Luke 12:57-59
“You don’t have to be a genius to
understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use
if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your
accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d
probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the
kind of decision I’m asking you to make.”
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.
The
late poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou, is credited with the
phrase…”When you know better, you do better.” If only that were true
for most of us! I hope you understand that today’s scripture passage is
not really about settling a dispute before you get to court…at least
not in the way that you think. If you go back and read the preceding
verses of Luke 12, you will see that Jesus is telling a crowd that had
gathered that there was a change on the horizon. He was warning the
disciples and others who were listening about the false teachings of
those who didn’t want to recognize Him as the Messiah – or change their
sinful ways.
So when Jesus talks of “settling up with your
accuser” on the way to court, He is really telling us to get our act
together now…or prepare for some serious judgment and punishment at some
point! In other words, our actions have consequences…and failure to
listen to Jesus and follow His teachings can get us in a heap of
trouble!
What does this mean in everyday language for you and
me? It means that before we say something unkind or questionable about
another person, we need to prayerfully consider whether Jesus approves.
Before we decide to lash out at someone – or discriminate against
anyone in any way…we should remind ourselves of Jesus’ words in Luke
10:27 to love others as God loves us – and we love ourselves.
Every
day when we awake, we should ask God to guide our steps. We should
invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts and guard our words and
actions. We should use the wisdom and “common sense” that Jesus
continually gives us to avoid pitfalls and recognize the persuasions of
imposters, con artists, frauds, and quacks who want to lead us down the
wrong path. We should practice “active discipleship,” meaning we should
steep ourselves in God’s Word and check at every turn to make sure that
what we say and do lines up with His directives. We should never waste
an opportunity to represent Jesus to another person – if only to offer
him/her our warmest smile.
It’s pretty simple, really. How we
live today matters. At some point, we will all have to answer to God
for the things we said and did…how we treated others…whether we
represented Jesus’ teachings and honored His sacrifice…and whether or
not we truly even knew Him as our Savior. I don’t know about you, but
when I stand before God and receive my “review,” I want to know that I
did everything possible to honor and glorify my LORD…that I did my
dead-level best to live every day according to His will.
When God
says to you, “Let’s talk about how it went…” will your reply be one
that reflects solid faithfulness – or more of a lousy excuse? This is
the kind of decision that Christ is calling us to make today. How will
you respond?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label listening to other people instead of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label listening to other people instead of God. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for July 27, 2016
Acts 17:10-11
That same night the Lord’s followers sent Paul and Silas on to Berea, and after they arrived, they went to the Jewish meeting place. The people in Berea were much nicer than those in Thessalonica, and they gladly accepted the message. Day after day they studied the Scriptures to see if these things were true.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I shared with Greg a political headline that I had read online. “Sounds like a joke to me,” he commented. I did some investigating…and sure enough, it was a satire piece, written by someone who also writes very thoughtful and serious articles. We all need to keep Snopes.com* bookmarked! We also need to keep our Bibles handy!
The sentence in this verse that we need to grasp is the last one…”Day after day they studied the Scriptures to see if these things were true.” While this is critical to developing a strong Christian discipleship, we must also seek out the facts in other arenas. Too many people are readily accepting the word of someone else on everything from whether their kid got a “good” teacher or not…to who said or did what to whom…to matters of national importance.
It’s time for us to go the second mile…to “get the facts, ma’am!”…to dig deeply and find the TRUTH – not just in God’s word, but in our daily barrage of information! We have grown complacent – in all areas. Too often, we trust someone else to tell us what we should think and believe, rather than dig into God’s word, ask a couple of questions, or do a few minutes of searching on the Internet to get to the heart of the matter. We are swayed by the opinions of others, rather than the facts. Sometimes, fitting in becomes more important than being correct…perhaps too important at times!
The people in Berea heard what Paul and Silas had to say…but they checked the facts to make sure it lined up with God’s word. How often are you checking the specifics – about anything – these days? Have you grown comfortable with taking others’ word for it, in matters great and small? Isn’t it time we stepped up to the plate and acted responsibly as Christ’s disciples…and verified the details of what we are hearing and reading?
I pray that we will come together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ and declare that we will no longer assume that the information we are receiving is “gospel”…that we will dig deeply and study both God’s word and the incredible bank of information that He has provided us on all subjects. Let’s get “the whole story” before we draw conclusions...and thoughtfully – and prayerfully – make our comments and decision based on these particulars. And let’s begin today.
©2016 Debbie Robus
*http://www.snopes.com
That same night the Lord’s followers sent Paul and Silas on to Berea, and after they arrived, they went to the Jewish meeting place. The people in Berea were much nicer than those in Thessalonica, and they gladly accepted the message. Day after day they studied the Scriptures to see if these things were true.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I shared with Greg a political headline that I had read online. “Sounds like a joke to me,” he commented. I did some investigating…and sure enough, it was a satire piece, written by someone who also writes very thoughtful and serious articles. We all need to keep Snopes.com* bookmarked! We also need to keep our Bibles handy!
The sentence in this verse that we need to grasp is the last one…”Day after day they studied the Scriptures to see if these things were true.” While this is critical to developing a strong Christian discipleship, we must also seek out the facts in other arenas. Too many people are readily accepting the word of someone else on everything from whether their kid got a “good” teacher or not…to who said or did what to whom…to matters of national importance.
It’s time for us to go the second mile…to “get the facts, ma’am!”…to dig deeply and find the TRUTH – not just in God’s word, but in our daily barrage of information! We have grown complacent – in all areas. Too often, we trust someone else to tell us what we should think and believe, rather than dig into God’s word, ask a couple of questions, or do a few minutes of searching on the Internet to get to the heart of the matter. We are swayed by the opinions of others, rather than the facts. Sometimes, fitting in becomes more important than being correct…perhaps too important at times!
The people in Berea heard what Paul and Silas had to say…but they checked the facts to make sure it lined up with God’s word. How often are you checking the specifics – about anything – these days? Have you grown comfortable with taking others’ word for it, in matters great and small? Isn’t it time we stepped up to the plate and acted responsibly as Christ’s disciples…and verified the details of what we are hearing and reading?
I pray that we will come together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ and declare that we will no longer assume that the information we are receiving is “gospel”…that we will dig deeply and study both God’s word and the incredible bank of information that He has provided us on all subjects. Let’s get “the whole story” before we draw conclusions...and thoughtfully – and prayerfully – make our comments and decision based on these particulars. And let’s begin today.
©2016 Debbie Robus
*http://www.snopes.com
Daily Devotional for July 23, 2016
1 Peter 3:13-15
Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. But even if they should, you are to be envied, for God will reward you for it. Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Our three little ones LOVE Play-doh®. Because Play-doh® is not cheap, I am a big meanie about “mixing the colors.” The kids ask nearly every day if they can put two or more colors together to create the animals and objects pictured on the box…and as long as the clay is pliable, I resist saying “Yes.” I remind them that once the colors are mixed, we cannot undo it!
This week, I picked up a package of Play-doh® at the store that was designed to be used as party favors. There were 15 mini cans of the clay in a variety of colors. I set the bag on the counter, where the kids readily spotted it. I told them that each child could have several cans, and they could “mix” to their heart’s content! Timothy was over-the-moon excited and asked, “WHY are you so nice to us?!” Greg and I both told him that we love them…and we enjoy doing nice things for them.
Later in the day, the children and I went swimming. As we drove home afterward, Timothy asked, “Debbie…why are y’all always so joyful and happy?” I was touched that this is how he thinks of Greg and me. I responded that because God has been so good, we have every reason to be happy…that even when unpleasant things happen, we don’t stay sad very long, because God helps us through them. Timothy wanted to know if God could help anyone be happy? I told him that I believe that God can indeed do this…that God can do ANYTHING…and when we ask Him to help us – with anything - He surely will.
There are probably some who think that we do too much for our little ones…that we spoil them or lavish too much time and attention on them. And for the record, we do not give “prizes” every day. But when I hear one of these children ask me why we are so happy…when I see that they notice our “joy in the LORD”…I know that we are on the right track.
I also know that there are days when my 59-year-old self asks, “What were you thinking?” as I try to physically keep up with these little balls of energy. But I am aware that the time is short…that before we can blink, these children will be grown…and what we do for them now matters greatly. Every opportunity we have to love them and show them how significant our relationship with Jesus is - in our lives and theirs - will be critical.
Here I go again…but as much as our three little ones are watching us, others are watching, too. They are looking to see how we conduct “daily business”…what we say and do in every arena - from our homes to our jobs to our church and other public venues…on social media…and even in how we look at others we pass in the grocery aisles or at the gas pumps! When someone sees us operating with joy and a positive attitude – especially if we claim to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus – they take notice of what God is doing for us. To the contrary, when we operate with a glum demeanor or a negative attitude…others are left to wonder where the joy of a relationship with the LORD is – or if it even truly exists!
My questions for us to ponder today are…“What are we showing others? Do they see someone who lives in the joy of Jesus and the confidence that He can help them through any and all situations? Or do we let “life” drag us down? When people look at us, do they see someone whose mood is dictated by the events of the day…or do we remain relatively solid and steadfast through all circumstances?
Are we busy doing good and trusting God to direct our words and actions, or are we worried about the opinions and ideas of others? Who is really running our lives? Are we joyful and happy most of the time…or do we sway with the wind?
We all have our “moments,” but for the most part, we have every reason to be joyful – and to demonstrate this to others. I realize that I have at least three sets of little eyes on me, so I have got to bring my “A-game!” How are you sharing Jesus these days? Are you so filled with the joy and goodness of Jesus that even a little child would take notice? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. But even if they should, you are to be envied, for God will reward you for it. Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Our three little ones LOVE Play-doh®. Because Play-doh® is not cheap, I am a big meanie about “mixing the colors.” The kids ask nearly every day if they can put two or more colors together to create the animals and objects pictured on the box…and as long as the clay is pliable, I resist saying “Yes.” I remind them that once the colors are mixed, we cannot undo it!
This week, I picked up a package of Play-doh® at the store that was designed to be used as party favors. There were 15 mini cans of the clay in a variety of colors. I set the bag on the counter, where the kids readily spotted it. I told them that each child could have several cans, and they could “mix” to their heart’s content! Timothy was over-the-moon excited and asked, “WHY are you so nice to us?!” Greg and I both told him that we love them…and we enjoy doing nice things for them.
Later in the day, the children and I went swimming. As we drove home afterward, Timothy asked, “Debbie…why are y’all always so joyful and happy?” I was touched that this is how he thinks of Greg and me. I responded that because God has been so good, we have every reason to be happy…that even when unpleasant things happen, we don’t stay sad very long, because God helps us through them. Timothy wanted to know if God could help anyone be happy? I told him that I believe that God can indeed do this…that God can do ANYTHING…and when we ask Him to help us – with anything - He surely will.
There are probably some who think that we do too much for our little ones…that we spoil them or lavish too much time and attention on them. And for the record, we do not give “prizes” every day. But when I hear one of these children ask me why we are so happy…when I see that they notice our “joy in the LORD”…I know that we are on the right track.
