangered species." 18-month-old offspring Bao Bao will remain at the National Zoo until she is four years old. While she would naturally separate completely from her mother and no longer see her, this is not possible at the National Zoo, and staff members there hope that this will result in her observing the breeding cycle between her parents – and better understanding what she is to do in the wild when she is released in China.
In many ways, Bao Bao’s parents have done all they can for her…and at the end of her fourth year, the National Zoo officials will have to say the same thing. It will be time for Bao Bao to take the lessons she has learned – all that has been instilled in her and taught to her – and carry on alone. Every human involved in her nurture and care hopes and believes that this will be a successful venture. Will there be trepidation and worry? Certainly. Will it be hard to let her go…a little nerve-wracking to trust that she will be okay and remember all that she learned? Most definitely! But it will still be the right thing to do…an act of tremendous love and faith – in the effectiveness and endurance of lessons and care demonstrated – and in Bao Bao’s steadfastness and faithfulness to what has been given her.
Now think of Jesus and all that He has done for us. Consider how He taught us…nurtured and cared for us…demonstrated the right path – showed us how to serve God and honor His laws. Jesus did all that He was supposed to do for us – and then some. Jesus did all He could to keep us safe…and now He trusts that we learned our lessons well and will be able to serve as His disciples.
Here’s where we differ from the pandas and other “parents/offspring”…Jesus does not separate from us completely. He does not desert us. When He returned to Heaven, He left His Holy Spirit as “back-up”…should we choose to invite Him into our hearts. So we always have our Heavenly Father with us…He is only a heartbeat and a whisper away.
This is GREAT NEWS! We don’t have to wonder and worry what to do – the Holy Spirit is always with us to give us the answer! We don’t have to wander aimlessly…suffer or grieve without comfort…or operate in confusion and uncertainty. Our God is always available…His presence takes many shapes and forms…and all we have to do is recognize Him.
I know that it will be a hard day at the National Zoo when Bao Bao is packed off to China. I have a feeling that with some of us, it’s pretty hard for Jesus to watch us bumble around and try to do “life” on our own. Thankfully, we don’t have to live like this…He will draw near in a split second and set our feet on the right path. It’s up to us to issue the invitation for Him to do just that. Have you invited Jesus and His Holy Spirit into your heart…and do you keep Him there? Isn’t it time that you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true.
I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still in the world, so that my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t.
Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On March 1, 2015, giant panda cub Bao Bao was officially and completely separated from her mother, Mei Xiang, at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. This weaning process actually began several weeks earlier, as the two spent more and more time away from each other, and Bao Bao began to munch on bamboo to supplement her mother’s nursing. Now she is completely dependent on the cane for her sustenance.
According to information found at https://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/, "Giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are at the National Zoo under a Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement, signed in January 2011, between the Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. This extends the Zoo’s giant panda program through 2015. Mei and Tian are the focus of an ambitious research, conservation, and breeding program designed to preserve this endangered species." 18-month-old offspring Bao Bao will remain at the National Zoo until she is four years old. While she would naturally separate completely from her mother and no longer see her, this is not possible at the National Zoo, and staff members there hope that this will result in her observing the breeding cycle between her parents – and better understanding what she is to do in the wild when she is released in China.
In many ways, Bao Bao’s parents have done all they can for her…and at the end of her fourth year, the National Zoo officials will have to say the same thing. It will be time for Bao Bao to take the lessons she has learned – all that has been instilled in her and taught to her – and carry on alone. Every human involved in her nurture and care hopes and believes that this will be a successful venture. Will there be trepidation and worry? Certainly. Will it be hard to let her go…a little nerve-wracking to trust that she will be okay and remember all that she learned? Most definitely! But it will still be the right thing to do…an act of tremendous love and faith – in the effectiveness and endurance of lessons and care demonstrated – and in Bao Bao’s steadfastness and faithfulness to what has been given her.
Now think of Jesus and all that He has done for us. Consider how He taught us…nurtured and cared for us…demonstrated the right path – showed us how to serve God and honor His laws. Jesus did all that He was supposed to do for us – and then some. Jesus did all He could to keep us safe…and now He trusts that we learned our lessons well and will be able to serve as His disciples.
