Romans 12:11-13
Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I’ve been in the kitchen all morning, cooking for our family Christmas celebration this evening. There will be twelve us around the table, so I have two beef roasts baking in crock pots, a salad chilling in the refrigerator, two pies cooling on the counter… and seasoned green beans (with bacon and a few other family secret ingredients) simmering in my Mam-ma Polly’s cast iron “Dutch oven” atop the stove. There are other side dishes and several traditions that will be honored with this meal… but the green beans dish is certainly one of them.
When I smelled something unpleasant this morning, I realized that the flame under the Dutch oven had gone out… and propane gas was seeping into the air around the stove. It was a putrid smell that I quickly dispersed by relighting the flame and turning on an exhaust fan. Thankfully, I was nearby and discovered this quickly... and I am watching carefully to make sure that I do not turn the dial too low for that burner in the future!
Our hope and faith in God is a lot like the burner on my gas range. If we are not careful, we can reduce the control button on our faith and focus to a point where the fuel of God’s great love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and blessings just leaks out and is squandered in our lives. And the results can really stink! More importantly, if left unchecked, this can create a potentially dangerous situation. We risk becoming cynical, hopeless, and ineffective as a Christian disciple.
God doesn’t want us to waste one drop of His love and care. He didn’t send Jesus to earth to live and die for us so that we could fritter away His gifts into thin air. God’s present of Jesus Christ is far too precious to leave unattended and un-nurtured. The last thing any of us should ever want is for our Discipleship to smell to the high heavens!
So today, on Jesus’ birthday, let’s redouble our efforts to keep the flame of His love burning in our hearts and minds. Amidst the food and the festivities, let’s remember how important it is to always be alert servants… cheerfully expectant. Let’s take time to pray… to help others… and to seek creative ways to be a light for Christ Jesus. May it always be said of us that we kept the faith…remained hopeful… and that our efforts to serve in Jesus’ name were like a pleasant aroma. God bless and keep you this day… and always. And have a very Merry Christmas!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label never give up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label never give up. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for November 23, 2013
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
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.
On NBC’s The Biggest Loser, there is a lot of discussion about what is taking place with contestants… both “on the outside” and internally. The coaches will readily point out that a mental shift is as important to permanent weight loss as the physical work. So when a contestant exercises vigorously all week and eats a careful diet… and then shows a very small reduction on the scale – or sometimes no weight loss at all – the coach is quick to note that we cannot always “see” the success that is taking place. Progress may still have been made… particularly in the form of an attitude adjustment. The primary focus is not on how many pounds are lost in any given week… but on what will be the final – and hopefully lasting – result. And the hope of making great strides in the long term is what keeps everyone from giving up.
In my lifetime, there have been many situations where I felt like things were falling apart on the outside… but I could not see the “new life” God was creating on the inside. When I taught a junior high Sunday school class, I came home discouraged most Sundays. I felt as if the kids didn’t understand what I was sharing with them… or care. People told me over and again, “You may never know the seeds you have planted.” There were similar feelings with some of my kindergarten and first grade students. Did I really teach them anything? Did God really use me to make a difference in their lives? Over time, I am realizing that the answer is a resounding… “YES!”
Some of the “results” are still questionable… while others are readily visible. I’ve reconnected with many of my students in recent years, particularly via Facebook. To see all that they have accomplished…to witness how they have developed into productive, upstanding, faith-filled adults... to hear them say, “I remember when you taught us this or that – or when we did such-and-such”… to hear a student say, “I was incredibly blessed to have a Sunday school teacher who cared so much for me and my classmates”…this tells me that something went right. God’s grace unfolds before me as I see how He has worked in these young lives.
In other situations, I am still waiting on answers and results… and I bet you are, too. Not everything in life will turn out like we anticipate or in the timetable we desire… and there will be plenty of times when we want to throw up our hands and say, “I simply cannot take this anymore.” But we must never give up! We must keep on listening for God’s wisdom and guidance… and doing what He wants us to do. We must trust Him to make the difference… to turn these “small potatoes hard times” into lavish good times through His amazing grace. We must have hope… and we must have it abundantly!
If we never physically “see” results from our efforts, we must have confidence that they still exist. If the scale never shows that we have lost an ounce, yet we are more fit and healthy than ever - and working hard to stay that way - we must trust that God’s not done with us yet. We must hope and wait on Him… and trust that what we can’t see is most certainly in the works – and built to last forever. Do you have this kind of hope in God’s power and promises? I'm not giving up... are you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
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.
On NBC’s The Biggest Loser, there is a lot of discussion about what is taking place with contestants… both “on the outside” and internally. The coaches will readily point out that a mental shift is as important to permanent weight loss as the physical work. So when a contestant exercises vigorously all week and eats a careful diet… and then shows a very small reduction on the scale – or sometimes no weight loss at all – the coach is quick to note that we cannot always “see” the success that is taking place. Progress may still have been made… particularly in the form of an attitude adjustment. The primary focus is not on how many pounds are lost in any given week… but on what will be the final – and hopefully lasting – result. And the hope of making great strides in the long term is what keeps everyone from giving up.
In my lifetime, there have been many situations where I felt like things were falling apart on the outside… but I could not see the “new life” God was creating on the inside. When I taught a junior high Sunday school class, I came home discouraged most Sundays. I felt as if the kids didn’t understand what I was sharing with them… or care. People told me over and again, “You may never know the seeds you have planted.” There were similar feelings with some of my kindergarten and first grade students. Did I really teach them anything? Did God really use me to make a difference in their lives? Over time, I am realizing that the answer is a resounding… “YES!”