I also know that there are days when my 59-year-old self asks, “What were you thinking?” as I try to physically keep up with these little balls of energy. But I am aware that the time is short…that before we can blink, these children will be grown…and what we do for them now matters greatly. Every opportunity we have to love them and show them how significant our relationship with Jesus is - in our lives and theirs - will be critical.
Here I go again…but as much as our three little ones are watching us, others are watching, too. They are looking to see how we conduct “daily business”…what we say and do in every arena - from our homes to our jobs to our church and other public venues…on social media…and even in how we look at others we pass in the grocery aisles or at the gas pumps! When someone sees us operating with joy and a positive attitude – especially if we claim to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus – they take notice of what God is doing for us. To the contrary, when we operate with a glum demeanor or a negative attitude…others are left to wonder where the joy of a relationship with the LORD is – or if it even truly exists!
My questions for us to ponder today are…“What are we showing others? Do they see someone who lives in the joy of Jesus and the confidence that He can help them through any and all situations? Or do we let “life” drag us down? When people look at us, do they see someone whose mood is dictated by the events of the day…or do we remain relatively solid and steadfast through all circumstances?
Are we busy doing good and trusting God to direct our words and actions, or are we worried about the opinions and ideas of others? Who is really running our lives? Are we joyful and happy most of the time…or do we sway with the wind?
We all have our “moments,” but for the most part, we have every reason to be joyful – and to demonstrate this to others. I realize that I have at least three sets of little eyes on me, so I have got to bring my “A-game!” How are you sharing Jesus these days? Are you so filled with the joy and goodness of Jesus that even a little child would take notice? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 4, 2015
Ephesians 4:14
We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One day last week, I fixed lunch for the children, and I made “ants on a log.” For those who have not heard of this, it’s celery pieces filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins. Timothy immediately told me that he did not like celery, so I made his “logs” with apple slices. Kids can be picky eaters…and ours are no exceptions. One loves cherry tomatoes…the others won’t touch them. Zola wants her cheese sandwiches without mayonnaise…Timothy wants “extra mayo!”
I put some fruit and Ritz® crackers on the plates, and the children had varied reactions. Timothy insisted he did not like crackers. I suggested that this one was more like a cookie…and after close examination and a sniff or two, he tasted it – and liked it! I know there are some who try to trick their kids into eating things they don’t like. Some go so far as to try to “sneak” healthy ingredients into foods the children will eat. And I guess I do a little manipulating by making the food “fun”…like “dolphin bananas” and smiley-faced pancakes. But generally, if the kids won't eat something with a little encouragement to try it, I just ignore the situation and let them decide.
Subtle tricks of manipulation are nothing new. Satan convinced Eve to try the apple in the Garden of Eden. A lot of folks have been coaxed into tasting something that they would otherwise never eat because they had no clue what they were sampling. And you can bet your bottom dollar that the devil uses slick tricks and manipulations to get us to change our minds and follow false teachings and listen to someone other than God…and he does this ALL.THE.TIME!
One of Satan’s best tricks is peer pressure. If everyone thinks that XYZ is right…especially someone we know/love/respect – a member of our family, co-workers or fellow church members – then these opinions must be correct. How often do you see families who are (at least, to some degree) split apart because one or two people decide that the “party line” philosophy about certain issues is not their own? I think one of the devil’s favorite phrases must be…”It’s always been done this way.” And he truly believes that we will support this notion!
Today, I am calling on each of us to search our hearts…and God’s word…and see what He has to say about the issues and challenges of our day. Just as I encouraged Timothy to try the cracker and see for himself whether he liked it…I urge you to sample God’s word – in print and as He speaks to you through prayer and meditation. Listen to Him and trust His directives. If they differ from the ones of those in your circle of influence, trust God to give you the strength and courage to stand up for them.
BE SURE that you are hearing from God…and not from someone in your circle who is telling you what they think God said to them! Use your brain! Open your own heart and mind and invite God to speak directly to you. We cannot take someone else’s word for it on these matters. We have to know for ourselves what God has to say. Have you talked with Him lately? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One day last week, I fixed lunch for the children, and I made “ants on a log.” For those who have not heard of this, it’s celery pieces filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins. Timothy immediately told me that he did not like celery, so I made his “logs” with apple slices. Kids can be picky eaters…and ours are no exceptions. One loves cherry tomatoes…the others won’t touch them. Zola wants her cheese sandwiches without mayonnaise…Timothy wants “extra mayo!”
I put some fruit and Ritz® crackers on the plates, and the children had varied reactions. Timothy insisted he did not like crackers. I suggested that this one was more like a cookie…and after close examination and a sniff or two, he tasted it – and liked it! I know there are some who try to trick their kids into eating things they don’t like. Some go so far as to try to “sneak” healthy ingredients into foods the children will eat. And I guess I do a little manipulating by making the food “fun”…like “dolphin bananas” and smiley-faced pancakes. But generally, if the kids won't eat something with a little encouragement to try it, I just ignore the situation and let them decide.
Subtle tricks of manipulation are nothing new. Satan convinced Eve to try the apple in the Garden of Eden. A lot of folks have been coaxed into tasting something that they would otherwise never eat because they had no clue what they were sampling. And you can bet your bottom dollar that the devil uses slick tricks and manipulations to get us to change our minds and follow false teachings and listen to someone other than God…and he does this ALL.THE.TIME!
One of Satan’s best tricks is peer pressure. If everyone thinks that XYZ is right…especially someone we know/love/respect – a member of our family, co-workers or fellow church members – then these opinions must be correct. How often do you see families who are (at least, to some degree) split apart because one or two people decide that the “party line” philosophy about certain issues is not their own? I think one of the devil’s favorite phrases must be…”It’s always been done this way.” And he truly believes that we will support this notion!
Today, I am calling on each of us to search our hearts…and God’s word…and see what He has to say about the issues and challenges of our day. Just as I encouraged Timothy to try the cracker and see for himself whether he liked it…I urge you to sample God’s word – in print and as He speaks to you through prayer and meditation. Listen to Him and trust His directives. If they differ from the ones of those in your circle of influence, trust God to give you the strength and courage to stand up for them.
BE SURE that you are hearing from God…and not from someone in your circle who is telling you what they think God said to them! Use your brain! Open your own heart and mind and invite God to speak directly to you. We cannot take someone else’s word for it on these matters. We have to know for ourselves what God has to say. Have you talked with Him lately? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 17, 2015
Deuteronomy 18:20
But any prophet who falsely claims that his message is from me shall die. And any prophet who claims to give a message from other gods must die.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
One of my new “favorite” TV shows is ABC’s Shark Tank. Maybe it’s because Greg and I were entrepreneurs who started our own business “from scratch”…and I see a lot of “us” in the contestants. I hear the “sharks” give advice that rings familiar and true…and I understand the passion of those who are pitching what they feel is the “next big thing” - and hoping that these business moguls will sign on to invest!
Kevin O’Leary is one of the “sharks” who appears regularly on this program. This mega-millionaire has several businesses, including a mutual funds company and his own wine label. Show producers have cultivated his persona as a hard-nosed grump. One of O’Leary’s favorite phrases is, “You’re dead to me.” If he doesn’t like what a contestant says or how he/she presents the “spiel”, he will say this. Worse yet, if a person contradicts him, their presentation time with him is over…they may as well pack up their wares and go home. At least for the sake of this TV program, if you mess with “Mr. Wonderful” (O’Leary’s on-air nickname), “You’re dead to me.”
Yes, this is harsh talk…and no, Kevin O’Leary is not my favorite “shark”. He is not nearly as wonderful as he is made out to be…and I am sure that there is a healthy mix of truth and “showbiz” going on there. But Kevin O’Leary is not God - or anyone worthy of worship. So we can take his “act” with a grain of salt and move on. But we dare not do this with our Heavenly Father!
We have to be very careful about believing everything we hear. A message is circulating on social media that says that Muslims are going to somehow be exempt from certain charges under the Affordable Care Act…that the specifics of this are buried in the language of this health care legislation. It’s totally untrue, but well-meaning believers are sharing this post…and muddying the water. Perhaps you have passed this along, thinking if XYZ shared it, there must be some truth to it. This is but one example of countless falsehoods and half truths that get passed on and fuel the fires of fear and mistrust…and make the devil jump up and down for joy.
We must thoroughly investigate everything we read and hear. We must dig deeply into God’s word to find HIS truth…and we must act responsibly on His behalf and make sure we have all of the facts and are hearing a truthful message before we react and respond…in all situations and circumstances. Do not be an agent for false prophets…do not buy into their ploys to sway you and pull you away from God. Do not listen to those who distort God’s message…or hide behind His name to serve their own agendas.
No one wants to be told, “You’re dead to me.” But when a TV personality utters this phrase, we have the luxury of dismissing it as a gimmick – or ratings hype. Hearing this from God would ultimately be the worst thing ever. Be careful…there are “sharks” among us, and some are nicer than others. Know who you are dealing with, and when they are feeding you a line. Make sure you never confuse the words and actions of imposters with those of God. Check your sources…and make sure that in everything you say and do, you represent God…and no one else!
©2015 Debbie Robus
But any prophet who falsely claims that his message is from me shall die. And any prophet who claims to give a message from other gods must die.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
One of my new “favorite” TV shows is ABC’s Shark Tank. Maybe it’s because Greg and I were entrepreneurs who started our own business “from scratch”…and I see a lot of “us” in the contestants. I hear the “sharks” give advice that rings familiar and true…and I understand the passion of those who are pitching what they feel is the “next big thing” - and hoping that these business moguls will sign on to invest!
Kevin O’Leary is one of the “sharks” who appears regularly on this program. This mega-millionaire has several businesses, including a mutual funds company and his own wine label. Show producers have cultivated his persona as a hard-nosed grump. One of O’Leary’s favorite phrases is, “You’re dead to me.” If he doesn’t like what a contestant says or how he/she presents the “spiel”, he will say this. Worse yet, if a person contradicts him, their presentation time with him is over…they may as well pack up their wares and go home. At least for the sake of this TV program, if you mess with “Mr. Wonderful” (O’Leary’s on-air nickname), “You’re dead to me.”
Yes, this is harsh talk…and no, Kevin O’Leary is not my favorite “shark”. He is not nearly as wonderful as he is made out to be…and I am sure that there is a healthy mix of truth and “showbiz” going on there. But Kevin O’Leary is not God - or anyone worthy of worship. So we can take his “act” with a grain of salt and move on. But we dare not do this with our Heavenly Father!
We have to be very careful about believing everything we hear. A message is circulating on social media that says that Muslims are going to somehow be exempt from certain charges under the Affordable Care Act…that the specifics of this are buried in the language of this health care legislation. It’s totally untrue, but well-meaning believers are sharing this post…and muddying the water. Perhaps you have passed this along, thinking if XYZ shared it, there must be some truth to it. This is but one example of countless falsehoods and half truths that get passed on and fuel the fires of fear and mistrust…and make the devil jump up and down for joy.
We must thoroughly investigate everything we read and hear. We must dig deeply into God’s word to find HIS truth…and we must act responsibly on His behalf and make sure we have all of the facts and are hearing a truthful message before we react and respond…in all situations and circumstances. Do not be an agent for false prophets…do not buy into their ploys to sway you and pull you away from God. Do not listen to those who distort God’s message…or hide behind His name to serve their own agendas.
