Hebrews 13:7-8
Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.
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.
For several years, I taught a junior high Sunday school class at our church and worked with youth programs. One of my former students is getting married in a few weeks, and I recently attended a shower for him and his fiancée. He sent me a note of thanks afterward. And in it, he said, “I was incredibly blessed to have a Sunday school teacher who cared so much about me and my classmates."
I was deeply touched by this sweet comment. Most Sundays, I came home and spent the first hour telling Greg about the kids and how I felt they didn’t listen and were, at times, wildly disrespectful to each other – and to me. He would ask, “If you feel you aren’t accomplishing anything, why are you going back?” I am not sure I even knew why I continued, except that others kept telling me, “You can’t see it now – and you might never see it – but you are planting seeds. God is using you to make a difference in the lives of young people.” And while comments or notes like the one I received recently are rare, I do sense a lasting bond with many of these students who are now young adults.
It’s anyone’s guess why some of these kids kept coming each Sunday. Many did not have parents who attended church, so they were not made to attend. I don’t think it was just the candy… or even the camaraderie of their friends. I have to believe that in some way, they were hungry to learn how God could help them navigate the choppy waters of teenage life… how His word held answers for many of their questions. I tried to make the scripture lessons relevant and relatable… and to let the kids know that I truly did care about them. Now, when one of them notices – even in retrospect - I am incredibly blessed.
I am betting that you have – or had – at least one spiritual leader who has greatly blessed you… someone who guided you and shared the word of God with you… a person who has prayed with you and for you - and encouraged you with a message of hope in the LORD. Have you acknowledged them? Have you treated them with respect and gratitude for their care? I can tell you that they didn’t do these things in order to receive a pat on the back or a note of thanks. They shared God’s love and wisdom with you because they felt Him calling them to do this. But this scripture passage says that we should acknowledge the efforts of pastoral care… appreciate their care… and emulate their example.
There have been many such “teachers” in my life… and I have tried to thank them individually along the way. I know I will miss some here, but I must certainly mention a few of my Sunday school teachers - Mrs. Gloria, Mrs. Ila Mae, and Mrs. Caid; my mother and my Mam-ma Polly; my former pastor, Bro. John; my dear friend in Christ – Glenda; my “birthday buddy” and mentor, MawMac; my “brothers” and lifelong friends, Stuart, J.R. and John... and of course, my partner in life, Greg. These people have nurtured me and prayed with me… encouraged me in God’s word… and lived by example. I have a deep and abiding love and respect for each of them.
I could add countless other examples of Godly wisdom and service who have influenced me throughout the years – and still do today! Surely you have your own list. Who has God used to guide you? Who do you look to as an example of Christ’s love in action? Who do you respect as a Christian disciple? Have you shown them? Have you thanked them for caring for you… both directly and indirectly, by how you are living your own life as a Christian? This is the month when people are more clearly focused on gratitude and thanks for all kinds of blessings in their lives. Wouldn’t it be the perfect time to start showing your gratitude and respect to your pastoral leaders? Where do you need to begin?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label godly influences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label godly influences. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for December 4, 2011
Psalm 141:3-5
Post a guard at my mouth, God, set a watch at the door of my lips. Don't let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company. And these people who only do wrong—don't let them lure me with their sweet talk! May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me.
Don't let sin anoint my head. I'm praying hard against their evil ways!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
We have entered the “Holiday Season” – the time when diets are broken and people throw caution to the wind. It’s the Christmas Season, after all… we are supposed to indulge. So go ahead… eat that extra piece of fudge… have too much to drink at the office Christmas party… celebrate with your friends when finals are over… get in the holiday spirit! NOT!!!
We are so easily swayed, and we will use the smallest excuse to misbehave. We want to give our children, significant others, our family, and ourselves the best Christmas possible. So we max out every credit card and blow our entire paycheck on things we cannot afford and truly don’t need. Our lights and decorations have to be as good as – or better than – the neighbor’s, so we blow the budget trying to create the “Clark Griswold Extravaganza” that will leave the town talking! And these are just the things we do in November and December!
Think of the countless other ways we are so easily influenced by peer pressure and the wiles of advertisers. At every turn, the devil is at work using others to make us feel inferior… to tempt us to do things we know we shouldn’t just to create an image that makes us feel good about ourselves and accepted by others.
