Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of
worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into
prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of
God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and
settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry
at the center of your life.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
As I tucked Timothy into
bed, he was fretting about going to sleep in the dark. I told him, “You
worry too much!” “But I like to worry,” he replied. “Well, trust
me...” I answered. “It’s a waste of time!”
Even though he is
only six, I have begun to encourage Timothy to pray about his worries. I
know that the sooner he learns to do this, the better. And I speak
from experience as a life-long, expert worrier!
These are the
well-known “peace that passes understanding” scriptures in Philippians,
and I love how this translation describes that peace as “a sense of
God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good” to “come and
settle you down.” The more I learn to give my worries to God and rest
in this promise, the better – and less stressful – life gets. I’m
working hard to instill this same assurance in our little ones…and I
pray that it is so for you, as well.
Are you ready to give God your worries and live in His amazing and all-encompassing peace? Don’t you think it’s time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label operating in God's blessings peace of heart and mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label operating in God's blessings peace of heart and mind. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for November 7, 2015
Philippians 4:19-20
I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus! May God our Father be praised forever and ever. Amen.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy is spending a long-overdue “get-away weekend” with us. He has not stayed overnight since the middle of the summer, and he has said repeatedly, “I’m so glad to be here…it’s just the three of us!” In a family with three young children, each one needs some individual time away occasionally to recharge and be spoiled. And it’s Timothy’s turn.
So we are spoiling…pizza for dinner and chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast…bubble baths and a little later bedtime…art projects galore…Legos™ and little “army” men and plastic spiders and bugs…and watching whatever he selects on television (which has been a mix of “Paw Patrol” and other NickJr.® shows - and a movie or two). We are not only taking care of his needs – we are throwing in some special treats. We do this out of love for this precious boy…and also out of care for the whole family. I’m sure that they are all enjoying this “break” from one another, and hopefully they will gladly regroup Sunday evening with energy and enthusiasm.
When you think of God, understand that He is so much more than an (at times) overindulgent aunt and uncle. He loves us so much that He wants to lavish blessings on us…to take care of all of our needs and give us rest and refreshment. The God who loved us so much that He allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for our sins, wants to give us joy and blessings far beyond what we could ever imagine…much less deserve.
We had told Timothy that he could stay the whole weekend IF he had a good week at school and he cooperated and behaved himself at our house – and he promised to do so. A couple of times, he has said, “So far, so good!” He is trying very hard to demonstrate that he trusts us to make good on our promise by making good on His!
What about us? Are we making good on our commitment to God? Are we doing all that we know He wants of us…and trusting Him for our every need? Are we living in the blessings that God wants to give us through Jesus Christ…and resting in His love and care? Isn’t it time we did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus! May God our Father be praised forever and ever. Amen.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy is spending a long-overdue “get-away weekend” with us. He has not stayed overnight since the middle of the summer, and he has said repeatedly, “I’m so glad to be here…it’s just the three of us!” In a family with three young children, each one needs some individual time away occasionally to recharge and be spoiled. And it’s Timothy’s turn.
So we are spoiling…pizza for dinner and chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast…bubble baths and a little later bedtime…art projects galore…Legos™ and little “army” men and plastic spiders and bugs…and watching whatever he selects on television (which has been a mix of “Paw Patrol” and other NickJr.® shows - and a movie or two). We are not only taking care of his needs – we are throwing in some special treats. We do this out of love for this precious boy…and also out of care for the whole family. I’m sure that they are all enjoying this “break” from one another, and hopefully they will gladly regroup Sunday evening with energy and enthusiasm.
When you think of God, understand that He is so much more than an (at times) overindulgent aunt and uncle. He loves us so much that He wants to lavish blessings on us…to take care of all of our needs and give us rest and refreshment. The God who loved us so much that He allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for our sins, wants to give us joy and blessings far beyond what we could ever imagine…much less deserve.
We had told Timothy that he could stay the whole weekend IF he had a good week at school and he cooperated and behaved himself at our house – and he promised to do so. A couple of times, he has said, “So far, so good!” He is trying very hard to demonstrate that he trusts us to make good on our promise by making good on His!
What about us? Are we making good on our commitment to God? Are we doing all that we know He wants of us…and trusting Him for our every need? Are we living in the blessings that God wants to give us through Jesus Christ…and resting in His love and care? Isn’t it time we did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 8, 2015
Matthew 5:5-9
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
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.
When Timothy was little, we watched a lot of NickJr.™ and PBS. His family does not subscribe to cable TV…they watch movies and children’s programs via a streaming service. So in the last few years, the children have had limited exposure to television commercials. Only lately have they started to notice ads for toys, cereals, and other products and say, “I want that!” or “Will you get that for me?” And even so, they are learning that the quantity of our “things” is not as important as we thought. They are learning to value relationships…and the concept that we cannot instantly have everything we want - and that’s more than okay!