Here’s where we differ from the pandas and other “parents/offspring”…Jesus does not separate from us completely. He does not desert us. When He returned to Heaven, He left His Holy Spirit as “back-up”…should we choose to invite Him into our hearts. So we always have our Heavenly Father with us…He is only a heartbeat and a whisper away.
This is GREAT NEWS! We don’t have to wonder and worry what to do – the Holy Spirit is always with us to give us the answer! We don’t have to wander aimlessly…suffer or grieve without comfort…or operate in confusion and uncertainty. Our God is always available…His presence takes many shapes and forms…and all we have to do is recognize Him.
I know that it will be a hard day at the National Zoo when Bao Bao is packed off to China. I have a feeling that with some of us, it’s pretty hard for Jesus to watch us bumble around and try to do “life” on our own. Thankfully, we don’t have to live like this…He will draw near in a split second and set our feet on the right path. It’s up to us to issue the invitation for Him to do just that. Have you invited Jesus and His Holy Spirit into your heart…and do you keep Him there? Isn’t it time that you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 25, 2015
Revelation 2:2-5
I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out that they were liars. You have endured and gone through hard times because of me, and you have not given up.
But I do have something against you! And it is this: You don’t have as much love as you used to. Think about where you have fallen from, and then turn back and do as you did at first. If you don’t turn back, I will come and take away your lampstand.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve owned a guitar almost continuously since I was about 8 years old…but at best, I’ve always been a mediocre guitarist. I can strum a few tunes enough to get by…but I never fully developed the knack to play really well. So when Timothy’s kindergarten teacher asked me to bring my guitar to the classroom and sing Christmas carols, I set in to practice enough that I would not embarrass myself – or Timothy. After a few days, I felt I was ready…but my fingers were so sore.
Here’s the thing about guitar strings…they are thin wires that dig into your fingers as you press them against the fretboard to create the pitches. Until you build up calluses, it can really hurt after you play for several minutes or longer. By the time I worked on the Christmas songs for the kindergartners over several days, my sore fingers were beginning to toughen, and it didn’t hurt as badly. I could play for longer periods of time.
Then Christmas came, and I got busy with holiday dinners and other things, and I stopped playing every day…and soon, my fingers lost their calluses. The next time I picked up the guitar, it hurt again. And the longer I go between “sessions”…the more “rusty” I get. I feel certain that were I to stop altogether for a long period of time, I would probably be unable to even fake a few Christmas tunes for five-year-olds.
This is essentially what the message to the church at Ephesus conveys…you’ve worked hard – for awhile and to a point. But you’ve lost your love and passion for Christ…and your relationship with Him is not as “callused”. You’ve grown “rusty” in your faith. And if you don’t start “practicing” again soon, your relationship will be taken from you.
Christian faith is something we have to work at. Yes, the gift of Salvation through the blood of Jesus is freely given. But to deepen our relationship with Christ…to be strong enough to stand up to sin and the evils that Satan hurls our way…to be effective in our witness and confident in our relationship with Him…we have to practice! We have to stay connected and work at digging deeply into God’s word and what it means for our lives. We have to talk to God and share the message of Jesus Christ with others…and speak with a firsthand knowledge of these teachings and how they have applied in our own lives. We have to live our faith each and every day.
I could kick myself for not picking up guitar and playing at least every few days, to keep those calluses. But here’s the thing…I CAN start again and rebuild them – and I can vow to keep them this time around. And so it is with Jesus…it’s not too late to start again…too renew and strengthen our relationship with Him…and to keep it that way. Are you ready to do this in your own “faith walk”? Isn’t today a great day to get started?!
©2015 Debbie Robus
I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out that they were liars. You have endured and gone through hard times because of me, and you have not given up.
But I do have something against you! And it is this: You don’t have as much love as you used to. Think about where you have fallen from, and then turn back and do as you did at first. If you don’t turn back, I will come and take away your lampstand.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve owned a guitar almost continuously since I was about 8 years old…but at best, I’ve always been a mediocre guitarist. I can strum a few tunes enough to get by…but I never fully developed the knack to play really well. So when Timothy’s kindergarten teacher asked me to bring my guitar to the classroom and sing Christmas carols, I set in to practice enough that I would not embarrass myself – or Timothy. After a few days, I felt I was ready…but my fingers were so sore.