No one wants to be told, “You’re dead to me.” But when a TV personality utters this phrase, we have the luxury of dismissing it as a gimmick – or ratings hype. Hearing this from God would ultimately be the worst thing ever. Be careful…there are “sharks” among us, and some are nicer than others. Know who you are dealing with, and when they are feeding you a line. Make sure you never confuse the words and actions of imposters with those of God. Check your sources…and make sure that in everything you say and do, you represent God…and no one else!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 8, 2015
Psalm 119:20-24
What I want most of all
and at all times
is to honor your laws.
You punish those boastful,
worthless nobodies
who turn
from your commands.
Don’t let them sneer
and insult me
for following you.
I keep thinking about
your teachings, Lord,
even if rulers plot
against me.
Your laws are my greatest joy!
I follow their advice.
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.
Two of my favorite television shows are "MasterChef"…and especially "MasterChef Junior". This program has featured “future chefs” as young as age eight who can cook gourmet dishes that would rival those prepared in a 5-star restaurant.
Now here’s the thing…I consider myself to be an okay cook. And there are dishes that I know how to make without a recipe. But this program puts cooks in a kitchen and says, “Make XYZ”. They have no recipe…sometimes they don’t even have a basic collection of ingredients…and they have to gather their items “from scratch” in the “Master Chef Pantry”. So obviously, before this program aired, these home cooks spent hours/days/weeks/months – or even YEARS – studying cookbooks and recipes, practicing in their home kitchens, and memorizing the ingredients and steps in a vast array of culinary creations.
On each season of these programs, there always tends to be at least one cook who thinks he/she knows more than the others. This person is sometimes a “renegade” of sorts who feels that the regular rules don’t apply to him/her. The instructions call for a dish to be done a certain way, but “I’m going to give it my own twist,” the cook will announce. This person seems to almost sneer at the others for being so literal…or he/she will make fun of the way another cook performs tasks...and/or call out the competitor’s apparent lack of knowledge or ability in a certain area. But almost to a person, this sort of behavior has backfired.
The old adage that “slow and steady wins the race” applies in many situations. And slow and steady faithfulness to God’s word and the teachings of Jesus will take you places as a Christian! Don’t get bogged down by those who want to tell you that their way is better – or that your ideas and opinions are wrong, just because they are different from the other guy’s. Listen to God and follow what He sows into your heart. Trust His teachings…make sure your words and actions line up with scripture, and let the others make a mess of things if they choose.
I could never be a Master Chef…probably not even with my cookbooks and recipes. Certainly nobody would want to eat what I prepared! And I can’t be the Christian disciple that God has called me to be without His word and teachings. I trust Him to walk with me every day and guide my steps…and I’m doing all I can to listen for His voice – often above the din and distraction of others’. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
What I want most of all
and at all times
is to honor your laws.
You punish those boastful,
worthless nobodies
who turn
from your commands.
Don’t let them sneer
and insult me
for following you.
I keep thinking about
your teachings, Lord,
even if rulers plot
against me.
Your laws are my greatest joy!
I follow their advice.
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.
Two of my favorite television shows are "MasterChef"…and especially "MasterChef Junior". This program has featured “future chefs” as young as age eight who can cook gourmet dishes that would rival those prepared in a 5-star restaurant.
Now here’s the thing…I consider myself to be an okay cook. And there are dishes that I know how to make without a recipe. But this program puts cooks in a kitchen and says, “Make XYZ”. They have no recipe…sometimes they don’t even have a basic collection of ingredients…and they have to gather their items “from scratch” in the “Master Chef Pantry”. So obviously, before this program aired, these home cooks spent hours/days/weeks/months – or even YEARS – studying cookbooks and recipes, practicing in their home kitchens, and memorizing the ingredients and steps in a vast array of culinary creations.
On each season of these programs, there always tends to be at least one cook who thinks he/she knows more than the others. This person is sometimes a “renegade” of sorts who feels that the regular rules don’t apply to him/her. The instructions call for a dish to be done a certain way, but “I’m going to give it my own twist,” the cook will announce. This person seems to almost sneer at the others for being so literal…or he/she will make fun of the way another cook performs tasks...and/or call out the competitor’s apparent lack of knowledge or ability in a certain area. But almost to a person, this sort of behavior has backfired.
The old adage that “slow and steady wins the race” applies in many situations. And slow and steady faithfulness to God’s word and the teachings of Jesus will take you places as a Christian! Don’t get bogged down by those who want to tell you that their way is better – or that your ideas and opinions are wrong, just because they are different from the other guy’s. Listen to God and follow what He sows into your heart. Trust His teachings…make sure your words and actions line up with scripture, and let the others make a mess of things if they choose.
I could never be a Master Chef…probably not even with my cookbooks and recipes. Certainly nobody would want to eat what I prepared! And I can’t be the Christian disciple that God has called me to be without His word and teachings. I trust Him to walk with me every day and guide my steps…and I’m doing all I can to listen for His voice – often above the din and distraction of others’. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 30, 2015
Luke 22:1-6
And now the Passover celebration was drawing near—the Jewish festival when only bread made without yeast was used. The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot—a possibility they greatly feared.
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward. So he began to look for an opportunity for them to arrest Jesus quietly when the crowds weren’t around.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you remember when you were a little kid, and maybe a group of other youngsters wanted to do something that they knew they shouldn’t…so they sought a scapegoat? Maybe they wanted to bust some windows in an old building…and they encouraged a younger sibling or friend to actually do the dirty work while they watched. Wanting to please…and maybe motivated by some sort of incentive (like a candy bar or a special toy – or merely the approval of the older children)…the younger child agreed to “do the dirty deed.” And then, when the damage was discovered, the older kids scattered like marbles…leaving their “patsy” to suffer the consequences.
I’ve read the scriptures about Judas Iscariot…I’ve examined some writings about his life and speculations on his motives. And here’s what I have concluded…Judas loved Jesus. And Jesus surely loved Judas. But Judas was “one of those people” who could be easily swayed, and this passage from Luke 22 says that the devil took advantage of this character flaw. He (the devil) started small…planting seeds of doubt about the effectiveness of Jesus’ ministries…filling Judas’ mind with questions about why such expensive perfumed oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet…creating seemingly tiny “frictions” between Judas and the other disciples.
From there, it escalated to a point that Judas found himself accepting a paltry 30 pieces of silver in exchange for a “kiss” that he agreed to plant on Jesus’ cheek. I don’t know that Judas ever in his wildest dreams imagined that the horrors of this Holy Week would occur. At the most, he probably thought the Romans would rough Jesus up a bit, detain Him for a few days, then release Him and maybe tell Him to “hit the road, Jack - and never come back!” Judas’ suicide indicates to me that he was remorseful…frightened…distraught over his mistake. Taking his life was ultimately Judas’ worst transgression, because I believe that Jesus would have forgiven him, had he repented.
But this is how these things happen. They start small…often with something that is seemingly innocent. We listen to a comment here…we laugh and snicker at a racist remark there…we turn and look the other way when someone is mistreated or discriminated against. And the first thing you know, we’ve signed on for bigger “jobs”. We’re openly calling people derogatory names…picking up our bag and moving to another row or seat when someone we deem to be offensive sits beside us…or teaching our children to hate certain races, ethnicities, people of different lifestyles, those who do not fit our “model” of socio-economic success, and those who are too fat or have a wild hair color or body art and piercings. We “plant the kiss” that says, “This is the person to persecute!” And it never even occurs to us that in doing such things, we have just betrayed Jesus as surely as Judas Iscariot did that fateful night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Hear the Good News…just as surely as Jesus loved Judas – He loves each of us. And just as I believe that Judas could have been forgiven and set upright, I believe that each of us can experience forgiveness – and salvation/restitution through the blood of Jesus. THIS is the Good News of Holy Week!
We are all potentially “Judas”…but we can turn this around…today…now…this minute! We can close the door on the devil, drop the money bag, and “turn this car around”! Don’t you want to do this? Aren’t you ready to sit at the feet of Jesus once again…free of any guilt, shame or remorse? Will this be the day that you seek His forgiveness and get started? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
And now the Passover celebration was drawing near—the Jewish festival when only bread made without yeast was used. The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot—a possibility they greatly feared.
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward. So he began to look for an opportunity for them to arrest Jesus quietly when the crowds weren’t around.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you remember when you were a little kid, and maybe a group of other youngsters wanted to do something that they knew they shouldn’t…so they sought a scapegoat? Maybe they wanted to bust some windows in an old building…and they encouraged a younger sibling or friend to actually do the dirty work while they watched. Wanting to please…and maybe motivated by some sort of incentive (like a candy bar or a special toy – or merely the approval of the older children)…the younger child agreed to “do the dirty deed.” And then, when the damage was discovered, the older kids scattered like marbles…leaving their “patsy” to suffer the consequences.
I’ve read the scriptures about Judas Iscariot…I’ve examined some writings about his life and speculations on his motives. And here’s what I have concluded…Judas loved Jesus. And Jesus surely loved Judas. But Judas was “one of those people” who could be easily swayed, and this passage from Luke 22 says that the devil took advantage of this character flaw. He (the devil) started small…planting seeds of doubt about the effectiveness of Jesus’ ministries…filling Judas’ mind with questions about why such expensive perfumed oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet…creating seemingly tiny “frictions” between Judas and the other disciples.
From there, it escalated to a point that Judas found himself accepting a paltry 30 pieces of silver in exchange for a “kiss” that he agreed to plant on Jesus’ cheek. I don’t know that Judas ever in his wildest dreams imagined that the horrors of this Holy Week would occur. At the most, he probably thought the Romans would rough Jesus up a bit, detain Him for a few days, then release Him and maybe tell Him to “hit the road, Jack - and never come back!” Judas’ suicide indicates to me that he was remorseful…frightened…distraught over his mistake. Taking his life was ultimately Judas’ worst transgression, because I believe that Jesus would have forgiven him, had he repented.
But this is how these things happen. They start small…often with something that is seemingly innocent. We listen to a comment here…we laugh and snicker at a racist remark there…we turn and look the other way when someone is mistreated or discriminated against. And the first thing you know, we’ve signed on for bigger “jobs”. We’re openly calling people derogatory names…picking up our bag and moving to another row or seat when someone we deem to be offensive sits beside us…or teaching our children to hate certain races, ethnicities, people of different lifestyles, those who do not fit our “model” of socio-economic success, and those who are too fat or have a wild hair color or body art and piercings. We “plant the kiss” that says, “This is the person to persecute!” And it never even occurs to us that in doing such things, we have just betrayed Jesus as surely as Judas Iscariot did that fateful night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Hear the Good News…just as surely as Jesus loved Judas – He loves each of us. And just as I believe that Judas could have been forgiven and set upright, I believe that each of us can experience forgiveness – and salvation/restitution through the blood of Jesus. THIS is the Good News of Holy Week!
