Jude 1:3-4
Dearly loved friends, I had been planning
to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but
now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly
defend the truth that God gave once for all to his people to keep
without change through the years. I say this because some godless
teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become
Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment.
The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned
against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
I often hear some form of
this question …”If God loves me, and I am now saved by the blood of
Jesus Christ, why on earth would He ever let anything ‘bad’ happen to
me?” The query is understandable, and the short answer is that God does
love us…and we Christians are His forever – ultimately “safe from all
harm.” But God is still our Heavenly Father – and as
such, He corrects us when we get in the weeds. He reins us in…and
sometimes, to protect us from ourselves – or from the snares of the
devil and any harm that we might cause others – God takes us out…maybe
even LITERALLY! Often, those seemingly “bad” things that God allows to
happen may minister to others…possibly in a way that we will never see
for ourselves. But God uses us - and these events - to serve His
purpose, all the same.
I don’t say this to scare anyone – or to
turn you away from God. Too many folks claim they cannot serve a God
who “lets bad things happen to good people.” And maybe you don’t want
to be a “martyr” for Jesus. (Do you see the irony here?!) But I tell
you this to explain that we cannot give our hearts to Jesus and then
expect to go on our merry way - doing as we please – and counting on God
to pat us on the head, smile and say…“It’s all good!”
I know
this is a hard concept to grasp, but when we accept Salvation through
Jesus – freely given, freely received – God promises to care, protect
and bless us according to His will…for all Eternity. This is
binding…God will not renege on this promise! Salvation does not come
with conditions, per se…but it should come with a willing
obligation on our part to please God. We should desire to love Him,
serve Him in all things, and represent the love and teachings of Jesus
at every turn. This should not be done out of fear of retaliation…but
out of a tremendous love and respect for The One who gave EVERYTHING –
and then some – for us and our sins.
As this scripture passage
indicates, there will be plenty of people who think giving their heart
to Jesus is the “Golden Ticket”…to heaven - and to do as they please in
the meantime. You and I know better…don’t we? When you get to a point
where you truly know God and walk in His will and ways, you better
understand His purposes. I don’t know about you, but the more I see His
perfect orchestration of all events…good AND bad…and how He weaves
everything together so beautifully, the more I want to be a part of His
endeavors (and the less I care about the “old me!”).
I’m
reminded once again of the little boy at Timothy’s kindergarten “Water
Day” who was standing in line for the water slides…wearing his
swimsuit…and dry as a bone. He declared that “water is really not my
thing” as he continually moved to the back of the line. He had a
“ticket to ride”…but he never cashed it. What about you? Where do you
land in relationship to God and Salvation through Jesus? Are you “all
in”…or have you “purchased the ticket” and stepped to the back of the
line? Isn’t it time you “got wet” and enjoyed all that God has to offer
by accepting His commission on your life? Will this be the day that
you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label living for Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living for Jesus. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 11, 2015
Galatians 2:19-21
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.
Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.
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.
In the early 1980s, actor/comedian Billy Crystal created a recurring character on NBC’s Saturday Night Live named Fernando. This was a parody of the real performer, Fernando Lamas…and the catchphrase was, “You look mahvelous!” It didn’t matter what anyone said or did, “Fernando” would say, “But you look mahvelous!” That’s what’s wrong with a lot of us as Christians…we’re so busy trying to “look mahvelous” that we have totally forgotten about following and serving God.
I love how Paul says that he quit being a “law man” so that he could be God’s man. Isn’t that exactly how we should be looking at this? Shouldn’t we be more focused on living the life of Christ rather than our own…doing the things that Jesus taught us, like loving one another, keeping the peace and getting along rather than insisting on our own way. Shouldn’t we be striving to stay pure in heart and mind - hungering for the word of God? What could happen if we lived our lives in such a way that others saw Jesus in us…rather than someone who was trying to impress or create a good image of themselves for the world?