Some of the “results” are still questionable… while others are readily visible. I’ve reconnected with many of my students in recent years, particularly via Facebook. To see all that they have accomplished…to witness how they have developed into productive, upstanding, faith-filled adults... to hear them say, “I remember when you taught us this or that – or when we did such-and-such”… to hear a student say, “I was incredibly blessed to have a Sunday school teacher who cared so much for me and my classmates”…this tells me that something went right. God’s grace unfolds before me as I see how He has worked in these young lives.
In other situations, I am still waiting on answers and results… and I bet you are, too. Not everything in life will turn out like we anticipate or in the timetable we desire… and there will be plenty of times when we want to throw up our hands and say, “I simply cannot take this anymore.” But we must never give up! We must keep on listening for God’s wisdom and guidance… and doing what He wants us to do. We must trust Him to make the difference… to turn these “small potatoes hard times” into lavish good times through His amazing grace. We must have hope… and we must have it abundantly!
If we never physically “see” results from our efforts, we must have confidence that they still exist. If the scale never shows that we have lost an ounce, yet we are more fit and healthy than ever - and working hard to stay that way - we must trust that God’s not done with us yet. We must hope and wait on Him… and trust that what we can’t see is most certainly in the works – and built to last forever. Do you have this kind of hope in God’s power and promises? I'm not giving up... are you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 1, 2013
1 Corinthians 10:13
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
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 stack of vintage linens at an estate sale. I carefully selected what I thought were “good” linens… or those that still had useful embroidery or details. After washing everything, I discovered that a few were pretty tattered. In particular, there was a pair of embroidered pillowcases that I really wanted to use to make little girls’ dresses. I decided that I could cut around the bad spots on one pillowcase and create a cute little blouse for our niece, Zola. There was almost the same scenario with a pair of pale pink pillowcases… and I decided I could use the “best” one to make a pair of pants to match Zola’s blouse.
I began to sew the blouse together, and about two-thirds of the way into the project, I tugged on the fabric to pull it taught… and it ripped. The fabric was so old and fragile that it gave way under stress. “No worries,” I thought…”I’ll stitch a decorative flower over that spot! After all, this is vintage fabric!” Then another spot tore…and another. I was almost ready to give up. This was too much. I had spent a couple of hours on the garment at this point. The temptation to cut my losses was there… did I dare succumb to it? In the end, I decided to keep going…to reinforce the torn spots with sturdy stitching and cover them in fabric flower enhancements. If Zola only wore this blouse one time and it fell apart in the wash, so be it!
The end result was darling… and then I experienced virtually the same thing when I made the pants. The fabric tore as I stitched the waistband! I added a little more sturdy “over-stitching”…and I was done. Again, the temptation was to throw in the towel and start another project. But I was able to work through this and finish both garments. I know there will be times when it is right to change directions and leave a project unfinished. But the lesson I learned from this experience and others is that God will tell me when that time comes. Until then, I am to persevere. I know that God will help me handle all of my temptations.
Every day, EVERY ONE of us tempted in one way or another, just as this scripture declares. No one is immune to this. Temptations go far beyond food, alcohol, nicotine and drugs, which are some of the ones that generally come to mind first.
Do we really think so little of God that we cannot trust Him to help us handle temptation? Is the choice really so tantalizing that we cannot resist with His help? Every day we have choices to make… and temptations to resist. God stands ready – and able – to help us in this. The only temptation we should entertain is the one to accept His help and care in all things. When impulses and decisions arise in your life… how – and WHO – will you choose to handle them? Will you opt to give up, give in… or let God guide your choices?
©2013 Debbie Robus
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
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 stack of vintage linens at an estate sale. I carefully selected what I thought were “good” linens… or those that still had useful embroidery or details. After washing everything, I discovered that a few were pretty tattered. In particular, there was a pair of embroidered pillowcases that I really wanted to use to make little girls’ dresses. I decided that I could cut around the bad spots on one pillowcase and create a cute little blouse for our niece, Zola. There was almost the same scenario with a pair of pale pink pillowcases… and I decided I could use the “best” one to make a pair of pants to match Zola’s blouse.
I began to sew the blouse together, and about two-thirds of the way into the project, I tugged on the fabric to pull it taught… and it ripped. The fabric was so old and fragile that it gave way under stress. “No worries,” I thought…”I’ll stitch a decorative flower over that spot! After all, this is vintage fabric!” Then another spot tore…and another. I was almost ready to give up. This was too much. I had spent a couple of hours on the garment at this point. The temptation to cut my losses was there… did I dare succumb to it? In the end, I decided to keep going…to reinforce the torn spots with sturdy stitching and cover them in fabric flower enhancements. If Zola only wore this blouse one time and it fell apart in the wash, so be it!
The end result was darling… and then I experienced virtually the same thing when I made the pants. The fabric tore as I stitched the waistband! I added a little more sturdy “over-stitching”…and I was done. Again, the temptation was to throw in the towel and start another project. But I was able to work through this and finish both garments. I know there will be times when it is right to change directions and leave a project unfinished. But the lesson I learned from this experience and others is that God will tell me when that time comes. Until then, I am to persevere. I know that God will help me handle all of my temptations.
Every day, EVERY ONE of us tempted in one way or another, just as this scripture declares. No one is immune to this. Temptations go far beyond food, alcohol, nicotine and drugs, which are some of the ones that generally come to mind first.
