Daily Devotional for March 5, 2016

1 John 2:24-27
Keep thinking about the message you first heard, and you will always be one in your heart with the Son and with the Father. The Son has promised us eternal life.

I am writing to warn you about those people who are misleading you. But Christ has blessed you with the Holy Spirit. Now the Spirit stays in you, and you don’t need any teachers. The Spirit is truthful and teaches you everything. So stay one in your heart with Christ, just as the Spirit has taught you to do.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

In reading some of my mother’s prayer journals – and yes, she had SEVERAL – I came across an entry from a couple of years ago alongside a devotional titled, “A Mother’s Blessing.”  My mother wrote, “I would like to say that I encouraged my children.  But I don’t know.  I fear that I may have imposed myself – my aspirations for them – my thinking of what was right, good – best – for them.  I can only hope that each one knows – feels – the love I’ve always had for them.  One of the largest blessings – the greatest privilege – in my life is to be a mother.  She went on to talk about how a lot of how she perceived herself for much of her life was through her own mother’s opinions. And she concluded…”Yet, I am thankful for a mother who took me to church…who fed, clothed and sheltered me well…who encouraged me in school and in music.”

I share these personal insights to tell you that we will always be surrounded by opinions.  A lot of people will have aspirations – and plans – for our lives.  I admit…I picture Timothy, Zola, and Nathan as college graduates with “successful” careers and happy families…I desire that they excel in school and extracurricular activities and have tons of friends and happy relationships. 

But what I most want for them…what really matters…is that they know Jesus…that their little hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit.  Then - and only then – can they truly succeed and “excel.”  With the Holy Spirit as their “heartsong,” they can overcome any obstacle or difficulty…they will have a core confidence and wisdom…and they will know the truest love of all.

THIS is what my mother desired for my sister, brother and me…and what her mother desired for her own daughters.  This is what God desires for all of His children, including you and me…and what we should strive to instill in our own offspring and others in our circle of influence.  Instead of worrying whether we are developing good athletes or the next President of the United States, we should be focused on developing Christ’s next disciples…and demonstrating in our own lives that we are powered by His Holy Spirit.

There is only one opinion that matters…and it doesn’t belong to your best friend…your parents or family members…your teachers, coaches or pastor…or your “significant other.”  The opinion we must seek and nurture is that of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.  If we stay one in heart with Him…He will guide each and every step of our lives, and we will know true “success.” 

The question of the day is this…”Whose ‘heartsong’ guides you?”  Let this be the day that you quit worrying about the opinions of others and start to focus on the One who really makes a difference!

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 9, 2012

Isaiah 8:19-22
Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead?

Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness.

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.

I will admit that I have watched the television show Long Island Medium. I’ve seen shows where the popular medium John Edwards has talked to spirits in the audience... given someone a message from a dear departed relative… or told someone something that they claimed “nobody else could have possibly known!” While I remain skeptical about such things… and this scripture passage suggests that we should not dabble in these practices, I cannot speak for others and how it makes them feel. I know that some people believe in this strongly… and some who have had a “reading” felt it was real – and comforting.

The thing is, we look to all sorts of people and things to make us feel better, when what we really need to do is consult our Bible and spend some time in prayer. With the Internet, you can type virtually any word in the search box for GOOGLE or many other search engines and find scripture to support you. For instance, type “scriptures on worry” and see what results you get. Enter “scriptures on addiction,” or “scriptures on sibling rivalry… debt…or illness” and you will find plenty of passages that address your exact need. Read the Proverbs and Psalms for guidance, wisdom, and comfort. And talk to God. See what He tells you and shows you. I guarantee that His answers will be truer and more comforting than any you can get from a psychic or anyone else who tells you they can help you get rich quick, make you a “better you,” or solve your problems!

We waste a lot of time and energy looking for answers in the wrong places. Isn’t it time to put aside such foolishness and turn to the One who can really help? Today is a great day to turn the corner. Look to God for answers, and start operating in his wisdom and peace!

©2012 Debbie Robus