1 John 1:8-10
If we claim that we’re free of sin,
we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On
the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he
won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and
purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we
out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that
only shows off our ignorance of God.
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.
Suppose you plan a little
party at your house, and you invite several people. One of these people
plans a party – for the same date. Rather than say, “I can’t come…it
seems I have scheduled my own party for the same night,” you get a phone
call from this person with a made-up excuse about why they cannot
attend your soirée.
Now you know that this person is having
his/her own party. Several people who are coming to your event have
said, “I can’t stay long…I’ll have to make an appearance at the other
event, as well.” That’s fine…you understood that completely. You’re
not even insulted that you were not invited to the other person’s
party! But this person has told you a bold-faced lie…and you can’t
figure out why…and their dishonesty stings! This is the perfect example
of a case where the truth would be so much better.
I get that we
sometimes want to spare others’ feelings. We make up excuses, rather
than say, “I don’t want to do that,” or “Yes, that skirt makes you look
fat,” or “I’m just not interested in you (or your hobby, or what is
happening in your life…and more). We “play nice” to people we really do
not like – for lot of reasons. Some would even say that this is
hypocritical behavior. I am not advocating that you start saying
hurtful things…or that you become honest to the point of insulting
others. If we will stay attuned to God’s teachings, He will show us how
to offer compassion and grace in our treatment of those we
encounter…and in what we say to them.
It hurts to think someone
would deliberately deceive you…for whatever reason. And when we do this
to God, it hurts Him, too. He is insulted…disappointed…and grieved
when we lie to Him. Claiming that we have it all together…acting as if
we are better than the next guy - and at least compared to him/her,
pretty much sinless – breaks God’s heart. Let’s face it, God knows
better!
God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the ultimate
price for them. To say that we are blameless – or superior in any way –
is like saying, “Thanks for sending Jesus to take my sins…but I don’t
need You anymore. I’ve got this now!” It even suggests that we feel
like we really didn’t need God in the first place…or that we used our
salvation as a “ticket to heaven”…and now we’ll handle things ourselves
the rest of the way.
Salvation is not a one-shot deal! Don’t
misunderstand me. I believe that once you accept Jesus as your Savior,
He takes your sins and writes your name in the Lamb’s Book of
Life…assuring you a seat at His table in Heaven for all Eternity. But I
also believe that we have to keep returning to the cross (figuratively)
each and every day. We have to stay close to God…and call on His Holy
Spirit to keep us in check…to guard our thoughts, words, and deeds…and
to restore us when we falter.
Think of our life in Christ like a
delicate china teacup that falls off of the shelf and breaks. The
teacup can be glued back together, but it will be forever fragile.
Tender care will have to be exercised in its use…and there may be some
repeat or additional breakage along the way that must be repaired. So
it is with Jesus. We are broken…sinful. He restores us through His
death on the cross. But we are fragile, vulnerable…and subject to more
sin and breakage that only He can repair. To claim that we are “as good
as new” and able to manage on our own - or that we are better than the
next guy - amounts to lying…and God sees right through this!
The
truth would be so much better. Admitting that we are fragile,
vulnerable human beings who need Jesus each and every day is anything
but shameful. Claiming the blood of Jesus…and acknowledging that we
must be covered in it daily…attests to our faithfulness and dependency
on Him for continual care and maintenance…for grace, mercy and
forgiveness.
While we might not always recognize when someone
lies to us…God always knows! This passage tells us that to lie to God
is to not really know Him…to not fully understand who He is and how He
operates. Where have you lied when the truth would be better…to others –
and to God? Isn’t this the perfect day to “come clean”…to ask God to
forgive you and restore you? Isn’t this the time to seek God’s guidance
in living honestly with others…showing them compassion, grace, and mercy
as you do your best to be truthful with them – but in a loving way?
Where
do you need to admit your sins and shortcomings…and ask God to forgive
you for them? Are you ready to operate in truth and receive the favor
of God upon your life? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label honesty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label honesty. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 10, 2014
Zechariah 7:8-10
Then this message came to Zechariah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.
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.
Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree, recently interviewed Peter Lanza for a piece in The New Yorker magazine. Lanza is the father of Adam Lanza, the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. Far From the Tree is a book about children who are different from their parents...and how these parents cope with their children and the challenges they present. In some cases, the children became criminals - like Adam Lanza.
Andrew Solomon noted that Peter Lanza has (understandably) struggled with what happened at Newtown, where Adam also killed his mother (Lanza's ex-wife Nancy) before killing himself. Lanza has made the comment that he now wishes that Adam had never been born...and he apparently claims that he doesn't mourn Adam's death.
I am trying to understand this…to put myself in the shoes of Peter Lanza. There are reports that parents of some of Adam Lanza’s victims have approached Peter and told him that they forgive Adam…but Peter apparently cannot accept this compassion and mercy. And again, I think I can somewhat understand those feelings. Peter Lanza must surely feel incredibly guilty - and ask himself daily what could have been done to prevent this horrific event. Adam Lanza suffered from Asperger’s syndrome – a form of autism – and may have also been schizophrenic. I don’t say this to excuse his heinous crimes…but I do propose that his parents might have done everything humanly possible to keep Adam and everyone else safe – and still, this happened. Some things are simply beyond our control.
I think what struck me about this story – and this scripture passage from Zechariah – is that we must learn not to question things so much…or maybe we are asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking “Why, LORD?” or “Why me?”…let’s ask, “What are You doing with this?” Let’s look at how God can use all circumstances in our lives for HIS purposes…and let’s operate with fairness, mercy and kindness in every situation. Instead of asking God why He allowed a man or woman to die and leave a spouse, let’s ask, “What can I do for the widows in my church or community? How can I help them?” Instead of shaking our heads and wagging our tongues about orphans and foster children and their plight, let’s roll up our sleeves and ask, “What needs to be done for these children?” Let’s discover how God can use these innocents to enrich OUR lives as we minister to them.
Rather than be so upset about “foreigners” and the poor among us…let’s work on how to help them. What if we asked God to show us how we are supposed to respond and react toward these people for HIS glory, rather than gripe and grumble about their presence…and make things even worse for them?! Suppose we got busy asking the right questions and learning about others and their needs…then worked to find solutions and ways to truly help.
Instead of trying to figure out how to get even with others…or how to outsmart “the system”…suppose we worked together with love, compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness – and found real, viable solutions and ways to share Jesus’ love with others. Understand that I am NOT saying we shouldn’t look for ways to keep guns out of the hands of children and others who might use them for evil. I do not mean to imply that we should turn and look the other way…and just “let the chips fall” – or excuse true laziness or an illegal or immoral act. But I do believe we must quit trying to wish away unpleasant or difficult people and circumstances - and face them head-on…“with the full armor of God”.
Jesus never shied away from anyone or any situation. In Jesus Christ, we find the perfect demonstration of how to conduct our own lives…and how to serve Him in the process. We have work to do! It’s time to get up and get going…to be about the business of loving others in Jesus’ name and sharing His Good News. Are you awake and alert? Is your heart filled with compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness through Jesus? Are you really ready for the work of serving others? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Then this message came to Zechariah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.
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.
Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree, recently interviewed Peter Lanza for a piece in The New Yorker magazine. Lanza is the father of Adam Lanza, the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. Far From the Tree is a book about children who are different from their parents...and how these parents cope with their children and the challenges they present. In some cases, the children became criminals - like Adam Lanza.
Andrew Solomon noted that Peter Lanza has (understandably) struggled with what happened at Newtown, where Adam also killed his mother (Lanza's ex-wife Nancy) before killing himself. Lanza has made the comment that he now wishes that Adam had never been born...and he apparently claims that he doesn't mourn Adam's death.
I am trying to understand this…to put myself in the shoes of Peter Lanza. There are reports that parents of some of Adam Lanza’s victims have approached Peter and told him that they forgive Adam…but Peter apparently cannot accept this compassion and mercy. And again, I think I can somewhat understand those feelings. Peter Lanza must surely feel incredibly guilty - and ask himself daily what could have been done to prevent this horrific event. Adam Lanza suffered from Asperger’s syndrome – a form of autism – and may have also been schizophrenic. I don’t say this to excuse his heinous crimes…but I do propose that his parents might have done everything humanly possible to keep Adam and everyone else safe – and still, this happened. Some things are simply beyond our control.
I think what struck me about this story – and this scripture passage from Zechariah – is that we must learn not to question things so much…or maybe we are asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking “Why, LORD?” or “Why me?”…let’s ask, “What are You doing with this?” Let’s look at how God can use all circumstances in our lives for HIS purposes…and let’s operate with fairness, mercy and kindness in every situation. Instead of asking God why He allowed a man or woman to die and leave a spouse, let’s ask, “What can I do for the widows in my church or community? How can I help them?” Instead of shaking our heads and wagging our tongues about orphans and foster children and their plight, let’s roll up our sleeves and ask, “What needs to be done for these children?” Let’s discover how God can use these innocents to enrich OUR lives as we minister to them.
Rather than be so upset about “foreigners” and the poor among us…let’s work on how to help them. What if we asked God to show us how we are supposed to respond and react toward these people for HIS glory, rather than gripe and grumble about their presence…and make things even worse for them?! Suppose we got busy asking the right questions and learning about others and their needs…then worked to find solutions and ways to truly help.
Instead of trying to figure out how to get even with others…or how to outsmart “the system”…suppose we worked together with love, compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness – and found real, viable solutions and ways to share Jesus’ love with others. Understand that I am NOT saying we shouldn’t look for ways to keep guns out of the hands of children and others who might use them for evil. I do not mean to imply that we should turn and look the other way…and just “let the chips fall” – or excuse true laziness or an illegal or immoral act. But I do believe we must quit trying to wish away unpleasant or difficult people and circumstances - and face them head-on…“with the full armor of God”.
Jesus never shied away from anyone or any situation. In Jesus Christ, we find the perfect demonstration of how to conduct our own lives…and how to serve Him in the process. We have work to do! It’s time to get up and get going…to be about the business of loving others in Jesus’ name and sharing His Good News. Are you awake and alert? Is your heart filled with compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness through Jesus? Are you really ready for the work of serving others? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 14, 2013
Genesis 39
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields. Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said, “My master isn’t worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. No one in my master’s house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn’t given me is you, and that’s because you are his wife. I won’t sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving her hanging onto his coat.
When this happened, she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A dear family friend is celebrating his 80th birthday today. My husband and I shared a lunch table at a local restaurant with him and his wife and another lifelong friend, and he told us that the way to keep from getting older is to lie about your age! Of course, he was joking… but how often do we make excuses – or lie – in order to avoid the truth? At our worship service today, the pastor said, “You can say ‘I don’t want to,’ but don’t tell me you don’t have time for ministries of the church and Bible study, because everybody is busy.” I cannot judge another person’s time constraints, but maybe it is time for us to merely say, “I do not feel that God is calling me to do this now,” or simply to answer with, “I don’t want to do this.” After all, nobody truly cares to hear our excuses – even if they are sound and fair.
As for lying and making up justifications to cover our tracks or relocate blame… this is never acceptable. And we do this all the time. Oh, maybe we don’t deliberately lie or blame someone else… but our “excuses” shift the responsibility all the same…
Who do you want to be like…Potiphar’s wife – or Joseph? Are your words and actions such that you want to blame them on someone else… or are you a trustworthy, upright servant? Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about this… and about your own situation. Discover where you need to operate with more honesty and genuineness… and leave excuse making to the devil, where it belongs.
©2013 Debbie Robus
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields. Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said, “My master isn’t worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. No one in my master’s house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn’t given me is you, and that’s because you are his wife. I won’t sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving her hanging onto his coat.