Here’s the thing about guitar strings…they are thin wires that dig into your fingers as you press them against the fretboard to create the pitches. Until you build up calluses, it can really hurt after you play for several minutes or longer. By the time I worked on the Christmas songs for the kindergartners over several days, my sore fingers were beginning to toughen, and it didn’t hurt as badly. I could play for longer periods of time.
Then Christmas came, and I got busy with holiday dinners and other things, and I stopped playing every day…and soon, my fingers lost their calluses. The next time I picked up the guitar, it hurt again. And the longer I go between “sessions”…the more “rusty” I get. I feel certain that were I to stop altogether for a long period of time, I would probably be unable to even fake a few Christmas tunes for five-year-olds.
This is essentially what the message to the church at Ephesus conveys…you’ve worked hard – for awhile and to a point. But you’ve lost your love and passion for Christ…and your relationship with Him is not as “callused”. You’ve grown “rusty” in your faith. And if you don’t start “practicing” again soon, your relationship will be taken from you.
Christian faith is something we have to work at. Yes, the gift of Salvation through the blood of Jesus is freely given. But to deepen our relationship with Christ…to be strong enough to stand up to sin and the evils that Satan hurls our way…to be effective in our witness and confident in our relationship with Him…we have to practice! We have to stay connected and work at digging deeply into God’s word and what it means for our lives. We have to talk to God and share the message of Jesus Christ with others…and speak with a firsthand knowledge of these teachings and how they have applied in our own lives. We have to live our faith each and every day.
I could kick myself for not picking up guitar and playing at least every few days, to keep those calluses. But here’s the thing…I CAN start again and rebuild them – and I can vow to keep them this time around. And so it is with Jesus…it’s not too late to start again…too renew and strengthen our relationship with Him…and to keep it that way. Are you ready to do this in your own “faith walk”? Isn’t today a great day to get started?!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 14, 2014
John 11:41
After the stone had been rolled aside, Jesus looked up toward heaven and prayed, “Father, I thank you for answering my prayer.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When my cousin J.D. lost his wife, Angie, to breast cancer a few years ago, he went to the funeral home and prayed over her dead body for more an hour and asked God to bring her back to life. He told me later, “Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for four days, and God raised him. I had to try…surely He could bring Angie back to me if He wanted.”
Lazarus was restored to life and my cousin’s wife was not. Does this mean that God gave Jesus’ prayer special consideration? Does God really hear our prayers and praises…and is it “worth our time” to offer them?
If you continue reading in John 11, you will see that Jesus offered this prayer of thanksgiving to God in front of a crowd of people, to demonstrate that He was the Son of God. He said in verse 42…”I know that you always answer my prayers. But I said this, so that the people here would believe that you sent me.”
One thing that I find interesting…and possibly very important…is that scripture does not tell us exactly what Jesus said to God in His prayer. Jesus thanked God for answering…but we can only assume that He asked for the resurrection of Lazarus. Did Jesus pray for God’s will? Did Jesus ask God to do what He felt was best in this situation? We simply do not know. All we have is John’s account that Jesus thanked our Heavenly Father for answering His prayer…and then He ordered Lazarus to come forth from the tomb.
I recently served on a jury in a civil trial. The judge admonished us to only consider the evidence we were presented…and our own common sense and personal experiences as related to the case. We were not to add or remove anything else. We could only rule based on the facts that we were given. When we petition God and ask for a “verdict”, we must understand that He considers man factors and decides what is best for His plans – and for us. So if we apply this to the Biblical account of Lazarus’s resurrection - and to our own prayers and praises - we can present our “case” to God…but we must trust Him to answer in a way that is best for His purposes – and ours.
The key to this passage is the timing of our prayers. Do we have the faith and confidence in God to offer a prayer of thanks and gratitude before we know the outcome? Do we demonstrate our Christian faith…and do we genuinely believe that God will answer in the best possible manner – even before He does so?
