Luke 13:23-30
A bystander said, "Master, will only a few be saved?"
He said, "Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you'll sit down to God's salvation banquet just because you've been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. Well, one day you're going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you'll find the door locked and the Master saying, 'Sorry, you're not on my guest list.'
"You'll protest, 'But we've known you all our lives!' only to be interrupted with his abrupt, 'Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don't know the first thing about me.'
"That's when you'll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You'll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God's kingdom. You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened. This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last."
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.
Several months ago, my husband joined the James Taylor Fan Club online. He began getting notices via e-mail about James Taylor and his music… where he was performing, and more. When he learned that James Taylor would be performing a concert in late April at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, he asked me if I would like to go with him. Would I?! As members of the fan club, we were given advanced opportunities to purchase tickets.
The opening day of ticket sales, I sat at the computer… credit card in hand… and waited for the 11:00 a.m. opening. I placed my order, and later we got confirmation… two tickets… on the floor… second row! We were so excited.
The concert day arrived, and we drove to North Little Rock and got in line to enter the arena. Inside, we found our seats… probably not more than twenty feet from where the musical legend and his band would soon perform. The cherry on top would be getting to walk down to the stage at intermission and actually get an autograph from the musical legend on the yoke of my denim jacket!
The arena was packed. More than 6300 people came to hear James Taylor and his band perform hits that most of us know by heart. But just as the concert began, I noticed an usher standing near the front of the floor section, and he had a couple of concert-goers standing with him. He was speaking to people sitting across from us in the second row… and soon they were leaving. See, they had taken vacant seats that did not belong to them. They were not the ticket holders for these seats – the people standing with the usher were. And these “party-crashers” were not welcome there. They had not taken the necessary steps to bring them to that particular spot, and they were turned away.
Do you see the correlation? It’s not enough just to come to God’s concert… you have to have the right ticket! Just because your family is… or was… “church people” doesn’t guarantee you a mansion in heaven. Just because you give to your church or do good works… don’t assume you will be dining at God’s table with the saints! Being a “good person” and claiming to know Jesus without really knowing Him and living for Him will get you nowhere. The only way to guarantee that you are a part of God’s Eternal Kingdom is to invite Jesus Christ to be the LORD of your life, call on His Holy Spirit to reside in your heart and guide your every step… then truly invite Him to live and breathe in and through you each day.
You have a choice. You can be a wannabe on the fringe… something of a hanger-on… the one who tries to sneak in the back door or take a seat that isn’t truly yours. Or you can have seats on the floor at God’s ongoing concert. Where do you plan to be sitting? Have you made the commitment and received the right ticket?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 23, 2011
Luke 11:9
So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy was staying with us recently, and my mother came over to visit. She brought a blue plastic Easter basket, filled with:
• blue Easter grass
• two different packages/flavors of “Peeps”
• a chocolate bunny
• a Curious George DVD
• a bottle of all-in-one shampoo
• a bunny car filled with Easter candy
• a wand of bubbles, and
• a baby doll that laughs when you squeeze it.
I groaned when I saw all the sticky candy, and she laughed and said, “It’s okay… I’m the great-grandmother!” This is one great-grandmother who knows how to give “good gifts!” And of course, three Peeps later, Timmy was a happy, sticky mess out on our driveway blowing bubbles! He’s not old enough to actually ask for gifts yet, but when he is, I’m sure we will gladly - and readily – oblige… and our door is always open to any and all of our nieces and nephews and young friends.
Truly the basket of goodies was filled with things that, while not necessarily healthy for Timothy, were just what a kid needs on Easter week. Many needs this kid didn’t even know he had were met… and then some!
The GOOD NEWS for each of us this Easter weekend – and always – is that God’s door is always open. He may not give us Peeps and chocolate bunnies, but whatever we ask Him will be given to us, according to His will – and with our best interest at the forefront. So if you ask God for a new Mustang, and you really need transportation to get back and forth to school or work, He may give you a used Ford Focus! If you ask God to help you put food on the table, He may see that you have just enough to eat each day rather than showering you with a pantry filled with groceries. But the point is, God will answer… He will meet your needs. His door is always open!
Because of the blood of Jesus… because of the incredible sacrifice of a totally innocent man Who was willing to take our sins and die for them, we can freely ask for anything. Because this man was Jesus Christ in human form, who could not be contained in an earthly grave, the door to our Father’s house is always open. Because of the incredible love of our LORD and Savior, the Holy Spirit is available to each of us…ready to fill our hearts and be our constant companion!
This is the “Good Gift” of Easter. This is the Good Gift we can enjoy all year long… every year… again and again! Ask God for anything, and trust Him to know just how to answer… and to give you “good and perfect gifts” upon request.
©2011 Debbie Robus
So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy was staying with us recently, and my mother came over to visit. She brought a blue plastic Easter basket, filled with:
• blue Easter grass
• two different packages/flavors of “Peeps”
• a chocolate bunny
• a Curious George DVD
• a bottle of all-in-one shampoo
• a bunny car filled with Easter candy
• a wand of bubbles, and
• a baby doll that laughs when you squeeze it.
I groaned when I saw all the sticky candy, and she laughed and said, “It’s okay… I’m the great-grandmother!” This is one great-grandmother who knows how to give “good gifts!” And of course, three Peeps later, Timmy was a happy, sticky mess out on our driveway blowing bubbles! He’s not old enough to actually ask for gifts yet, but when he is, I’m sure we will gladly - and readily – oblige… and our door is always open to any and all of our nieces and nephews and young friends.
Truly the basket of goodies was filled with things that, while not necessarily healthy for Timothy, were just what a kid needs on Easter week. Many needs this kid didn’t even know he had were met… and then some!