This passage is so important for us. We simply cannot stay on the right path by ourselves… we must rely on God to keep us headed in the right direction and to correct us when we wander. And the only way to do this is to stay in continual contact with Him. We must always be seeking Him in prayer, Bible study, and through association with others who are seeking Him as well.
Don’t let the devil use excuses cloud your judgment. There is no “free pass” because of the holiday season. There is never a time when it’s okay to let down your guard for even an hour. All Satan needs is a tiny crack, and he can worm his way in and wreak havoc. Stay close to God. Ask Him to guard your heart and your thoughts at all times… then LISTEN for His voice and guidance. Enjoy your holiday season knowing that you are operating fully within God’s will… and both of you are pleased with your choices.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Post a guard at my mouth, God, set a watch at the door of my lips. Don't let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company. And these people who only do wrong—don't let them lure me with their sweet talk! May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me.
Don't let sin anoint my head. I'm praying hard against their evil ways!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
We have entered the “Holiday Season” – the time when diets are broken and people throw caution to the wind. It’s the Christmas Season, after all… we are supposed to indulge. So go ahead… eat that extra piece of fudge… have too much to drink at the office Christmas party… celebrate with your friends when finals are over… get in the holiday spirit! NOT!!!
We are so easily swayed, and we will use the smallest excuse to misbehave. We want to give our children, significant others, our family, and ourselves the best Christmas possible. So we max out every credit card and blow our entire paycheck on things we cannot afford and truly don’t need. Our lights and decorations have to be as good as – or better than – the neighbor’s, so we blow the budget trying to create the “Clark Griswold Extravaganza” that will leave the town talking! And these are just the things we do in November and December!
Think of the countless other ways we are so easily influenced by peer pressure and the wiles of advertisers. At every turn, the devil is at work using others to make us feel inferior… to tempt us to do things we know we shouldn’t just to create an image that makes us feel good about ourselves and accepted by others.
This passage is so important for us. We simply cannot stay on the right path by ourselves… we must rely on God to keep us headed in the right direction and to correct us when we wander. And the only way to do this is to stay in continual contact with Him. We must always be seeking Him in prayer, Bible study, and through association with others who are seeking Him as well.
Don’t let the devil use excuses cloud your judgment. There is no “free pass” because of the holiday season. There is never a time when it’s okay to let down your guard for even an hour. All Satan needs is a tiny crack, and he can worm his way in and wreak havoc. Stay close to God. Ask Him to guard your heart and your thoughts at all times… then LISTEN for His voice and guidance. Enjoy your holiday season knowing that you are operating fully within God’s will… and both of you are pleased with your choices.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 8, 2011
John 16:29-33
"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
"I've used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I'll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I've revealed to you. I won't continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won't need to. Because you've gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."
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.
Have you ever played that game called “Gossip?” You know the one. Someone whispers to one person, who in turn tells the next guy, and the “secret” is passed to each person until all have heard it. At the end of the line, the last person repeats what was told to him/her. Most of the time, that “secret” is vastly different from the one told by Person Number One!
Things get distorted when more than one person is involved in the telling. And each person has his/her perspective on what is said or how things happened. So it always is best to talk directly to others about matters where you have any questions. If you want to know what another person thinks or feels about a particular situation, ask him/her… not a friend or family member. If you have a problem with someone, go to that person directly and say, “Here’s what I experienced… is this how you see it?”
Most importantly, talk to God and hear what HE has to tell you. Don’t listen to others who say, “This is okay,” or “God wants you to do/believe such and such.” Study the Bible, pray and communicate with God, and LISTEN… hear what He has to say directly to YOU. Don’t play the “Gossip” game with your relationship with God. Commit yourself to loving and trusting Jesus. When He speaks to you, listen and obey what He tells you. Make sure that all of your decisions and choices line up with His word… not the second-hand messages of someone else.
We are so blessed and privileged to be able to speak directly to GOD! We never have to rely on what others tell us. We never have to try to figure out what was meant by a riddle or generalizations. We get straight talk from God, and it is up to us to hear what He has to say and act on that… and nothing else.
I pray that today you will have a serious conversation with God. Ask Him to open your heart to His messages… and to give you clear discernment when He speaks. Stop being influenced by the small talk of others – about your faith, other people, and your daily living. Take full advantage of the amazing gift that God has bestowed upon you… a direct line to Him at all times… and operate in confidence that you are doing exactly what He tells you in every circumstance.