When this happened, she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A dear family friend is celebrating his 80th birthday today. My husband and I shared a lunch table at a local restaurant with him and his wife and another lifelong friend, and he told us that the way to keep from getting older is to lie about your age! Of course, he was joking… but how often do we make excuses – or lie – in order to avoid the truth? At our worship service today, the pastor said, “You can say ‘I don’t want to,’ but don’t tell me you don’t have time for ministries of the church and Bible study, because everybody is busy.” I cannot judge another person’s time constraints, but maybe it is time for us to merely say, “I do not feel that God is calling me to do this now,” or simply to answer with, “I don’t want to do this.” After all, nobody truly cares to hear our excuses – even if they are sound and fair.
As for lying and making up justifications to cover our tracks or relocate blame… this is never acceptable. And we do this all the time. Oh, maybe we don’t deliberately lie or blame someone else… but our “excuses” shift the responsibility all the same…
- We claim we can’t participate in a certain group or event because of our past, when in truth the only judgments being made about us are our own. We all get about 15 minutes of “fame,” and chances are good that yours was over a long time ago!
- We use our family, friends, work, school, and extracurricular activities as an “alibi”… as in “I had to study,” or “I had a softball practice and couldn’t get there”… even when we know we could have made arrangements to juggle our schedule.
- We tell a friend that “I wasn’t going to share your secret, but So-and-so pried it out of me,” knowing all the time that we couldn’t wait to spread the gossip.
- We know that a friend or fellow Christian is lovingly making suggestions to help us, but since we don’t want to hear them, we become upset and defensive… and declare that “I can’t handle all of his/her pressure!”
- We don’t like an activity in which we agreed to participate… we don’t like our coursework at school… or we’re dissatisfied in our job. So rather than admit this and try to work on an alternative, we deliberately perform poorly and secretly hope that we will be asked to step aside... we’ll flunk out... or our employer will ask us to leave. This self-sabotage somehow seems better and easier to swallow than admitting the truth!
Who do you want to be like…Potiphar’s wife – or Joseph? Are your words and actions such that you want to blame them on someone else… or are you a trustworthy, upright servant? Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about this… and about your own situation. Discover where you need to operate with more honesty and genuineness… and leave excuse making to the devil, where it belongs.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 2, 2013
April 2 ~ Titus 2:7-8Always set a good example for others. Be sincere and serious when you teach. Use clean language that no one can criticize. Do this, and your enemies will be too ashamed to say anything against you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I heard a conversation on “The View” about children repeating improper language they hear from us. The conversation centered on how you handle this… do you chastise a child for repeating a word you use frequently? Of course, the solution is to refrain from using these words in the first place. The ladies discussed how “we all slip sometimes,” and also pointed out that “less-than-clean” language is now peppering our television shows unapologetically. So the comment was also made that… “Children are bound to hear these words somewhere.” The implication was that “it’s not our fault – this behavior has become mainstream!”
So what are we to do? I believe that we are given some pretty good guidelines in Titus 2:7-8. First, make sure that YOU are not using unclean language… that no one can criticize what you are saying – or how you say it. Don’t call people names, gossip, or pepper your conversations with expletives. We need to all take a deep breath before we speak… count to ten when we are angry… and choose our words carefully in every situation. Yes, there are times when we slip… there are instances when we really want to let someone have it… there are circumstances that make us all want to pull out every hair on our head – and utter an expletive or two! But we must make a concerted effort to keep this in check…and God can help us do this, if we will call on Him!
Lest you think that I am a “goody-two-shoes” or something, let me assure you, I know all too well about foul language. When I was just entering high school, I hung around with some older kids who “cussed like sailors.” They thought it made them look cool, and they taught me every four-letter word in the book – and then some. I would venture to say that NONE of us speak like this or use this sort of language today. While I can’t say that we didn’t know what we were doing when we were teenagers – because we got a kick out of using this language for shock value – we grew up in more ways than one and learned that this is not acceptable behavior. We came to understand the significance of behaving above reproach – and for the most part, we know and do better today. We are sincere and serious… we recognize the importance of setting a good example for others. We also understand that people are always watching… always!
Your words and actions tell the world a lot about your values. The person who has the least materially but presents a neat, clean, well-mannered, respectable appearance and behaves genuinely and honorably gives others far less to discuss and/or criticize than the “wealthiest” person who spews garbage and acts dishonestly and with condescension or disrespect. Our challenge as Christ’s disciples is to behave in such a way that our “enemies” would be ashamed to criticize us. How are you doing? Are there areas in which you can improve? Are you taking this walk with Christ seriously and leading by example? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I heard a conversation on “The View” about children repeating improper language they hear from us. The conversation centered on how you handle this… do you chastise a child for repeating a word you use frequently? Of course, the solution is to refrain from using these words in the first place. The ladies discussed how “we all slip sometimes,” and also pointed out that “less-than-clean” language is now peppering our television shows unapologetically. So the comment was also made that… “Children are bound to hear these words somewhere.” The implication was that “it’s not our fault – this behavior has become mainstream!”
So what are we to do? I believe that we are given some pretty good guidelines in Titus 2:7-8. First, make sure that YOU are not using unclean language… that no one can criticize what you are saying – or how you say it. Don’t call people names, gossip, or pepper your conversations with expletives. We need to all take a deep breath before we speak… count to ten when we are angry… and choose our words carefully in every situation. Yes, there are times when we slip… there are instances when we really want to let someone have it… there are circumstances that make us all want to pull out every hair on our head – and utter an expletive or two! But we must make a concerted effort to keep this in check…and God can help us do this, if we will call on Him!
Lest you think that I am a “goody-two-shoes” or something, let me assure you, I know all too well about foul language. When I was just entering high school, I hung around with some older kids who “cussed like sailors.” They thought it made them look cool, and they taught me every four-letter word in the book – and then some. I would venture to say that NONE of us speak like this or use this sort of language today. While I can’t say that we didn’t know what we were doing when we were teenagers – because we got a kick out of using this language for shock value – we grew up in more ways than one and learned that this is not acceptable behavior. We came to understand the significance of behaving above reproach – and for the most part, we know and do better today. We are sincere and serious… we recognize the importance of setting a good example for others. We also understand that people are always watching… always!
Your words and actions tell the world a lot about your values. The person who has the least materially but presents a neat, clean, well-mannered, respectable appearance and behaves genuinely and honorably gives others far less to discuss and/or criticize than the “wealthiest” person who spews garbage and acts dishonestly and with condescension or disrespect. Our challenge as Christ’s disciples is to behave in such a way that our “enemies” would be ashamed to criticize us. How are you doing? Are there areas in which you can improve? Are you taking this walk with Christ seriously and leading by example? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 1, 2013
April 1 ~ Psalm 7:8-10
Our Lord, judge the nations! Judge me and show that I am honest and innocent. You know every heart and mind, and you always do right. Now make violent people stop, but protect all of us who obey you.
You, God, are my shield, the protector of everyone whose heart is right.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I don’t know about you, but when I do something mundane – like vacuum the floors – I use that time to talk with God. Sometimes, I talk... other times, GOD does the talking. Today was mostly one of those days when I did a lot of listening. See, I was pouring out to God my concerns for several situations. I was saying, “LORD, I’ve tried everything. I’ve done my best to live honorably and with integrity. I have made every attempt to do the right thing in these instances … to be the person you have called me to be. I have worked diligently to operate with grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. I truly don’t know what else to do.”
Very clearly, God answered… “Move over and give me room to work. Haven’t I shown you that I can handle far bigger things than this? Haven’t I answered you in the past when you called on me? What’s different now? Step aside… I’ve got this!”
I’ll admit…I was more than a little humbled. Truly, God is the protector of everyone whose heart is right… their shield and defender. Surely we have not so quickly forgotten the miracle of Easter… God’s indisputable power to do all things – not to mention His incredible, unconditional love for us! Yes, God protects those who give their hearts to Jesus and serve Him with honor and integrity. But God expects us to give Him our trust… and to allow Him room to work!
I don’t know what you are bringing before God today. But if you are serving Him with truth, decency and respect… if you are demonstrating to others moral character and noble principles… you truly have nothing to fear. God will shield you and those you love… He will protect your interests – which includes the concerns of those you lift in intercessory prayer. YOUR JOB is to move over and allow Him the necessary room to work! As my friend Susan puts it, “You have to let God drive the car!” Who is in YOUR driver’s seat? Is it time for you slide over and ride for a while?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 30, 2013
Psalm 26:8-12
I love your sanctuary, Lord,
the place where your glorious presence dwells.
Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord.
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.
My husband and I have spent much of this week sorting through old photographs – ours and my grandmothers, mostly. We’ve looked at each one and compared this one and that… “Aren’t they almost identical? Is this one more blurry than the next? Why are we saving a picture of someone we don’t even know?” We’ve “culled” the ones that we did not deem worthy of keeping for some reason. Some went to the shredder… others were sent to those featured in the picture for their albums – or trash cans!
Our qualifying criteria for keeping a picture were that it had to have some sort of value – or integrity – or it had to be something we could scan and improve the quality. More than once, one of us would be ready to toss a picture, and the other would say, “I know that’s not a great photo… but I like the way So-and-so is smiling…” or “Yes, that’s a little blurry, but that is good of XYZ…you never saw him/her without that object!” So we were merciful and returned more than a few less-than-stellar specimens to the “save” pile.
I’d like to think that I have more redeeming qualities than poor ones. I strive to live with integrity… to please God with my thoughts, words and actions. But on any given day, He could easily toss me to the “cull” stack if He chose… and I know this. So I make a concerted effort to live in a way that honors God each day. I try not to murder… even with sharp words or gossip. I try very hard not to be manipulated or bribed into doing or saying something I shouldn’t. Even when I feel that others won’t like my comments or actions, I work hard at standing on solid ground and operating in God’s truth – and I hope I do so with kindness and grace.
I do love God’s sanctuary… the place where His glorious presence dwells. I am forever indebted to Him for His gift of Jesus Christ… and for the sacrifice that He made for you and me on the cross. I am forever grateful that Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven… that He waits for me there. Ultimately, I praise God for taking a second look at me… for putting me back in the “keep” pile to live for Him another day… and I’m doing everything I can to stay there. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
I love your sanctuary, Lord,
the place where your glorious presence dwells.
Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord.
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.
My husband and I have spent much of this week sorting through old photographs – ours and my grandmothers, mostly. We’ve looked at each one and compared this one and that… “Aren’t they almost identical? Is this one more blurry than the next? Why are we saving a picture of someone we don’t even know?” We’ve “culled” the ones that we did not deem worthy of keeping for some reason. Some went to the shredder… others were sent to those featured in the picture for their albums – or trash cans!
Our qualifying criteria for keeping a picture were that it had to have some sort of value – or integrity – or it had to be something we could scan and improve the quality. More than once, one of us would be ready to toss a picture, and the other would say, “I know that’s not a great photo… but I like the way So-and-so is smiling…” or “Yes, that’s a little blurry, but that is good of XYZ…you never saw him/her without that object!” So we were merciful and returned more than a few less-than-stellar specimens to the “save” pile.
I’d like to think that I have more redeeming qualities than poor ones. I strive to live with integrity… to please God with my thoughts, words and actions. But on any given day, He could easily toss me to the “cull” stack if He chose… and I know this. So I make a concerted effort to live in a way that honors God each day. I try not to murder… even with sharp words or gossip. I try very hard not to be manipulated or bribed into doing or saying something I shouldn’t. Even when I feel that others won’t like my comments or actions, I work hard at standing on solid ground and operating in God’s truth – and I hope I do so with kindness and grace.