We must ask ourselves…do we want to look like true disciples of Christ…or do we merely care about looking “mahvelous?” As Paul points out, the latter indicates the opinion that there was no good reason for Christ’s death on the cross. And I just don’t buy that…do you? Are you following the rules…of society, the church, and your peers…or are you following God? How you answer makes all the difference!
©2015 Debbie Robus
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.
Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.
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.
In the early 1980s, actor/comedian Billy Crystal created a recurring character on NBC’s Saturday Night Live named Fernando. This was a parody of the real performer, Fernando Lamas…and the catchphrase was, “You look mahvelous!” It didn’t matter what anyone said or did, “Fernando” would say, “But you look mahvelous!” That’s what’s wrong with a lot of us as Christians…we’re so busy trying to “look mahvelous” that we have totally forgotten about following and serving God.
I love how Paul says that he quit being a “law man” so that he could be God’s man. Isn’t that exactly how we should be looking at this? Shouldn’t we be more focused on living the life of Christ rather than our own…doing the things that Jesus taught us, like loving one another, keeping the peace and getting along rather than insisting on our own way. Shouldn’t we be striving to stay pure in heart and mind - hungering for the word of God? What could happen if we lived our lives in such a way that others saw Jesus in us…rather than someone who was trying to impress or create a good image of themselves for the world?
We must ask ourselves…do we want to look like true disciples of Christ…or do we merely care about looking “mahvelous?” As Paul points out, the latter indicates the opinion that there was no good reason for Christ’s death on the cross. And I just don’t buy that…do you? Are you following the rules…of society, the church, and your peers…or are you following God? How you answer makes all the difference!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 30, 2015
1 John 2:13
I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A neighbor knocked on our door one recent morning and offered me a book on “end times”. He insisted that this was the definitive explanation of everything. I thanked him, but I explained that I do not get caught up in all of the fuss about “end times”…I don’t plan to be here for them! I also have more unread books on my shelves than I could get to in a year, so I am really don’t want/need more reading material!
I don’t mean to be flippant about the second coming of Christ. But so many people – including those who claim to be Spirit-filled Christians – are pretty well consumed by these studies. Their talk has an edge of fear to it. Yes, the Bible tells us that after the Rapture, there will be years of unthinkable horrors…and no, we do NOT want to be “left behind”.
But the solution is easy…give your heart to Jesus and live for Him now. Enjoy a deep and abiding fellowship with our Heavenly Father now…and forever...and get on with living in His blessings and promises every single day.
How does this relate to the scripture passage for today? I believe that John is telling us that God is available to all who call on Him…whether you are an “old”, seasoned Christian who has walked with Him for decades…or a new Christian who just surrendered your heart and asked for His forgiveness. A good case in point would be a 98-year-old lady in our community who passed away recently. This little lady gave her heart to Jesus on her deathbed…and I am confident that she was welcomed into His arms at Heaven’s gate.
John’s message is that God is here with us…His love and care is available for all of us – young and old in Christ. All who believe and receive Him will miss the Rapture – one way or another! This is GOOD NEWS! We need to embrace this amazing gift and get busy basking in the love of Christ – and sharing Him with others as He leads us. If the Rapture comes in our lifetime…I’ll see you on the other side! Meanwhile, I plan to be busy living for Jesus…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A neighbor knocked on our door one recent morning and offered me a book on “end times”. He insisted that this was the definitive explanation of everything. I thanked him, but I explained that I do not get caught up in all of the fuss about “end times”…I don’t plan to be here for them! I also have more unread books on my shelves than I could get to in a year, so I am really don’t want/need more reading material!
I don’t mean to be flippant about the second coming of Christ. But so many people – including those who claim to be Spirit-filled Christians – are pretty well consumed by these studies. Their talk has an edge of fear to it. Yes, the Bible tells us that after the Rapture, there will be years of unthinkable horrors…and no, we do NOT want to be “left behind”.