©2011 Debbie Robus
"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
"I've used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I'll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I've revealed to you. I won't continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won't need to. Because you've gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."
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.
Have you ever played that game called “Gossip?” You know the one. Someone whispers to one person, who in turn tells the next guy, and the “secret” is passed to each person until all have heard it. At the end of the line, the last person repeats what was told to him/her. Most of the time, that “secret” is vastly different from the one told by Person Number One!
Things get distorted when more than one person is involved in the telling. And each person has his/her perspective on what is said or how things happened. So it always is best to talk directly to others about matters where you have any questions. If you want to know what another person thinks or feels about a particular situation, ask him/her… not a friend or family member. If you have a problem with someone, go to that person directly and say, “Here’s what I experienced… is this how you see it?”
Most importantly, talk to God and hear what HE has to tell you. Don’t listen to others who say, “This is okay,” or “God wants you to do/believe such and such.” Study the Bible, pray and communicate with God, and LISTEN… hear what He has to say directly to YOU. Don’t play the “Gossip” game with your relationship with God. Commit yourself to loving and trusting Jesus. When He speaks to you, listen and obey what He tells you. Make sure that all of your decisions and choices line up with His word… not the second-hand messages of someone else.
We are so blessed and privileged to be able to speak directly to GOD! We never have to rely on what others tell us. We never have to try to figure out what was meant by a riddle or generalizations. We get straight talk from God, and it is up to us to hear what He has to say and act on that… and nothing else.
I pray that today you will have a serious conversation with God. Ask Him to open your heart to His messages… and to give you clear discernment when He speaks. Stop being influenced by the small talk of others – about your faith, other people, and your daily living. Take full advantage of the amazing gift that God has bestowed upon you… a direct line to Him at all times… and operate in confidence that you are doing exactly what He tells you in every circumstance.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 31, 2011
Proverbs 20:29
Young people take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of wisdom are even more beautiful.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Someone paid me a compliment recently, and in thanking them, I said, “I have had some great role models.” From my grandmother and her peers, to my mother and mother-in-law and many of their friends, to dear ladies (and gentlemen) I know who attend our church and the church in which I grew up… I am surrounded by Godly influences. Many, like my grandmother, have aged to a point where the tables have turned in terms of strength. I am now more able bodied and help her with things that are no longer easily accomplished… from driving, to paying bills and balancing the checkbook, to shopping and more.
By keeping Timothy so often – and caring for my grandmother – I recognize that many of the things I do for him are things she and my mother did for me not so long ago. Now I am repaying them, somewhat, by paying it forward. And this is where you come in... it is your turn to start sharing your blessings and wisdom with others in your own path.
As you go about your day, I assure you that people are watching… from the little kid down the street who sees you in the driveway and observes your demeanor to the older folks who meet you in the grocery store or the aisle at church. They notice when you are polite… and when you are not. They see your body language and your overall appearance… they hear the language that comes out of your mouth… they determine what sort of person you are by how you conduct yourself – even in the privacy of your own yard! For those of us who are older and (supposedly) wiser, we can easily become discouraged when we see that the kindness and “sage wisdom” we impart to younger people seems to be ignored. We can get upset and feel like those we tried to nurture have failed to live up to our expectations – or even brought us major disappointment.
This is rotten thinking on our part. Our job is not to love others with any expectations or desired outcomes. That’s why it’s called unconditional love. We are to nurture others… to live as an example of the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ… and leave the outcomes to God Almighty. While I occasionally may think to myself, “What would So-and-so think if he/she saw me now?”… for the most part, I never give a second thought to the opinions of my role models. I know that they love me me no matter what. They might disapprove of my methods or actions once in awhile… and yes, a few have voiced their opinions from time to time in that regard… but mostly, they just go about the business of living a life that reflects their love and devotion to Jesus.
I told you about my hero, Geraldine “MawMac” McCurry, and how she influenced me so much. What I didn’t tell you was that MawMac had a set of “internal rules” by which she lived. I can’t tell you what all of them were, but I know there were certain things that she felt simply were not done. For instance, after one of her falls, she was unable to wear her high-heeled pumps and a dress to church – and for awhile, she had to wear slacks and sandals (which meant she could not wear stockings). She considered this terribly inappropriate for church attendance. I have to tell you, as I sat at a funeral in her church’s sanctuary lately on a 100+ degree day, wearing sandals and bear legs with my dress, I thought, “MawMac would not approve!” In her honor, I will wear stockings with my dress to her funeral… even if the temperatures are scorching!