I do love God’s sanctuary… the place where His glorious presence dwells. I am forever indebted to Him for His gift of Jesus Christ… and for the sacrifice that He made for you and me on the cross. I am forever grateful that Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven… that He waits for me there. Ultimately, I praise God for taking a second look at me… for putting me back in the “keep” pile to live for Him another day… and I’m doing everything I can to stay there. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 28, 2013
March 28 ~ Psalm 25:19-21
Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Nearly all of us have written a term paper at some point. If you were taught as I was, you began with an outline. You thought of the things you wanted to include… and you made notes and lists of the points you planned to cover. Honestly, for a while, the whole thing may have looked like quite a jumble of confusion. You might have even said, “The devil is having fun here… this paper is a mess!” But over time, things came together, and what seemed unconquerable at the outset became something you were proud to present to your instructor… or at least relieved to have finished!
A couple of months ago, I was not paying close attention as I cut the sleeves off a ladies knit shirt to make pants for my niece, Zola. I realized that I had cut the fabric in a way that I had two right legs – or was it two left legs?! At any rate, the outcome was not going to be a wearable pair of pants! I was in trouble. I felt I had wasted a really cute shirt, and naturally I blamed the devil for distracting me and causing me to cut the material incorrectly! But I was determined not to let him win. You can call me silly, but I began to pray… “LORD, what can I do with this? How can I take these pieces and create something useful – and cute – from them?” (I really do pray over mundane things like how to salvage a thrift-store shirt!)
I began to move the pieces of fabric around. “What if I used this piece this way?” I would ask myself. “Suppose I turned those mismatched ‘pant legs’ into sleeves?” And soon, everything was coming together to create a darling dress and matching accessories… all of which looked adorable on Zola and was one of her mother’s favorite outfits to date! God used all of His skill to help me use my skills to pull together a wonderful finished product.
So often, we throw up our hands and say, “So-and-so is out to get me,” or “I can’t win for losing… the odds are just not in my favor.” What we fail to recognize is how God has our back... if only we will keep our chin up and do what He expects. If we will continue to take the high road… if we will stay focused and maintain a positive attitude… if we will trust Him for an outcome… God will put us together into an incredible finished product!
I firmly believe this. I have full confidence that God can make lemonade from “lemons” like us! I am quite certain that operating with integrity brings about positive results…and amazing finished products! You can let the devil and his agents have their way in your life… or you can choose to live for God - and trust His outcomes. It’s totally your call… what do you say?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Nearly all of us have written a term paper at some point. If you were taught as I was, you began with an outline. You thought of the things you wanted to include… and you made notes and lists of the points you planned to cover. Honestly, for a while, the whole thing may have looked like quite a jumble of confusion. You might have even said, “The devil is having fun here… this paper is a mess!” But over time, things came together, and what seemed unconquerable at the outset became something you were proud to present to your instructor… or at least relieved to have finished!
A couple of months ago, I was not paying close attention as I cut the sleeves off a ladies knit shirt to make pants for my niece, Zola. I realized that I had cut the fabric in a way that I had two right legs – or was it two left legs?! At any rate, the outcome was not going to be a wearable pair of pants! I was in trouble. I felt I had wasted a really cute shirt, and naturally I blamed the devil for distracting me and causing me to cut the material incorrectly! But I was determined not to let him win. You can call me silly, but I began to pray… “LORD, what can I do with this? How can I take these pieces and create something useful – and cute – from them?” (I really do pray over mundane things like how to salvage a thrift-store shirt!)
I began to move the pieces of fabric around. “What if I used this piece this way?” I would ask myself. “Suppose I turned those mismatched ‘pant legs’ into sleeves?” And soon, everything was coming together to create a darling dress and matching accessories… all of which looked adorable on Zola and was one of her mother’s favorite outfits to date! God used all of His skill to help me use my skills to pull together a wonderful finished product.
So often, we throw up our hands and say, “So-and-so is out to get me,” or “I can’t win for losing… the odds are just not in my favor.” What we fail to recognize is how God has our back... if only we will keep our chin up and do what He expects. If we will continue to take the high road… if we will stay focused and maintain a positive attitude… if we will trust Him for an outcome… God will put us together into an incredible finished product!
I firmly believe this. I have full confidence that God can make lemonade from “lemons” like us! I am quite certain that operating with integrity brings about positive results…and amazing finished products! You can let the devil and his agents have their way in your life… or you can choose to live for God - and trust His outcomes. It’s totally your call… what do you say?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 27, 2013
March 27 ~ Psalm 15:1-5
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.
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.
Suppose you wanted to throw a dinner party in your home. Who would be on your guest list? Would you include someone you do not like… or someone whose company you don’t enjoy? Would you invite people who have a reputation for gossip or those who speak evil of their friends? Would your list include some who you know to be dishonest and deceitful? Would bigots and those who are brazen and foul-mouthed be allowed? Would you ask known thieves to attend?
If some of these people showed up uninvited, how would you treat them? Would you usher them out and tell them never to visit your home again… or would you treat them kindly and gently – but with guarded hospitality? Would you make sure that they were sufficiently humiliated in front of the other guests… or would you be gracious toward them?
This is what God does for us. He prefers that His “house” be filled with those who operate with integrity. But God is gracious and will not embarrass those of us who behave inappropriately. God does not appreciate our disrespect and dishonor... but He will not stoop to our level. Instead, God blesses and rewards those who lead blameless lives and do what is right. He bestows incredible favor on those who speak the truth from sincere hearts. He promises perpetual love and care to those who keep their promises even when it hurts… the honest and upright who cannot be bribed or persuaded to disobey.
I know it may seem like some people skirt through life doing as they please and getting by with it. You may be able to name a few people who appear to live a charmed life and “have it made” even though they have a penchant for impropriety and ill-gotten gain. But I can assure you, they do not have God’s favor… and their assurances of His blessings and care will not be everlasting and secure. I don’t know about you, but I’m in it with God for the long haul. I want all He offers… and I plan to do everything possible to live in a way that ensures that He is pleased with me!
Lest you think that this is about what God can do for me… I assure you, it is not! The truth is that God has done far and above anything I could ever hope to deserve for me already… He sent His only Son to die on a cross for my sins. He sacrificed everything for someone who can give Him little to nothing in return… who certainly can never repay this tremendous gift. And that person is me! It is also you… and the next guy… and the next! We cannot earn God’s favor or blessings. But we can honor and respect Him by living with integrity… by leading blameless lives, operating with sincerity and authenticity… and a having genuine heart. Even when we are ridiculed and mistreated, we can continue to show love, grace, mercy and forgiveness… and in doing so, we can say, “I’m striving to imitate you as closely as possible, LORD!”
THESE are the kinds of people who find sanctuary in the LORD. These are the ones whom He desires to invite to His table… the ones who will find blessings and favor… who will stand firm forever. I want to be among them… don’t you? Are you a worthy dinner guest? Aren’t you ready to become one?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.
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.
Suppose you wanted to throw a dinner party in your home. Who would be on your guest list? Would you include someone you do not like… or someone whose company you don’t enjoy? Would you invite people who have a reputation for gossip or those who speak evil of their friends? Would your list include some who you know to be dishonest and deceitful? Would bigots and those who are brazen and foul-mouthed be allowed? Would you ask known thieves to attend?
If some of these people showed up uninvited, how would you treat them? Would you usher them out and tell them never to visit your home again… or would you treat them kindly and gently – but with guarded hospitality? Would you make sure that they were sufficiently humiliated in front of the other guests… or would you be gracious toward them?
This is what God does for us. He prefers that His “house” be filled with those who operate with integrity. But God is gracious and will not embarrass those of us who behave inappropriately. God does not appreciate our disrespect and dishonor... but He will not stoop to our level. Instead, God blesses and rewards those who lead blameless lives and do what is right. He bestows incredible favor on those who speak the truth from sincere hearts. He promises perpetual love and care to those who keep their promises even when it hurts… the honest and upright who cannot be bribed or persuaded to disobey.
I know it may seem like some people skirt through life doing as they please and getting by with it. You may be able to name a few people who appear to live a charmed life and “have it made” even though they have a penchant for impropriety and ill-gotten gain. But I can assure you, they do not have God’s favor… and their assurances of His blessings and care will not be everlasting and secure. I don’t know about you, but I’m in it with God for the long haul. I want all He offers… and I plan to do everything possible to live in a way that ensures that He is pleased with me!
Lest you think that this is about what God can do for me… I assure you, it is not! The truth is that God has done far and above anything I could ever hope to deserve for me already… He sent His only Son to die on a cross for my sins. He sacrificed everything for someone who can give Him little to nothing in return… who certainly can never repay this tremendous gift. And that person is me! It is also you… and the next guy… and the next! We cannot earn God’s favor or blessings. But we can honor and respect Him by living with integrity… by leading blameless lives, operating with sincerity and authenticity… and a having genuine heart. Even when we are ridiculed and mistreated, we can continue to show love, grace, mercy and forgiveness… and in doing so, we can say, “I’m striving to imitate you as closely as possible, LORD!”
THESE are the kinds of people who find sanctuary in the LORD. These are the ones whom He desires to invite to His table… the ones who will find blessings and favor… who will stand firm forever. I want to be among them… don’t you? Are you a worthy dinner guest? Aren’t you ready to become one?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 24, 2013
March 24 ~ Psalm 101:1-2
I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life—when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In 1973, country music artist Charlie Rich recorded a song called “Behind Closed Doors.” Essentially, this song tells of a woman who behaves one way in public – and another at home “behind closed doors.” The tag line to the chorus is, “…no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.” Sadly, I’m afraid this could be the tag line for a lot of us. We “play nice” in public and project the persona of someone who is polite, kind, morally upright, fair… and honest to a fault. Then we go home, and “the gloves come off” so to speak… along with our sense of propriety and decorum.
We treat our family members poorly… we use foul language and deride others. We gossip… we connive… we lie to others – and to ourselves. We think nobody else will find out how we really are, as long as we go to church on Sundays and act nicely at work, school, among our friends and/or when we are in public. But David tells us in this Psalm that integrity begins at home… where we think no one is looking. The truth is that GOD is always watching. And whether we want to believe it or not, others are watching, too.
You may think you are doing pretty well. You don’t curse… you try never to gossip… and you are kind and loving at all times. But let me ask you this… do you claim to trust Jesus in all things, then go home and wring your hands, worry and wrestle over challenges and concerns? Are you all about telling others how “the LORD will provide” as you question the very circumstances of your own life? Do you attend worship services and Bible studies and then blow up and get upset over the least of things that don’t go your way?
As human beings, there is no way we can sustain a “split personality” forever. We will slip up at some point, and the four-letter words we let fly at home will pepper our language in public. We’ll find it easy to say something we shouldn’t have or lash out at someone in the heat of the moment. If we mistreat our siblings, our spouse, our children or our pets, this behavior will carry over into our “public” lives… or someone will realize our secret. Others will discover what we really think about them… how we truly talk and act… or how weak our faith in God to meet our needs truly is…and our “Christian” witness will be tarnished.
God wants to equip us to operate with integrity at all times… in all places. He wants to help us control our thoughts and actions on every front. Through His love and justice, we are each able to come before Him and receive the help we need. Because of the blood of Jesus on the cross, our sins can be forgiven. We can ask God to enable us to live a more blameless life… and to trust Him more fully.
Jesus stands at the door and knocks, fully aware of what goes on inside your home… and your heart. Does what is on the inside match the outside? Have you entrusted Him to help you live with integrity? Have you given Him glory and praise for His love and justice? Isn’t this Holy Week a great time to renew your commitment to living a more blameless life in Christ and sharing His amazing love with others? Operating with complete integrity seems like such a small gesture of respect for the One who sacrificed so much. Will you praise the LORD in song and action - and glorify Him in your daily living… regardless of who is looking?
©2013 Debbie Robus
I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life—when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In 1973, country music artist Charlie Rich recorded a song called “Behind Closed Doors.” Essentially, this song tells of a woman who behaves one way in public – and another at home “behind closed doors.” The tag line to the chorus is, “…no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.” Sadly, I’m afraid this could be the tag line for a lot of us. We “play nice” in public and project the persona of someone who is polite, kind, morally upright, fair… and honest to a fault. Then we go home, and “the gloves come off” so to speak… along with our sense of propriety and decorum.
