Daily Devotional for November 26, 2016

Psalm 34:1-10
I will always praise the Lord. With all my heart, I will praise the Lord. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad. Honor the Lord with me! Celebrate his great name.

I asked the Lord for help, and he saved me from all my fears.  Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame.

I was a nobody, but I prayed, and the Lord saved me from all my troubles. If you honor the Lord, his angel will protect you.

Discover for yourself that the Lord is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad.

Honor the Lord! You are his special people. No one who honors the Lord will ever be in need.

Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the Lord, you will never miss out on anything good.

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

This month the 2nd-3rd graders and I have studied “the truth about angels and devils”…and learned about prayer.  Tomorrow, we will learn about heaven.  During one of the lessons, we read James 4:8…”Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” My assistant, Susan, reminded the children that when they feel the devil near them, all they have to do is “turn their back” on him and whisper the name, “Jesus!”  Jesus will come to their aid, and the devil will flee.

A few nights ago, I awoke suddenly, and my mind started racing.  I could not stop thinking about several things, and it occurred to me…”This is the devil trying to steal my sleep.”  I remembered Susan’s suggestion, and I began to repeatedly whisper, “Jesus…Jesus!”  A sense of calm and peace washed over me, and I soon felt fast asleep.  I prayed…and the LORD saved me from all of my troubles.  His angels came to protect me as I slept.

So often, we “suffer” needlessly.  We fail to reach out to God, Who is waiting to come to us and offer protection…to save us from all of our troubles and fears. Yes, we were “nobodies,” but God loved us enough to send Jesus to rescue us.  And when we call on His name, He will draw near and protect us – and meet our every need. 

Psalm 34:10 talks of “young lions”…which is often a Biblical reference to Satan and his agents. At the very name of Jesus, these enemies wither and slink away in defeat.  Isn’t it time we whispered, “Jesus!” more often?  With all my heart, I will praise Him and celebrate His great name!

Honor the LORD with me…and learn to never be in need!  Let all who are helpless listen and be glad indeed! Kick the devil and his agents to the curb! Honor and praise the LORD…this day, and always.
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 9, 2016

Ephesians 4:31-32
Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
    
Greg and I often watch an episode of “Andy Griffith” or “M*A*S*H” while we are having dinner.  These old television shows are a welcome respite from the arguing and name-calling that is front and center on today’s main-stream dinner-hour “news” programs.
Andy Griffith has a knack for resolving conflicts and solving problems with tact and sensibility.  “Colonel Potter” and others get riled up…but you can sense the love and care behind their words and actions – and their desire to uphold what is right and good among the ranks.

Every day, I grow more aware of how important it is for us to choose our words and actions carefully. We have grown so comfortable with harsh words, anger and a mean-spirited attitude that we don’t even blink when discussions become heated.  I’m all for free speech, but the comments that fly on social media and in circles of friends and acquaintances border at times on the disgusting…and are at best, quite disturbing.

I’m left to wonder what God must think.  He sacrificed so much to give us Jesus…to free us from sin and bind us to Him forever.  And this is how we repay His generosity?  Imagine for just a moment if Jesus had hung on the cross and cursed His murderers.  What if He had pronounced them to be idiots…morons…and other names that I cannot suggest.  Suppose Jesus had looked toward Heaven and said, “Father, get me outta here and away from these horrible people.  They’ve hurt me, and I’m done!”  How many of us would want to follow a “savior” like that?

Now think about your own life…the things you say and do each day…the posts you share on social media…the comments you make about people with whom you disagree. How do YOU react when someone speaks harshly or unkindly toward you or someone you care about?  How do you treat people with whom you disagree – socially, spiritually, or politically?  Do you give others ANY reason to serve the same Jesus that you say you serve?  Or do you hide behind the cross and claim the name of Jesus Christ while treating others with anything but grace and mercy?

I want so badly to ensure those who may be “on the fence” about Jesus that the people who act so horribly do not represent true Christian faith – or my Savior.  If YOU are someone who is wondering whether a life in Christ is for you, let me assure you that there is no better place to surrender your heart.  We don’t all operate in hatred, name calling, quarreling, discrimination, arrogance and disdain for others.  We aren’t all self-centered and egotistical “children” who continually look for how Jesus can benefit US over the other guy.