- We are tempted to quit our job or give up on relationships.
- We are tempted to drop out of school or a class that seems too difficult.
- We are tempted to stop caring and trying with loved ones and friends who reject us.
- We are tempted to give up on exercise when results are slow in materializing.
- We are tempted to leave the church when we disagree with fellow members… someone is critical of us… or we experience a conflict of some sort.
- We are tempted to give others a piece of our mind when we are irritated.
- We are tempted to stick our noses in where they don’t belong.
- We are tempted to drink too much, dress too provocatively, curse, tell off-color jokes, and agree with derogatory slurs in order to fit in with the crowd.
- We are tempted to criticize or put down the other guy in order to make ourselves look more important or special.
- We are tempted to spend too much and acquire more “stuff” than we will ever need or use.
- We are tempted to fall apart when grief and/or tragedy strikes.
- We are tempted to pull the covers over our head and never get out of bed again!
Do we really think so little of God that we cannot trust Him to help us handle temptation? Is the choice really so tantalizing that we cannot resist with His help? Every day we have choices to make… and temptations to resist. God stands ready – and able – to help us in this. The only temptation we should entertain is the one to accept His help and care in all things. When impulses and decisions arise in your life… how – and WHO – will you choose to handle them? Will you opt to give up, give in… or let God guide your choices?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 19, 2013
Hebrews 10:32-39
Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way;
he’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.
But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
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.
On the television show “The Biggest Loser,” contestants discover that losing weight and seeing results happens more quickly at the beginning than the end. In fact, as these participants become lighter and leaner, it becomes harder with each passing week to shed the last pounds and inches. Progress is still possible, but the thrill of those first few weeks and the truly drastic changes are gone. This is where the real work begins.
It’s easy to become discouraged… or at least complacent. After all, some of these contestants have dropped 100 pounds or more. Losing that last stubborn 15 to 50 seems akin to climbing Mt. Everest. There is a temptation to reward all of the hard work with a favorite dessert… or to skip a workout here and there. After all, the entrant has come so far… what would it hurt? OR… the challenge may be finishing. The desire to keep going and lose the rest may wane… settling for the current weight and size may seem appealing. This is when the patient endurance must kick in and keep these contestants going. They have made it this far… reached countless milestones… and they must keep going and finish strong!
In our Christian faith, we often seem to lose steam after a while. The spark and excitement of our initial salvation experience may pale. Our encouragement and support from others may wane… and our inner resolve to forge ahead and continue to grow with the Holy Spirit can fade. We’ve come so far… God has given us so much… maybe we could just stop and rest here a while! And many of us do exactly that. The trouble is… too many of us grow stale at our “resting point.” We settle for a “good enough” relationship with the Holy Spirit - and miss out on all He wants to give us by doing so.
Just as in a weight-loss program that we hope will bring permanent, lasting results, we must practice patient endurance as we grow in our faith. We must keep on “keepin’ on,” continue to study, pray, fellowship and learn. We must not “rest on our laurels” – or on the blessings we have received from God already. We cannot quit! We have to keep trusting God for outcomes, learning how He works, and expecting His promises to be fulfilled. We have to wait on the LORD in all things… and believe that He will show up, right on time!
This is a tall order… but such a “sure thing” as the blessings and rewards of a life in Christ is certainly worth it! Are you ready to press forward and persevere? Are you still “in the game” and trusting all the way? Will you make it to the Finish Line with Jesus… or will you give up and quit? The choice is yours… what will you decide?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way;
he’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.
But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
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.
On the television show “The Biggest Loser,” contestants discover that losing weight and seeing results happens more quickly at the beginning than the end. In fact, as these participants become lighter and leaner, it becomes harder with each passing week to shed the last pounds and inches. Progress is still possible, but the thrill of those first few weeks and the truly drastic changes are gone. This is where the real work begins.
It’s easy to become discouraged… or at least complacent. After all, some of these contestants have dropped 100 pounds or more. Losing that last stubborn 15 to 50 seems akin to climbing Mt. Everest. There is a temptation to reward all of the hard work with a favorite dessert… or to skip a workout here and there. After all, the entrant has come so far… what would it hurt? OR… the challenge may be finishing. The desire to keep going and lose the rest may wane… settling for the current weight and size may seem appealing. This is when the patient endurance must kick in and keep these contestants going. They have made it this far… reached countless milestones… and they must keep going and finish strong!
In our Christian faith, we often seem to lose steam after a while. The spark and excitement of our initial salvation experience may pale. Our encouragement and support from others may wane… and our inner resolve to forge ahead and continue to grow with the Holy Spirit can fade. We’ve come so far… God has given us so much… maybe we could just stop and rest here a while! And many of us do exactly that. The trouble is… too many of us grow stale at our “resting point.” We settle for a “good enough” relationship with the Holy Spirit - and miss out on all He wants to give us by doing so.
Just as in a weight-loss program that we hope will bring permanent, lasting results, we must practice patient endurance as we grow in our faith. We must keep on “keepin’ on,” continue to study, pray, fellowship and learn. We must not “rest on our laurels” – or on the blessings we have received from God already. We cannot quit! We have to keep trusting God for outcomes, learning how He works, and expecting His promises to be fulfilled. We have to wait on the LORD in all things… and believe that He will show up, right on time!