We treat our family members poorly… we use foul language and deride others. We gossip… we connive… we lie to others – and to ourselves. We think nobody else will find out how we really are, as long as we go to church on Sundays and act nicely at work, school, among our friends and/or when we are in public. But David tells us in this Psalm that integrity begins at home… where we think no one is looking. The truth is that GOD is always watching. And whether we want to believe it or not, others are watching, too.
You may think you are doing pretty well. You don’t curse… you try never to gossip… and you are kind and loving at all times. But let me ask you this… do you claim to trust Jesus in all things, then go home and wring your hands, worry and wrestle over challenges and concerns? Are you all about telling others how “the LORD will provide” as you question the very circumstances of your own life? Do you attend worship services and Bible studies and then blow up and get upset over the least of things that don’t go your way?
As human beings, there is no way we can sustain a “split personality” forever. We will slip up at some point, and the four-letter words we let fly at home will pepper our language in public. We’ll find it easy to say something we shouldn’t have or lash out at someone in the heat of the moment. If we mistreat our siblings, our spouse, our children or our pets, this behavior will carry over into our “public” lives… or someone will realize our secret. Others will discover what we really think about them… how we truly talk and act… or how weak our faith in God to meet our needs truly is…and our “Christian” witness will be tarnished.
God wants to equip us to operate with integrity at all times… in all places. He wants to help us control our thoughts and actions on every front. Through His love and justice, we are each able to come before Him and receive the help we need. Because of the blood of Jesus on the cross, our sins can be forgiven. We can ask God to enable us to live a more blameless life… and to trust Him more fully.
Jesus stands at the door and knocks, fully aware of what goes on inside your home… and your heart. Does what is on the inside match the outside? Have you entrusted Him to help you live with integrity? Have you given Him glory and praise for His love and justice? Isn’t this Holy Week a great time to renew your commitment to living a more blameless life in Christ and sharing His amazing love with others? Operating with complete integrity seems like such a small gesture of respect for the One who sacrificed so much. Will you praise the LORD in song and action - and glorify Him in your daily living… regardless of who is looking?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 23, 2013
March 23 – Proverbs 2:20-22
So—join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths. It’s the men who walk straight who will settle this land, the women with integrity who will last here. The corrupt will lose their lives; the dishonest will be gone for good.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I read “The Three Little Bears” to my almost-two-year-old niece, Zola. You know the story… Momma Bear makes porridge for herself, Poppa Bear and Baby Bear, and while it cools, they take a walk. A little girl named Goldilocks comes along while out for a walk in the woods. She knocks on the door, and when no one answers… she goes right in and helps herself to food, seating, and a bed for a nap! She even breaks Baby Bear’s chair when she sits in it.
When the bears return, they discover the intruder. Goldilocks wakes up, sees the bears, lets out a yell and runs out of the house… and the story says she was gone for good, because she never went for a walk in the woods again.
Clearly, nobody explained integrity to Goldilocks! She thought nothing of entering someone else’s home, eating their food, sitting in their chairs, or sleeping in their beds. And a lot of us are very much like her! We do what we please… when we please… and take whatever we want as if we are entitled. We say things we shouldn’t. We step off the “straight-and-narrow path” and dance to the beat of our own drummer… or that of the devil himself. And ultimately, our dishonesty and brazenness catch up with us, and we are “gone for good.” Nobody wants anything to do with us… and who could blame them?!
Too many of us have our sights fixed on instant gratification… a “what’s-in-it-for-me-now” mentality. We need to focus on the things of God… His will for our lives and what He wants us to accomplish in His name for the long haul. We need to think more about eternity and how we get there than on a temporary gratification… a warm bowl of porridge, a chair and a comfortable bed, so to speak!
What about you? Are you sticking to a path that leads to lasting rewards and eternity with Jesus… or are you living as if you are on a walk through the woods – hoping to find momentary pleasure in the things of this world? Are you treating others with respect and dignity… do you value their property and their feelings? Have you asked God to show you the path you should take in order to fulfill His purpose for your life? Have you prayed for moral character and integrity… have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life? Isn’t today a great day to do all of this?
Even if you started down another path, there is still time to turn back and regroup. You don’t have to be like Goldilocks and never take a walk in the woods again. You just have to stay on the right trail and let God lead the way. Who is guiding your steps these days? Whose path are you following… and where are you ultimately headed?
©2013 Debbie Robus
So—join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths. It’s the men who walk straight who will settle this land, the women with integrity who will last here. The corrupt will lose their lives; the dishonest will be gone for good.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I read “The Three Little Bears” to my almost-two-year-old niece, Zola. You know the story… Momma Bear makes porridge for herself, Poppa Bear and Baby Bear, and while it cools, they take a walk. A little girl named Goldilocks comes along while out for a walk in the woods. She knocks on the door, and when no one answers… she goes right in and helps herself to food, seating, and a bed for a nap! She even breaks Baby Bear’s chair when she sits in it.
When the bears return, they discover the intruder. Goldilocks wakes up, sees the bears, lets out a yell and runs out of the house… and the story says she was gone for good, because she never went for a walk in the woods again.
Clearly, nobody explained integrity to Goldilocks! She thought nothing of entering someone else’s home, eating their food, sitting in their chairs, or sleeping in their beds. And a lot of us are very much like her! We do what we please… when we please… and take whatever we want as if we are entitled. We say things we shouldn’t. We step off the “straight-and-narrow path” and dance to the beat of our own drummer… or that of the devil himself. And ultimately, our dishonesty and brazenness catch up with us, and we are “gone for good.” Nobody wants anything to do with us… and who could blame them?!
Too many of us have our sights fixed on instant gratification… a “what’s-in-it-for-me-now” mentality. We need to focus on the things of God… His will for our lives and what He wants us to accomplish in His name for the long haul. We need to think more about eternity and how we get there than on a temporary gratification… a warm bowl of porridge, a chair and a comfortable bed, so to speak!
What about you? Are you sticking to a path that leads to lasting rewards and eternity with Jesus… or are you living as if you are on a walk through the woods – hoping to find momentary pleasure in the things of this world? Are you treating others with respect and dignity… do you value their property and their feelings? Have you asked God to show you the path you should take in order to fulfill His purpose for your life? Have you prayed for moral character and integrity… have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life? Isn’t today a great day to do all of this?
Even if you started down another path, there is still time to turn back and regroup. You don’t have to be like Goldilocks and never take a walk in the woods again. You just have to stay on the right trail and let God lead the way. Who is guiding your steps these days? Whose path are you following… and where are you ultimately headed?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2013
March 22 ~ Proverbs 19:1
Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.
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.
Suppose someone offered you a million dollars, and all you had to do in return was deliver a package for them. You didn’t know what was in the package, and you didn’t ask. But you were pretty sure that what was happening was illegal… or at best, shady in some way. Would you do it? Now suppose your boss told you, “If you don’t lie for me about XYZ, you’re fired.” What would you do? After all, you have a family counting on your income… you have bills to pay…and all that you’re being asked to do is issue one simple, false statement or perform a single dishonest act. Maybe you’re being asked to say you saw a vehicular accident happen in a certain way – to place the blame on another driver. Or perhaps you are being asked to provide an alibi… “He was with me the whole time.” What could it hurt?
What if you could cheat on a test and score high enough for a scholarship… or you could shift one number and pocket some extra dollars that no one else would ever miss? If being honest about something meant you might actually suffer some sort of material loss… would you tell the truth? Let’s say you know there is something shifty going on with your friends or family members… or in the business in which you work… and reporting this could get a lot of people in trouble and/or cost you friendships and your job. How would you react? Suppose you were encouraged to pass off shoddy work… to cut corners in order to increase profits or speed up production. Could you keep quiet?
Let’s face it… life is not totally “black and white.” But too many of us are more concerned with “What’s in it for me?” than doing the right thing. Do you really want to work for a dishonest boss? Do you truly value friends who lie, cheat and steal? Are you doing family members a favor by keeping their secrets and allowing harm to come to them – and others? How would you feel if you were treated this way? Are you totally honest in all things? Are you willing to compromise your principles for personal gain? Are you more worried about how these things will affect you than in operating with integrity?
Being completely honest often requires a leap of faith and a heavy dose of courage. God will supply you with both. You may not always be the most popular person in some circles… or the wealthiest in terms of money and “stuff.” But you will be rich beyond measure in the things that truly matter… the blessings of God and His favor. Does this mean that all “rich” people are dishonest? Absolutely not! But in our culture, we have become so jaded by material wealth and “things,” that many of us often gauge our credibility and success in terms money and possessions instead of how well we love and serve others… and God.
Take a good hard look at your life and see where you have lost focus. Figure out what really matters to you and see where you have been willing to compromise your values in favor of a quick fix or something that seems to have value…but might actually be rather hollow. Fix your attention on God and the things that matter to Him. Make these the center of your life, and allow Him to determine your course. Let God show you how to do great things with less “stuff” and more integrity. Learn to value the things that He prizes. You may find that you are richer than you ever dreamed possible… in ways that truly matter.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.
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.
Suppose someone offered you a million dollars, and all you had to do in return was deliver a package for them. You didn’t know what was in the package, and you didn’t ask. But you were pretty sure that what was happening was illegal… or at best, shady in some way. Would you do it? Now suppose your boss told you, “If you don’t lie for me about XYZ, you’re fired.” What would you do? After all, you have a family counting on your income… you have bills to pay…and all that you’re being asked to do is issue one simple, false statement or perform a single dishonest act. Maybe you’re being asked to say you saw a vehicular accident happen in a certain way – to place the blame on another driver. Or perhaps you are being asked to provide an alibi… “He was with me the whole time.” What could it hurt?
What if you could cheat on a test and score high enough for a scholarship… or you could shift one number and pocket some extra dollars that no one else would ever miss? If being honest about something meant you might actually suffer some sort of material loss… would you tell the truth? Let’s say you know there is something shifty going on with your friends or family members… or in the business in which you work… and reporting this could get a lot of people in trouble and/or cost you friendships and your job. How would you react? Suppose you were encouraged to pass off shoddy work… to cut corners in order to increase profits or speed up production. Could you keep quiet?
Let’s face it… life is not totally “black and white.” But too many of us are more concerned with “What’s in it for me?” than doing the right thing. Do you really want to work for a dishonest boss? Do you truly value friends who lie, cheat and steal? Are you doing family members a favor by keeping their secrets and allowing harm to come to them – and others? How would you feel if you were treated this way? Are you totally honest in all things? Are you willing to compromise your principles for personal gain? Are you more worried about how these things will affect you than in operating with integrity?
Being completely honest often requires a leap of faith and a heavy dose of courage. God will supply you with both. You may not always be the most popular person in some circles… or the wealthiest in terms of money and “stuff.” But you will be rich beyond measure in the things that truly matter… the blessings of God and His favor. Does this mean that all “rich” people are dishonest? Absolutely not! But in our culture, we have become so jaded by material wealth and “things,” that many of us often gauge our credibility and success in terms money and possessions instead of how well we love and serve others… and God.
Take a good hard look at your life and see where you have lost focus. Figure out what really matters to you and see where you have been willing to compromise your values in favor of a quick fix or something that seems to have value…but might actually be rather hollow. Fix your attention on God and the things that matter to Him. Make these the center of your life, and allow Him to determine your course. Let God show you how to do great things with less “stuff” and more integrity. Learn to value the things that He prizes. You may find that you are richer than you ever dreamed possible… in ways that truly matter.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 21, 2013
Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
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.