We are all potentially “Judas”…but we can turn this around…today…now…this minute! We can close the door on the devil, drop the money bag, and “turn this car around”! Don’t you want to do this? Aren’t you ready to sit at the feet of Jesus once again…free of any guilt, shame or remorse? Will this be the day that you seek His forgiveness and get started? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 9, 2015
Deuteronomy 18:10-13
Don’t sacrifice your son or daughter. And don’t try to use any kind of magic or witchcraft to tell fortunes or to cast spells or to talk with spirits of the dead.
The Lord is disgusted with anyone who does these things, and that’s why he will help you destroy the nations that are in the land. Never be guilty of doing any of these disgusting things!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The media is buzzing over what was apparently false news reporting by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, who has admitted that he exaggerated his involvement in an incident in 2003 that involved military helicopters and soldiers he accompanied during the opening weeks of the war in Iraq. If you are like a lot of people, you’ve been a little disappointed – and surprised – by this disclosure. After all, we “welcome” these news anchors into our homes each evening – and let’s be honest – we make them “like family” and trust them to deliver the news with integrity and accuracy.
We ought to know better, but it’s human nature to want to believe these people. And it’s no different for many who desperately want to hear a “medium” tell them that their mother or father is “stepping forward with a message” from beyond. Who wouldn’t like to think that their dearly departed loved one is standing beside them saying, “Everything is okay.” When these people who claim to hear from “Spirit”, ask a few questions and seem to divulge information that only you could know, some are convinced that they truly are hearing from those on “the other side”.
Many of us have attached significance to rituals and practices of the church that erroneously elevate these to a level that God did not ordain. God is no more present at the altar of your church sanctuary than in your home, your car, or at your favorite fishing hole. The act of giving up something for Lent or fasting doesn’t necessarily make one more holy – or even draw you closer to God. These are not bad – or wrong – practices. But we must carefully examine our motives and the context and make sure that we are not seeking God in something because it makes us feel good about our faith.
When we fully unpack all of this, we see that the pervading desire is to draw closer to God…to find Him and hear from Him in a personal, significant way. And we don’t need witchcraft, sacrifices, rituals or communication with the dead to accomplish this. We’ve made so much of our faith into something that is not what God planned…so it’s no wonder that we have trouble finding Him!
The time has come for us to simplify…to reduce the “white noise” and outside voices…and truly spend some time in the still and quiet of God’s presence. Make the effort – and for many, it will be just that – to shut out the world for a few minutes and just “be” with God. Open your Bible and let God’s word speak to you – the Psalms are a great place to begin. Start a dialog with God…simply say, “Come Holy Spirit”…and invite Him to commence the conversation. Even if your mind wanders at first, direct your attention back to God and this quiet moment, and learn to connect with Him in a new and profound way.
Many of us are looking for truth in all the wrong places…the news media, friends and acquaintances, celebrities, elected officials, and even church leaders. While a lot of these folks truly are “good” people…even faith-filled Christians…they are all human – and imperfect. God is calling us to count on Him as our compass…not the world. He is ready, willing and more than able to meet us right where we are, but we have to give Him our full attention and devotion. Are you seeking His will and His word? Are you looking in the right places for God? Isn’t it time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Don’t sacrifice your son or daughter. And don’t try to use any kind of magic or witchcraft to tell fortunes or to cast spells or to talk with spirits of the dead.
The Lord is disgusted with anyone who does these things, and that’s why he will help you destroy the nations that are in the land. Never be guilty of doing any of these disgusting things!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The media is buzzing over what was apparently false news reporting by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, who has admitted that he exaggerated his involvement in an incident in 2003 that involved military helicopters and soldiers he accompanied during the opening weeks of the war in Iraq. If you are like a lot of people, you’ve been a little disappointed – and surprised – by this disclosure. After all, we “welcome” these news anchors into our homes each evening – and let’s be honest – we make them “like family” and trust them to deliver the news with integrity and accuracy.
We ought to know better, but it’s human nature to want to believe these people. And it’s no different for many who desperately want to hear a “medium” tell them that their mother or father is “stepping forward with a message” from beyond. Who wouldn’t like to think that their dearly departed loved one is standing beside them saying, “Everything is okay.” When these people who claim to hear from “Spirit”, ask a few questions and seem to divulge information that only you could know, some are convinced that they truly are hearing from those on “the other side”.
Many of us have attached significance to rituals and practices of the church that erroneously elevate these to a level that God did not ordain. God is no more present at the altar of your church sanctuary than in your home, your car, or at your favorite fishing hole. The act of giving up something for Lent or fasting doesn’t necessarily make one more holy – or even draw you closer to God. These are not bad – or wrong – practices. But we must carefully examine our motives and the context and make sure that we are not seeking God in something because it makes us feel good about our faith.
When we fully unpack all of this, we see that the pervading desire is to draw closer to God…to find Him and hear from Him in a personal, significant way. And we don’t need witchcraft, sacrifices, rituals or communication with the dead to accomplish this. We’ve made so much of our faith into something that is not what God planned…so it’s no wonder that we have trouble finding Him!
The time has come for us to simplify…to reduce the “white noise” and outside voices…and truly spend some time in the still and quiet of God’s presence. Make the effort – and for many, it will be just that – to shut out the world for a few minutes and just “be” with God. Open your Bible and let God’s word speak to you – the Psalms are a great place to begin. Start a dialog with God…simply say, “Come Holy Spirit”…and invite Him to commence the conversation. Even if your mind wanders at first, direct your attention back to God and this quiet moment, and learn to connect with Him in a new and profound way.
Many of us are looking for truth in all the wrong places…the news media, friends and acquaintances, celebrities, elected officials, and even church leaders. While a lot of these folks truly are “good” people…even faith-filled Christians…they are all human – and imperfect. God is calling us to count on Him as our compass…not the world. He is ready, willing and more than able to meet us right where we are, but we have to give Him our full attention and devotion. Are you seeking His will and His word? Are you looking in the right places for God? Isn’t it time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 27, 2015
Romans 16:17
And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Several years ago, Greg worked with a man who would say, “If you lie, you fry!...Hezekiah 3:5”. Sounds good, right? And truly, there are a lot of scripture verses about honesty…but this is not one of them! Let me know if you find the Book of Hezekiah in your Bible!
The October 2010 issue of Tails magazine carried a photo of celebrity chef Rachael Ray and her dog, with this headline…” Rachael Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog”. Oh, what a difference punctuation can make!
I share these two examples to illustrate that it is easy to get the wrong idea and/or misinterpret what we read and hear. And nowhere is this more prevalent than in the understanding of Scripture. Many times while writing these devotionals, I must back up and read the surrounding verses – or even surrounding chapters – to determine what was really being said and intended in a particular passage. Yet many wish to take one or two verses – or even a portion of a verse – and make it fit a specific agenda. And this is where we get into trouble.
Paul is challenging the Romans to carefully consider what we read and hear…and this is good advice in all arenas – not just the scriptures. Study the Bible and discern what God is really telling you in each verse. Dig deeply and make sure you understand the nuances and “where the commas have been removed” by some. Don’t take everything people tell you – or that you see in print – as the Gospel. Ask questions…use your head…proceed with caution.
If you lie, you very well might “fry”…but not because “Hezekiah” said so. And I know with a fair amount of certainty that Rachael Ray is not inspired by cooking her family and her dog. Where have you drawn wrong conclusions based on a snippet of information? Isn’t this a great day to start gathering all the facts and letting them guide your steps instead?
©2015 Debbie Robus
And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Several years ago, Greg worked with a man who would say, “If you lie, you fry!...Hezekiah 3:5”. Sounds good, right? And truly, there are a lot of scripture verses about honesty…but this is not one of them! Let me know if you find the Book of Hezekiah in your Bible!
The October 2010 issue of Tails magazine carried a photo of celebrity chef Rachael Ray and her dog, with this headline…” Rachael Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog”. Oh, what a difference punctuation can make!
I share these two examples to illustrate that it is easy to get the wrong idea and/or misinterpret what we read and hear. And nowhere is this more prevalent than in the understanding of Scripture. Many times while writing these devotionals, I must back up and read the surrounding verses – or even surrounding chapters – to determine what was really being said and intended in a particular passage. Yet many wish to take one or two verses – or even a portion of a verse – and make it fit a specific agenda. And this is where we get into trouble.
Paul is challenging the Romans to carefully consider what we read and hear…and this is good advice in all arenas – not just the scriptures. Study the Bible and discern what God is really telling you in each verse. Dig deeply and make sure you understand the nuances and “where the commas have been removed” by some. Don’t take everything people tell you – or that you see in print – as the Gospel. Ask questions…use your head…proceed with caution.
If you lie, you very well might “fry”…but not because “Hezekiah” said so. And I know with a fair amount of certainty that Rachael Ray is not inspired by cooking her family and her dog. Where have you drawn wrong conclusions based on a snippet of information? Isn’t this a great day to start gathering all the facts and letting them guide your steps instead?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 9, 2015
Galatians 2:4
While we were in conference we were infiltrated by spies pretending to be Christians, who slipped in to find out just how free true Christians are. Their ulterior motive was to reduce us to their brand of servitude. We didn’t give them the time of day. We were determined to preserve the truth of the Message for you.
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.
Someone shared a link on Facebook to an article titled “Dear Church, Here's Why People Are Really Leaving You”* Of course, this title grabbed my attention…and I have to say, the article is filled with valid points. As I read this scripture passage from Galatians, I was reminded of one particular comment made in “Point #5”…
I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and Bible study and determine “the truth of the Message”…then do everything you can to preserve it. Honor your relationship with God – and your commitment to Him - by turning a deaf ear to the noise of those who have ulterior motives and/or a personal agenda. Appreciate that your fellow believer’s “path” may not be exactly like yours…that his/her missions and ministries may not exactly line up with yours – and that’s okay.
As long as we are serving God with an obedient, faithful heart, we belong to Him…and God is bigger than any “church”. If we are the problem – from either side of the equation – it’s time that we made some changes. This is a good day to begin…wouldn’t you agree?
©2015 Debbie Robus
*http://www.faithit.com/dear-church-heres-why-people-are-really-leaving-you/.VK7OXdDwj30.facebook
While we were in conference we were infiltrated by spies pretending to be Christians, who slipped in to find out just how free true Christians are. Their ulterior motive was to reduce us to their brand of servitude. We didn’t give them the time of day. We were determined to preserve the truth of the Message for you.
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.
Someone shared a link on Facebook to an article titled “Dear Church, Here's Why People Are Really Leaving You”* Of course, this title grabbed my attention…and I have to say, the article is filled with valid points. As I read this scripture passage from Galatians, I was reminded of one particular comment made in “Point #5”…
I let you know how judged and ridiculed I feel when I'm with you, how much like a hopeless, failing outsider I feel on the periphery of your inward, judgmental communities, and you proceeded to tell me how "lost" I am, how hopelessly "in love with my sin" I must be to leave you, reminding me that I never really belonged with you anyway. Maybe you're right, Church. Maybe I am the problem.We always have to guard our heart – against discrimination and intolerance of others, AND against those who wish to judge us and make our relationship with God look just like theirs or fit their personal agenda. You do not have to “drink the Kool-Aid” for every single idea your fellow church members have. You should not be pressured with guilt or shamed into participating in missions or practices that you know in your heart are not what God has ordained for you. You don’t have to agree with the pervading positions on politics, economics, lifestyle choices, cultural differences, and more. Just because “everyone else is doing it” doesn’t make it right for you…even in the church!