This is a tall order… but such a “sure thing” as the blessings and rewards of a life in Christ is certainly worth it! Are you ready to press forward and persevere? Are you still “in the game” and trusting all the way? Will you make it to the Finish Line with Jesus… or will you give up and quit? The choice is yours… what will you decide?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 25, 2012
Galatians 6:9
Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Somewhere around 1980, when I was teaching kindergarten, the principal asked me if a first-grade boy could spend most of his day in my classroom, because he was not able to function properly in his own. The child was evaluated and deemed to perform on the level of a child of about age 3. So I agreed to let Chuckie play in my classroom. And he did spend most of his day quietly playing with toys, puzzles and games. The other children even accepted that this was what Chuckie did all day - that is…when he wasn’t eating.
I could not feed this little boy enough. Clearly, the only time Chuckie really ate was when he was at school. The cafeteria manager gave him double helpings. I fed him “snacks” for breakfast and again before the last bell rang. I knew that he might not eat again until the next morning. He would tell me that he and his sister ate “pasketti” (spaghetti)… but all they got was what was left after his mother ate. Chuckie’s dad was determined to keep Mom happy, so she ate first.
The Department of Human Services was notified of this situation, and a caseworker was assigned. And the more she did for this family, the more the parents demanded. One day, the father was listing his “needs” to the caseworker, and he ended with… “Oh, and we need a car.” The caseworker replied, “What color would you like?” She said, “This was such a preposterous request that I figured it deserved a similar response!”
Ultimately, most everyone who tried to help this family came together in a court of law, where a judge was prepared to sign adoption papers for the children to be placed with a loving, stable couple. The parents were ready to sign, until the judge told them they would never get their children back. The parents reneged. And a local pediatrician bought the entire family bus tickets to Pennsylvania, where other relatives lived. Those in the courtroom had reached the end of their rope… they had given all the help they could… they were exhausted and exasperated.
I don’t know whatever happened to Chuckie and his family. I probably don’t want to know. I don’t fault those who made the decision to stop trying to help, because they had given all they had to give… and more. Their efforts were better served helping children whose families were more cooperative. But I do wonder about Chuckie…and others like him. And I think about people in our own circles who exhaust and exasperate us - so we throw up our hands and move away. What happens to them? Do they find other benefactors? More importantly, what if God threw up His hands and walked away from us?
Here’s what I have concluded. When you are tired and fed up… when you don’t have anything left to give to others…you can still love them and pray for them… and that is something. But don’t close the door completely. Don’t shut them out of your heart and stop caring. There is always hope. You don’t have to spend yourself into bankruptcy. You don’t have to give of your physical time and energy until you are literally sick and tired. But you must continue to care. And prayer is a powerful tool…often the only one we really need.
I am grateful to know that God never gives up on me… even when I exhaust and exasperate Him (which must be a dozen times a day or more!). And I must remind myself not to give up on others. I am not looking for a tangible “reward” – and neither should you. It should be payment enough to know that we are doing what God does for us… that we are serving Him as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth – and showing His love to others in the bargain. In my heart, I am believing that God sent another loving group of people to minister to Chuckie and his sister. And I am thankful for the opportunity I had to look after this child, if only for a few brief months. I was greatly blessed by this experience… and forever changed.
How and where is God using you in the life of someone who needs help? And how are you answering His call?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Somewhere around 1980, when I was teaching kindergarten, the principal asked me if a first-grade boy could spend most of his day in my classroom, because he was not able to function properly in his own. The child was evaluated and deemed to perform on the level of a child of about age 3. So I agreed to let Chuckie play in my classroom. And he did spend most of his day quietly playing with toys, puzzles and games. The other children even accepted that this was what Chuckie did all day - that is…when he wasn’t eating.
I could not feed this little boy enough. Clearly, the only time Chuckie really ate was when he was at school. The cafeteria manager gave him double helpings. I fed him “snacks” for breakfast and again before the last bell rang. I knew that he might not eat again until the next morning. He would tell me that he and his sister ate “pasketti” (spaghetti)… but all they got was what was left after his mother ate. Chuckie’s dad was determined to keep Mom happy, so she ate first.
The Department of Human Services was notified of this situation, and a caseworker was assigned. And the more she did for this family, the more the parents demanded. One day, the father was listing his “needs” to the caseworker, and he ended with… “Oh, and we need a car.” The caseworker replied, “What color would you like?” She said, “This was such a preposterous request that I figured it deserved a similar response!”
Ultimately, most everyone who tried to help this family came together in a court of law, where a judge was prepared to sign adoption papers for the children to be placed with a loving, stable couple. The parents were ready to sign, until the judge told them they would never get their children back. The parents reneged. And a local pediatrician bought the entire family bus tickets to Pennsylvania, where other relatives lived. Those in the courtroom had reached the end of their rope… they had given all the help they could… they were exhausted and exasperated.
I don’t know whatever happened to Chuckie and his family. I probably don’t want to know. I don’t fault those who made the decision to stop trying to help, because they had given all they had to give… and more. Their efforts were better served helping children whose families were more cooperative. But I do wonder about Chuckie…and others like him. And I think about people in our own circles who exhaust and exasperate us - so we throw up our hands and move away. What happens to them? Do they find other benefactors? More importantly, what if God threw up His hands and walked away from us?
Here’s what I have concluded. When you are tired and fed up… when you don’t have anything left to give to others…you can still love them and pray for them… and that is something. But don’t close the door completely. Don’t shut them out of your heart and stop caring. There is always hope. You don’t have to spend yourself into bankruptcy. You don’t have to give of your physical time and energy until you are literally sick and tired. But you must continue to care. And prayer is a powerful tool…often the only one we really need.