I hope you have looked carefully at those in your midst who try to be faithful, obedient servants of Christ. I hope you find His grace, mercy, forgiveness and acceptance in our every word and action…that we don’t have to TELL you how the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, because you can observe it firsthand in our daily living.  I pray that you will not judge all Christians…and Jesus…by those who misrepresent Him with their own brand of “witness.”  And I pray that those who are claiming Jesus while judging and mistreating others will be reminded that because we are forgiven through the blood of Christ, we are called to forgive others and treat them as He does.

On the website, A-Z Quotes*, I found two that were attributed to Andy Griffith.  In the first one, he says…”Mornin' ladies, my goodness don't you look happy. Must be cuttin' somebody up pretty good.” The second one sums up Griffith’s philosophy on life…”Well, do a good day's work and act like somebody.” On IMDb.com**, I found an interesting quote from the television show M*A*S*H. The obnoxious character Frank Burns says…”I wonder if I can say something useful?” Fellow surgeon, Trapper, replies…”I often wonder that too, Frank.”

My prayer is that we would be known for saying something useful…for doing a good day’s work and acting like somebody – a child of the Most High God!  I pray that we would seek redemption in the blood of Jesus Christ…and act each and every minute of the day like we’ve received it.  Can YOU say something useful?  When others look at you, Who do they really see?  Do you give others a reason to surrender to Jesus and serve Him?  Isn’t it time you did?

©2016 Debbie Robus

*http://AZQuotes.com
**http://IMDb.com

Daily Devotional for December 25, 2014

Luke 2:25-32
That day a man named Simeon, a Jerusalem resident, was in the Temple. He was a good man, very devout, filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly expecting the Messiah to come soon.  For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen him—God’s anointed King. The Holy Spirit had impelled him to go to the Temple that day; and so, when Mary and Joseph arrived to present the baby Jesus to the Lord in obedience to the law, Simeon was there and took the child in his arms, praising God.
 
“Lord,” he said, “now I can die content! For I have seen him as you promised me I would. I have seen the Savior you have given to the world. He is the Light that will shine upon the nations, and he will be the glory of your people Israel!”
 
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
 
Here we are…Christmas Day 2014!  For some of you, the tree is already back in the box!  For others, this is a big day of celebration…with holiday activities scheduled for days to come.
 
Last night, I watched a Christmas Eve candlelight service on TV, and the pastor said that Christmas is a magnifier.  If things are going great in our lives…then “Christmas” is even bigger and better.  If things are not going well, then “Christmas” makes everything seem worse.
 
My prayer for each of us today is that we could utter the words of Simeon…that we could say, “I have seen Him as God promised.  Jesus is the Light that will shine upon the nations…our glory…our Savior.  He is all that I need!  I am content!” 
 
May Christmas be more than just a day on the calendar – or a season of the year.  May you celebrate more than just the wonderful birth of Jesus on this day.  Truly celebrate HIM…today, tomorrow, and always…and make EVERY day a Merry Christmas Day!
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 6, 2014

2 Corinthians 2:14-17
In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
 
This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No—but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.
 
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.
 
Greg and I used to live about twenty miles from a community that was home to a paper mill.  When the wind was just right, the emissions from that plant settled over our town with an acridity that was unmistakable.  We now live in a community that is home to a decorative room fragrance manufacturer, and the aroma that fills our town much of the time is equally unmistakable…but contrastingly sweet and pleasing.
 
Given the choice, I daresay any of us would choose “The Smell of Christmas®”, “Amaretto Nog”, or “The Smell of Gardenia®” over the sulphurous “rotten-egg” aroma of wood pulp being turned into paper products.  To think of our Christian witness as a sweet scent causes us to picture people being drawn to us…wanting some of what we offer.  But when we picture a stench like processed wood pulp following us, it’s easy to see how people would be repulsed and turn away or treat us badly.
 
The thing is…people react to smells differently.  What pleases one person might very well be distasteful to another.  So while we present the sweet “gardenia” fragrance of Jesus Christ, those who are disinterested or unwilling to hear what we have to say might sense the stench of decomposing wood pulp.  There is nothing we can do about this…and we are not called to change God’s message or how we present it in order to please those who rebel against God and the teachings of Jesus.
 