But the solution is easy…give your heart to Jesus and live for Him now. Enjoy a deep and abiding fellowship with our Heavenly Father now…and forever...and get on with living in His blessings and promises every single day.
How does this relate to the scripture passage for today? I believe that John is telling us that God is available to all who call on Him…whether you are an “old”, seasoned Christian who has walked with Him for decades…or a new Christian who just surrendered your heart and asked for His forgiveness. A good case in point would be a 98-year-old lady in our community who passed away recently. This little lady gave her heart to Jesus on her deathbed…and I am confident that she was welcomed into His arms at Heaven’s gate.
John’s message is that God is here with us…His love and care is available for all of us – young and old in Christ. All who believe and receive Him will miss the Rapture – one way or another! This is GOOD NEWS! We need to embrace this amazing gift and get busy basking in the love of Christ – and sharing Him with others as He leads us. If the Rapture comes in our lifetime…I’ll see you on the other side! Meanwhile, I plan to be busy living for Jesus…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 25, 2014
Galatians 3:13
But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system by taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself. For it is written in the Scripture, “Anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed” (as Jesus was hung upon a wooden cross).
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Once in a while, there will be a post on social media about “the good ole days”...in the vein of “do you remember this?” or “do you know what this is?” There will be a photograph of some gadget from a previous decade...and the object will be something that perhaps we relied on every day - but now we have something better/faster/easier to use that has replaced it. One example of this might be a wringer washing machine. Say WHAT? Yes...a few decades ago, people washed clothing in a big tub, then they pressed each garment through two heavy rollers that squeezed out all of the excess water. This was a far cry from the “spin cycle” of our modern-day washers!
Even older is the rub board! I have my grandmother’s ribbed glass rub board, on which she “rubbed” the clothes to get the dirt out. I also have a wooden paddle that she used to stir clothing in a big iron cauldron of hot water and lye soap! Not my idea of a fun wash day...is it yours?!
Another gadget that some of you may still use today is the ice cube tray. Most of these are made of plastic – or silicone – today, but when I was a child, we had aluminum trays with a “handle” in the middle that you lifted to separate the ice cubes and release them. Of course, this usually resulted in shatters and shards of ice rather than the nice, neat, perfectly formed cubes of our present-day ice-making machines. And NOW, some of my friends even have “Sonic® ice” machines that create the crushed ice like patrons of Sonic® drive-ins enjoy.
My mom commented recently that she had seen two working "pay telephones". She remarked that many younger people don’t know about pay phones - or phone booths...and will only see them in the media. We both remember the not-so-distant years when she and my dad were traveling and they would search for a pay telephone in order to call home and check in with us. There were no cell phones...much less texting, iPads, and Skype or Face Time!
Here’s the thing... there are a lot of things from the past that we would not wish to return. Who among us wishes there were no cell phones and that we had to rely on finding a pay telephone or dialing 0 for Operator in order to accomplish some of our communications? I enjoy going to my refrigerator and getting a cup of ice cubes or crushed ice. I would not want to spend an entire day or two slaving over a hot iron wash pot filled with laundry and caustic soap...nor would I want to have to crank a “wringer” to get the water out of every garment before I hung the clothing on a line to air dry!
By the same token, I would not want to have to kill an innocent lamb or calf every time I committed a sin. I’d never get anything else done...and neither would you! Because you see, we are ALL sinful, despite our best efforts to behave otherwise. Just like many of us take a daily dose of medicine to keep certain ailments at bay...or vitamins to boost our immune systems...we need a “daily dose” of Jesus to keep us spiritually healthy. And because of his amazing love, grace, mercy – and sacrifice on the cross – the “old ways” of atonement are forever gone for those of us who have accepted His great gift of salvation.
We need the “daily dose” of Jesus to keep us healthy...to boost our spiritual “immune systems”...but when we give our hearts to Jesus, we no longer have to worry about the old laws that required continual sacrifices of animals...rituals to cleanse our souls...intermediaries to petition God on our behalf. Jesus healed ALL of that! And I, for one, can never thank Him enough!