Anyone can thank God after the fact. But when we begin to trust God in all things…and to operate in gratitude for His perfect plans in all circumstances and outcomes before they are evidenced…our Christian discipleship takes a leap to a whole other level. This is my goal…my desire…to be grateful in all things, even before I know the results. I want to operate in faith so profound that I never doubt God’s power and presence in my life. I want to believe that God could bring loved ones back to life if He desired…and to trust His wisdom in these decisions and others – no matter how great or small.
In John 11:40, Jesus asked Lazarus’ sister Martha…“Didn’t I tell you that if you had faith, you would see the glory of God?” I want to see God’s glory more clearly in all situations and circumstances…and I am working to grow in my faith so that I can. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
After the stone had been rolled aside, Jesus looked up toward heaven and prayed, “Father, I thank you for answering my prayer.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When my cousin J.D. lost his wife, Angie, to breast cancer a few years ago, he went to the funeral home and prayed over her dead body for more an hour and asked God to bring her back to life. He told me later, “Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for four days, and God raised him. I had to try…surely He could bring Angie back to me if He wanted.”
Lazarus was restored to life and my cousin’s wife was not. Does this mean that God gave Jesus’ prayer special consideration? Does God really hear our prayers and praises…and is it “worth our time” to offer them?
If you continue reading in John 11, you will see that Jesus offered this prayer of thanksgiving to God in front of a crowd of people, to demonstrate that He was the Son of God. He said in verse 42…”I know that you always answer my prayers. But I said this, so that the people here would believe that you sent me.”
One thing that I find interesting…and possibly very important…is that scripture does not tell us exactly what Jesus said to God in His prayer. Jesus thanked God for answering…but we can only assume that He asked for the resurrection of Lazarus. Did Jesus pray for God’s will? Did Jesus ask God to do what He felt was best in this situation? We simply do not know. All we have is John’s account that Jesus thanked our Heavenly Father for answering His prayer…and then He ordered Lazarus to come forth from the tomb.
I recently served on a jury in a civil trial. The judge admonished us to only consider the evidence we were presented…and our own common sense and personal experiences as related to the case. We were not to add or remove anything else. We could only rule based on the facts that we were given. When we petition God and ask for a “verdict”, we must understand that He considers man factors and decides what is best for His plans – and for us. So if we apply this to the Biblical account of Lazarus’s resurrection - and to our own prayers and praises - we can present our “case” to God…but we must trust Him to answer in a way that is best for His purposes – and ours.
The key to this passage is the timing of our prayers. Do we have the faith and confidence in God to offer a prayer of thanks and gratitude before we know the outcome? Do we demonstrate our Christian faith…and do we genuinely believe that God will answer in the best possible manner – even before He does so?
Anyone can thank God after the fact. But when we begin to trust God in all things…and to operate in gratitude for His perfect plans in all circumstances and outcomes before they are evidenced…our Christian discipleship takes a leap to a whole other level. This is my goal…my desire…to be grateful in all things, even before I know the results. I want to operate in faith so profound that I never doubt God’s power and presence in my life. I want to believe that God could bring loved ones back to life if He desired…and to trust His wisdom in these decisions and others – no matter how great or small.
In John 11:40, Jesus asked Lazarus’ sister Martha…“Didn’t I tell you that if you had faith, you would see the glory of God?” I want to see God’s glory more clearly in all situations and circumstances…and I am working to grow in my faith so that I can. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 24, 2014
Ephesians 2:1-6
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
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 saw someone from a distance, and for a split second, I thought this person was someone I knew...a pastor friend who moved away several years ago. I began to think about how much I miss this friend...how important his support and nurture was to my spiritual growth. I still speak with him occasionally via e-mail, but there are times when I wish we could have one of our long heart-to-heart talks. There have been times in the last several years when I would have given anything if he had been here to advise me in person.
As I thought of my friend, I very clearly received this message...”If he had been here, you would have depended upon him instead of Me. You might not have grown as much in your faith.” Sometimes, I think God makes us go through some hard times...to “tough it out” (so to speak) in certain circumstances...so that we depend more on Him than we do on mere mortals. It’s not that my friend would not have given me excellent, Godly advice. But I needed to be somewhat alone, isolated and vulnerable. I needed to realize that all I had...and all I needed...was God – that HE could handle things for me, and that I had to trust Him to do so.