I am grateful to know that God never gives up on me… even when I exhaust and exasperate Him (which must be a dozen times a day or more!). And I must remind myself not to give up on others. I am not looking for a tangible “reward” – and neither should you. It should be payment enough to know that we are doing what God does for us… that we are serving Him as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth – and showing His love to others in the bargain. In my heart, I am believing that God sent another loving group of people to minister to Chuckie and his sister. And I am thankful for the opportunity I had to look after this child, if only for a few brief months. I was greatly blessed by this experience… and forever changed.
How and where is God using you in the life of someone who needs help? And how are you answering His call?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 22, 2012
James 5:19-20
My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On June 9, 1995, six-year-old Morgan Nick asked her mother’s permission to catch lightning bugs with friends at a Little League ball field in Alma, Arkansas. Morgan’s mother, Colleen, reluctantly agreed. That was at 10:30 p.m. At 10:45, Colleen Nick went searching for Morgan. Other children told her that Morgan was seen emptying sand from her shoes near the family car and talking to a “creepy” man. When Colleen got to the car, Morgan was gone. Seventeen years later, she is still missing… but Colleen and countless others are still searching.
On September 12, 2012 - Morgan’s twenty-fourth birthday - Colleen Nick was in Onia, Arkansas, just outside of Mountain View, as a three-year-old child who had wandered from home some 30 hours earlier was located. The little boy was kneeling at the edge of a pond, caked in mud. He unassumingly told the rescuer, “I’m playing.” That he was found some 3+ miles from home was amazing. That he was physically unscathed, save a few scratches, was truly a miracle. Hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel searched the thickly wooded, snake-and-critter-infested forests of the central Arkansas Ozarks for this child who was wearing only his Spider-Man underwear.
The child wandered off… and many went after him. Through tears and shouts of praise and “God is so good,” the rescue workers celebrated the safe return of this little guy. There is still hope that someday, somehow, now 24-year-old Morgan Nick might be rescued, as well. Her mother’s efforts are a testament to faith and perseverance. And this is what God asks of us… not only in the rescue of lost and abducted children in this physical world… but in the realm of those who have wandered away spiritually - gotten off track, and lost their way.
You probably know at least one person who fits into this category. I’m not asking you to pass judgment on others or lord over them how good and righteous you are. But surely you know someone you can lift in prayer and say, “LORD, I see So-and-so struggling. Help them to get on track and find their way back to You. If there is a way You can use me to help them, show me what to do.” If you know someone who could use gentle encouragement and guidance – and you feel close enough to this person to do so – by all means, speak a word of love and hope to them. You can also offer redirection to others by simple acts of kindness. Sometimes all the other person needs to know is that someone genuinely cares about him/her… and that you have not deserted them.
Prayerfully ask God to show you how to work in the lives of others, for His glory. When you are clearly led to take direct action, be bold and trust God to work out the details. When you feel hesitation, take that as a cue from God to proceed more cautiously. Prayer and a smile NEVER go out of style or lose effectiveness! Often, this is all God requires of us… that we pray for others… offer kindness… and never stop caring.
Who do you need to lift in prayer today? Where are you led to offer a hug or a smile? Is there someone you have been tempted to write off… to toss in the towel and say, “I give up on him/her”? Isn’t today a great day to redouble your efforts on their behalf… to say, “LORD, this precious child of yours has gotten lost, but I will not stop seeking him/her on Your behalf.”? Just as with the toddler lost in the woods whose location was uncertain… the value of finding him was sure. Just as Colleen Nick and others continue to believe that Morgan will be found, we must trust God to bring those who have wandered from Him back home once again. Are you doing your part in the rescue efforts?
©2012 Debbie Robus
My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On June 9, 1995, six-year-old Morgan Nick asked her mother’s permission to catch lightning bugs with friends at a Little League ball field in Alma, Arkansas. Morgan’s mother, Colleen, reluctantly agreed. That was at 10:30 p.m. At 10:45, Colleen Nick went searching for Morgan. Other children told her that Morgan was seen emptying sand from her shoes near the family car and talking to a “creepy” man. When Colleen got to the car, Morgan was gone. Seventeen years later, she is still missing… but Colleen and countless others are still searching.
On September 12, 2012 - Morgan’s twenty-fourth birthday - Colleen Nick was in Onia, Arkansas, just outside of Mountain View, as a three-year-old child who had wandered from home some 30 hours earlier was located. The little boy was kneeling at the edge of a pond, caked in mud. He unassumingly told the rescuer, “I’m playing.” That he was found some 3+ miles from home was amazing. That he was physically unscathed, save a few scratches, was truly a miracle. Hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel searched the thickly wooded, snake-and-critter-infested forests of the central Arkansas Ozarks for this child who was wearing only his Spider-Man underwear.
The child wandered off… and many went after him. Through tears and shouts of praise and “God is so good,” the rescue workers celebrated the safe return of this little guy. There is still hope that someday, somehow, now 24-year-old Morgan Nick might be rescued, as well. Her mother’s efforts are a testament to faith and perseverance. And this is what God asks of us… not only in the rescue of lost and abducted children in this physical world… but in the realm of those who have wandered away spiritually - gotten off track, and lost their way.