My question today is this...are you living in the “modern world” of Jesus’ healing grace and mercy? Or are you stuck in the past? Do you know the joy of living well, fit, and strong with Jesus? Aren’t you ready to begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system by taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself. For it is written in the Scripture, “Anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed” (as Jesus was hung upon a wooden cross).
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Once in a while, there will be a post on social media about “the good ole days”...in the vein of “do you remember this?” or “do you know what this is?” There will be a photograph of some gadget from a previous decade...and the object will be something that perhaps we relied on every day - but now we have something better/faster/easier to use that has replaced it. One example of this might be a wringer washing machine. Say WHAT? Yes...a few decades ago, people washed clothing in a big tub, then they pressed each garment through two heavy rollers that squeezed out all of the excess water. This was a far cry from the “spin cycle” of our modern-day washers!
Even older is the rub board! I have my grandmother’s ribbed glass rub board, on which she “rubbed” the clothes to get the dirt out. I also have a wooden paddle that she used to stir clothing in a big iron cauldron of hot water and lye soap! Not my idea of a fun wash day...is it yours?!
Another gadget that some of you may still use today is the ice cube tray. Most of these are made of plastic – or silicone – today, but when I was a child, we had aluminum trays with a “handle” in the middle that you lifted to separate the ice cubes and release them. Of course, this usually resulted in shatters and shards of ice rather than the nice, neat, perfectly formed cubes of our present-day ice-making machines. And NOW, some of my friends even have “Sonic® ice” machines that create the crushed ice like patrons of Sonic® drive-ins enjoy.
My mom commented recently that she had seen two working "pay telephones". She remarked that many younger people don’t know about pay phones - or phone booths...and will only see them in the media. We both remember the not-so-distant years when she and my dad were traveling and they would search for a pay telephone in order to call home and check in with us. There were no cell phones...much less texting, iPads, and Skype or Face Time!
Here’s the thing... there are a lot of things from the past that we would not wish to return. Who among us wishes there were no cell phones and that we had to rely on finding a pay telephone or dialing 0 for Operator in order to accomplish some of our communications? I enjoy going to my refrigerator and getting a cup of ice cubes or crushed ice. I would not want to spend an entire day or two slaving over a hot iron wash pot filled with laundry and caustic soap...nor would I want to have to crank a “wringer” to get the water out of every garment before I hung the clothing on a line to air dry!
By the same token, I would not want to have to kill an innocent lamb or calf every time I committed a sin. I’d never get anything else done...and neither would you! Because you see, we are ALL sinful, despite our best efforts to behave otherwise. Just like many of us take a daily dose of medicine to keep certain ailments at bay...or vitamins to boost our immune systems...we need a “daily dose” of Jesus to keep us spiritually healthy. And because of his amazing love, grace, mercy – and sacrifice on the cross – the “old ways” of atonement are forever gone for those of us who have accepted His great gift of salvation.
We need the “daily dose” of Jesus to keep us healthy...to boost our spiritual “immune systems”...but when we give our hearts to Jesus, we no longer have to worry about the old laws that required continual sacrifices of animals...rituals to cleanse our souls...intermediaries to petition God on our behalf. Jesus healed ALL of that! And I, for one, can never thank Him enough!
My question today is this...are you living in the “modern world” of Jesus’ healing grace and mercy? Or are you stuck in the past? Do you know the joy of living well, fit, and strong with Jesus? Aren’t you ready to begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 9, 2014
John 14:9
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My sister shared with me yesterday that the last time Timothy’s mother took him and his siblings for “booster” shots, Timothy did not know that he was going to receive an injection. He and his sister Zola got the nasal mist vaccine for flu…but he also got a “booster” injection of vaccine for something else. Afterward, he cried to his mother and said, “Why did you let them do that? You let them hurt me!” Of course, this tugged at his mother’s heartstrings (as he knew it would) to think that her firstborn felt she had betrayed him and allowed him to suffer. Timothy thought he knew his mother… he thought surely she would never let any harm or pain come to him! So when she allowed this momentary “stick”, he questioned who she really was!