Let me unpack this for you…through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have been forgiven and granted unswerving access to God Almighty.  He speaks to us directly and covers us in the sweet fragrance of Salvation through Christ Jesus.  We’re not to apologize for our faith or pretend to be something else to those who disagree with our message. For them, our “smell” may be a little “off”…but that is for God to sort out.  Our job is to stay faithful…to listen to God and follow His lead – always and in all ways.
 
Scripture tells us that this is not always easy.  And I will admit that there are times when it does seem hard – especially when we experience ridicule and mistreatment from others.  But for the most part, wearing the “exquisite fragrance” of a life in Christ Jesus makes everything easier…better…less complicated.  We know what we are to do…how we are to live…Who we are to serve and represent – we just have to do so!
 
I am grateful for the sweet aroma of Jesus.  I am so humbled and honored to be able to speak to God directly – anytime, anywhere.  I proudly wear His perfume and pray that my representation of Jesus will be a pleasing scent to others. Essentially, our discipleship will either be like a sweet-smelling decorative room fragrance that has others saying, “Tell me about that wonderful smell” – or the “rotten-egg” odor of processed wood pulp that has them running for the hills.  Which one represents your relationship with Jesus?  Which “perfume” are you wearing these days?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 26, 2014

Hosea 6:1-3
Let’s return to the Lord.
    He has torn us to shreds,
but he will bandage our wounds
    and make us well.
In two or three days
    he will heal us
and restore our strength
    that we may live with him.
Let’s do our best
    to know the Lord.
His coming is as certain
    as the morning sun;
he will refresh us like rain
renewing the earth
    in the springtime.

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

Our cats somewhat “chose sides” more than a decade ago.  It started when we got a big television that apparently made some sort of noise that scared Lucy.  She preferred that I watch TV in our bedroom, where she would happily join me on the bed and lie pressed against my side... on her back – and often with all four legs in the air!  Mabel was perfectly content to stay with Greg and enjoy his attention as she curled up on the footrest of his recliner.  When we moved into a two-story house, and Greg established an office space upstairs, Mabel somewhat became the “upstairs cat”, while Lucy is never very far from me downstairs.

So when Greg and a neighbor took an overnight motorcycle trip, poor little Mabel was more than a bit lost.  She hung out with Lucy and me downstairs...but sometimes she roamed the house and cried as she looked for her “other owner”.  She brought a toy mouse, hoping that Greg would appear and praise her.  She stood up on the back door and pawed toward the handle, thinking he must surely be in the garage.  And when I went upstairs to check on her once, she was curled atop a pair of Greg’s jeans.  I stroked her face and cooed to her in a soothing tone and assured her that he would be back very soon...and that all would be well.  If she could just hang on and take a little snooze, her buddy would be home before she knew it.

In this passage from Hosea, you really need to read Chapter 5 first to understand these verses.  The people of Israel have been sinful and terribly disobedient, and God has allowed them to suffer as a result.  In Hosea 5:13-16, we read...” Israel was brutally crushed. They got what they deserved for worshiping useless idols. Now I, the Lord, will fill Israel with maggots and make Judah rot. When Israel and Judah saw their sickness and wounds, Israel asked help from Assyria and its mighty king.”  So the words of the first verses in Chapter 6 are those of the Israelites, who have realized that they caused their own suffering. But they also recognize that God will forgive them...heal and restore them...if only they will turn back to Him. He will return and make them well.

In our own ways, you and I have been as sinful and disobedient as the Israelites. It’s a wonder that God has not grown as disgusted with us and allowed us to be “filled with maggots and rot”.  Amazingly, God provided us with a covenant in the form of the blood of Jesus. And while we may experience temporary discomfort (and it may even seem like God is crushing us!), we can call on Him to save us by Jesus’ blood, and He will rescue and restore us. This may happen quickly – or we may not fully be refreshed and renewed until Jesus greets us in heaven. But all who earnestly call on the name of Jesus are guaranteed forgiveness and healing.

Our sweet little calico cat did nothing to deserve the feelings of loneliness and desertion she experienced.  Mabel will “get over it” quickly, and in a few days, she will have totally forgotten that she and Greg were ever separated. On the other hand, we have done plenty to alienate ourselves from God and disappoint Him. The love, grace and mercy He demonstrates to us is truly inexplicable...but nonetheless welcome! 