You probably know at least one person who fits into this category. I’m not asking you to pass judgment on others or lord over them how good and righteous you are. But surely you know someone you can lift in prayer and say, “LORD, I see So-and-so struggling. Help them to get on track and find their way back to You. If there is a way You can use me to help them, show me what to do.” If you know someone who could use gentle encouragement and guidance – and you feel close enough to this person to do so – by all means, speak a word of love and hope to them. You can also offer redirection to others by simple acts of kindness. Sometimes all the other person needs to know is that someone genuinely cares about him/her… and that you have not deserted them.
Prayerfully ask God to show you how to work in the lives of others, for His glory. When you are clearly led to take direct action, be bold and trust God to work out the details. When you feel hesitation, take that as a cue from God to proceed more cautiously. Prayer and a smile NEVER go out of style or lose effectiveness! Often, this is all God requires of us… that we pray for others… offer kindness… and never stop caring.
Who do you need to lift in prayer today? Where are you led to offer a hug or a smile? Is there someone you have been tempted to write off… to toss in the towel and say, “I give up on him/her”? Isn’t today a great day to redouble your efforts on their behalf… to say, “LORD, this precious child of yours has gotten lost, but I will not stop seeking him/her on Your behalf.”? Just as with the toddler lost in the woods whose location was uncertain… the value of finding him was sure. Just as Colleen Nick and others continue to believe that Morgan will be found, we must trust God to bring those who have wandered from Him back home once again. Are you doing your part in the rescue efforts?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 18, 2012
James 5:9-11
Friends, don’t complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner.
Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.
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.
Last week, my dad’s first cousin passed away in Texas. A graveside funeral was held in Arkansas, just outside my hometown in a family cemetery. I saw cousins I had not seen in a long, long time – some for more than four decades. And I was reminded of my grandparents, aunts and uncles… the parents of my dad and his cousin and others. These were hard-working people who faced many challenges and adversities.
Some of my uncles were “characters” who probably drove my aunts crazy. But to a woman, I remember my aunts as gracious, generous, loving women who always had a smile for me – and room at their table for one more. When I hear my grandmother talk about all that she has experienced in 100 years, I marvel at her strength. I know that most of it comes from her deeply rooted faith in God. She will tell you that He has seen her through more than her fair share of trials and tribulations. And she is living proof that God never gives us more than we can handle – nor does He leave us to fend for ourselves.
For all of my grandmother’s good qualities, she was always one to “tell it like it is” – and I am afraid I inherited a hefty dose of this trait. I will admit that I have to work very hard at not being so frank - or being critical of others… even if I believe that what I am saying is the truth. None of us is perfect. And truly, nobody knows what is in another person’s heart… his/her motives… what the “back-story” is for their actions and behaviors. Most of the time, we simply don’t have all the facts. And even if we did… judgment is not OUR responsibility. To judge others is to say that we know better than God.
In talking with another of my dad’s cousins, I told her that my grandmother and I used to talk on the phone several times a week… if not daily. I shared with my cousin that my grandmother and I have a close relationship – I have always been able to talk to her about virtually anything. Now, she is lucky if she can get out one or two words… and talking on the phone is out of the question. I commented that I probably miss our conversations even more than I realize. But I have her legacy… her example of faith and courage, love and generosity. For all of her sauciness, my grandmother has treated others very well in her lifetime… and her reputation is one of a Godly woman who stayed the course, emulated Jesus in her service to others, and trusted God to meet her needs. “The LORD will take care of me,” was not just a catch-phrase… it has been her standard.
In all honesty, I have never heard my grandmother say, “I quit.” When one door closed, she figured out a way to open a window – with God’s help. In recent months when her body has failed her, she has expressed a desire to die… not because she is done, but because she is ready for heaven and the next chapter.
I pray that you have a mentor in your life to share with you how God cares about you down to the last detail. I pray that you are kind to others, generous, tolerant, and slow to criticize. Remember that “The LORD will take care of you” – no matter what happens. When you are discouraged, stop and think of those who have demonstrated this so well… and take a page from their book.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Friends, don’t complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner.
Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.
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.
Last week, my dad’s first cousin passed away in Texas. A graveside funeral was held in Arkansas, just outside my hometown in a family cemetery. I saw cousins I had not seen in a long, long time – some for more than four decades. And I was reminded of my grandparents, aunts and uncles… the parents of my dad and his cousin and others. These were hard-working people who faced many challenges and adversities.
Some of my uncles were “characters” who probably drove my aunts crazy. But to a woman, I remember my aunts as gracious, generous, loving women who always had a smile for me – and room at their table for one more. When I hear my grandmother talk about all that she has experienced in 100 years, I marvel at her strength. I know that most of it comes from her deeply rooted faith in God. She will tell you that He has seen her through more than her fair share of trials and tribulations. And she is living proof that God never gives us more than we can handle – nor does He leave us to fend for ourselves.
For all of my grandmother’s good qualities, she was always one to “tell it like it is” – and I am afraid I inherited a hefty dose of this trait. I will admit that I have to work very hard at not being so frank - or being critical of others… even if I believe that what I am saying is the truth. None of us is perfect. And truly, nobody knows what is in another person’s heart… his/her motives… what the “back-story” is for their actions and behaviors. Most of the time, we simply don’t have all the facts. And even if we did… judgment is not OUR responsibility. To judge others is to say that we know better than God.
In talking with another of my dad’s cousins, I told her that my grandmother and I used to talk on the phone several times a week… if not daily. I shared with my cousin that my grandmother and I have a close relationship – I have always been able to talk to her about virtually anything. Now, she is lucky if she can get out one or two words… and talking on the phone is out of the question. I commented that I probably miss our conversations even more than I realize. But I have her legacy… her example of faith and courage, love and generosity. For all of her sauciness, my grandmother has treated others very well in her lifetime… and her reputation is one of a Godly woman who stayed the course, emulated Jesus in her service to others, and trusted God to meet her needs. “The LORD will take care of me,” was not just a catch-phrase… it has been her standard.
In all honesty, I have never heard my grandmother say, “I quit.” When one door closed, she figured out a way to open a window – with God’s help. In recent months when her body has failed her, she has expressed a desire to die… not because she is done, but because she is ready for heaven and the next chapter.
I pray that you have a mentor in your life to share with you how God cares about you down to the last detail. I pray that you are kind to others, generous, tolerant, and slow to criticize. Remember that “The LORD will take care of you” – no matter what happens. When you are discouraged, stop and think of those who have demonstrated this so well… and take a page from their book.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 23, 2012
Hebrews 11:11
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I was reading a story in Good Housekeeping magazine about a woman named Angie Hernandez, whose young adult son, Ryan, was in the end stages of kidney failure as a result of Goodpasture’s syndrome - a rare disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the lungs and kidneys. With hopes of receiving a kidney transplant dwindling, 23-year-old Ryan told his mother that he didn’t know how much longer he could hold out. He was tired and unsure he could live long enough to get the transplant.
If you know anything about kidney disease and dialysis, you understand the toll it takes on the patient – and family members and friends. The daily struggle just to stay alive can be physically and emotionally draining. It’s not hard to see how someone in this position would long for the peace and healing of heaven and an end to this earthly suffering… especially if that person is a believer in Christ and anticipates eternity in His presence.
Like any mother, Angie Hernandez was not ready to lose her son. A cousin had created a three-minute video montage of Ryan’s life, set it to music, and posted it on YouTube. Angie asked her Facebook friends to share the video on their Walls… and to solicit potential kidney donors in doing so. Amazingly, Angie’s half-sister, whom she had not seen in more than a decade, contacted the family and offered to help. Her kidney was a match! Today, Ryan has recovered, and the splintered family has reconnected… blessings have multiplied!
The slant of this article is how social media is helping in many arenas, like the solicitation of medical information and organ donors. The article does not discuss Christian faith… and I am left to assume that this mother surely must have prayed and believed for a miracle. I can’t imagine enduring something like this without a constant conversation with God… and faith in Him to keep His promises to handle all of our worries and cares.
My point in sharing this story is that this mother did not give up. Abraham’s elderly wife, Sarah, did not give up… and neither should we! When everything seems impossible… when we do not understand the “whys and wherefores” of a situation, God does… and He has promised to handle everything for us. Our job is to trust Him… to believe in Him… and to never give up!
Healing may not come on this earth, but it will come. Our answers may not be evident in this lifetime… but someday, we will have them. Even when we cannot see, hear, or feel God at work… He is still on the clock, meeting our every need. Don’t give up! Don’t stop believing in God’s promises… never underestimate His power in your life and the lives of others.
In The Message*, Hebrews 11:11-12 says, “By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said. That's how it happened that from one man's dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions.” God may not give you millions of children, but He will meet your needs and fulfill His promises for your life. What do you believe God for today? Are you holding on and expecting Him to fulfill His promises? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
*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.
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I was reading a story in Good Housekeeping magazine about a woman named Angie Hernandez, whose young adult son, Ryan, was in the end stages of kidney failure as a result of Goodpasture’s syndrome - a rare disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the lungs and kidneys. With hopes of receiving a kidney transplant dwindling, 23-year-old Ryan told his mother that he didn’t know how much longer he could hold out. He was tired and unsure he could live long enough to get the transplant.
If you know anything about kidney disease and dialysis, you understand the toll it takes on the patient – and family members and friends. The daily struggle just to stay alive can be physically and emotionally draining. It’s not hard to see how someone in this position would long for the peace and healing of heaven and an end to this earthly suffering… especially if that person is a believer in Christ and anticipates eternity in His presence.
Like any mother, Angie Hernandez was not ready to lose her son. A cousin had created a three-minute video montage of Ryan’s life, set it to music, and posted it on YouTube. Angie asked her Facebook friends to share the video on their Walls… and to solicit potential kidney donors in doing so. Amazingly, Angie’s half-sister, whom she had not seen in more than a decade, contacted the family and offered to help. Her kidney was a match! Today, Ryan has recovered, and the splintered family has reconnected… blessings have multiplied!
The slant of this article is how social media is helping in many arenas, like the solicitation of medical information and organ donors. The article does not discuss Christian faith… and I am left to assume that this mother surely must have prayed and believed for a miracle. I can’t imagine enduring something like this without a constant conversation with God… and faith in Him to keep His promises to handle all of our worries and cares.
My point in sharing this story is that this mother did not give up. Abraham’s elderly wife, Sarah, did not give up… and neither should we! When everything seems impossible… when we do not understand the “whys and wherefores” of a situation, God does… and He has promised to handle everything for us. Our job is to trust Him… to believe in Him… and to never give up!
Healing may not come on this earth, but it will come. Our answers may not be evident in this lifetime… but someday, we will have them. Even when we cannot see, hear, or feel God at work… He is still on the clock, meeting our every need. Don’t give up! Don’t stop believing in God’s promises… never underestimate His power in your life and the lives of others.
In The Message*, Hebrews 11:11-12 says, “By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said. That's how it happened that from one man's dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions.” God may not give you millions of children, but He will meet your needs and fulfill His promises for your life. What do you believe God for today? Are you holding on and expecting Him to fulfill His promises? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
*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.
Daily Devotional for February 17, 2012
Romans 7:21-23
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
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.
You know me and my “reality TV” hobby… I was watching a show called “My 600-lb. Life” on TLC, and this morbidly obese man, Henry, had gastric bypass surgery. Initially weighing in at 715 lbs., Henry ultimately lost 500 pounds over the course of five years. Some of this came in the form of cosmetic surgery to remove excessive skin… but most was a result of eating less and burning body fat. However, this was a very difficult journey for Henry, as it is for so many… in large part because of the temptations that surrounded him.
Henry’s family continued to eat all the wrong things – in excessive quantities – directly in front of him. Once, when he returned home after a month in the hospital for “skin” surgery, his sister said something to the effect of… “We’ve got to stop and get Momma something to eat on the way home. She said she was hungry and not to come home without a sandwich or something.” The next scene was all of Henry’s family, chowing down on burgers, fries and more, while he looked on pitifully. He admitted that sometimes he wanted to throw up his hands and just go back to eating. The man who had overcome so much… lost at least two persons in body weight… acquired an entirely new, much smaller wardrobe – even down to underwear, socks and shoes… and rekindled his relationship with the love of his life… still wanted to eat whatever and whenever he pleased.
Surely this passage has it right… there are times when parts of us covertly rebel and take charge. And like Henry, this is when we have to stand up and leave the room or do whatever it takes to strengthen our resolve to stay on course. This is when we truly have to “speak of things that be not as though they are!” We must use our mouth to call on God to rescue us… and we must do so with confidence that He will do exactly this!
The point is that life is hard… there are always going to be challenges, and Satan is NEVER going away. The minute we think we have it all together is the very moment he will show up full force to try to derail us. We must speak against anything that comes between us and living in God’s will. We must declare that we will not give in – or fold up. We will persevere by the strength of God Almighty, and we will come out on top. You may only have 5 pounds you wish to lose, but temptations still abound. You may have a “habit” you are trying to kick, and temptations keep trying to reel you back in.
You may be working toward a goal, like a college degree, training for a job promotion, or just getting your life on track in general… and roadblocks may keep appearing. Don’t give up! Keep on working toward whatever God is trying to give you. Call on Him to help you – and declare that you know He is going to deliver!
We know that when we get on track, challenges are going to show up almost like clockwork. By God’s grace, we are bigger than those challenges… and we have His full force behind us. Tell whatever part of you that is listening to Satan to get on board or move over, because you are committed to God, and He will not allow you to fail! This is great news! This is worthy of a shout! Praise God… with Him all things are possible… with God, we cannot be defeated!
©2012 Debbie Robus
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
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.
You know me and my “reality TV” hobby… I was watching a show called “My 600-lb. Life” on TLC, and this morbidly obese man, Henry, had gastric bypass surgery. Initially weighing in at 715 lbs., Henry ultimately lost 500 pounds over the course of five years. Some of this came in the form of cosmetic surgery to remove excessive skin… but most was a result of eating less and burning body fat. However, this was a very difficult journey for Henry, as it is for so many… in large part because of the temptations that surrounded him.
Henry’s family continued to eat all the wrong things – in excessive quantities – directly in front of him. Once, when he returned home after a month in the hospital for “skin” surgery, his sister said something to the effect of… “We’ve got to stop and get Momma something to eat on the way home. She said she was hungry and not to come home without a sandwich or something.” The next scene was all of Henry’s family, chowing down on burgers, fries and more, while he looked on pitifully. He admitted that sometimes he wanted to throw up his hands and just go back to eating. The man who had overcome so much… lost at least two persons in body weight… acquired an entirely new, much smaller wardrobe – even down to underwear, socks and shoes… and rekindled his relationship with the love of his life… still wanted to eat whatever and whenever he pleased.
Surely this passage has it right… there are times when parts of us covertly rebel and take charge. And like Henry, this is when we have to stand up and leave the room or do whatever it takes to strengthen our resolve to stay on course. This is when we truly have to “speak of things that be not as though they are!” We must use our mouth to call on God to rescue us… and we must do so with confidence that He will do exactly this!
The point is that life is hard… there are always going to be challenges, and Satan is NEVER going away. The minute we think we have it all together is the very moment he will show up full force to try to derail us. We must speak against anything that comes between us and living in God’s will. We must declare that we will not give in – or fold up. We will persevere by the strength of God Almighty, and we will come out on top. You may only have 5 pounds you wish to lose, but temptations still abound. You may have a “habit” you are trying to kick, and temptations keep trying to reel you back in.
You may be working toward a goal, like a college degree, training for a job promotion, or just getting your life on track in general… and roadblocks may keep appearing. Don’t give up! Keep on working toward whatever God is trying to give you. Call on Him to help you – and declare that you know He is going to deliver!
We know that when we get on track, challenges are going to show up almost like clockwork. By God’s grace, we are bigger than those challenges… and we have His full force behind us. Tell whatever part of you that is listening to Satan to get on board or move over, because you are committed to God, and He will not allow you to fail! This is great news! This is worthy of a shout! Praise God… with Him all things are possible… with God, we cannot be defeated!
©2012 Debbie Robus
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