I am not the same person I once was...and you probably are not either. I am still a sinner, but I am not mired in the stagnant life of sin. More importantly, I am knee-deep or more in faith and trust in God...for everything. I’ve seen His grace in action. I’ve felt His mercy on more than one occasion. I am immersed in His love and have physical evidence of His miracles and power. And He did this for me all on His own, without human assistance or interference!
I don’t know where you are on your faith walk. I hope you have Godly friends and disciples to whom you can turn when things are tough. But I also hope you know that you are truly NEVER alone when you give your heart to Jesus. Our gracious, merciful, loving Heavenly Father is always, always available to us...always working on our behalf...and capable of handling anything and everything we throw at Him!
Sometimes, we need to bask in the unadulterated grace, mercy, compassion, power and love of God. We need to peel back the layers and “go it alone” with Him...and trust that He truly is enough! We say that we believe that Jesus is all we need...and He is! Now it’s time to act like it!
©2014 Debbie Robus
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
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 saw someone from a distance, and for a split second, I thought this person was someone I knew...a pastor friend who moved away several years ago. I began to think about how much I miss this friend...how important his support and nurture was to my spiritual growth. I still speak with him occasionally via e-mail, but there are times when I wish we could have one of our long heart-to-heart talks. There have been times in the last several years when I would have given anything if he had been here to advise me in person.
As I thought of my friend, I very clearly received this message...”If he had been here, you would have depended upon him instead of Me. You might not have grown as much in your faith.” Sometimes, I think God makes us go through some hard times...to “tough it out” (so to speak) in certain circumstances...so that we depend more on Him than we do on mere mortals. It’s not that my friend would not have given me excellent, Godly advice. But I needed to be somewhat alone, isolated and vulnerable. I needed to realize that all I had...and all I needed...was God – that HE could handle things for me, and that I had to trust Him to do so.
I am not the same person I once was...and you probably are not either. I am still a sinner, but I am not mired in the stagnant life of sin. More importantly, I am knee-deep or more in faith and trust in God...for everything. I’ve seen His grace in action. I’ve felt His mercy on more than one occasion. I am immersed in His love and have physical evidence of His miracles and power. And He did this for me all on His own, without human assistance or interference!
I don’t know where you are on your faith walk. I hope you have Godly friends and disciples to whom you can turn when things are tough. But I also hope you know that you are truly NEVER alone when you give your heart to Jesus. Our gracious, merciful, loving Heavenly Father is always, always available to us...always working on our behalf...and capable of handling anything and everything we throw at Him!
Sometimes, we need to bask in the unadulterated grace, mercy, compassion, power and love of God. We need to peel back the layers and “go it alone” with Him...and trust that He truly is enough! We say that we believe that Jesus is all we need...and He is! Now it’s time to act like it!
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 21, 2014
1 John 1:7
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
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 niece Jasmine, said that when Zola put on her Easter dress, she twirled around in the floor with excitement. Her older brother Timothy told her to “Stop that! You are NOT a hula girl!” Zola quickly replied, “Yes I AM! I AM a hula girl!” Trust me…this is not the first time that Big Brother has told Little Sister how to act…and it certainly won’t be the last!
The thing is…more than a few of us could use a “big brother or sister” to tell us to “Stop that!” We have claimed the name of Jesus…then gone right back to behaving like we always did. Nothing really changed. Many people made their annual “Easter appearance” at church on Sunday…and that will be about as “spiritual” as it gets for them until at least Christmas! A friend of mine calls these folks “Christmas-and-Easter-Christians”.
I still recall when one of my best friends was baptized into her husband’s church. We were both so excited for her new-found faith, and I asked her, “So what’s next?” She replied, “What do you mean?” I explained that I was wondering if there was going to be someone in her church family who would nurture her and encourage her as she studied the Bible and grew in her discipleship. She did not know of any such person. So we studied together and shared in our faith walk for the next few months/years…and I’m sure her husband and other family members encouraged her, as well.