The thought of God “bandaging our wounds, and making us well” is like a healing balm to my soul.  The promise of Jesus waiting in heaven to welcome us with open arms for all eternity gives me strength and courage for this earthly journey.  I know that He is coming for me someday...and this motivates me to turn to Him and let Him make me well.  What about you?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 25, 2014

Galatians 3:13
But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system by taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself. For it is written in the Scripture, “Anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed” (as Jesus was hung upon a wooden cross).

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Once in a while, there will be a post on social media about “the good ole days”...in the vein of “do you remember this?” or “do you know what this is?”  There will be a photograph of some gadget from a previous decade...and the object will be something that perhaps we relied on every day - but now we have something better/faster/easier to use that has replaced it.  One example of this might be a wringer washing machine.  Say WHAT?  Yes...a few decades ago, people washed clothing in a big tub, then they pressed each garment through two heavy rollers that squeezed out all of the excess water.  This was a far cry from the “spin cycle” of our modern-day washers! 

Even older is the rub board!  I have my grandmother’s ribbed glass rub board, on which she “rubbed” the clothes to get the dirt out.  I also have a wooden paddle that she used to stir clothing in a big iron cauldron of hot water and lye soap!  Not my idea of a fun wash day...is it yours?!

Another gadget that some of you may still use today is the ice cube tray.  Most of these are made of plastic – or silicone – today, but when I was a child, we had aluminum trays with a “handle” in the middle that you lifted to separate the ice cubes and release them.  Of course, this usually resulted in shatters and shards of ice rather than the nice, neat, perfectly formed cubes of our present-day ice-making machines.  And NOW, some of my friends even have “Sonic® ice” machines that create the crushed ice like patrons of Sonic® drive-ins enjoy.

My mom commented recently that she had seen two working "pay telephones".  She remarked that many younger people don’t know about pay phones - or phone booths...and will only see them in the media. We both remember the not-so-distant years when she and my dad were traveling and they would search for a pay telephone in order to call home and check in with us.  There were no cell phones...much less texting, iPads, and Skype or Face Time!

Here’s the thing... there are a lot of things from the past that we would not wish to return. Who among us wishes there were no cell phones and that we had to rely on finding a pay telephone or dialing 0 for Operator in order to accomplish some of our communications?  I enjoy going to my refrigerator and getting a cup of ice cubes or crushed ice.  I would not want to spend an entire day or two slaving over a hot iron wash pot filled with laundry and caustic soap...nor would I want to have to crank a “wringer” to get the water out of every garment before I hung the clothing on a line to air dry! 

By the same token, I would not want to have to kill an innocent lamb or calf every time I committed a sin.  I’d never get anything else done...and neither would you!  Because you see, we are ALL sinful, despite our best efforts to behave otherwise. Just like many of us take a daily dose of medicine to keep certain ailments at bay...or vitamins to boost our immune systems...we need a “daily dose” of Jesus to keep us spiritually healthy. And because of his amazing love, grace, mercy – and sacrifice on the cross – the “old ways” of atonement are forever gone for those of us who have accepted His great gift of salvation.

We need the “daily dose” of Jesus to keep us healthy...to boost our spiritual “immune systems”...but when we give our hearts to Jesus, we no longer have to worry about the old laws that required continual sacrifices of animals...rituals to cleanse our souls...intermediaries to petition God on our behalf. Jesus healed ALL of that!  And I, for one, can never thank Him enough!

My question today is this...are you living in the “modern world” of Jesus’ healing grace and mercy?  Or are you stuck in the past?  Do you know the joy of living well, fit, and strong with Jesus?  Aren’t you ready to begin?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 4, 2014

Psalm 86:1-7
Bend an ear, God; answer me.
    I’m one miserable wretch!
Keep me safe—haven’t I lived a good life?
    Help your servant—I’m depending on you!
You’re my God; have mercy on me.
    I count on you from morning to night.
Give your servant a happy life;
    I put myself in your hands!
You’re well-known as good and forgiving,
    bighearted to all who ask for help.
Pay attention, God, to my prayer;
    bend down and listen to my cry for help.
Every time I’m in trouble I call on you,
    confident that you’ll answer.

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.

Let’s be honest...every single one of us has “blown it” at least once in our lives. We’ve said or done something we should not have said or done. We’ve treated someone unfairly or unkindly. We’ve worn something that looked horrendous!  Okay...that last one is probably not in the same league as the others...but you get my point!