Believe it or not, there is an organization called the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to information found at www.shoplifters.org, approximately 1 in 11 persons in our country today is a shoplifter. The reasons for shoplifting are varied, but many do not need the items and/or can afford to purchase them outright. These people get a “lift” from getting “something for nothing.” This “high” is more important to the shoplifter than the merchandise being stolen. Others steal to make up for a “loss” in their life…illness, job loss, the death of someone significant in their lives, a relationship breakup or dissolution, and more. Shoplifting may often make the person feel temporarily more in control.
Still others shoplift to relieve tension, anxiety, sadness or boredom, while others consider shoplifting a justifiable compensation for something lacking in their lives… payback for all they have given to others, how they feel they have been mistreated, or a specific experience. While many shoplifters fully expect to get caught at some point, they are often appalled to be placed in jail with “hardened criminals” for such a “petty crime.”
I used shoplifting as an example of dishonesty, but there are parallels for many areas of our life. You may be patting yourself on the back and saying, “Thank goodness this isn’t me!” But I ask you to take a good hard look at yourself. Are there other areas where you “shoplift?” Do you engage in other dishonest or deceptive behaviors in order to temporarily give yourself a “lift” or to compensate for some wrong you feel has been done against you? Do you embellish the truth to make yourself look better to others? Do you brag about how fast you drove to XYZ and didn’t get caught? Do you participate in illegal activities like underage drinking… or drug abuse? Do you cheat on your taxes… or even take extra condiments from the fast-food place “because they are ‘free’?”
Do you put on a good front in public to make everyone think that your life is hunky-dory, then conduct yourself in a totally different manner at home in front of your family and close friends? Do you pretty well thumb your nose at the world because some things have happened in your life and you feel entitled to do so? Are you one of those people who fumbles in his/her pocket for money when it comes time to pay the bill - then lets someone else pay… or “borrows” from others and never gives the items back…or pretends to be busy and lets someone else do all the work – then shares in the credit? Have you become comfortable with gossip, “white lies” and other “harmless petty crimes?"
There are countless ways in which we are all capable of dishonesty, if we are not careful and on constant guard. The adage that you can “give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” often applies and our sins are discovered… and we have to “come clean” – at least temporarily. But it really shouldn’t matter whether we are ever caught in a lie or not. GOD knows! He sees how incorrigible we often are, and this breaks His heart. There really is no excuse… not the circumstances of our life, our childhood or upbringing, or our “innocence.” We all must strive to operate with more integrity if we want to be like Jesus.
Stop what you are doing today and talk to God. Tell Him that you know there may be areas of your life where even YOU are not aware that you are dishonest or lack integrity. Ask God to shine a bright light on your heart and reveal the places where you need to improve. Don’t risk even the slightest opportunity for ruin. Humbly call upon God to help you with this… and make every effort to stay on track and operate with honesty and integrity - in all things… and at all times.
©2013 Debbie Robus
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
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.
Believe it or not, there is an organization called the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to information found at www.shoplifters.org, approximately 1 in 11 persons in our country today is a shoplifter. The reasons for shoplifting are varied, but many do not need the items and/or can afford to purchase them outright. These people get a “lift” from getting “something for nothing.” This “high” is more important to the shoplifter than the merchandise being stolen. Others steal to make up for a “loss” in their life…illness, job loss, the death of someone significant in their lives, a relationship breakup or dissolution, and more. Shoplifting may often make the person feel temporarily more in control.
Still others shoplift to relieve tension, anxiety, sadness or boredom, while others consider shoplifting a justifiable compensation for something lacking in their lives… payback for all they have given to others, how they feel they have been mistreated, or a specific experience. While many shoplifters fully expect to get caught at some point, they are often appalled to be placed in jail with “hardened criminals” for such a “petty crime.”
I used shoplifting as an example of dishonesty, but there are parallels for many areas of our life. You may be patting yourself on the back and saying, “Thank goodness this isn’t me!” But I ask you to take a good hard look at yourself. Are there other areas where you “shoplift?” Do you engage in other dishonest or deceptive behaviors in order to temporarily give yourself a “lift” or to compensate for some wrong you feel has been done against you? Do you embellish the truth to make yourself look better to others? Do you brag about how fast you drove to XYZ and didn’t get caught? Do you participate in illegal activities like underage drinking… or drug abuse? Do you cheat on your taxes… or even take extra condiments from the fast-food place “because they are ‘free’?”
Do you put on a good front in public to make everyone think that your life is hunky-dory, then conduct yourself in a totally different manner at home in front of your family and close friends? Do you pretty well thumb your nose at the world because some things have happened in your life and you feel entitled to do so? Are you one of those people who fumbles in his/her pocket for money when it comes time to pay the bill - then lets someone else pay… or “borrows” from others and never gives the items back…or pretends to be busy and lets someone else do all the work – then shares in the credit? Have you become comfortable with gossip, “white lies” and other “harmless petty crimes?"
There are countless ways in which we are all capable of dishonesty, if we are not careful and on constant guard. The adage that you can “give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” often applies and our sins are discovered… and we have to “come clean” – at least temporarily. But it really shouldn’t matter whether we are ever caught in a lie or not. GOD knows! He sees how incorrigible we often are, and this breaks His heart. There really is no excuse… not the circumstances of our life, our childhood or upbringing, or our “innocence.” We all must strive to operate with more integrity if we want to be like Jesus.
Stop what you are doing today and talk to God. Tell Him that you know there may be areas of your life where even YOU are not aware that you are dishonest or lack integrity. Ask God to shine a bright light on your heart and reveal the places where you need to improve. Don’t risk even the slightest opportunity for ruin. Humbly call upon God to help you with this… and make every effort to stay on track and operate with honesty and integrity - in all things… and at all times.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 19, 2013
March 19 ~ Luke 16:10-13
For unless you are honest in small matters, you won’t be in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s money, why should you be entrusted with money of your own? “For neither you nor anyone else can serve two masters. You will hate one and show loyalty to the other, or else the other way around – you will be enthusiastic about one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
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 you get your credit card or utility bills… or your bank statement… you probably go over every line with a fine-toothed comb – or you should! I often hear people talk about hidden charges they discovered – and had removed. Or maybe you have discovered a charge on your bill that you did not authorize. Sometimes, we simply didn’t read the “fine print.” But there are times when I have to wonder whether some corporations figure you will never notice that little surcharge buried in the details. Over time, these amounts add up! Let’s say you or I had a small business where we tucked in little “incidental” charges that we did not disclose to our clients. Do you think we would have repeat customers if this were discovered? Could our reputation for honesty, fairness and integrity be compromised?
I think we understand the ramifications of cheating on a large scale. Most of us get it that we cannot borrow money from a bank, or even a friend or relative – and fail to repay the loan, without some serious consequences. But we fail to recognize that the impact of our failures to follow through on the smaller things in life can be just as critical. A local news station has been sponsoring a multi-week fitness program for a group of out-of-shape moms. Each week, a news report charts their progress. This week, the headline was a report that several of the moms are not showing up for the workouts. They are not honoring their commitment to the program. Not only are they failing to reach their goals and achieve the desired level of fitness, but their lack of commitment has been “outed” to their families, friends and co-workers on state-wide television! One has to wonder how these women treat other commitments if they fail to meet one with such a public view!
Do you see where I am headed with this? Jesus tells us in this passage that we “cannot serve two masters.” I would suggest that those of us who are unable to keep our word… or to be honest and honorable in seemingly small and insignificant things… are probably not capable of doing any better with big matters. If you lie (even to yourself) and say, “Nobody else will know if I eat this extra piece of cake”… or “Sue will forget that I owe her that $50”…how likely are you lie to your spouse about the new pair of shoes you bought, where you really went when you said you were having dinner with a friend, or how committed you are to your marriage?”
If you can pick up pens and paper clips at work and carry them home for personal use… or “borrow” a friend’s t-shirt and keep it to wear as your own… how will others ever believe that you can be trusted not to help yourself to their personal property - as an employee, or even as a friend or acquaintance? If you say one thing and do another, how will anyone ever believe you when you profess to be a faith-filled disciple of Christ?
This passage is about so much more than money. Jesus used this as His example, because so many of us do seem to worship the almighty dollar, so He knew we would easily relate to this analogy. But we all have moments each and every day to make a choice about whether to be honorable and trustworthy with seemingly insignificant issues and situations that have substantial and widespread ramifications… and speak directly to our moral and spiritual character.
What about you? Are you faithful in the small stuff? Are you honest and aboveboard in all things… are you truly honest with yourself? Do you understand how important integrity is in the life of a Christian? How authentic are you? Which “Master” will you serve today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
For unless you are honest in small matters, you won’t be in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s money, why should you be entrusted with money of your own? “For neither you nor anyone else can serve two masters. You will hate one and show loyalty to the other, or else the other way around – you will be enthusiastic about one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
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 you get your credit card or utility bills… or your bank statement… you probably go over every line with a fine-toothed comb – or you should! I often hear people talk about hidden charges they discovered – and had removed. Or maybe you have discovered a charge on your bill that you did not authorize. Sometimes, we simply didn’t read the “fine print.” But there are times when I have to wonder whether some corporations figure you will never notice that little surcharge buried in the details. Over time, these amounts add up! Let’s say you or I had a small business where we tucked in little “incidental” charges that we did not disclose to our clients. Do you think we would have repeat customers if this were discovered? Could our reputation for honesty, fairness and integrity be compromised?
I think we understand the ramifications of cheating on a large scale. Most of us get it that we cannot borrow money from a bank, or even a friend or relative – and fail to repay the loan, without some serious consequences. But we fail to recognize that the impact of our failures to follow through on the smaller things in life can be just as critical. A local news station has been sponsoring a multi-week fitness program for a group of out-of-shape moms. Each week, a news report charts their progress. This week, the headline was a report that several of the moms are not showing up for the workouts. They are not honoring their commitment to the program. Not only are they failing to reach their goals and achieve the desired level of fitness, but their lack of commitment has been “outed” to their families, friends and co-workers on state-wide television! One has to wonder how these women treat other commitments if they fail to meet one with such a public view!
Do you see where I am headed with this? Jesus tells us in this passage that we “cannot serve two masters.” I would suggest that those of us who are unable to keep our word… or to be honest and honorable in seemingly small and insignificant things… are probably not capable of doing any better with big matters. If you lie (even to yourself) and say, “Nobody else will know if I eat this extra piece of cake”… or “Sue will forget that I owe her that $50”…how likely are you lie to your spouse about the new pair of shoes you bought, where you really went when you said you were having dinner with a friend, or how committed you are to your marriage?”
If you can pick up pens and paper clips at work and carry them home for personal use… or “borrow” a friend’s t-shirt and keep it to wear as your own… how will others ever believe that you can be trusted not to help yourself to their personal property - as an employee, or even as a friend or acquaintance? If you say one thing and do another, how will anyone ever believe you when you profess to be a faith-filled disciple of Christ?
This passage is about so much more than money. Jesus used this as His example, because so many of us do seem to worship the almighty dollar, so He knew we would easily relate to this analogy. But we all have moments each and every day to make a choice about whether to be honorable and trustworthy with seemingly insignificant issues and situations that have substantial and widespread ramifications… and speak directly to our moral and spiritual character.
What about you? Are you faithful in the small stuff? Are you honest and aboveboard in all things… are you truly honest with yourself? Do you understand how important integrity is in the life of a Christian? How authentic are you? Which “Master” will you serve today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 6, 2013
Deuteronomy 23:21-23
“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.
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.
There is a saying that some people will often lie when the truth would have been better. I bet you know at least one person who is always saying they will come to your party, help you with a project, or be a certain place at a certain time… and none of this ever happens. I don’t know about you, but I would almost rather this person just say, “I’m not doing that,” or “I can’t be there.” Suppose you volunteered to help at a soup kitchen, and then you didn’t show. Wouldn’t that be worse than not volunteering in the first place? What if you told someone, “I will do this!” and then did as you pleased instead. How do you think that person would feel about you? Would you be considered trustworthy and honest? Would this person feel insulted or disappointed? You would essentially be saying to this person, “You are foolish to believe me.”