But it did make me wonder…are we in a “numbers game” of sorts? Are we so focused on winning souls to Jesus that we fail to nurture and encourage them afterward? Where DO we go from the cross and the tomb? What really does happen after Easter? I pray that you will not put away your Bible and go back to your old ways. I pray that this will be the year that you truly find God…that you fully grasp that Jesus came to earth and taught us about love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion…about the power of Almighty God and the lasting presence of His Holy Spirit…about the tremendous sacrifices that He made to wash away every one of our sins.
I pray that you will really internalize Jesus’ commandment to “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.” It is my hope that you will know without any doubt His promise that “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”*
Easter is a time when we think of a rebirth…new life…a fresh start. Will this Easter season mark the beginning of your intimate journey with God and a shared life in His light? Has the blood of Jesus truly transformed you…or are you twirling like a “hula girl” and “playing Christian” when it suits you? Isn’t it time you became the “real deal” for Jesus? What are you waiting for?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Matthew 28:19-20
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
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 niece Jasmine, said that when Zola put on her Easter dress, she twirled around in the floor with excitement. Her older brother Timothy told her to “Stop that! You are NOT a hula girl!” Zola quickly replied, “Yes I AM! I AM a hula girl!” Trust me…this is not the first time that Big Brother has told Little Sister how to act…and it certainly won’t be the last!
The thing is…more than a few of us could use a “big brother or sister” to tell us to “Stop that!” We have claimed the name of Jesus…then gone right back to behaving like we always did. Nothing really changed. Many people made their annual “Easter appearance” at church on Sunday…and that will be about as “spiritual” as it gets for them until at least Christmas! A friend of mine calls these folks “Christmas-and-Easter-Christians”.
I still recall when one of my best friends was baptized into her husband’s church. We were both so excited for her new-found faith, and I asked her, “So what’s next?” She replied, “What do you mean?” I explained that I was wondering if there was going to be someone in her church family who would nurture her and encourage her as she studied the Bible and grew in her discipleship. She did not know of any such person. So we studied together and shared in our faith walk for the next few months/years…and I’m sure her husband and other family members encouraged her, as well.
But it did make me wonder…are we in a “numbers game” of sorts? Are we so focused on winning souls to Jesus that we fail to nurture and encourage them afterward? Where DO we go from the cross and the tomb? What really does happen after Easter? I pray that you will not put away your Bible and go back to your old ways. I pray that this will be the year that you truly find God…that you fully grasp that Jesus came to earth and taught us about love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion…about the power of Almighty God and the lasting presence of His Holy Spirit…about the tremendous sacrifices that He made to wash away every one of our sins.
I pray that you will really internalize Jesus’ commandment to “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.” It is my hope that you will know without any doubt His promise that “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”*
Easter is a time when we think of a rebirth…new life…a fresh start. Will this Easter season mark the beginning of your intimate journey with God and a shared life in His light? Has the blood of Jesus truly transformed you…or are you twirling like a “hula girl” and “playing Christian” when it suits you? Isn’t it time you became the “real deal” for Jesus? What are you waiting for?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Matthew 28:19-20
Daily Devotional for March 18, 2014
2 Peter 1:3-8
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
When Timothy was a baby, I bought him this stacking toy that is fairly popular as an early baby toy. It consists of a plastic base that will rock back and forth on a solid surface. Atop the base is a “pole”. There are five plastic rings in graduated sizes that the baby is supposed to stack on the “pole”. If the rings are stacked in the right order, everything fits…and the last ring is filled with colorful swirling beads that move as the entire toy rocks back and forth. If the rings are not stacked in the correct order, there is a problem. It took Timothy a while to figure out how the rings have to fit. But once he “got it,” he was a pro at the stacking game and really enjoyed naming the colors, stacking them appropriately…and then knocking it all over!
Sometimes I think we Christians are like the toddler with the stacking toy. Until Timothy matured enough to fully understand the concept of stacking the rings in the appropriate order, he would mix them up. And then he would be frustrated because they didn’t all fit. I think this is a good illustration of how we are in our Christian living. We sometimes try to do things out of order. We want to serve God out of faith…but we still cling to some of our old – and possibly immoral – ways. We want to live a morally upright life…but we have not fully committed to learning from fellow believers. We aren’t ready to admit that someone else might know more than we do!