I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and Bible study and determine “the truth of the Message”…then do everything you can to preserve it. Honor your relationship with God – and your commitment to Him - by turning a deaf ear to the noise of those who have ulterior motives and/or a personal agenda. Appreciate that your fellow believer’s “path” may not be exactly like yours…that his/her missions and ministries may not exactly line up with yours – and that’s okay.
As long as we are serving God with an obedient, faithful heart, we belong to Him…and God is bigger than any “church”. If we are the problem – from either side of the equation – it’s time that we made some changes. This is a good day to begin…wouldn’t you agree?
©2015 Debbie Robus
*http://www.faithit.com/dear-church-heres-why-people-are-really-leaving-you/.VK7OXdDwj30.facebook
Daily Devotional for January 1, 2015
2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets, too, in those days, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly tell their lies about God, turning against even their Master who bought them; but theirs will be a swift and terrible end.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Happy New Year! Today, we start with a “clean slate” as we welcome a new year…365 days of endless possibilities! Try as some might, no one can truly predict what will happen in the coming year. We really cannot accurately predict what type of weather we will have…how the economy will do or what the price of gas will be at the pump…or who will win the Final Four, the World Series, or the BCS Championship! But that will not stop many from trying. And sadly, more than a few will try to tell us that “the end is near”…that Jesus is returning and that there are “signs and symbols” which we must heed.
Here’s how I see it. When I leave this earth, I know where I am headed. I am not in any hurry to depart…but I am also not the least bit afraid of dying. I understand that there is work to be done…that there are souls yet to be saved…and that “the clock is ticking.” But the Bible clearly tells us we do not know the hour when Jesus will return. Even clearer is our mission in the meantime. We have been charged with telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ …and with emulating Him as much as we possibly can. If we are doing these two things, God will handle the rest.
Let’s make this the year that we stop listening to those false prophets and the people who want to scare us half to death…about death AND the return of Jesus. Let’s live every day like it may be our last (because that is very much a possibility)…and let’s fully represent Jesus in every breath we take.
Let’s make 2015 a year in which we can say that we served God with faith and fullness of heart, mind, body and soul. It’s a new day…and a new year…a gift that God has given each of us. What will you do with yours?
©2015 Debbie Robus
But there were false prophets, too, in those days, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly tell their lies about God, turning against even their Master who bought them; but theirs will be a swift and terrible end.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Happy New Year! Today, we start with a “clean slate” as we welcome a new year…365 days of endless possibilities! Try as some might, no one can truly predict what will happen in the coming year. We really cannot accurately predict what type of weather we will have…how the economy will do or what the price of gas will be at the pump…or who will win the Final Four, the World Series, or the BCS Championship! But that will not stop many from trying. And sadly, more than a few will try to tell us that “the end is near”…that Jesus is returning and that there are “signs and symbols” which we must heed.
Here’s how I see it. When I leave this earth, I know where I am headed. I am not in any hurry to depart…but I am also not the least bit afraid of dying. I understand that there is work to be done…that there are souls yet to be saved…and that “the clock is ticking.” But the Bible clearly tells us we do not know the hour when Jesus will return. Even clearer is our mission in the meantime. We have been charged with telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ …and with emulating Him as much as we possibly can. If we are doing these two things, God will handle the rest.
Let’s make this the year that we stop listening to those false prophets and the people who want to scare us half to death…about death AND the return of Jesus. Let’s live every day like it may be our last (because that is very much a possibility)…and let’s fully represent Jesus in every breath we take.
Let’s make 2015 a year in which we can say that we served God with faith and fullness of heart, mind, body and soul. It’s a new day…and a new year…a gift that God has given each of us. What will you do with yours?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 4, 2014
Matthew 1:18-21
These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her.
As he lay awake considering this, he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus (meaning ‘Savior’), for he will save his people from their sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There is a program on ABC called “What Would You Do?”…hosted by John Quinones. Actors are engaged to create “ethical situations”, such as bullying, public attacks and humiliation, neglect or abuse, and social and racial prejudice. Hidden cameras document how the people in the surrounding vicinity react to what is happening. At some point, Quinones comes in and tells the people that this was all a set-up. I have to say, it is quite interesting to see how many people say, “This is none of my concern”…and equally interesting to see that there are those who are willing to step up – and out – and take action!
Now consider this…Joseph, a carpenter in a small village, was engaged to be married. I would suspect that a lot of his work relied on word-of-mouth recommendations and his reputation. We know how this works…someone says, “I know ‘Bob the Builder’…he’s a good carpenter and a fine Christian man. You will be pleased with his work.” You rarely hear someone say, “Joe is a heavy drinker and his work is passable, but you should hire him to work for you.” So it is understandable – especially given the setting and the time in history – that Joseph would want to end this engagement.
Scripture indicates that Joseph considered Mary’s feelings and made plans to dissolve the relationship quietly and discreetly. I have to believe that he truly loved Mary and wanted to consider HER feelings and reputation, also. But more importantly, when God’s angel-agent appeared in Joseph’s dream and told him to go ahead with the wedding plans, Joseph listened!
Now I’m not saying that we should begin reading a lot into our dreams…or that reputation and “appearances” do not matter. But I believe there are far too many times when we worry more about what others will think than what God is calling us to do. There are times when we get a message from God – maybe not in the form of an angel who comes to us in a dream, but a clear message all the same - and we blow it off and discount its significance.
The call to each of us today is to wake up! Pay attention! Be on the lookout for God’s messages – and anticipate them. Prepare to be amazed and astounded by His call on your life – and be ready to take action! It took tremendous leaps of faith for Zachariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary and others to accept that these angel visits were truly sanctioned by God…and to trust the directives they received. I am convinced that God is still reaching out today…that He uses angels and other methods to deliver messages to us all the time. Are we receiving them? More importantly…are we acting on them with faith and obedience?
Obviously, God will not call us to give birth to the Savior of the World…or even His forerunner. But our mission(s) will be significant and sanctified, all the same. Others ARE watching to see how you will respond…Who and HOW you will serve. When God shows up in your life and gives you an assignment, what will you do?
©2014 Debbie Robus
These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her.
As he lay awake considering this, he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus (meaning ‘Savior’), for he will save his people from their sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There is a program on ABC called “What Would You Do?”…hosted by John Quinones. Actors are engaged to create “ethical situations”, such as bullying, public attacks and humiliation, neglect or abuse, and social and racial prejudice. Hidden cameras document how the people in the surrounding vicinity react to what is happening. At some point, Quinones comes in and tells the people that this was all a set-up. I have to say, it is quite interesting to see how many people say, “This is none of my concern”…and equally interesting to see that there are those who are willing to step up – and out – and take action!
Now consider this…Joseph, a carpenter in a small village, was engaged to be married. I would suspect that a lot of his work relied on word-of-mouth recommendations and his reputation. We know how this works…someone says, “I know ‘Bob the Builder’…he’s a good carpenter and a fine Christian man. You will be pleased with his work.” You rarely hear someone say, “Joe is a heavy drinker and his work is passable, but you should hire him to work for you.” So it is understandable – especially given the setting and the time in history – that Joseph would want to end this engagement.
Scripture indicates that Joseph considered Mary’s feelings and made plans to dissolve the relationship quietly and discreetly. I have to believe that he truly loved Mary and wanted to consider HER feelings and reputation, also. But more importantly, when God’s angel-agent appeared in Joseph’s dream and told him to go ahead with the wedding plans, Joseph listened!
Now I’m not saying that we should begin reading a lot into our dreams…or that reputation and “appearances” do not matter. But I believe there are far too many times when we worry more about what others will think than what God is calling us to do. There are times when we get a message from God – maybe not in the form of an angel who comes to us in a dream, but a clear message all the same - and we blow it off and discount its significance.
The call to each of us today is to wake up! Pay attention! Be on the lookout for God’s messages – and anticipate them. Prepare to be amazed and astounded by His call on your life – and be ready to take action! It took tremendous leaps of faith for Zachariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary and others to accept that these angel visits were truly sanctioned by God…and to trust the directives they received. I am convinced that God is still reaching out today…that He uses angels and other methods to deliver messages to us all the time. Are we receiving them? More importantly…are we acting on them with faith and obedience?
Obviously, God will not call us to give birth to the Savior of the World…or even His forerunner. But our mission(s) will be significant and sanctified, all the same. Others ARE watching to see how you will respond…Who and HOW you will serve. When God shows up in your life and gives you an assignment, what will you do?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 7, 2014
Luke 13:15-16
But Jesus shot back, “You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?”
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.
As I began to write this
devo, I glimpsed out my office window to see a little turtle crawling
across the driveway. Unlike our image of turtles as slow-moving
creatures, this little guy was in a hurry. It was as if he thought, “I
shouldn’t be here...I better get a move on and get outta here!” By the
same token, I have a “to-do” list for this day that is longer than my
arm...but I found myself out on the driveway, photographing a turtle and
marveling at how intricately he is created. From the honey-comb
pattern of his hard-shelled back to the delicate little claws on the
tips of his toes that help him grip the land as he travels along - and
the ingenious way he can retreat inside his shell and protect himself
from prey – God packed a punch of beauty and intricate design in this
small package!
I grabbed my camera and headed for the window, and then the front porch as he scurried on toward the yard – and ultimately into the safety of an adjacent woods. Then I posted a few of these pictures on Facebook with the verse from Psalm 139:14...”I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...”(NIV).
Here’s the thing...a lot of the time, we would say, “It’s just a turtle. Why stop my day and go to the trouble to grab a camera and take pictures?! Surely I need to be doing something more responsible or meaningful with these few minutes.” In other words...this is just not done – or it shouldn’t be! Had I kept on writing, the turtle would have wandered away, and life would have gone on as usual. But I would have missed a moment of “eucharisteo” – a chance to recognize the intricacies and artistry of God...and to give thanks for His attention to detail. I would have squandered a chance to be reminded that the God who cares so much about the last element of how a turtle’s body is knit together and functions also cares that much about me!
God doesn’t really care about our timetables. He wants us to be attuned to His. He doesn’t care nearly as much about “convention”, ritual and tradition as we do. God would far rather we notice His presence in the brief encounter with a turtle. He would rather we take time to heal someone in Jesus’ name on the Sabbath than worry about what day it is. In other words, God would rather you worry less about “how things are supposed to be done” and more about what you are actually doing that honors and glorifies Him!
Look at it this way...we will often stop everything to check our e-mail messages or read through posts on Facebook – but we won’t stop to speak to someone in the grocery store or the hallway at school or church. We will spend an hour watching “The Real Housewives of Something”...or “Swamp People”...but we won’t take 30 minutes to call a friend, write a note of encouragement, or knock on our neighbor’s door and ask how he/she is doing. We have all manner of time to scour magazines or the Internet for the latest scouting report on our favorite team...or the photos of George Clooney’s wedding – but we can’t sit quietly and watch God paint a picture with His glorious sunsets or the rising of a harvest moon!