I want you to read this scripture passage again…and again…and again! Let its message soak deeply into your heart and soul today. You ARE blessed when you’re content with just who you are – no more, no less. God’s food and drink IS the best meal you will ever eat.
When you care for others, you find that others care for you. When your heart and mind are “right,” you CAN see God in the outside world. Life is not a competition…when you learn to cooperate rather than compete, you figure out who you really are – in the eyes of the world - and more importantly, in God’s eyes.
Because of Jesus, we truly are blessed. Some of us are just a little too busy watching other people and the “commercials” of the world…and wishing our lives away. Will this be the day that you start to operate more fully in God’s blessings and abundance and less in the things of this world? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
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.
When Timothy was little, we watched a lot of NickJr.™ and PBS. His family does not subscribe to cable TV…they watch movies and children’s programs via a streaming service. So in the last few years, the children have had limited exposure to television commercials. Only lately have they started to notice ads for toys, cereals, and other products and say, “I want that!” or “Will you get that for me?” And even so, they are learning that the quantity of our “things” is not as important as we thought. They are learning to value relationships…and the concept that we cannot instantly have everything we want - and that’s more than okay!
I want you to read this scripture passage again…and again…and again! Let its message soak deeply into your heart and soul today. You ARE blessed when you’re content with just who you are – no more, no less. God’s food and drink IS the best meal you will ever eat.
When you care for others, you find that others care for you. When your heart and mind are “right,” you CAN see God in the outside world. Life is not a competition…when you learn to cooperate rather than compete, you figure out who you really are – in the eyes of the world - and more importantly, in God’s eyes.
Because of Jesus, we truly are blessed. Some of us are just a little too busy watching other people and the “commercials” of the world…and wishing our lives away. Will this be the day that you start to operate more fully in God’s blessings and abundance and less in the things of this world? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 17, 2015
1 Corinthians 1:3
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you all of his blessings, and great peace of heart and mind.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In her memoir by the same name, television personality Robin Roberts quotes her mother, Lucimarian Tolliver, who often reminded her that… "Everybody’s Got Something"*. And Lucimarian was exactly right. Every single one of us has joys, sorrows, successes, failures, incredible “highs”…and equally profound “lows”.
You might think this is the ultimate “common denominator” for each of us…but there is something else. We are all flawed in some way…but we all have the potential to be flawless. I’m not talking about wrinkle creams or hair dye…plastic surgery or years of intense therapy! We can all experience God’s blessings - and great peace of heart and mind - through salvation in Jesus Christ. Each one of us can become “flawless” when we surrender to Christ and strive to walk in His ways.
You may be familiar with the Mercy Me, the Christian band that is best known for their hit, “I Can Only Imagine." This group has just released a video for their latest song, “Flawless”.** I encourage you to take a few minutes and watch this video…to consider what “flaws” others feel they possess – and to think about how God can remove these – and so much more…and truly make us “flawless!”
Everybody has indeed got "something"...but not everyone experiences God’s blessings, and “great peace of heart and mind”. Don’t you want to be “flawless” in His eyes? Each of us can be…and we can start today…here...now…in this very moment! I’m all in…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* Everybody's Got Something
**Flawless by Mercy Me
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you all of his blessings, and great peace of heart and mind.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In her memoir by the same name, television personality Robin Roberts quotes her mother, Lucimarian Tolliver, who often reminded her that… "Everybody’s Got Something"*. And Lucimarian was exactly right. Every single one of us has joys, sorrows, successes, failures, incredible “highs”…and equally profound “lows”.
You might think this is the ultimate “common denominator” for each of us…but there is something else. We are all flawed in some way…but we all have the potential to be flawless. I’m not talking about wrinkle creams or hair dye…plastic surgery or years of intense therapy! We can all experience God’s blessings - and great peace of heart and mind - through salvation in Jesus Christ. Each one of us can become “flawless” when we surrender to Christ and strive to walk in His ways.
You may be familiar with the Mercy Me, the Christian band that is best known for their hit, “I Can Only Imagine." This group has just released a video for their latest song, “Flawless”.** I encourage you to take a few minutes and watch this video…to consider what “flaws” others feel they possess – and to think about how God can remove these – and so much more…and truly make us “flawless!”
Everybody has indeed got "something"...but not everyone experiences God’s blessings, and “great peace of heart and mind”. Don’t you want to be “flawless” in His eyes? Each of us can be…and we can start today…here...now…in this very moment! I’m all in…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* Everybody's Got Something
**Flawless by Mercy Me
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