We want to act with self-control…but we don’t have the tools to do this, because we were not willing to listen and learn from others. We want patience…but until we can learn to operate in self-control, this will be hard to achieve. We desire to truly be a godly disciple…but we have not yet surrendered fully to God’s will for our lives - and taken the necessary steps to fully develop in His glory and excellence. We want to love others as God loves us…but until we become more like Jesus, we cannot fully and genuinely operate in brotherly love for everyone.
Do you see how if you stack one of these “rings” in the wrong order, everything will not come together as it should? Just as the stacking rings and a plastic “pole” on a rocking base look so simple…being a Christian may appear rather straightforward at first glance. And truly, God doesn’t intend for a life in Christ to be complicated. But there is an order to Christian discipleship. Salvation may be instantaneous…but a full, rich, meaningful life in Christ Jesus takes time, effort, and a desire to grow and mature in God’s will.
If we are to be effective in sharing God’s love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion with others…we have to learn to “stack the rings” in the right order. When Timothy learned to accomplish this successfully, we would clap and cheer for him…and he would squeal with delight. Imagine how God will clap and cheer as you grow and learn to walk in His will and ways. Picture the thrill of accomplishment you will experience as you discover more about Him and how to share the love and Good News of Jesus with others.
Don’t you think it’s time we spent a while “in the floor with the rings and pole” of a life in Christ …practicing and developing our “discipleship skills and abilities”? Will this be the day that you commit to building your skillset…and doing things in the proper order? Shouldn’t it?
©2014 Debbie Robus
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
When Timothy was a baby, I bought him this stacking toy that is fairly popular as an early baby toy. It consists of a plastic base that will rock back and forth on a solid surface. Atop the base is a “pole”. There are five plastic rings in graduated sizes that the baby is supposed to stack on the “pole”. If the rings are stacked in the right order, everything fits…and the last ring is filled with colorful swirling beads that move as the entire toy rocks back and forth. If the rings are not stacked in the correct order, there is a problem. It took Timothy a while to figure out how the rings have to fit. But once he “got it,” he was a pro at the stacking game and really enjoyed naming the colors, stacking them appropriately…and then knocking it all over!
Sometimes I think we Christians are like the toddler with the stacking toy. Until Timothy matured enough to fully understand the concept of stacking the rings in the appropriate order, he would mix them up. And then he would be frustrated because they didn’t all fit. I think this is a good illustration of how we are in our Christian living. We sometimes try to do things out of order. We want to serve God out of faith…but we still cling to some of our old – and possibly immoral – ways. We want to live a morally upright life…but we have not fully committed to learning from fellow believers. We aren’t ready to admit that someone else might know more than we do!
We want to act with self-control…but we don’t have the tools to do this, because we were not willing to listen and learn from others. We want patience…but until we can learn to operate in self-control, this will be hard to achieve. We desire to truly be a godly disciple…but we have not yet surrendered fully to God’s will for our lives - and taken the necessary steps to fully develop in His glory and excellence. We want to love others as God loves us…but until we become more like Jesus, we cannot fully and genuinely operate in brotherly love for everyone.
Do you see how if you stack one of these “rings” in the wrong order, everything will not come together as it should? Just as the stacking rings and a plastic “pole” on a rocking base look so simple…being a Christian may appear rather straightforward at first glance. And truly, God doesn’t intend for a life in Christ to be complicated. But there is an order to Christian discipleship. Salvation may be instantaneous…but a full, rich, meaningful life in Christ Jesus takes time, effort, and a desire to grow and mature in God’s will.
If we are to be effective in sharing God’s love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion with others…we have to learn to “stack the rings” in the right order. When Timothy learned to accomplish this successfully, we would clap and cheer for him…and he would squeal with delight. Imagine how God will clap and cheer as you grow and learn to walk in His will and ways. Picture the thrill of accomplishment you will experience as you discover more about Him and how to share the love and Good News of Jesus with others.
Don’t you think it’s time we spent a while “in the floor with the rings and pole” of a life in Christ …practicing and developing our “discipleship skills and abilities”? Will this be the day that you commit to building your skillset…and doing things in the proper order? Shouldn’t it?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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