Don’t miss the “turtles” in your life. Don’t waste a single chance for “eucharisteo”. Forget about how things have traditionally been done and ask God to show you how He wants you to do things! Embrace all that He has planned for you. Make sure you are always in His will and experiencing His healing power in even the smallest moments. Quit worrying about what others think. Concentrate on finding – and sharing – God’s love and care...even in a brief encounter with a turtle.
©2014 Debbie Robus
But Jesus shot back, “You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?”
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 grabbed my camera and headed for the window, and then the front porch as he scurried on toward the yard – and ultimately into the safety of an adjacent woods. Then I posted a few of these pictures on Facebook with the verse from Psalm 139:14...”I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...”(NIV).
Here’s the thing...a lot of the time, we would say, “It’s just a turtle. Why stop my day and go to the trouble to grab a camera and take pictures?! Surely I need to be doing something more responsible or meaningful with these few minutes.” In other words...this is just not done – or it shouldn’t be! Had I kept on writing, the turtle would have wandered away, and life would have gone on as usual. But I would have missed a moment of “eucharisteo” – a chance to recognize the intricacies and artistry of God...and to give thanks for His attention to detail. I would have squandered a chance to be reminded that the God who cares so much about the last element of how a turtle’s body is knit together and functions also cares that much about me!
God doesn’t really care about our timetables. He wants us to be attuned to His. He doesn’t care nearly as much about “convention”, ritual and tradition as we do. God would far rather we notice His presence in the brief encounter with a turtle. He would rather we take time to heal someone in Jesus’ name on the Sabbath than worry about what day it is. In other words, God would rather you worry less about “how things are supposed to be done” and more about what you are actually doing that honors and glorifies Him!
Look at it this way...we will often stop everything to check our e-mail messages or read through posts on Facebook – but we won’t stop to speak to someone in the grocery store or the hallway at school or church. We will spend an hour watching “The Real Housewives of Something”...or “Swamp People”...but we won’t take 30 minutes to call a friend, write a note of encouragement, or knock on our neighbor’s door and ask how he/she is doing. We have all manner of time to scour magazines or the Internet for the latest scouting report on our favorite team...or the photos of George Clooney’s wedding – but we can’t sit quietly and watch God paint a picture with His glorious sunsets or the rising of a harvest moon!
Don’t miss the “turtles” in your life. Don’t waste a single chance for “eucharisteo”. Forget about how things have traditionally been done and ask God to show you how He wants you to do things! Embrace all that He has planned for you. Make sure you are always in His will and experiencing His healing power in even the smallest moments. Quit worrying about what others think. Concentrate on finding – and sharing – God’s love and care...even in a brief encounter with a turtle.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 16, 2013
Psalm 146:3-9
Don’t put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don’t have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says—
he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners—
he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
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.
Sunday morning, Timothy came stomping into the bathroom where I was dressing for church. “Aunt Debbie,” he said indignantly, “Uncle Greg just called me a ‘stinker’!” I asked Timothy what he had done, and he replied, “But I’m hungry!” He had been opening the kitchen cabinets and drawers to scavenge for a snack! And truly, he comes by his “stinker” trait honestly. My Mam-ma Polly… Timothy’s great-great-grandmother, could really be a stinker at times. Take for instance the summer day that I grocery shopped for her, and she put Clorox® bleach on her list. It was at least 103 in the shade, and I had planned to shop at Wal-Mart. Clorox® bleach was on sale at a grocery store across town – for ten cents less. I told Mam-ma that I would just get her the store brand, because it was even cheaper. She went into a tailspin! It had to be Clorox®! I told her that “bleach is bleach”… but she vehemently disagreed. To “seal the deal”, she added a loaf of bread to her list – Best Choice… sold only at the store where the bleach was a dime cheaper! So of course, I did what any respectful grand-daughter would do… I trekked across town to the other store and bought her Clorox® bleach and the loaf of bread!
I come from a long line of “stinkers”… and we are all “brand snobs” about certain things. I will only use Hellmann’s REAL mayonnaise, and my chili flavoring of choice is Williams. My brother was a “brand snob” about several food items, and he, my dad, and my Mam-ma’s boyfriend all had major – and differing – opinions about which brand of canned pork ‘n beans was the best! And while each of us has preferences about certain things… or silly notions, ideas and opinions about this or that (and feel that OUR opinion is the RIGHT one!)…the world will not fall apart if we prefer Bush’s beans over Van de Kamp’s… or Kraft Mayo over Hellmann’s. It won’t even matter whether we use a generic bleach or the Clorox® brand!
But when it comes to our life – both on this earth and for all eternity… in the matter of where we place our hope… it matters greatly who we listen to and trust. You don’t have to look very far to get a zillion opinions. Some will tell you that you must attend this church or that one… that you must memorize scripture or perform certain rituals. Others will say that it doesn’t really matter – there are many ways to God and plenty of paths to heaven. Do NOT accept any imitations in your faith walk. Do not listen to those who speak of anything other than God’s word and time spent in His presence to determine what HE is saying to you. Study, pray, listen and learn for yourself! Don’t leave this up to anyone else!
Just because your friends and family members prefer “Brand A” faith doesn’t make it right for you any more than your taste buds are better suited to one store brand over another. You may be swayed by the media and peer pressure to purchase certain brands, to support a particular political party, and even to drive a certain kind of car. You may do everything you can to fit in with others in society…to conform to what others tell you is “normal” and “expected.” But I am telling you this… in matters of your heart, your soul, and your eternity… all the hype in the world is exactly that - puff and fluff. Stick with the REAL DEAL… put your hope in God Almighty. Trust the teachings and actions of Jesus Christ… believe in His sacrifices for you on the cross, and in the hope of a place in His presence someday in heaven.
If you must be a “stinker”, be one for God! Insist on Him and nothing else. Make Him your “brand of choice”… your only hope… and never waver. You can always trust Him to give you the best results… to bless you immeasurably and never steer you down the wrong path. God is worth the “drive across town”… His love and care is literally the biggest savings of your life!
Who are you listening to these days? Are you swayed by the message of “experts”… or are you clinging to the words and wisdom of God Almighty? Are you secure in the hope of heaven and God’s promises? Isn’t it time you were?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Don’t put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don’t have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says—
he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners—
he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
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.
Sunday morning, Timothy came stomping into the bathroom where I was dressing for church. “Aunt Debbie,” he said indignantly, “Uncle Greg just called me a ‘stinker’!” I asked Timothy what he had done, and he replied, “But I’m hungry!” He had been opening the kitchen cabinets and drawers to scavenge for a snack! And truly, he comes by his “stinker” trait honestly. My Mam-ma Polly… Timothy’s great-great-grandmother, could really be a stinker at times. Take for instance the summer day that I grocery shopped for her, and she put Clorox® bleach on her list. It was at least 103 in the shade, and I had planned to shop at Wal-Mart. Clorox® bleach was on sale at a grocery store across town – for ten cents less. I told Mam-ma that I would just get her the store brand, because it was even cheaper. She went into a tailspin! It had to be Clorox®! I told her that “bleach is bleach”… but she vehemently disagreed. To “seal the deal”, she added a loaf of bread to her list – Best Choice… sold only at the store where the bleach was a dime cheaper! So of course, I did what any respectful grand-daughter would do… I trekked across town to the other store and bought her Clorox® bleach and the loaf of bread!
I come from a long line of “stinkers”… and we are all “brand snobs” about certain things. I will only use Hellmann’s REAL mayonnaise, and my chili flavoring of choice is Williams. My brother was a “brand snob” about several food items, and he, my dad, and my Mam-ma’s boyfriend all had major – and differing – opinions about which brand of canned pork ‘n beans was the best! And while each of us has preferences about certain things… or silly notions, ideas and opinions about this or that (and feel that OUR opinion is the RIGHT one!)…the world will not fall apart if we prefer Bush’s beans over Van de Kamp’s… or Kraft Mayo over Hellmann’s. It won’t even matter whether we use a generic bleach or the Clorox® brand!
But when it comes to our life – both on this earth and for all eternity… in the matter of where we place our hope… it matters greatly who we listen to and trust. You don’t have to look very far to get a zillion opinions. Some will tell you that you must attend this church or that one… that you must memorize scripture or perform certain rituals. Others will say that it doesn’t really matter – there are many ways to God and plenty of paths to heaven. Do NOT accept any imitations in your faith walk. Do not listen to those who speak of anything other than God’s word and time spent in His presence to determine what HE is saying to you. Study, pray, listen and learn for yourself! Don’t leave this up to anyone else!
Just because your friends and family members prefer “Brand A” faith doesn’t make it right for you any more than your taste buds are better suited to one store brand over another. You may be swayed by the media and peer pressure to purchase certain brands, to support a particular political party, and even to drive a certain kind of car. You may do everything you can to fit in with others in society…to conform to what others tell you is “normal” and “expected.” But I am telling you this… in matters of your heart, your soul, and your eternity… all the hype in the world is exactly that - puff and fluff. Stick with the REAL DEAL… put your hope in God Almighty. Trust the teachings and actions of Jesus Christ… believe in His sacrifices for you on the cross, and in the hope of a place in His presence someday in heaven.
If you must be a “stinker”, be one for God! Insist on Him and nothing else. Make Him your “brand of choice”… your only hope… and never waver. You can always trust Him to give you the best results… to bless you immeasurably and never steer you down the wrong path. God is worth the “drive across town”… His love and care is literally the biggest savings of your life!
Who are you listening to these days? Are you swayed by the message of “experts”… or are you clinging to the words and wisdom of God Almighty? Are you secure in the hope of heaven and God’s promises? Isn’t it time you were?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 10, 2013
1 John 4:1
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
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.
A few weeks ago, I bought a lace tablecloth at an estate sale. A friend of mine was managing the sale, and I commented to him that this cloth had a fairly large stain in the middle. He readily replied, “Fels-Naptha soap.” He went on to explain how to use this very old brand of laundry soap to remove stains from clothing. I told him that my “go-to” stain remover was OxiClean®, and he shook his head and said, “No… this is MUCH better.” So I came home and tried Fels-Naptha… with no success. The stain was still as vivid as ever. So I will probably wash the piece again with some OxiClean®… or possibly even some bleach.
Now I’m not saying my friend is a “false prophet.” And maybe this laundry soap does work for him on the stains he has encountered. But social media is FULL of supposed “magic bullets” for cleaning virtually everything these days. Many are sharing these “secrets” with others before they have tried them to personally determine how effective they truly are. And that’s where this scripture passage comes into the picture.
So many of us are taking the word of others over God’s declaration for our lives. We are listening to people who tell us we don’t need this or that… even well-meaning friends and family members who offer their “take” on what God intends. For example… many loving, caring Christians emphasize God’s displeasure with sin and the danger of being tossed into the fiery depths of hell exponentially more than they share with others how much God loves us. I didn’t truly learn about grace, mercy, forgiveness and serving out of a deep desire to show God how much I love Him until I was a grown woman. Like many, those who shared in my early faith lessons meant well… but they operated from a place of fear more than one of grace. And I have to tell you, there is very little peace in serving God from this perspective!