Perhaps you have had a relationship with someone that didn’t turn out so well… you thought you truly knew this person, only to discover that he/she was not who you believed them to be… that there were aspects of this person’s life that you found surprising…even unbelievable. I felt this way when a fellow teacher was strangled to death by her husband - a police sergeant, no less! I would never have dreamed that my friend was being abused. I trusted her husband implicitly. I was with this couple a lot over the course of almost eight years, and I still did not truly know who they were.
Let’s be honest…we humans often listen to Satan - who is the ultimate master of deception - and we become expert at this iniquity in our own lives. People often have no clue who we really are. Sometimes, it’s because we cover well and have truly honed the craft of deception. At other times, this is due to a lack of focus…and perhaps even a touch of apathy on our part.
Here’s another way to explain this…there are people who “appear” to be amazingly faith-filled servants of God. They show up at every church function, are front and center for service projects and “talk a good game”… but it’s all for show. Behind closed doors, they become a totally different person. There are others who quietly go about God’s work…who serve Him by serving others...maintain a close communication with Him at all times…and earnestly seek His will for their lives. They aren’t flashy or obvious…but friends and acquaintances know that God has captured their heart - that they live to serve Him.
Then there is a group of Christians who are “on the fence”. They are not out in the forefront creating a scene or drawing attention to their actions...but there is nothing about their daily living that tells you they are a Disciple of Christ, either. These people “fly under the radar”, so to speak. The average person cannot tell who they are – or what they truly believe. How many times have you heard it said of someone, “He is a really nice guy!”? I hope you understand that not all “nice guys” are representing our Heavenly Father. Not all “nice guys” are Disciples of Christ…and sadly, not all Disciples of Christ are “nice guys”!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus is the real deal! If you have “seen” Him - if you know Him for yourself - you know God Almighty. What you “see” truly is what you get with Jesus…it’s not a façade or a gimmick. Jesus isn’t “in your face”…but He isn’t hiding in the shadows, either. In Jesus, we have the perfect example of sharing love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, strength, hope and more. All we have to do is open our Bibles and read about His teachings and demonstrations to learn how we are to conduct our own lives. We must maintain an open dialog with God to make sure that our words, thoughts and actions line up each and every day with His plans…that others truly know who we are…and that we are sharing the love of Christ with each of them.
Like Timothy’s mother, there are occasions when God allows a momentary “stick” or “sting” in our lives. But He will never truly betray us…or be Someone we do not know. Can we say the same in our own daily living? Are we always the “real deal” for Jesus? Do others truly know who we are…can they say that they have seen the Father in you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My sister shared with me yesterday that the last time Timothy’s mother took him and his siblings for “booster” shots, Timothy did not know that he was going to receive an injection. He and his sister Zola got the nasal mist vaccine for flu…but he also got a “booster” injection of vaccine for something else. Afterward, he cried to his mother and said, “Why did you let them do that? You let them hurt me!” Of course, this tugged at his mother’s heartstrings (as he knew it would) to think that her firstborn felt she had betrayed him and allowed him to suffer. Timothy thought he knew his mother… he thought surely she would never let any harm or pain come to him! So when she allowed this momentary “stick”, he questioned who she really was!
Perhaps you have had a relationship with someone that didn’t turn out so well… you thought you truly knew this person, only to discover that he/she was not who you believed them to be… that there were aspects of this person’s life that you found surprising…even unbelievable. I felt this way when a fellow teacher was strangled to death by her husband - a police sergeant, no less! I would never have dreamed that my friend was being abused. I trusted her husband implicitly. I was with this couple a lot over the course of almost eight years, and I still did not truly know who they were.