Now this may seem like a minor, silly thing… but it is only one small example of how we are influenced by our elders – and how what we do matters to those around us. We may never see the “fruits of our labor”… it may seem like we are not making a difference at all. But in truth, our wisdom and influence matters greatly. I have 40-year-old first graders who still talk about their “guitar-playing first grade teacher” on a regular basis. I had no clue that singing songs in a crowded classroom would make such an impact… and you have no clue what you are saying and doing that is influencing others, too!
Check your attitudes… your behaviors… your appearance and demeanor. Make sure that you are exhibiting the traits of a Disciple of Christ. Share wisdom and Christian behavior for others on a daily basis… and be a good role model – even if those gray hairs are still years away.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Young people take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of wisdom are even more beautiful.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Someone paid me a compliment recently, and in thanking them, I said, “I have had some great role models.” From my grandmother and her peers, to my mother and mother-in-law and many of their friends, to dear ladies (and gentlemen) I know who attend our church and the church in which I grew up… I am surrounded by Godly influences. Many, like my grandmother, have aged to a point where the tables have turned in terms of strength. I am now more able bodied and help her with things that are no longer easily accomplished… from driving, to paying bills and balancing the checkbook, to shopping and more.
By keeping Timothy so often – and caring for my grandmother – I recognize that many of the things I do for him are things she and my mother did for me not so long ago. Now I am repaying them, somewhat, by paying it forward. And this is where you come in... it is your turn to start sharing your blessings and wisdom with others in your own path.
As you go about your day, I assure you that people are watching… from the little kid down the street who sees you in the driveway and observes your demeanor to the older folks who meet you in the grocery store or the aisle at church. They notice when you are polite… and when you are not. They see your body language and your overall appearance… they hear the language that comes out of your mouth… they determine what sort of person you are by how you conduct yourself – even in the privacy of your own yard! For those of us who are older and (supposedly) wiser, we can easily become discouraged when we see that the kindness and “sage wisdom” we impart to younger people seems to be ignored. We can get upset and feel like those we tried to nurture have failed to live up to our expectations – or even brought us major disappointment.
This is rotten thinking on our part. Our job is not to love others with any expectations or desired outcomes. That’s why it’s called unconditional love. We are to nurture others… to live as an example of the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ… and leave the outcomes to God Almighty. While I occasionally may think to myself, “What would So-and-so think if he/she saw me now?”… for the most part, I never give a second thought to the opinions of my role models. I know that they love me me no matter what. They might disapprove of my methods or actions once in awhile… and yes, a few have voiced their opinions from time to time in that regard… but mostly, they just go about the business of living a life that reflects their love and devotion to Jesus.
I told you about my hero, Geraldine “MawMac” McCurry, and how she influenced me so much. What I didn’t tell you was that MawMac had a set of “internal rules” by which she lived. I can’t tell you what all of them were, but I know there were certain things that she felt simply were not done. For instance, after one of her falls, she was unable to wear her high-heeled pumps and a dress to church – and for awhile, she had to wear slacks and sandals (which meant she could not wear stockings). She considered this terribly inappropriate for church attendance. I have to tell you, as I sat at a funeral in her church’s sanctuary lately on a 100+ degree day, wearing sandals and bear legs with my dress, I thought, “MawMac would not approve!” In her honor, I will wear stockings with my dress to her funeral… even if the temperatures are scorching!
Now this may seem like a minor, silly thing… but it is only one small example of how we are influenced by our elders – and how what we do matters to those around us. We may never see the “fruits of our labor”… it may seem like we are not making a difference at all. But in truth, our wisdom and influence matters greatly. I have 40-year-old first graders who still talk about their “guitar-playing first grade teacher” on a regular basis. I had no clue that singing songs in a crowded classroom would make such an impact… and you have no clue what you are saying and doing that is influencing others, too!
Check your attitudes… your behaviors… your appearance and demeanor. Make sure that you are exhibiting the traits of a Disciple of Christ. Share wisdom and Christian behavior for others on a daily basis… and be a good role model – even if those gray hairs are still years away.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)