I am encouraging you to share with others and learn from them about what God has in store for you. Hear their thoughts… but test them for yourself. Spend time in prayer and Bible study… ASK God to clearly define what He is telling you. When it comes to the authenticity of God’s word and the presence of His Holy Spirit in your own life, don’t take others’ word for it. Ask questions, make investigations… test the waters a little and see if this is really what God intended for you. Focus on Jesus and His love and sacrifices for you. Operate from a deep, abiding desire to love Him back… not out of turmoil and a fear of retribution… and you will have incredible peace. Know that you know that you KNOW that you are really hearing from God… and enjoy the quiet serenity that comes with living in His wisdom and glory.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
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.
A few weeks ago, I bought a lace tablecloth at an estate sale. A friend of mine was managing the sale, and I commented to him that this cloth had a fairly large stain in the middle. He readily replied, “Fels-Naptha soap.” He went on to explain how to use this very old brand of laundry soap to remove stains from clothing. I told him that my “go-to” stain remover was OxiClean®, and he shook his head and said, “No… this is MUCH better.” So I came home and tried Fels-Naptha… with no success. The stain was still as vivid as ever. So I will probably wash the piece again with some OxiClean®… or possibly even some bleach.
Now I’m not saying my friend is a “false prophet.” And maybe this laundry soap does work for him on the stains he has encountered. But social media is FULL of supposed “magic bullets” for cleaning virtually everything these days. Many are sharing these “secrets” with others before they have tried them to personally determine how effective they truly are. And that’s where this scripture passage comes into the picture.
So many of us are taking the word of others over God’s declaration for our lives. We are listening to people who tell us we don’t need this or that… even well-meaning friends and family members who offer their “take” on what God intends. For example… many loving, caring Christians emphasize God’s displeasure with sin and the danger of being tossed into the fiery depths of hell exponentially more than they share with others how much God loves us. I didn’t truly learn about grace, mercy, forgiveness and serving out of a deep desire to show God how much I love Him until I was a grown woman. Like many, those who shared in my early faith lessons meant well… but they operated from a place of fear more than one of grace. And I have to tell you, there is very little peace in serving God from this perspective!
I am encouraging you to share with others and learn from them about what God has in store for you. Hear their thoughts… but test them for yourself. Spend time in prayer and Bible study… ASK God to clearly define what He is telling you. When it comes to the authenticity of God’s word and the presence of His Holy Spirit in your own life, don’t take others’ word for it. Ask questions, make investigations… test the waters a little and see if this is really what God intended for you. Focus on Jesus and His love and sacrifices for you. Operate from a deep, abiding desire to love Him back… not out of turmoil and a fear of retribution… and you will have incredible peace. Know that you know that you KNOW that you are really hearing from God… and enjoy the quiet serenity that comes with living in His wisdom and glory.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 13, 2013
April 13 ~ Genesis 3:12-13
“It was the woman you put here with me,” the man said. “She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it.”
The Lord God then asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The snake tricked me,” she answered. “And I ate some of that fruit.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My maternal grandmother’s younger sister, Mary Louise, was a character. When she was asked to do something that she didn’t want to do, she made up excuses or blamed something or someone else. One Christmas Day, the family had lunch at our house, and before the last dish was washed, “Aunt Wease”, as we called her, had to go home. I asked, “You’re leaving so soon?” She replied… “Oh yes, I have to wash my hair!” Another time, I invited her and my Uncle Earl to a cookout at our house. I called to invite them at least a week in advance, and Aunt Wease said, “Oh, we can’t come… the weather is not going to be good, and I will have allergy problems.” There was no way she could know the weather conditions that far in advance… but that was her story – and they did not come to the cookout!
Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we have all sorts of excuses for the things we say and do… and ready justifications for not doing the things that do not interest us - or those we find unpleasant in some way. It’s never our fault… someone gave us a drink or pill and said “Try this… you’ll like it.” If we are asked, “Where did you get that?” our ready answer is, “It was given to me and I didn’t know what it was. I had no idea it was illegal/dangerous/stolen… you fill in the blanks.” We pretend to look the other way rather than confront someone who is telling an off-color joke or making a slur toward someone of another race, lifestyle, or socio-economic class. We didn’t fail to speak to Bob when we saw him at church – we simply didn’t see him (well, we did, but we walked really fast and looked in the other direction!).
Often, we don’t take responsibility for our words and actions, because to do so would mean that we have to admit we know that we are making poor decisions, at best. Adam and Eve were clearly told not to pick the fruit of the Tree of Life… yet Eve made a bad choice. When confronted, Adam blamed Eve… who in turn blamed the snake (devil). When we don’t want to do something, we rarely say, “I simply am not interested.” Instead, we roll out all sorts of excuses. Sometimes, we do this in an effort to protect the feelings of the other party. I’ve done this myself… often with disastrous results.
Other times, we are “discovered”… and more excuses start rolling off of our tongue. Instead of telling someone we didn’t come to visit them when they were sick or injured because we find hospitals and sick beds depressing and upsetting – or we got so engrossed in our own agendas that we totally forgot about this person - we say, “I’m sorry… I was just SO busy – but I thought about you!” (as if this makes it all okay). Rather than admit that we do not feel God calling us to participate in XYZ ministry or Bible study, we smile and say, “I would love to… but I’m just so busy at work/school/home.” When God says to us, “You should help that woman in front of you at the grocery check-out line who is fumbling with her wallet and a small child,” we whisper, “But God… that will embarrass him/her… she doesn’t know me!” and do nothing. Or we tell someone our allergies are flaring or we have to wash your hair in order to flee a social event that is not flipping our wig!
I am not saying to be blunt, unkind or harsh with explanations. But too many of us offer excuses to others – and to God – where none are needed. And often, these alibis and “good reasons” make things worse! God knows already! He knows what we are doing – and why – before we do! And often, the justifications we offer to others – or the blame we pass onto someone else – do nothing more than make us look ridiculous… particularly if the other party discovers the truth!
What is the solution? God is calling us to be genuine… to accept that we are sinners, pure and simple. We humans will make mistakes. We will occasionally exercise poor judgment. There will be unpleasant life situations in which we would rather not participate… and we will have to decide whether we can simply step back and refuse – or whether God is saying, “Do this for Me, and I will help you get through it.” In all things, we need to seek God… to ask Him, “LORD, what do YOU want me to do?” This will greatly reduce the number of lapses we have… and help to build our integrity in the bargain. The devil very well may have encouraged you to make a wrong choice. But Christian disciples can no longer hide behind Satan. Will you stand front and center for Jesus? Shouldn’t you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
“It was the woman you put here with me,” the man said. “She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it.”
The Lord God then asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The snake tricked me,” she answered. “And I ate some of that fruit.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My maternal grandmother’s younger sister, Mary Louise, was a character. When she was asked to do something that she didn’t want to do, she made up excuses or blamed something or someone else. One Christmas Day, the family had lunch at our house, and before the last dish was washed, “Aunt Wease”, as we called her, had to go home. I asked, “You’re leaving so soon?” She replied… “Oh yes, I have to wash my hair!” Another time, I invited her and my Uncle Earl to a cookout at our house. I called to invite them at least a week in advance, and Aunt Wease said, “Oh, we can’t come… the weather is not going to be good, and I will have allergy problems.” There was no way she could know the weather conditions that far in advance… but that was her story – and they did not come to the cookout!
Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we have all sorts of excuses for the things we say and do… and ready justifications for not doing the things that do not interest us - or those we find unpleasant in some way. It’s never our fault… someone gave us a drink or pill and said “Try this… you’ll like it.” If we are asked, “Where did you get that?” our ready answer is, “It was given to me and I didn’t know what it was. I had no idea it was illegal/dangerous/stolen… you fill in the blanks.” We pretend to look the other way rather than confront someone who is telling an off-color joke or making a slur toward someone of another race, lifestyle, or socio-economic class. We didn’t fail to speak to Bob when we saw him at church – we simply didn’t see him (well, we did, but we walked really fast and looked in the other direction!).
Often, we don’t take responsibility for our words and actions, because to do so would mean that we have to admit we know that we are making poor decisions, at best. Adam and Eve were clearly told not to pick the fruit of the Tree of Life… yet Eve made a bad choice. When confronted, Adam blamed Eve… who in turn blamed the snake (devil). When we don’t want to do something, we rarely say, “I simply am not interested.” Instead, we roll out all sorts of excuses. Sometimes, we do this in an effort to protect the feelings of the other party. I’ve done this myself… often with disastrous results.
Other times, we are “discovered”… and more excuses start rolling off of our tongue. Instead of telling someone we didn’t come to visit them when they were sick or injured because we find hospitals and sick beds depressing and upsetting – or we got so engrossed in our own agendas that we totally forgot about this person - we say, “I’m sorry… I was just SO busy – but I thought about you!” (as if this makes it all okay). Rather than admit that we do not feel God calling us to participate in XYZ ministry or Bible study, we smile and say, “I would love to… but I’m just so busy at work/school/home.” When God says to us, “You should help that woman in front of you at the grocery check-out line who is fumbling with her wallet and a small child,” we whisper, “But God… that will embarrass him/her… she doesn’t know me!” and do nothing. Or we tell someone our allergies are flaring or we have to wash your hair in order to flee a social event that is not flipping our wig!
I am not saying to be blunt, unkind or harsh with explanations. But too many of us offer excuses to others – and to God – where none are needed. And often, these alibis and “good reasons” make things worse! God knows already! He knows what we are doing – and why – before we do! And often, the justifications we offer to others – or the blame we pass onto someone else – do nothing more than make us look ridiculous… particularly if the other party discovers the truth!
What is the solution? God is calling us to be genuine… to accept that we are sinners, pure and simple. We humans will make mistakes. We will occasionally exercise poor judgment. There will be unpleasant life situations in which we would rather not participate… and we will have to decide whether we can simply step back and refuse – or whether God is saying, “Do this for Me, and I will help you get through it.” In all things, we need to seek God… to ask Him, “LORD, what do YOU want me to do?” This will greatly reduce the number of lapses we have… and help to build our integrity in the bargain. The devil very well may have encouraged you to make a wrong choice. But Christian disciples can no longer hide behind Satan. Will you stand front and center for Jesus? Shouldn’t you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 11, 2013
Exodus 22:22-24
Aaron said, “Master, don’t be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. This Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.’
“So I said, ‘Who has gold?’ And they took off their jewelry and gave it to me. I threw it in the fire and out came this calf.”
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.
One day when I was visiting my niece and her children, Timothy said, “Mommy told me… ‘GO TO YOUR ROOM!’” (he said it in a very stern, loud voice). His mother said, “Tell Aunt Debbie the rest of the story!” “Well…” Timothy began… and with his mother’s help, he explained how he had gotten up early and helped himself to the cupcakes sitting atop the kitchen counter. I guess you could say this was his “golden calf” moment. In his mind, he was innocent… totally justified. His mother was the “bad guy” just as the Israelites were Aaron’s downfall. It certainly was not his fault at all! After all… she brought the cupcakes into the house to tempt him!