Let’s be honest…we humans often listen to Satan - who is the ultimate master of deception - and we become expert at this iniquity in our own lives. People often have no clue who we really are. Sometimes, it’s because we cover well and have truly honed the craft of deception. At other times, this is due to a lack of focus…and perhaps even a touch of apathy on our part.
Here’s another way to explain this…there are people who “appear” to be amazingly faith-filled servants of God. They show up at every church function, are front and center for service projects and “talk a good game”… but it’s all for show. Behind closed doors, they become a totally different person. There are others who quietly go about God’s work…who serve Him by serving others...maintain a close communication with Him at all times…and earnestly seek His will for their lives. They aren’t flashy or obvious…but friends and acquaintances know that God has captured their heart - that they live to serve Him.
Then there is a group of Christians who are “on the fence”. They are not out in the forefront creating a scene or drawing attention to their actions...but there is nothing about their daily living that tells you they are a Disciple of Christ, either. These people “fly under the radar”, so to speak. The average person cannot tell who they are – or what they truly believe. How many times have you heard it said of someone, “He is a really nice guy!”? I hope you understand that not all “nice guys” are representing our Heavenly Father. Not all “nice guys” are Disciples of Christ…and sadly, not all Disciples of Christ are “nice guys”!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus is the real deal! If you have “seen” Him - if you know Him for yourself - you know God Almighty. What you “see” truly is what you get with Jesus…it’s not a façade or a gimmick. Jesus isn’t “in your face”…but He isn’t hiding in the shadows, either. In Jesus, we have the perfect example of sharing love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, strength, hope and more. All we have to do is open our Bibles and read about His teachings and demonstrations to learn how we are to conduct our own lives. We must maintain an open dialog with God to make sure that our words, thoughts and actions line up each and every day with His plans…that others truly know who we are…and that we are sharing the love of Christ with each of them.
Like Timothy’s mother, there are occasions when God allows a momentary “stick” or “sting” in our lives. But He will never truly betray us…or be Someone we do not know. Can we say the same in our own daily living? Are we always the “real deal” for Jesus? Do others truly know who we are…can they say that they have seen the Father in you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 15, 2013
Psalm 139:13-18
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I’ll never comprehend them!
I couldn’t even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with 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.
If you visited my laundry/craft room, you would see stacks of projects. In my head, I can see how they will look when they are finished. When I complete a garment… or a greeting card or whatever I am making, I know every stitch or piece of paper that went into it. I see every seam… each layer… and all the steps that went into its creation. Sometimes my projects work out as planned… sometimes they don’t. Once in a while, something turns out so badly that I have to totally scrap it and start over! And more than once, I’ve made something for myself that I disliked so much that it rarely – if ever – was worn. Every time I put it on, I saw all of the flaws… or it just didn’t look and feel right.
Maybe you have had a similar experience. Many of us have envisioned a recipe in our heads that sounded delicious. I recently read a recipe on Pinterest for a pumpkin smoothie. It sounded wonderful! I could almost taste it as I read through the ingredients and process. But I have to tell you, I was terribly disappointed with the finished product, and I don’t care to make another one… ever!
It’s a beautiful thing to know that God planned and envisioned us long before we were ever conceived. He designed, planned, and created every “seam” in the garment that is our body – each “layer” that is the greeting card of our personality – all of the ingredients that make up the “recipe” of our lives. And the coolest part of all is that He loves every single thing about us. There may be “stitches” that are a little uneven…a crooked “caption” here or there… or even an off-putting “taste” occasionally. Still, God loves us. He looks past the flaws and imperfections and says, “This is My creation. Perfection and purpose lie within him/her. There may be bumps in the road and even a few wrong turns… but at the end of the day, I know how this ends - and I am in love with My handiwork.”
No one will ever love you like God. Your parents may have planned for your birth. They may have thought about you and dreamed of your conception and delivery. They may have nurtured you and given you every advantage as you grew and developed. You may have friends, relatives and/or a significant other who adore you and make you feel important each and every day. But none of these compares to the immeasurable, unconditional love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and acceptance that God offers us every single minute of the day.