The point is, we are human beings...and I’ve got a news flash for you...human beings are NOT perfect!  So we mess up, make mistakes, hurt others – and ourselves – and we often look pretty foolish in the process.  In short...we are frequently like the psalmist - ”one miserable wretch” in need of a pretty hefty dose of forgiveness, grace and mercy.

Hear the GOOD NEWS...GOD is in the business of doing exactly this!  When we humbly submit ourselves to Him...when we accept His gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ and earnestly strive to follow Him, God helps us stay on the right track.  He understands that occasionally we may “go off the rails” for a bit – and that’s where His grace and mercy come into play.  Our job is to know where to turn for help...to stay in close communication with God so that these “derailments” are kept to a minimum - in terms of both frequency and damage...and to do all we can to humbly seek God’s forgiveness, and to do the necessary work to make amends.

Tall order? You betcha! But operating in the protection of God’s forgiveness, grace and mercy certainly trumps a life of misery and regret in my book any day of the week!  Let’s take a good look at our lives today.  Let’s see where the wheels seem to be coming off the rails – and make every effort to get back on track.  Let’s stop and humbly ask God to forgive us – and to show us how to ask others to forgive us, where necessary.  Let’s make a concerted effort to pay better attention...to walk more closely with God and listen for His voice in all things at all times.  And let’s be sure to thank Him for taking pity on such “miserable wretches” as the likes of you and me!
“Every time I’m in trouble, I call on YOU, confident that You’ll answer.” This is GOOD NEWS for all of us who serve God with our whole heart!  Are you one of them?  Don’t you want to be?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for July 28, 2014

Hebrews 10:11-18
Every priest goes to work at the altar each day, offers the same old sacrifices year in, year out, and never makes a dent in the sin problem. As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God and waited for his enemies to cave in. It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. The Holy Spirit confirms this:

This new plan I’m making with Israel
    isn’t going to be written on paper,
    isn’t going to be chiseled in stone;
This time “I’m writing out the plan in them,
    carving it on the lining of their hearts.”

He concludes,

I’ll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.

Once sins are taken care of for good, there’s no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

I’ve been helping my cousin Natalie with a makeover project on her kindergarten classroom. After 17 years of teaching, she was ready for a “room re-do.”  She found several ideas that she liked online and in stores, and we melded them into a cohesive “look” using the graphic design and photo editing programs on my computer.

When I was teaching in the late ‘70s and early-to-mid ‘80s, we didn’t have computers that created labels and artwork with the click of a mouse.  We didn’t know about fonts and Adobe Photoshop® and color printers.  I spent days and weeks coloring individual name tags and characters that I had printed out in black and white...outlining with a Sharpie® marker, then carefully cutting, pasting and laminating everything together.  We thought our results looked pretty good, but compared to the slick pieces that are possible today, our classrooms were downright crafty!

I stopped by the school to see Natalie’s progress, and she showed me her wall display for color words.  Each color word was printed on a card – in that particular color – and outlined in a matching polka-dot border.  But there was a gap.  She said, “I realized when I hung them that there was not a card for the color brown.  I messaged the person who designed these, and she said that she doesn’t have a template for brown.  So I am going to print a black and white copy and color it in...then cut and paste letters to make the word ‘brown’ for the center.”  I stopped her...”I can do all of that on the computer.”  Her eyes lit up.  “You can?”  “I’m pretty sure I can make that all work,” I told her. She sent me her file, and I was able to do in a matter of minutes what would have otherwise taken her hours...if not a whole day.

In recent years, I’ve thought about the things that my fellow teachers and I spent hours and days working on that are accomplished now with the click of a button.  I have asked myself how we did it all...and the short answer is that we gave up our nights, weekends, holidays and summers to prepare classroom materials and displays for our students.  It’s a wonder we found time to teach!  And quite frankly, there were times when we were drowning in mountains of paper work and “busywork” that we barely made a dent in the primary goal of presenting lessons and reaching academic objectives!

As I read this scripture passage, I thought about this...and about how many times we go around in circles, somewhat chasing our tail as we try to accomplish things that we do not have the adequate tools or skills to undertake.  Like teachers everywhere, we spend a lot of energy trying to figure out a “work-around” that will suffice...and often, we are more than a little disappointed with the results – if not downright wearied by them.  And nowhere is this more evident than in our attempts to muddle through life on our own...to do the same things over and over while hoping for different outcomes.  We often think we know so much more than we really do...or feel that our way is sufficient, if not better, than God’s.  And this is when we make a huge mess of things.