Sounds rather harsh and distasteful, doesn’t it? But this is exactly what we do to people… and worse yet… to GOD! We make all sorts of promises and commitments… and then blow off the person. “I got busy,” we say, or “I just couldn’t get it all done.” So don’t commit in the first place! With God, we make incredible promises… “LORD, I promise I am going to stop staying out all night drinking and partying”… until we get the next invitation. Or we say, “Father, if you will just help me get out of a jam this one time, I promise, this will never happen again!” Or even, “God, You have blessed me so much… I’m going to tell everyone how much you mean to me. I’m going to be at church every Sunday… I’m going to be kind, gentle, filled with grace and forgiveness toward others, and I’m going to serve You like never before!” Then we head out the door to a Sunday golf game or dinner and a gossip session with our best friends.
If we are brutally honest, each one of us is guilty of breaking our vows to the LORD, because we humans seem to be wired to make promises we cannot keep! But we can do better. I’m not saying we can ever completely stop this, but we CAN make improvements. We must make a concerted effort to think about our promises… to God and to others… and to remember that it’s always better to tell the truth. If we are uncertain about fulfilling a commitment, say, “I’m not sure I can make it,” or “I would love to help, but I don’t believe my schedule will allow for this now,” or even “I’m sorry, but this is not something I want to do.”
When it comes to serving God, we must be equally careful. If we are not fully committed to a volunteer position, it would be better if we didn’t volunteer in the first place. I am not saying that this gives us an “out” when it comes to volunteering. But we must be very certain that any commitments we make are 100% fulfilled… or we should not offer to help in the first place. As for promising things to God… He already knows what we are capable of handling and what offers mere lip service, and He does not appreciate the latter. Be honest with God… tell Him, “LORD… I’m trying. I may not get there every Sunday… I may have times when my mouth engages before my brain… but I desperately want to serve you and to operate in your will – and not in sin. I am asking You to help me… to show me how to always give You my very best.” Then mean it!
If you only make one vow, let it be to try your very hardest to serve God according to His will. This means you will have to be more awake and alert… and there will be times when not speaking up is better than biting off more than you can chew. Ask God to strengthen you in these areas, and always give Him your very best. The truth is always better. Always mean what you say… and say what you mean.
©2013 Debbie Robus
“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.
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.
There is a saying that some people will often lie when the truth would have been better. I bet you know at least one person who is always saying they will come to your party, help you with a project, or be a certain place at a certain time… and none of this ever happens. I don’t know about you, but I would almost rather this person just say, “I’m not doing that,” or “I can’t be there.” Suppose you volunteered to help at a soup kitchen, and then you didn’t show. Wouldn’t that be worse than not volunteering in the first place? What if you told someone, “I will do this!” and then did as you pleased instead. How do you think that person would feel about you? Would you be considered trustworthy and honest? Would this person feel insulted or disappointed? You would essentially be saying to this person, “You are foolish to believe me.”
Sounds rather harsh and distasteful, doesn’t it? But this is exactly what we do to people… and worse yet… to GOD! We make all sorts of promises and commitments… and then blow off the person. “I got busy,” we say, or “I just couldn’t get it all done.” So don’t commit in the first place! With God, we make incredible promises… “LORD, I promise I am going to stop staying out all night drinking and partying”… until we get the next invitation. Or we say, “Father, if you will just help me get out of a jam this one time, I promise, this will never happen again!” Or even, “God, You have blessed me so much… I’m going to tell everyone how much you mean to me. I’m going to be at church every Sunday… I’m going to be kind, gentle, filled with grace and forgiveness toward others, and I’m going to serve You like never before!” Then we head out the door to a Sunday golf game or dinner and a gossip session with our best friends.
If we are brutally honest, each one of us is guilty of breaking our vows to the LORD, because we humans seem to be wired to make promises we cannot keep! But we can do better. I’m not saying we can ever completely stop this, but we CAN make improvements. We must make a concerted effort to think about our promises… to God and to others… and to remember that it’s always better to tell the truth. If we are uncertain about fulfilling a commitment, say, “I’m not sure I can make it,” or “I would love to help, but I don’t believe my schedule will allow for this now,” or even “I’m sorry, but this is not something I want to do.”
When it comes to serving God, we must be equally careful. If we are not fully committed to a volunteer position, it would be better if we didn’t volunteer in the first place. I am not saying that this gives us an “out” when it comes to volunteering. But we must be very certain that any commitments we make are 100% fulfilled… or we should not offer to help in the first place. As for promising things to God… He already knows what we are capable of handling and what offers mere lip service, and He does not appreciate the latter. Be honest with God… tell Him, “LORD… I’m trying. I may not get there every Sunday… I may have times when my mouth engages before my brain… but I desperately want to serve you and to operate in your will – and not in sin. I am asking You to help me… to show me how to always give You my very best.” Then mean it!
If you only make one vow, let it be to try your very hardest to serve God according to His will. This means you will have to be more awake and alert… and there will be times when not speaking up is better than biting off more than you can chew. Ask God to strengthen you in these areas, and always give Him your very best. The truth is always better. Always mean what you say… and say what you mean.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 5, 2013
Colossians 3:9-11
Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.
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 love to find old garments at the thrift store and repurpose them into new things… especially children’s clothing. I look at a colorful ladies t-shirt and see a cute sundress with leggings for my nieces, Zola and Kelsey. I buy brightly colored, extra-large t-shirts and use them to make cute pants, shorts and more. Denim dresses and jeans have become everything from clothing to window coverings to a blanket to cover a brick fireplace hearth…and even a new high-chair seat cover! Old, discarded, possibly ill-fitting clothing becomes a new wardrobe…and more!
Recently, my friend Melissa gave me a designer-label dress that she no longer wore because it had a stain on the front. She said, “Do something fun and creative with it.” This was a really nice dress… high quality fabric, well made - and I’m sure it was quite expensive. The dress is now an Easter frock for my niece, Zola, and a colorful blouse for Melissa’s daughter, Ada. I used the scraps to make hair bows for both of the girls. As I worked on the scraps, I took a chance and bleached the stained area, and I was able to clean it “white as snow” and use it, as well.
The “old life” of the dress is done and gone, but the new life is customized. The old dress was stained… the new dresses are crisp and clean. While this dress bore a designer label, I don’t put an actual tag on the new things I create. But the children know that I made them with love and care… thinking especially of that particular child as I sewed… and my little friend, Ada, has told her mom several times that her new clothes “smell like ‘Miss Devvie!’”
As the Ultimate Designer, God created each of us. We were high quality…well-made out of the best materials… and so valuable that Jesus gave His very life for ours on the cross. As we grew, we became stained by sin. And Jesus refashioned us into new creatures when he exchanged His life for ours. Now we are crisp and clean. No “designer labels” are necessary if we walk with Jesus, because people will know Who we are “wearing” by the way we talk and act. Honesty and integrity are our trademarks… along with grace, mercy, humility, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, and love. When we wear the new wardrobe given to us in Christ, people recognize that His fragrant aroma all over us!
Here’s the thing… some of us have a closet filled with the “designer label” clothing of Jesus Christ… but we still prefer to wear our old rags. We are trying to live in two different worlds. When we lie, cheat, steal, mistreat others, gossip, act unkindly, fail to conduct ourselves honorably, or ignore God, we totally negate our testimony of salvation and grace by faith to others. It would be like putting on designer jeans or shoes with a dirty, ill-fitting shirt that was tattered and missing buttons. The two do not belong together… and the “look” would not be impressive or desirable to anyone.
Through the blood of Jesus, God has blessed you with a beautiful new wardrobe that never goes out of style. Be “all in” for God. Don’t deface and disrespect His gift by operating in the things of your old life. Strive to live with integrity each and every minute of the day. Continually ask yourself, “Am I representing Jesus… or the devil? Are my actions and behaviors those that He desires… or am I acting selfishly and/or sinfully?” I can tell you, when you take a few minutes to stop and consider this before you speak or act, you will often find that you were about to “put on an old rag.” The more you take a moment to consider your behavior, the easier and more natural these choices will become. You will begin to feel so comfortable in the “new clothing” of Christ that you no longer desire to “wear” the things of your old life.
Take a good look at your “Spiritual closet” today and see what you are wearing. Who is your Designer of choices these days? Are you in need of “repurposing?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.
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 love to find old garments at the thrift store and repurpose them into new things… especially children’s clothing. I look at a colorful ladies t-shirt and see a cute sundress with leggings for my nieces, Zola and Kelsey. I buy brightly colored, extra-large t-shirts and use them to make cute pants, shorts and more. Denim dresses and jeans have become everything from clothing to window coverings to a blanket to cover a brick fireplace hearth…and even a new high-chair seat cover! Old, discarded, possibly ill-fitting clothing becomes a new wardrobe…and more!
Recently, my friend Melissa gave me a designer-label dress that she no longer wore because it had a stain on the front. She said, “Do something fun and creative with it.” This was a really nice dress… high quality fabric, well made - and I’m sure it was quite expensive. The dress is now an Easter frock for my niece, Zola, and a colorful blouse for Melissa’s daughter, Ada. I used the scraps to make hair bows for both of the girls. As I worked on the scraps, I took a chance and bleached the stained area, and I was able to clean it “white as snow” and use it, as well.
The “old life” of the dress is done and gone, but the new life is customized. The old dress was stained… the new dresses are crisp and clean. While this dress bore a designer label, I don’t put an actual tag on the new things I create. But the children know that I made them with love and care… thinking especially of that particular child as I sewed… and my little friend, Ada, has told her mom several times that her new clothes “smell like ‘Miss Devvie!’”
As the Ultimate Designer, God created each of us. We were high quality…well-made out of the best materials… and so valuable that Jesus gave His very life for ours on the cross. As we grew, we became stained by sin. And Jesus refashioned us into new creatures when he exchanged His life for ours. Now we are crisp and clean. No “designer labels” are necessary if we walk with Jesus, because people will know Who we are “wearing” by the way we talk and act. Honesty and integrity are our trademarks… along with grace, mercy, humility, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, and love. When we wear the new wardrobe given to us in Christ, people recognize that His fragrant aroma all over us!
Here’s the thing… some of us have a closet filled with the “designer label” clothing of Jesus Christ… but we still prefer to wear our old rags. We are trying to live in two different worlds. When we lie, cheat, steal, mistreat others, gossip, act unkindly, fail to conduct ourselves honorably, or ignore God, we totally negate our testimony of salvation and grace by faith to others. It would be like putting on designer jeans or shoes with a dirty, ill-fitting shirt that was tattered and missing buttons. The two do not belong together… and the “look” would not be impressive or desirable to anyone.
Through the blood of Jesus, God has blessed you with a beautiful new wardrobe that never goes out of style. Be “all in” for God. Don’t deface and disrespect His gift by operating in the things of your old life. Strive to live with integrity each and every minute of the day. Continually ask yourself, “Am I representing Jesus… or the devil? Are my actions and behaviors those that He desires… or am I acting selfishly and/or sinfully?” I can tell you, when you take a few minutes to stop and consider this before you speak or act, you will often find that you were about to “put on an old rag.” The more you take a moment to consider your behavior, the easier and more natural these choices will become. You will begin to feel so comfortable in the “new clothing” of Christ that you no longer desire to “wear” the things of your old life.
Take a good look at your “Spiritual closet” today and see what you are wearing. Who is your Designer of choices these days? Are you in need of “repurposing?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 2, 2013
1 Kings 9:4-5
“As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’”
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 I was in high school, I truly enjoyed math… probably in large part because of my teacher, Mrs. Marilyn Berry. She really cared about her students – inside and outside of the classroom- and I loved her dearly. Now don’t get me wrong… on plenty of days, Mrs. Berry frustrated my classmates and me by giving us tests that didn’t seem to fit what we had just studied – especially in geometry. I loved geometry… there was a “method” to it. Geometry was not so much about finding the right answer as showing how we arrived at it… our “proof.” And as Mrs. Berry would review where we went wrong on the tests and point out the flaws in our “proofs,” the right path would reveal itself.
The heart of geometry lies in hypothesis and conclusion – or proof. According to information at http://hstutorials.net, the geometry definition of hypothesis is explained this way… “A conjecture is something believed to be true, but not yet proved true. We usually state these as if...then statements. The "if" part is the hypothesis...the "then" part is the conclusion.” For us as Christians, life is a lot like geometry. We have been promised eternal life in Jesus Christ. If we have truly committed our hearts to Him (which is the hypothesis)… our place in heaven is secured (which would be the conclusion). But the proof of our devotion and commitment lies in how we get there – which path we take.
God has made great promises over our lives and the lives of our descendants. He has shown us the right path to choose. He has offered us things we could never earn, much less deserve. If we truly want to prove that we appreciate His generosity, we have to operate in obedience, humility, faithfulness… and with integrity. Our word and actions have to be our bond.
People have to know that when we say we will show up… we will show up. When we tell someone we will keep their secret… we must keep it and not go blabbing to everyone we know. When someone asks us to pray for them, we should do so. We need to show up for work, school, church services and activities - even dates with friends or significant others – on time… if not a little bit early. We must be where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there. When we are at work, we should be working… when we are engaged in any task or activity, we should be fully committed to it. We should be genuine, attentive, and responsible in our relationships with friends, family members, co-workers, church members and acquaintances.
As Christians, we must be fully committed to God. We promised to love Him and to love others as ourselves. How are you doing with that? We promised to serve Him and tell others about the amazing life He offers… the incredible sacrifices He made for all of us through Jesus Christ…the love, care, grace, mercy and forgiveness He provides for us each and every day. Are you doing these things? Are you truly a person of integrity? What is your proof? God has said, “If you will do these things, then I will bless and keep you.” I believe God’s promises (conclusion) to be true… and my “proof” will not be finished until I get to heaven. But I plan to work on it every single day. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
“As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’”
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 I was in high school, I truly enjoyed math… probably in large part because of my teacher, Mrs. Marilyn Berry. She really cared about her students – inside and outside of the classroom- and I loved her dearly. Now don’t get me wrong… on plenty of days, Mrs. Berry frustrated my classmates and me by giving us tests that didn’t seem to fit what we had just studied – especially in geometry. I loved geometry… there was a “method” to it. Geometry was not so much about finding the right answer as showing how we arrived at it… our “proof.” And as Mrs. Berry would review where we went wrong on the tests and point out the flaws in our “proofs,” the right path would reveal itself.
The heart of geometry lies in hypothesis and conclusion – or proof. According to information at http://hstutorials.net, the geometry definition of hypothesis is explained this way… “A conjecture is something believed to be true, but not yet proved true. We usually state these as if...then statements. The "if" part is the hypothesis...the "then" part is the conclusion.” For us as Christians, life is a lot like geometry. We have been promised eternal life in Jesus Christ. If we have truly committed our hearts to Him (which is the hypothesis)… our place in heaven is secured (which would be the conclusion). But the proof of our devotion and commitment lies in how we get there – which path we take.
God has made great promises over our lives and the lives of our descendants. He has shown us the right path to choose. He has offered us things we could never earn, much less deserve. If we truly want to prove that we appreciate His generosity, we have to operate in obedience, humility, faithfulness… and with integrity. Our word and actions have to be our bond.
People have to know that when we say we will show up… we will show up. When we tell someone we will keep their secret… we must keep it and not go blabbing to everyone we know. When someone asks us to pray for them, we should do so. We need to show up for work, school, church services and activities - even dates with friends or significant others – on time… if not a little bit early. We must be where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there. When we are at work, we should be working… when we are engaged in any task or activity, we should be fully committed to it. We should be genuine, attentive, and responsible in our relationships with friends, family members, co-workers, church members and acquaintances.
As Christians, we must be fully committed to God. We promised to love Him and to love others as ourselves. How are you doing with that? We promised to serve Him and tell others about the amazing life He offers… the incredible sacrifices He made for all of us through Jesus Christ…the love, care, grace, mercy and forgiveness He provides for us each and every day. Are you doing these things? Are you truly a person of integrity? What is your proof? God has said, “If you will do these things, then I will bless and keep you.” I believe God’s promises (conclusion) to be true… and my “proof” will not be finished until I get to heaven. But I plan to work on it every single day. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 1, 2013
1 John 1:5-6
Jesus told us that God is light and doesn’t have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.
If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In El Paso, Texas, a developmentally disabled student at Coronado High School named Mitchell Marcus serves as the basketball team’s manager. As the squad suited up to play Franklin High, Coach Peter Morales told Marcus to suit up, too. The game was winding down when Morales signaled for Marcus to take the court. The crowd chanted, “Mitchell! Mitchell” as the young man attempted several shots… all unsuccessful in producing a score. Down by some 10 points, the ball was inbounded by Franklin High’s senior, Jonathon Montanez, who yelled out Mitchell’s name and passed the ball to him directly under the basket. Mitchell scored, and the crowd went wild. After the game, Montanez said, "I was raised to treat others how you want to be treated…I just thought Mitchell deserved his chance - deserved his opportunity."
This selfless act did not change the game’s outcome… Franklin High won by 15 points. But that’s not the point. Jonathon Montanez demonstrated integrity, which www.dictionary.com describes as “soundness of moral character.” Granted, his decision did not cost his team the game. But I have to wonder how many players in Montanez’ position would have even considered this – much less done it! This seems like a small gesture. But it demonstrates this young man’s capacity to think of someone other than himself…to see the bigger picture…to do the right thing.
We all know people with big hearts who seem to have a penchant for always acting with honor and decency. We also know people who claim the name of Jesus and then operate in the dark… the person who will tell you how much he/she loves the LORD while “twisting the knife in someone’s back,” so to speak. We’ve seen the posts on social media outlets by those who say they love God and desire to serve Him… then speak with such unkindness – and sometimes downright hatred – that you can’t begin to believe they truly have ANY light – much less the light of God - within them!
What about you? When others look at you…what do they see? Are you known as someone who lives in the light of God and shares it with others? Or are you lying – to others and to yourself? Do you live by the truth… or do you twist things to suit your needs? You can’t have it both ways. We truly are either “in” or “out!” God is seeking believers who will operate with complete integrity… impeccable soundness of moral character…who always tell the truth and act honestly, fairly, and in the best interest of all concerned.
Each of us needs to do an “integrity inventory” to make sure our moral character is not lacking in any aspect. We have claimed the name of Jesus… we must now be willing to treat others as we wish to be treated… to throw the ball to the opponent and give him/her a moment in the sun. We must remove all darkness from our lives and step into God’s light, once and for all. Are you ready?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Jesus told us that God is light and doesn’t have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.
If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In El Paso, Texas, a developmentally disabled student at Coronado High School named Mitchell Marcus serves as the basketball team’s manager. As the squad suited up to play Franklin High, Coach Peter Morales told Marcus to suit up, too. The game was winding down when Morales signaled for Marcus to take the court. The crowd chanted, “Mitchell! Mitchell” as the young man attempted several shots… all unsuccessful in producing a score. Down by some 10 points, the ball was inbounded by Franklin High’s senior, Jonathon Montanez, who yelled out Mitchell’s name and passed the ball to him directly under the basket. Mitchell scored, and the crowd went wild. After the game, Montanez said, "I was raised to treat others how you want to be treated…I just thought Mitchell deserved his chance - deserved his opportunity."
This selfless act did not change the game’s outcome… Franklin High won by 15 points. But that’s not the point. Jonathon Montanez demonstrated integrity, which www.dictionary.com describes as “soundness of moral character.” Granted, his decision did not cost his team the game. But I have to wonder how many players in Montanez’ position would have even considered this – much less done it! This seems like a small gesture. But it demonstrates this young man’s capacity to think of someone other than himself…to see the bigger picture…to do the right thing.
We all know people with big hearts who seem to have a penchant for always acting with honor and decency. We also know people who claim the name of Jesus and then operate in the dark… the person who will tell you how much he/she loves the LORD while “twisting the knife in someone’s back,” so to speak. We’ve seen the posts on social media outlets by those who say they love God and desire to serve Him… then speak with such unkindness – and sometimes downright hatred – that you can’t begin to believe they truly have ANY light – much less the light of God - within them!
What about you? When others look at you…what do they see? Are you known as someone who lives in the light of God and shares it with others? Or are you lying – to others and to yourself? Do you live by the truth… or do you twist things to suit your needs? You can’t have it both ways. We truly are either “in” or “out!” God is seeking believers who will operate with complete integrity… impeccable soundness of moral character…who always tell the truth and act honestly, fairly, and in the best interest of all concerned.
Each of us needs to do an “integrity inventory” to make sure our moral character is not lacking in any aspect. We have claimed the name of Jesus… we must now be willing to treat others as we wish to be treated… to throw the ball to the opponent and give him/her a moment in the sun. We must remove all darkness from our lives and step into God’s light, once and for all. Are you ready?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 6, 2012
December 6 ~ Psalm 1:1-6
God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won’t follow sinners or join in sneering at God. Instead, the Law of the Lord makes them happy, and they think about it day and night. They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.
That isn’t true of those who are evil, because they are like straw blown by the wind. Sinners won’t have an excuse on the day of judgment, and they won’t have a place with the people of God.
The Lord protects everyone who follows him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A friend of mine purchased a personalized item for Christmas, and when she went to pick it up, the business had misspelled one of the names on the item. Of course, my friend was disappointed. She had paid a lot of money for this item, and the name of one of her children was spelled incorrectly. The store owner offered my friend a $10 coupon good on her next purchase as compensation. Afraid she might say something ugly, my friend left quickly. However, she voiced her frustration on Facebook, and her friends responded in large numbers with all sorts of advice. More importantly, many asked for the name of the business so that they could avoid patronizing that particular store.
In fairness, the store owner thought better of her offer and called later to say she would replace the tray with a new one – spelled correctly. So in the end, she did the right thing. To have done otherwise would have been incredibly damaging to her business, because word of things like this travels quickly. But she probably still did major harm to her business by the initial response. And it does make one stop and wonder… “Why was there any hesitation?” In business, the motto that “The customer is always right” should have applied here… and that store owner should have immediately offered to replace the item.
This is sort of a loose illustration of how we don’t always do what is right… with regrettable consequences. It is important that we stay awake and alert… on our toes… and that doing the right thing becomes our second nature. I don’t know if this person was momentarily caught off guard and became defensive… or if she was thinking selfishly and decided that she was not going to “eat” her profit… or if her bottom line was so tight that she simply felt like she could not afford to forfeit this sale. But I do know that sometimes, doing the right thing seems expensive on the surface. Let me assure you, it’s always worth any perceived trouble.
There will be people who will lie, cheat, and steal… and appear to get ahead by doing so. But someday, the jig will be up! They will have to answer... if not to other mere mortals… to God Almighty. Everyone who has stepped on the backs of others to become “successful”… those who have been abusive and unkind – or just downright deceptive - will have to answer for their insults and indiscretions. And God will not be lenient!
It’s frustrating to see others operate in dishonesty and deception… and to watch them seem to breeze by doing so. It’s hard to feel like you did the right thing… gave your very best… and you were slapped down and penalized for it. But I can assure you, God will bless your efforts. It may take a long time… or seem like it’s taking forever… but He will do this. God measures success by a far different ruler… and His is the only one that matters.