God would never “scrap” us like an ill-fitting garment or a distasteful recipe… yet many of us are ready to toss Him to the side at every turn. Our “justifications” run the gamut from disappointments over events in our lives and prayers we felt were unanswered – or answered in a way we did not like… a desire to have our own way in all things – at all times…or accession to outside forces that convince us that God is not real – that He could not possibly love us so amazingly. Regardless of the reasons, we can choose to correct our course. We can acknowledge God’s presence – and His power. We can say, “Thank You, LORD… for everything!”
One of my favorite things to do is to take an old garment that has begun to show wear – or has been donated to the thrift store – and repurpose it to create something new and useful. You may have somehow fallen into the “thrift store bin. You may feel useless, unloved… or separated from God. The good news is that He can repurpose you… He planned for this and knows exactly what to do to get you back on track. All you have to do is to choose Him… to ask GOd to let you rise in the morning and live always with Him. He will handle the rest.
God choose you… have you chosen Him in return?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I’ll never comprehend them!
I couldn’t even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with 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.
If you visited my laundry/craft room, you would see stacks of projects. In my head, I can see how they will look when they are finished. When I complete a garment… or a greeting card or whatever I am making, I know every stitch or piece of paper that went into it. I see every seam… each layer… and all the steps that went into its creation. Sometimes my projects work out as planned… sometimes they don’t. Once in a while, something turns out so badly that I have to totally scrap it and start over! And more than once, I’ve made something for myself that I disliked so much that it rarely – if ever – was worn. Every time I put it on, I saw all of the flaws… or it just didn’t look and feel right.
Maybe you have had a similar experience. Many of us have envisioned a recipe in our heads that sounded delicious. I recently read a recipe on Pinterest for a pumpkin smoothie. It sounded wonderful! I could almost taste it as I read through the ingredients and process. But I have to tell you, I was terribly disappointed with the finished product, and I don’t care to make another one… ever!
It’s a beautiful thing to know that God planned and envisioned us long before we were ever conceived. He designed, planned, and created every “seam” in the garment that is our body – each “layer” that is the greeting card of our personality – all of the ingredients that make up the “recipe” of our lives. And the coolest part of all is that He loves every single thing about us. There may be “stitches” that are a little uneven…a crooked “caption” here or there… or even an off-putting “taste” occasionally. Still, God loves us. He looks past the flaws and imperfections and says, “This is My creation. Perfection and purpose lie within him/her. There may be bumps in the road and even a few wrong turns… but at the end of the day, I know how this ends - and I am in love with My handiwork.”
No one will ever love you like God. Your parents may have planned for your birth. They may have thought about you and dreamed of your conception and delivery. They may have nurtured you and given you every advantage as you grew and developed. You may have friends, relatives and/or a significant other who adore you and make you feel important each and every day. But none of these compares to the immeasurable, unconditional love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and acceptance that God offers us every single minute of the day.
God would never “scrap” us like an ill-fitting garment or a distasteful recipe… yet many of us are ready to toss Him to the side at every turn. Our “justifications” run the gamut from disappointments over events in our lives and prayers we felt were unanswered – or answered in a way we did not like… a desire to have our own way in all things – at all times…or accession to outside forces that convince us that God is not real – that He could not possibly love us so amazingly. Regardless of the reasons, we can choose to correct our course. We can acknowledge God’s presence – and His power. We can say, “Thank You, LORD… for everything!”
One of my favorite things to do is to take an old garment that has begun to show wear – or has been donated to the thrift store – and repurpose it to create something new and useful. You may have somehow fallen into the “thrift store bin. You may feel useless, unloved… or separated from God. The good news is that He can repurpose you… He planned for this and knows exactly what to do to get you back on track. All you have to do is to choose Him… to ask GOd to let you rise in the morning and live always with Him. He will handle the rest.
God choose you… have you chosen Him in return?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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