It’s MORE than a good thing that God is so merciful and tender with us.  We truly have no clue just how blessed we are that He sent Jesus to pay for our sins...once and for all.  I love the sentence...”It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people.”  This sums up Jesus beautifully.  This description grasps the essence of His grace and mercy over us...and demonstrates His love for us.  He made us perfect...unblemished...pure and whole...and we could never have done this on our own, no matter how long or hard we tried.

I’m grateful for our present-day technology – even the vast array that I do not fully understand!  I love how computers can make things look so neat and pretty.  I am even more appreciative of the love and tender care of Jesus...how His single sacrifice accomplished what I never could. Now I am heaven bound, fully forgiven for my sins, and free to love others in His name and share the Good News that this gift extends to them, as well!  I know that the price He paid was anything but simple...far more than the click of a button!  And I recognize the tremendous love and commitment that He demonstrated on my behalf.

When I sent back the file to Natalie with the “brown” color card, she responded, “You saved the day!”  In the scheme of things, this was not a big deal on my part.  I just happened to have experience in pressing buttons and “cutting and pasting” on some pretty amazing and powerful computer programs!  But Jesus wiped the slate clean with His own blood on the cross...once and for all...and truly saved us from a life of sin and eternity in Hell.  Have you let Him know how grateful you are for this amazing sacrifice?  Isn’t it time you did?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 19, 2014

Titus 2:11-14
God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.
 
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 cousin’s wife started taking a dietary supplement a few months ago, and now she is selling the product and encouraging others to try it.  She is always posting photos and information about this product on Facebook…sharing testimonials for how much weight she and others have lost while using it - and talking about how much more energy they have now.  Another friend recently signed on as a salesperson for a company that sells a mascara that instantly gives you longer, thicker eyelashes.  She has been posting “before” and “after” pictures on Facebook.
 
Both of these women cannot stop telling others about these products.  And while neither of these products is right for me, I have to admit that these ladies are excellent salespersons!  They are so excited about their products that I can’t help but be intrigued.  Their enthusiasm is definitely contagious!  In addition to selling these products themselves, both women are encouraging others to join the company and become “team members”, as well.
 
I did not share these examples in order to encourage you to start selling these products – or any others promoted and sold in this manner.  But I do think we can learn a lot from these sales methods. Here’s a novel idea…what if we were so enthused about our “new life in Christ” that we couldn’t stop sharing this news with others?!  What if our excitement about how Jesus has changed our lives was so powerful that we wanted to tell people about Him all the time?  What if our transformation was clearly visible to others in our “before” and “after” demonstrations – or “pictures”, so to speak.  Suppose we lived as profound examples of the power, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ.  What would happen if we behaved in a way that others couldn’t help but want to try Jesus for themselves?
 
This sounds so simple…like maybe I’ve “drilled it down” too plainly.  But truthfully, Jesus’ gift of salvation is at once simple – and oh, so vast!  The multi-level-marketing salespeople like to tell potential “team members” that…”the sky is the limit!”  The sky IS the limit with Jesus!  There is nothing that He cannot do for us…nothing that He will not do, if only we will “join” and choose to follow Him.  He wants us to tell others…to be walking billboards for His love and the power of salvation in Him.  Jesus not only wants to transform our lives…He wants us to share His GOOD NEWS with everyone we encounter.
 
My friends are happily sharing the amounts of their “royalties” checks from these companies on their Facebook posts.  They are promoting the financial benefits of selling their products…along with what they claim to be actual physical advantages.  Sharing the love of Christ with others may not literally provide you with a hefty paycheck.  But the “dividends” are far greater than any others you might ever hope to receive…”freedom from a dark, rebellious life”… a “good pure life” that honors Jesus and makes Him proud…joy and energy…and Someone we can lean on anytime – for anything!
 
Call me crazy.  But what if we exercised the same level of enthusiasm and energy that we give to a weight-loss product or a lash-enhancing mascara to serve Jesus and share His message with others?  What if we offered Jesus the same level of “customer service” that we would consider a no-brainer in our businesses and friendships?  What if we truly became spokespersons for the salvation of Jesus Christ…and encouraged others to “sign on” and get in on these benefits for themselves?  Are you ready to find out?  Who are you actively promoting these days?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus