Proverbs 12:25
Worry weighs us down;
a cheerful word picks us up.
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.
About 20 years ago, the
father of a young man who was our youth pastor suffered a heart attack
and died. Several church members traveled to another state to attend
the funeral and support this young man and his family during their time
of grief. After the service, one of these members told the young man,
“Son, it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.”
Later, the youth minister said to me, “WHY would anyone say that to me?
That was NOT what I needed to hear!” All I could do was shake my head,
say I was sorry, and tell him that I had no clue what would cause
someone to say such a thing. In all honesty, it would have been better
if that “brother in Christ” had stayed home!
Let’s be real…what
the man said may have very well been true…but did it help this person to
heal from his grief? Did it offer hope and a promise of better days?
What would have been wrong with saying, “Give yourself time…things WILL
get better”…or “We’re gonna help you get through today…and tomorrow,
we’ll do it again.” Where was the testimony that God grants us peace
and helps us to heal from sadness and sorrow?
And where in your
daily conversation, are you the “Grand Master of Gloom and Doom?” Do
you see the world as a “glass half empty?” Or is your “glass” half
full? Because EVERYONE has worries and concerns. No one is immune to
problems, stresses and challenges. But we Christians are supposed to
have a built-in support system in form of the Holy Spirit! We are
supposed to trust that the God we serve is bigger than any of our
struggles…that there is no mountain too high for Him to climb…no grief
too big for Him to manage and comfort…no disease that He cannot heal…and
no problem that He cannot solve.
I don’t mean to imply that we
should be phonies…that there are not times in all of our lives when “the
chips are down,” and we can’t help but show it. But when we hang out
in the “Land of Worries and Negativity” or enjoy a pity party just a tad
too long or too often, we totally blow our demonstration of the power,
strength, grace and mercy that we claim to have through Jesus Christ.
When we offer others pitiful consolation, as this church member did for a
grieving young man, we have failed miserably to be a light for Christ!
Let’s
ALL check our thoughts and actions and see where we have let worry and
pessimism creep into our vocabulary and our demonstrations. Let’s ask
God to help us get back on track…to project a genuine hope and
encouragement based in personal experience that God is able to do…” far
more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest
dreams!”(Ephesians 3:20) Let’s operate in encouragement rather than
worry - and be living examples of the hope of Jesus in motion. I’m
ready to give it a whirl…are you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label offering grace mercy hope encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label offering grace mercy hope encouragement. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 8, 2014
Deuteronomy 31:6
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon 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.
All over the country, various forms of a “24-hour Cold-water Challenge” are taking place. Here’s how it works…someone is “called out” to plunge in to cold water…like a lake, river, or swimming pool – and this act is recorded on video. This person has 24 hours to complete this challenge…and he/she “calls out” up to three other people who are supposed to then complete the challenge and “call out” others. My Facebook wall has been full of such videos for a couple of weeks now, ever since this event began with some of our high school athletes over Spring Break. Somewhere along the line, our community’s Cold-water Challenge developed a “purpose” – you are supposed to take the plunge to show your love for Jesus.
Some have made a pretty good case for the fact that Jesus knows they love him without jumping into the lake or a pool of icy-cold water. But many have been good sports and accepted the challenge. My little cousin, Owen, was one of these…well, sort of. He donned his “surfboard” swim trunks and matching t-shirt that had surfboard appliques, along with his goggles, and made his video on the shoreline of our local Sandy Beach. I should tell you… Owen is only four. He announced who had “called him out”…and he issued a challenge for two others. And then he stood there. You can hear his mom off-camera saying, “Okay, take off!” And Owen stands and says, “YOU go! Go with me!” Mom and Owen’s sister, Olivia, say, “No! YOU go… be fast!” He replies, “You come with me!” Finally…reluctantly…Owen runs into the water - up to his shins – then he stops, turns and runs back out, declaring, “It’s COLD!!!”
How many times have we been all ready to do what God calls us to do…even “run into the water” for a few feet…and then frozen in fear or retreated? How often has the mere thought of stepping out and taking a chance – even when you know that this is what God wants – caused you to panic and tremble in fear? How often do we fail to remember – or to recognize – that God is always right beside us…that nothing is too big for Him to handle…and that He will never leave us?
With coaxing and encouragement, Owen ran into the water…and retreated. But after his sister dogged him a while, he did finally go back and get in – most of the way. I’m not sure if he ever got his face wet, but he made a valiant effort for a 4-year-old in cold lake water on a 55-degree day. We were all pretty proud of him. Kudos go to his mom and sister for giving him the support that he needed…for showing compassion when he hesitated…and for never leaving his side!
This is what God does for us every day. He stands on the shore and says, “I’m right here…I’m not leaving…now take off! GO! Run into the water and take the plunge! I’ll be right beside you…I’ll have a towel handy and open arms to snuggle you afterward.” And we are called to do this for others, as well.
God wants us to reassure those in our midst that He is with them…and that they have friends “waiting on the shore with a warm towel and a hug”. He wants us to lift each other through burdens, challenges, fears and apprehensions…and to stick with them for the long haul. He calls on us to offer compassion for those who hesitate…and to extend grace, mercy and forgiveness to those who simply cannot muster up the bravery and courage to fully “take the plunge” into the “icy waters” of any given situation.
I don’t know where you are in this picture. You may be the reluctant 4-year-old on the shore… or the mom and sister who lovingly encourage him to “Take off! Go for it!” But God is with you, either way. He will never leave you or abandon you. Take comfort in this message! Know that with God, all things are possible. As long as He is on our side, we truly have nothing to fear. So what are you waiting for? “Go! Take off!” God is with you…it’ll be okay!
©2014 Debbie Robus
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon 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.
All over the country, various forms of a “24-hour Cold-water Challenge” are taking place. Here’s how it works…someone is “called out” to plunge in to cold water…like a lake, river, or swimming pool – and this act is recorded on video. This person has 24 hours to complete this challenge…and he/she “calls out” up to three other people who are supposed to then complete the challenge and “call out” others. My Facebook wall has been full of such videos for a couple of weeks now, ever since this event began with some of our high school athletes over Spring Break. Somewhere along the line, our community’s Cold-water Challenge developed a “purpose” – you are supposed to take the plunge to show your love for Jesus.
Some have made a pretty good case for the fact that Jesus knows they love him without jumping into the lake or a pool of icy-cold water. But many have been good sports and accepted the challenge. My little cousin, Owen, was one of these…well, sort of. He donned his “surfboard” swim trunks and matching t-shirt that had surfboard appliques, along with his goggles, and made his video on the shoreline of our local Sandy Beach. I should tell you… Owen is only four. He announced who had “called him out”…and he issued a challenge for two others. And then he stood there. You can hear his mom off-camera saying, “Okay, take off!” And Owen stands and says, “YOU go! Go with me!” Mom and Owen’s sister, Olivia, say, “No! YOU go… be fast!” He replies, “You come with me!” Finally…reluctantly…Owen runs into the water - up to his shins – then he stops, turns and runs back out, declaring, “It’s COLD!!!”
How many times have we been all ready to do what God calls us to do…even “run into the water” for a few feet…and then frozen in fear or retreated? How often has the mere thought of stepping out and taking a chance – even when you know that this is what God wants – caused you to panic and tremble in fear? How often do we fail to remember – or to recognize – that God is always right beside us…that nothing is too big for Him to handle…and that He will never leave us?
With coaxing and encouragement, Owen ran into the water…and retreated. But after his sister dogged him a while, he did finally go back and get in – most of the way. I’m not sure if he ever got his face wet, but he made a valiant effort for a 4-year-old in cold lake water on a 55-degree day. We were all pretty proud of him. Kudos go to his mom and sister for giving him the support that he needed…for showing compassion when he hesitated…and for never leaving his side!
This is what God does for us every day. He stands on the shore and says, “I’m right here…I’m not leaving…now take off! GO! Run into the water and take the plunge! I’ll be right beside you…I’ll have a towel handy and open arms to snuggle you afterward.” And we are called to do this for others, as well.
God wants us to reassure those in our midst that He is with them…and that they have friends “waiting on the shore with a warm towel and a hug”. He wants us to lift each other through burdens, challenges, fears and apprehensions…and to stick with them for the long haul. He calls on us to offer compassion for those who hesitate…and to extend grace, mercy and forgiveness to those who simply cannot muster up the bravery and courage to fully “take the plunge” into the “icy waters” of any given situation.
I don’t know where you are in this picture. You may be the reluctant 4-year-old on the shore… or the mom and sister who lovingly encourage him to “Take off! Go for it!” But God is with you, either way. He will never leave you or abandon you. Take comfort in this message! Know that with God, all things are possible. As long as He is on our side, we truly have nothing to fear. So what are you waiting for? “Go! Take off!” God is with you…it’ll be okay!
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 31, 2014
Psalm 86:11-17
Teach me to follow you,
and I will obey your truth.
Always keep me faithful.
With all my heart I thank you.
I praise you, Lord God.
Your love for me is so great
that you protected me
from death and the grave.
Proud and violent enemies,
who don’t care about you,
have ganged up to attack
and kill me.
But you, the Lord God,
are kind and merciful.
You don’t easily get angry,
and your love
can always be trusted.
I serve you, Lord,
and I am the child
of one of your servants.
Look on me with kindness.
Make me strong and save me.
Show that you approve of me!
Then my hateful enemies
will feel like fools,
because you have helped
and comforted me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
All around us, people are hurting. Even faith-filled Christians who trust God completely have a bad day now and again. A dear friend of mine who has suffered great losses in the last year – including the deaths of her husband, her brother, and her beloved cat – lost her little dog over the weekend. The father of my cousin’s wife died suddenly a few weeks ago. A few days after his burial, she had to undergo major surgery. She has experienced other “stressors” in recent weeks…and yesterday, she was overwhelmed with emotion and could not stop crying. Now she has a migraine. Both of these women are incredibly strong in their Christian faith…but “life” and the devil’s “violent enemies” have ganged up on them.
I’ve said it before, but Satan often goes after those who are securely in God’s camp even more stringently than those who are filled with sin. It’s like he figures that he has the latter group already…but he can’t stand to think he is losing a single soul to God’s Kingdom. So he hits Christians pretty hard sometimes. And that is when they need our prayers, our encouragement, and our strength to fight back and keep him on the run.
As Christians who believe what David says in this Psalm, we know that God can always be trusted…that He is kind, merciful, and working non-stop to strengthen and protect us. Still, there are days when we are discouraged…frustrated...when we have a weak moment and fall to our knees in despair. And that is when other believers must step in…with love, mercy, grace, compassion, prayers and encouragement. We must be on the lookout for those among us who are in great need of our support – whether they appear to be faith-filled believers or the worst sinner we can imagine! We must reach out to them in the name of Jesus, remembering how He became accessible to the least of those among us – and offered hope, a better way…and a new life in Him.
Look around. Who needs you today? Where is Satan’s gang of enemies bearing down on someone? How can you help? Can you offer a prayer…a helping hand…a shoulder to cry on…or a rally cry of “Beat it, Devil!”? Can you share with someone how God has helped you through a similar situation…how He met your needs even when you felt like everything was hopeless? Because if we are honest…we’ve all “been there, done that”!
So what are you waiting for? Who’s waiting on you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their life today? Isn’t it time you got to work?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Teach me to follow you,
and I will obey your truth.
Always keep me faithful.
With all my heart I thank you.
I praise you, Lord God.
Your love for me is so great
that you protected me
from death and the grave.
Proud and violent enemies,
who don’t care about you,
have ganged up to attack
and kill me.
But you, the Lord God,
are kind and merciful.
You don’t easily get angry,
and your love
can always be trusted.
I serve you, Lord,
and I am the child
of one of your servants.
Look on me with kindness.
Make me strong and save me.
Show that you approve of me!
Then my hateful enemies
will feel like fools,
because you have helped
and comforted me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
All around us, people are hurting. Even faith-filled Christians who trust God completely have a bad day now and again. A dear friend of mine who has suffered great losses in the last year – including the deaths of her husband, her brother, and her beloved cat – lost her little dog over the weekend. The father of my cousin’s wife died suddenly a few weeks ago. A few days after his burial, she had to undergo major surgery. She has experienced other “stressors” in recent weeks…and yesterday, she was overwhelmed with emotion and could not stop crying. Now she has a migraine. Both of these women are incredibly strong in their Christian faith…but “life” and the devil’s “violent enemies” have ganged up on them.
I’ve said it before, but Satan often goes after those who are securely in God’s camp even more stringently than those who are filled with sin. It’s like he figures that he has the latter group already…but he can’t stand to think he is losing a single soul to God’s Kingdom. So he hits Christians pretty hard sometimes. And that is when they need our prayers, our encouragement, and our strength to fight back and keep him on the run.
As Christians who believe what David says in this Psalm, we know that God can always be trusted…that He is kind, merciful, and working non-stop to strengthen and protect us. Still, there are days when we are discouraged…frustrated...when we have a weak moment and fall to our knees in despair. And that is when other believers must step in…with love, mercy, grace, compassion, prayers and encouragement. We must be on the lookout for those among us who are in great need of our support – whether they appear to be faith-filled believers or the worst sinner we can imagine! We must reach out to them in the name of Jesus, remembering how He became accessible to the least of those among us – and offered hope, a better way…and a new life in Him.
Look around. Who needs you today? Where is Satan’s gang of enemies bearing down on someone? How can you help? Can you offer a prayer…a helping hand…a shoulder to cry on…or a rally cry of “Beat it, Devil!”? Can you share with someone how God has helped you through a similar situation…how He met your needs even when you felt like everything was hopeless? Because if we are honest…we’ve all “been there, done that”!
So what are you waiting for? Who’s waiting on you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their life today? Isn’t it time you got to work?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 25, 2014
Philippians 4:8-9
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with 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 paternal grandfather had a sister who lived on a small farm outside of our community. She was unkempt and disheveled…and frankly, she scared us kids just a little. Couple that with the fact that some of the adults did not speak very kindly of her, and we were quite convinced that she was not someone we wanted to be around for very long. When we grew up, my Mam-ma Polly began to talk about this aunt in a manner that presented a totally different story.
She told of a woman who lost a child in a tragic accident…and was never the same afterward. She described a relationship between my aunt and her husband that was troubled at best. The uncle blamed my aunt for their child’s death. And according to my grandmother…he never missed an opportunity to berate her for it or to tear down her resolve. So my aunt became bitter, downtrodden, and even at times - dishonest…all in an effort to cope and survive. My heart breaks to think of how tormented her life must have been.
It’s a sad story…but there is something of a happy result. A grand-daughter of this aunt came to visit Mam-ma as she lay dying. She mentioned something about her grandmother in the context of how fortunate I was to have such a wonderful woman as MY grandmother – and how horrible her own grandmother had been. I said to her, “I don’t think that is the case. You should really talk to my sister, because Mam-ma Polly shared more with her than with me. But I’m quite sure she painted a very different picture of your grandmother and her life.” At Mam-ma Polly's funeral visitation, my cousin asked my sister - and another cousin who was old enough to remember some facts - about all of this. And with tears in her eyes, she came to me to say “Thank you”.
My cousin had learned that things were not as she had always been told. It was bittersweet news, but she was thrilled to learn that her grandmother had aspects to her life that were true, honorable, right and pure…lovely and admirable. She now sees her grandmother with a new “lens”, so to speak. She realizes that like most of us, there can be an ugly side to our story…but God sees beyond this. He can forgive us and redeem us from our sordid past…our life of sin…and He can bring the things that are excellent and worthy of His praise to the forefront. And our job as Christian disciples is to emulate Jesus and look for the good in others… to focus on these things rather than the person’s shortcomings.
I am not meaning to excuse another person’s sins or past mistakes. But this is not for us to judge. We are to look at each and every person and see their heart…and the potential that lies therein for honor, truth, purity and goodness. We are to see others as God sees them…with all the capacity in the world to be filled with decency, righteousness, and virtue…with every possibility to give honorable testament to the grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, power and peace we receive through salvation in Jesus Christ.
One of the marks of a mature Christian who is growing in his/her faith is the ability to look at another person and see that person's heart…and their potential in Christ Jesus. When we come to a place where we can ache for the torment that others may endure because of past sins - and ask God to offer them forgiveness, healing, comfort and peace - we have reached a new level in our own faithfulness.
Are you there yet? Do you look past the sinfulness of others and see their heart? Do you care deeply about sharing the hope and promises of God with others and encouraging them toward a life that is honest, right, pure, lovely, admirable…and leaves their old, sinful life in the dust?
Are you willing to reach out to others and help them to “forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead…to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us”*? Will this be the day that you turn the corner in your own faith walk and begin to operate in the compassion of Christ? Shouldn’t it?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Philippians 3:14 (NLT)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with 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 paternal grandfather had a sister who lived on a small farm outside of our community. She was unkempt and disheveled…and frankly, she scared us kids just a little. Couple that with the fact that some of the adults did not speak very kindly of her, and we were quite convinced that she was not someone we wanted to be around for very long. When we grew up, my Mam-ma Polly began to talk about this aunt in a manner that presented a totally different story.
She told of a woman who lost a child in a tragic accident…and was never the same afterward. She described a relationship between my aunt and her husband that was troubled at best. The uncle blamed my aunt for their child’s death. And according to my grandmother…he never missed an opportunity to berate her for it or to tear down her resolve. So my aunt became bitter, downtrodden, and even at times - dishonest…all in an effort to cope and survive. My heart breaks to think of how tormented her life must have been.
It’s a sad story…but there is something of a happy result. A grand-daughter of this aunt came to visit Mam-ma as she lay dying. She mentioned something about her grandmother in the context of how fortunate I was to have such a wonderful woman as MY grandmother – and how horrible her own grandmother had been. I said to her, “I don’t think that is the case. You should really talk to my sister, because Mam-ma Polly shared more with her than with me. But I’m quite sure she painted a very different picture of your grandmother and her life.” At Mam-ma Polly's funeral visitation, my cousin asked my sister - and another cousin who was old enough to remember some facts - about all of this. And with tears in her eyes, she came to me to say “Thank you”.
My cousin had learned that things were not as she had always been told. It was bittersweet news, but she was thrilled to learn that her grandmother had aspects to her life that were true, honorable, right and pure…lovely and admirable. She now sees her grandmother with a new “lens”, so to speak. She realizes that like most of us, there can be an ugly side to our story…but God sees beyond this. He can forgive us and redeem us from our sordid past…our life of sin…and He can bring the things that are excellent and worthy of His praise to the forefront. And our job as Christian disciples is to emulate Jesus and look for the good in others… to focus on these things rather than the person’s shortcomings.
I am not meaning to excuse another person’s sins or past mistakes. But this is not for us to judge. We are to look at each and every person and see their heart…and the potential that lies therein for honor, truth, purity and goodness. We are to see others as God sees them…with all the capacity in the world to be filled with decency, righteousness, and virtue…with every possibility to give honorable testament to the grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, power and peace we receive through salvation in Jesus Christ.
One of the marks of a mature Christian who is growing in his/her faith is the ability to look at another person and see that person's heart…and their potential in Christ Jesus. When we come to a place where we can ache for the torment that others may endure because of past sins - and ask God to offer them forgiveness, healing, comfort and peace - we have reached a new level in our own faithfulness.
Are you there yet? Do you look past the sinfulness of others and see their heart? Do you care deeply about sharing the hope and promises of God with others and encouraging them toward a life that is honest, right, pure, lovely, admirable…and leaves their old, sinful life in the dust?
Are you willing to reach out to others and help them to “forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead…to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us”*? Will this be the day that you turn the corner in your own faith walk and begin to operate in the compassion of Christ? Shouldn’t it?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Philippians 3:14 (NLT)
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