Do the right thing. Avoid evil, deception, lying, cheating and stealing. Any “quick-fix” or shortcut that involves these behaviors will never be worth it in the end. Plant your roots firmly in the promises of God… trust Him to make things right on your behalf… and delight in pleasing Him. The goal is to hear God say, “Well done!” What will He say to you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won’t follow sinners or join in sneering at God. Instead, the Law of the Lord makes them happy, and they think about it day and night. They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.
That isn’t true of those who are evil, because they are like straw blown by the wind. Sinners won’t have an excuse on the day of judgment, and they won’t have a place with the people of God.
The Lord protects everyone who follows him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A friend of mine purchased a personalized item for Christmas, and when she went to pick it up, the business had misspelled one of the names on the item. Of course, my friend was disappointed. She had paid a lot of money for this item, and the name of one of her children was spelled incorrectly. The store owner offered my friend a $10 coupon good on her next purchase as compensation. Afraid she might say something ugly, my friend left quickly. However, she voiced her frustration on Facebook, and her friends responded in large numbers with all sorts of advice. More importantly, many asked for the name of the business so that they could avoid patronizing that particular store.
In fairness, the store owner thought better of her offer and called later to say she would replace the tray with a new one – spelled correctly. So in the end, she did the right thing. To have done otherwise would have been incredibly damaging to her business, because word of things like this travels quickly. But she probably still did major harm to her business by the initial response. And it does make one stop and wonder… “Why was there any hesitation?” In business, the motto that “The customer is always right” should have applied here… and that store owner should have immediately offered to replace the item.
This is sort of a loose illustration of how we don’t always do what is right… with regrettable consequences. It is important that we stay awake and alert… on our toes… and that doing the right thing becomes our second nature. I don’t know if this person was momentarily caught off guard and became defensive… or if she was thinking selfishly and decided that she was not going to “eat” her profit… or if her bottom line was so tight that she simply felt like she could not afford to forfeit this sale. But I do know that sometimes, doing the right thing seems expensive on the surface. Let me assure you, it’s always worth any perceived trouble.
There will be people who will lie, cheat, and steal… and appear to get ahead by doing so. But someday, the jig will be up! They will have to answer... if not to other mere mortals… to God Almighty. Everyone who has stepped on the backs of others to become “successful”… those who have been abusive and unkind – or just downright deceptive - will have to answer for their insults and indiscretions. And God will not be lenient!
It’s frustrating to see others operate in dishonesty and deception… and to watch them seem to breeze by doing so. It’s hard to feel like you did the right thing… gave your very best… and you were slapped down and penalized for it. But I can assure you, God will bless your efforts. It may take a long time… or seem like it’s taking forever… but He will do this. God measures success by a far different ruler… and His is the only one that matters.
Do the right thing. Avoid evil, deception, lying, cheating and stealing. Any “quick-fix” or shortcut that involves these behaviors will never be worth it in the end. Plant your roots firmly in the promises of God… trust Him to make things right on your behalf… and delight in pleasing Him. The goal is to hear God say, “Well done!” What will He say to you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 4, 2012
Psalm 37:30
Words of wisdom come when good people speak for justice.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you watch any cooking shows or dabble in the kitchen for any length of time, you have either said to yourself – or heard someone say – “The recipe calls for XYZ, but I like to do this or that.” The recipe is not wrong… it just doesn’t work for your taste – or the palate of those whom you plan to serve. Your substitutions and omissions may improve the dish… or have little to no effect at all on the overall quality of the food (like leaving raw onions out of potato salad).
Some cooks are purists. They would never consider deviating from the recipe. Others use it as a loose guide to create something new and wonderful. And unless something goes horribly wrong, the end result is almost never ghastly!
A lot of people are using the Bible like a cookbook or recipe starter. And to some degree, this is not necessarily the wrong approach. I believe God wants us to take His word and truly dig into it… to find out what He is saying to us and how He wants us to apply the scriptures to our daily living. But some people have decided to substitute one word or phrase for another – or to pick and choose what to include and what to omit. Some have taken a particular passage literally without considering its overall context. And God’s word doesn’t work that way!
Am I saying we are should view every single word of the Bible literally? Are we to stop touching pig skin, kill a newborn lamb and never cut our hair? Absolutely not! But neither are we to twist and turn selected scriptures to suit our own agendas… or to suit our personal comfort level.
There are many excellent guides on the Internet for reading through the Bible in 365 days. A lot of them suggest that you read a passage each day from the Old Testament and New Testament – and a Psalm and/or verse from Proverbs. If you do this, you will find many verses in the Old Testament about sacrifices, burnt offerings, and ceremonial worship. You will see how God’s people showed their humility and repentance to Him by killing their best animals and sacrificed the bodies on an altar. This is outlined in great detail in the Old Testament… what, when, where and how to atone to God.
In the New Testament, the coming of Jesus changes everything. No longer do we have to kill our best calf to show repentance to God for our sin. We don’t have to perform complex rituals for atonement and purification. The focus is no longer on ceremonies and eating the right food at the right time in order to please God. In Colossians 2:20-23, we read… “You died with Christ. Now the forces of the universe don’t have any power over you. Why do you live as if you had to obey such rules as, ‘Don’t handle this. Don’t taste that. Don’t touch this.’? After these things are used, they are no longer good for anything. So why be bothered with the rules that humans have made up? Obeying these rules may seem to be the smart thing to do. They appear to make you love God more and to be very humble and to have control over your body. But they don’t really have any power over our desires.”
Here’s the problem… many Christians pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe or use for justification on any given day – much like a cook puts in or takes out the raw onions or another ingredient in a recipe. The difference between the cook and the Christian is that “selectiveness” in our faith DOES make a huge difference. Do not misunderstand me… the Old Testament is extremely important, and we must not toss it to the curb as outdated and no longer relevant. But if we go back and pick out ANY scripture passage to justify our opinion on something and do not consider its context or how it functions alongside the rest of God’s word, we may very well be operating in untruth and injustice.
How do you know what is true? How can you figure out who to trust? After all, people who claim to be faith-filled Christians are continually telling us exactly what the Bible says and how we should believe. Shouldn’t we listen? For me, the answer is yes, no… and maybe. I believe that there are plenty of fair, honest and genuine Christians who operate from a place of justice and responsibility… believers who study the scripture, communicate with God and sincerely ask Him, “LORD, what do you mean by this? What are you telling me?” I believe these people make their decisions and serve God honorably from a place of heartfelt worship and obedience. And at the end of the day, I believe these people operate fully in the love and kindness of Jesus Christ - a deep and abiding desire to love others as God loves us… to live in a way that His grace, mercy, love and forgiveness shine through… and they leave the judgment and justice to God.
Look around. These people exist. You will have to sort and sift through a lot of friends and acquaintances who claim to be Christians but often behave in a way that is anything but Christ-like. Finding honest, sincere, wise and genuine Christian friends and mentors will be worth the effort. You’re not seeking someone who thinks like you do… you’re seeking the truth. The “Christian recipe” calls for heavy measures of love, kindness, compassion, wisdom in the LORD, integrity, loyalty, sincerity, and honesty, among other things. This is one recipe we don’t want to alter!
I want God’s truth for my life as much as the next person. I am continually seeking His direction. My prayer is that I would always offer others the truth… and an example of living faithfully in the wisdom and commandments of Jesus… with a heavy dose of justice and fairness. I’ve had a few epic fails in the kitchen… but when it comes to “cooking for Jesus,” I want to offer a solid dish… don’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Words of wisdom come when good people speak for justice.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you watch any cooking shows or dabble in the kitchen for any length of time, you have either said to yourself – or heard someone say – “The recipe calls for XYZ, but I like to do this or that.” The recipe is not wrong… it just doesn’t work for your taste – or the palate of those whom you plan to serve. Your substitutions and omissions may improve the dish… or have little to no effect at all on the overall quality of the food (like leaving raw onions out of potato salad).
Some cooks are purists. They would never consider deviating from the recipe. Others use it as a loose guide to create something new and wonderful. And unless something goes horribly wrong, the end result is almost never ghastly!
A lot of people are using the Bible like a cookbook or recipe starter. And to some degree, this is not necessarily the wrong approach. I believe God wants us to take His word and truly dig into it… to find out what He is saying to us and how He wants us to apply the scriptures to our daily living. But some people have decided to substitute one word or phrase for another – or to pick and choose what to include and what to omit. Some have taken a particular passage literally without considering its overall context. And God’s word doesn’t work that way!
Am I saying we are should view every single word of the Bible literally? Are we to stop touching pig skin, kill a newborn lamb and never cut our hair? Absolutely not! But neither are we to twist and turn selected scriptures to suit our own agendas… or to suit our personal comfort level.
There are many excellent guides on the Internet for reading through the Bible in 365 days. A lot of them suggest that you read a passage each day from the Old Testament and New Testament – and a Psalm and/or verse from Proverbs. If you do this, you will find many verses in the Old Testament about sacrifices, burnt offerings, and ceremonial worship. You will see how God’s people showed their humility and repentance to Him by killing their best animals and sacrificed the bodies on an altar. This is outlined in great detail in the Old Testament… what, when, where and how to atone to God.
In the New Testament, the coming of Jesus changes everything. No longer do we have to kill our best calf to show repentance to God for our sin. We don’t have to perform complex rituals for atonement and purification. The focus is no longer on ceremonies and eating the right food at the right time in order to please God. In Colossians 2:20-23, we read… “You died with Christ. Now the forces of the universe don’t have any power over you. Why do you live as if you had to obey such rules as, ‘Don’t handle this. Don’t taste that. Don’t touch this.’? After these things are used, they are no longer good for anything. So why be bothered with the rules that humans have made up? Obeying these rules may seem to be the smart thing to do. They appear to make you love God more and to be very humble and to have control over your body. But they don’t really have any power over our desires.”
Here’s the problem… many Christians pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe or use for justification on any given day – much like a cook puts in or takes out the raw onions or another ingredient in a recipe. The difference between the cook and the Christian is that “selectiveness” in our faith DOES make a huge difference. Do not misunderstand me… the Old Testament is extremely important, and we must not toss it to the curb as outdated and no longer relevant. But if we go back and pick out ANY scripture passage to justify our opinion on something and do not consider its context or how it functions alongside the rest of God’s word, we may very well be operating in untruth and injustice.
How do you know what is true? How can you figure out who to trust? After all, people who claim to be faith-filled Christians are continually telling us exactly what the Bible says and how we should believe. Shouldn’t we listen? For me, the answer is yes, no… and maybe. I believe that there are plenty of fair, honest and genuine Christians who operate from a place of justice and responsibility… believers who study the scripture, communicate with God and sincerely ask Him, “LORD, what do you mean by this? What are you telling me?” I believe these people make their decisions and serve God honorably from a place of heartfelt worship and obedience. And at the end of the day, I believe these people operate fully in the love and kindness of Jesus Christ - a deep and abiding desire to love others as God loves us… to live in a way that His grace, mercy, love and forgiveness shine through… and they leave the judgment and justice to God.
Look around. These people exist. You will have to sort and sift through a lot of friends and acquaintances who claim to be Christians but often behave in a way that is anything but Christ-like. Finding honest, sincere, wise and genuine Christian friends and mentors will be worth the effort. You’re not seeking someone who thinks like you do… you’re seeking the truth. The “Christian recipe” calls for heavy measures of love, kindness, compassion, wisdom in the LORD, integrity, loyalty, sincerity, and honesty, among other things. This is one recipe we don’t want to alter!
I want God’s truth for my life as much as the next person. I am continually seeking His direction. My prayer is that I would always offer others the truth… and an example of living faithfully in the wisdom and commandments of Jesus… with a heavy dose of justice and fairness. I’ve had a few epic fails in the kitchen… but when it comes to “cooking for Jesus,” I want to offer a solid dish… don’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)