For many of us – in many circumstances - “the devil made us do it.” We have all sorts of excuses for the things we say and do… but none of them involve taking personal responsibility for them. We are persuaded by friends, co-workers, relatives, leaders, and even the media to believe one way or another… and to act accordingly. We blame anyone and everyone. It’s not our fault… it never is! And if another person is not directly responsible, we blame the environment, the weather, or even the economy! And we don’t have the luxury of claiming three-year-old innocence/ignorance! We know better… we just choose to do as we please and hope that we aren’t caught!
And if all of this is not enough, we have a whole other set of excuses to offer God about our life as a disciple of Christ. We blame our sins and lack of faithfulness on everything from the outside influences of others to a sense of inadequacy as a Christian to… yes… the devil! We are so busy charging ahead and living as we please that we don’t wait on the LORD for guidance and answers. We don’t give God a chance to fulfill His promises… we don’t allow Him room to work. We want a cupcake, so to speak… and we want it now! And when things go badly, we are always like Aaron or the errant child… we haven’t a clue how it happened. All we did was toss some “gold” into the fire, and out popped a “calf idol”! (You can substitute your own “gold” and “idols”… because I’m pretty sure we have all had them at one time or another!)
So where does this leave us? Hopefully, you can see that making excuses to God is ridiculous… and a waste of breath. He knows better – even if we don’t! It’s time for us to “come clean”… to own up to our mistakes and missteps… and to fervently and sincerely make every effort to do better. We need to spend some serious time in prayer and communication with God… to reaffirm our commitment to live for Him and to fulfill His purposes for our lives. And we need to ask for patience! In other words… it’s time for us to grow up!
We are called to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth… to share His Good News with others… and we can’t do this if we are constantly going off on tangents and doing as we please – or listening to the persuasions of others and addressing their agendas! Who are you serving these days? Are you waiting on a word from God before you act? Are you listening to the wrong people and then blaming someone else for your mistakes? Isn’t it time to pull the plug on all of that and start living the life to which God has called you? What do you say… aren’t you tired of making excuses?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Aaron said, “Master, don’t be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. This Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.’
“So I said, ‘Who has gold?’ And they took off their jewelry and gave it to me. I threw it in the fire and out came this calf.”
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.
One day when I was visiting my niece and her children, Timothy said, “Mommy told me… ‘GO TO YOUR ROOM!’” (he said it in a very stern, loud voice). His mother said, “Tell Aunt Debbie the rest of the story!” “Well…” Timothy began… and with his mother’s help, he explained how he had gotten up early and helped himself to the cupcakes sitting atop the kitchen counter. I guess you could say this was his “golden calf” moment. In his mind, he was innocent… totally justified. His mother was the “bad guy” just as the Israelites were Aaron’s downfall. It certainly was not his fault at all! After all… she brought the cupcakes into the house to tempt him!
For many of us – in many circumstances - “the devil made us do it.” We have all sorts of excuses for the things we say and do… but none of them involve taking personal responsibility for them. We are persuaded by friends, co-workers, relatives, leaders, and even the media to believe one way or another… and to act accordingly. We blame anyone and everyone. It’s not our fault… it never is! And if another person is not directly responsible, we blame the environment, the weather, or even the economy! And we don’t have the luxury of claiming three-year-old innocence/ignorance! We know better… we just choose to do as we please and hope that we aren’t caught!
And if all of this is not enough, we have a whole other set of excuses to offer God about our life as a disciple of Christ. We blame our sins and lack of faithfulness on everything from the outside influences of others to a sense of inadequacy as a Christian to… yes… the devil! We are so busy charging ahead and living as we please that we don’t wait on the LORD for guidance and answers. We don’t give God a chance to fulfill His promises… we don’t allow Him room to work. We want a cupcake, so to speak… and we want it now! And when things go badly, we are always like Aaron or the errant child… we haven’t a clue how it happened. All we did was toss some “gold” into the fire, and out popped a “calf idol”! (You can substitute your own “gold” and “idols”… because I’m pretty sure we have all had them at one time or another!)
So where does this leave us? Hopefully, you can see that making excuses to God is ridiculous… and a waste of breath. He knows better – even if we don’t! It’s time for us to “come clean”… to own up to our mistakes and missteps… and to fervently and sincerely make every effort to do better. We need to spend some serious time in prayer and communication with God… to reaffirm our commitment to live for Him and to fulfill His purposes for our lives. And we need to ask for patience! In other words… it’s time for us to grow up!
We are called to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth… to share His Good News with others… and we can’t do this if we are constantly going off on tangents and doing as we please – or listening to the persuasions of others and addressing their agendas! Who are you serving these days? Are you waiting on a word from God before you act? Are you listening to the wrong people and then blaming someone else for your mistakes? Isn’t it time to pull the plug on all of that and start living the life to which God has called you? What do you say… aren’t you tired of making excuses?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 8, 2013
April 8 ~ 2 Timothy 3:13-16
But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
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.
Years ago, I attended a gala dinner at a posh hotel in Little Rock. I was handling public relations for a company whose president was an honoree at this event, so several employees were brought along as guests. Most of us were in our late twenties and early thirties at the time, and as we sat around this beautifully appointed dinner table, we whispered, “Do you know what fork we use? What is that spoon for? Are we supposed to use this glass or that one?” Most of us had grown up dining at a table in or near the kitchen… serving our meals “family-style” from community bowls placed in the center. We had one fork, a napkin, and maybe a knife - if roast beef or pork chops were on the menu!
At this dinner, we could have easily been intimidated and embarrassed… particularly if someone seated at our table had actually known what was what and decided to show us and treat us like we were ignorant! They might have even persuaded us to do something that was socially inappropriate or convinced us to do something improper… like using our soup spoon to eat our dessert. I know… pretty small potatoes in the scheme of things! Still, we were glad this did not happen. When we got home, I looked up information on formal table settings and studied what the utensils and dishes were for… in case I ever found myself in that situation again!
In our daily living, there are plenty of people who are ready to persuade us to speak or behave in a particular manner… to believe certain things because, “He/she said it was true!” It’s somewhat the “If-someone-told-you-to-jump-off-a-cliff-would-you-do-it?” syndrome. We often try to use the excuse that “everyone else is doing it,” or “So-and-so said this would be okay.” Paul is reminding us in this scripture passage that we have the ultimate “rule book” on this… God’s Holy Bible. We can live by the world’s rules… or we can study scripture and see what God has to say about the situations and challenges of our daily lives. We can listen to the media, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, or even the cashier in the check-out line at the store who wants to tell us that he/she just heard that the world is flat and the lunar landings were fabricated on a movie set in Hollywood! OR… we can listen to the word of God… hear His answers whispered to us in prayer… study the examples of Godly people in our midst… and we can choose to do what is right.
God may not tell you which spoon or fork to use at a fancy dinner. But when it comes to the important stuff, He will always give you the right answers. Who are you listening to these days?
©2013 Debbie Robus
But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
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.
Years ago, I attended a gala dinner at a posh hotel in Little Rock. I was handling public relations for a company whose president was an honoree at this event, so several employees were brought along as guests. Most of us were in our late twenties and early thirties at the time, and as we sat around this beautifully appointed dinner table, we whispered, “Do you know what fork we use? What is that spoon for? Are we supposed to use this glass or that one?” Most of us had grown up dining at a table in or near the kitchen… serving our meals “family-style” from community bowls placed in the center. We had one fork, a napkin, and maybe a knife - if roast beef or pork chops were on the menu!
At this dinner, we could have easily been intimidated and embarrassed… particularly if someone seated at our table had actually known what was what and decided to show us and treat us like we were ignorant! They might have even persuaded us to do something that was socially inappropriate or convinced us to do something improper… like using our soup spoon to eat our dessert. I know… pretty small potatoes in the scheme of things! Still, we were glad this did not happen. When we got home, I looked up information on formal table settings and studied what the utensils and dishes were for… in case I ever found myself in that situation again!
In our daily living, there are plenty of people who are ready to persuade us to speak or behave in a particular manner… to believe certain things because, “He/she said it was true!” It’s somewhat the “If-someone-told-you-to-jump-off-a-cliff-would-you-do-it?” syndrome. We often try to use the excuse that “everyone else is doing it,” or “So-and-so said this would be okay.” Paul is reminding us in this scripture passage that we have the ultimate “rule book” on this… God’s Holy Bible. We can live by the world’s rules… or we can study scripture and see what God has to say about the situations and challenges of our daily lives. We can listen to the media, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, or even the cashier in the check-out line at the store who wants to tell us that he/she just heard that the world is flat and the lunar landings were fabricated on a movie set in Hollywood! OR… we can listen to the word of God… hear His answers whispered to us in prayer… study the examples of Godly people in our midst… and we can choose to do what is right.
God may not tell you which spoon or fork to use at a fancy dinner. But when it comes to the important stuff, He will always give you the right answers. Who are you listening to these days?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 2, 2012
May 2 ~ Ephesians 4:14
We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place.
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.
Please pardon my rather gross analogy today, but when I was teaching kindergarten, a fellow teacher used to tell our 5-year-olds, “Stop picking your nose… you’ll poke out your eye!” Apparently, many of the children believed she was telling the truth. Of course, as they grew older, I’m sure more than a few figured out that this truly would not happen. But the young students, eager to trust their teacher, took her admonishment to heart!
So many of us are like children when it comes to our faith… but not always in a good way. We trust others to tell us God’s truth instead of discovering Him for ourselves. We take the word of men and women – often well-meaning souls – who have decided that “this is what it says in the Bible,” which translates into… “this is what you ought to believe!” So some of us grow up in our faith believing certain interpretations created by man are actually literal scripture references. Sometimes we discover the true word of God in these situations and change our way of thinking… and sometimes we cling to these falsehoods and make them part of our own witness.
We can’t put words in God’s mouth… and we cannot merely accept the word of other “teachers” about what He says. We have to dig deeply on our own and discover God’s message for us. We can stay children who fear poking our eye out, or we can grow up and get to truly know God and what He desires for us.
It’s up to each one of us to decide whether we will stand in confidence that we have heard from God… or whether we will let others toss us about like the wind. Where do you stand today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place.
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.
Please pardon my rather gross analogy today, but when I was teaching kindergarten, a fellow teacher used to tell our 5-year-olds, “Stop picking your nose… you’ll poke out your eye!” Apparently, many of the children believed she was telling the truth. Of course, as they grew older, I’m sure more than a few figured out that this truly would not happen. But the young students, eager to trust their teacher, took her admonishment to heart!
So many of us are like children when it comes to our faith… but not always in a good way. We trust others to tell us God’s truth instead of discovering Him for ourselves. We take the word of men and women – often well-meaning souls – who have decided that “this is what it says in the Bible,” which translates into… “this is what you ought to believe!” So some of us grow up in our faith believing certain interpretations created by man are actually literal scripture references. Sometimes we discover the true word of God in these situations and change our way of thinking… and sometimes we cling to these falsehoods and make them part of our own witness.
We can’t put words in God’s mouth… and we cannot merely accept the word of other “teachers” about what He says. We have to dig deeply on our own and discover God’s message for us. We can stay children who fear poking our eye out, or we can grow up and get to truly know God and what He desires for us.
It’s up to each one of us to decide whether we will stand in confidence that we have heard from God… or whether we will let others toss us about like the wind. Where do you stand today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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