The GOOD NEWS for each of us this Easter weekend – and always – is that God’s door is always open. He may not give us Peeps and chocolate bunnies, but whatever we ask Him will be given to us, according to His will – and with our best interest at the forefront. So if you ask God for a new Mustang, and you really need transportation to get back and forth to school or work, He may give you a used Ford Focus! If you ask God to help you put food on the table, He may see that you have just enough to eat each day rather than showering you with a pantry filled with groceries. But the point is, God will answer… He will meet your needs. His door is always open!
Because of the blood of Jesus… because of the incredible sacrifice of a totally innocent man Who was willing to take our sins and die for them, we can freely ask for anything. Because this man was Jesus Christ in human form, who could not be contained in an earthly grave, the door to our Father’s house is always open. Because of the incredible love of our LORD and Savior, the Holy Spirit is available to each of us…ready to fill our hearts and be our constant companion!
This is the “Good Gift” of Easter. This is the Good Gift we can enjoy all year long… every year… again and again! Ask God for anything, and trust Him to know just how to answer… and to give you “good and perfect gifts” upon request.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 12, 2011
Mark 14:71-72
Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears.
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 read this passage dozens – maybe even hundreds – of times. But when I read it again recently, I was struck by these two verses. Jesus had told Peter that he would deny knowing Him. “Nope, I won’t! Never gonna happen!” Peter had replied (paraphrased, of course!). Peter thought he was strong. He thought he had incredible faith and devotion, and that nothing – and no one – could make him waiver. But when trouble came and he feared for his own life, he caved and did the very thing he didn’t intend to ever do.
Aren’t we all so much like Peter? We have these grandiose plans and intentions for being such pious little saints and servants. But we underestimate the skill of our opponent – the devil! He can twist the knife and turn us in ways we never intended to bend… and the next thing you know, we are saying and doing things we never thought we would or could. And we, like Peter, have been warned!
If we read the first few chapters of the Book of Acts, we see that Peter became one of the strongest leaders among the disciples of Christ. He was heartsick over his denial of Jesus, but Jesus forgave him, and He picked Peter up by the bootstraps and used him mightily to spread the Gospel. And this is the lesson for us. We all make mistakes. We all fall short – and maybe even do seemingly horrible things. But Jesus has the power to wash us clean of all of that, set us on our feet, and use us in His service. And that’s exactly what we must do!
If Peter had chosen to wallow in self-pity and go over and over his mistakes, he would have been of no use to Jesus. In essence, he would have stomped all over the salvation that Christ gave to Him – and to us. We have a choice. We can wallow in our past… our sins and our mistakes… or we can ask Jesus to heal us and forgive us – set us upright again – and learn from our experiences. We can use the past to create a better future in Christ… and to build even stronger relationships with others in His name.
What will you choose? Will you build your legacy on the sins of your past? Will you stay stuck in the mud and mire of your mistakes? Or will you step up and ask Jesus to work in you and use you – not because of your purity, but in spite of your brokenness? Take a cue from Peter. Realize that God has a purpose for you – and He is waiting for you to recognize this and get on with it! What do you say?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears.
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 read this passage dozens – maybe even hundreds – of times. But when I read it again recently, I was struck by these two verses. Jesus had told Peter that he would deny knowing Him. “Nope, I won’t! Never gonna happen!” Peter had replied (paraphrased, of course!). Peter thought he was strong. He thought he had incredible faith and devotion, and that nothing – and no one – could make him waiver. But when trouble came and he feared for his own life, he caved and did the very thing he didn’t intend to ever do.
Aren’t we all so much like Peter? We have these grandiose plans and intentions for being such pious little saints and servants. But we underestimate the skill of our opponent – the devil! He can twist the knife and turn us in ways we never intended to bend… and the next thing you know, we are saying and doing things we never thought we would or could. And we, like Peter, have been warned!
If we read the first few chapters of the Book of Acts, we see that Peter became one of the strongest leaders among the disciples of Christ. He was heartsick over his denial of Jesus, but Jesus forgave him, and He picked Peter up by the bootstraps and used him mightily to spread the Gospel. And this is the lesson for us. We all make mistakes. We all fall short – and maybe even do seemingly horrible things. But Jesus has the power to wash us clean of all of that, set us on our feet, and use us in His service. And that’s exactly what we must do!
If Peter had chosen to wallow in self-pity and go over and over his mistakes, he would have been of no use to Jesus. In essence, he would have stomped all over the salvation that Christ gave to Him – and to us. We have a choice. We can wallow in our past… our sins and our mistakes… or we can ask Jesus to heal us and forgive us – set us upright again – and learn from our experiences. We can use the past to create a better future in Christ… and to build even stronger relationships with others in His name.
What will you choose? Will you build your legacy on the sins of your past? Will you stay stuck in the mud and mire of your mistakes? Or will you step up and ask Jesus to work in you and use you – not because of your purity, but in spite of your brokenness? Take a cue from Peter. Realize that God has a purpose for you – and He is waiting for you to recognize this and get on with it! What do you say?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 6, 2011
Matthew 19:16-26
A man came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. If you want to have eternal life, you must obey his commandments." "Which ones?" the man asked.
Jesus answered, "Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother. And love others as much as you love yourself." The young man said, "I have obeyed all of these. What else must I do?"
Jesus replied, "If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower." When the young man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.
Jesus said to his disciples, "It's terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven! In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly surprised and asked, "How can anyone ever be saved?" Jesus looked straight at them and said, "There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent episode of The Biggest Loser, the contestants had to decide which member of a married couple to send home. The couple pleaded with the contestants to send the wife home and keep the husband on the ranch. Their rationale was that the wife knew what she needed to do to continue losing weight at home, while the husband had not come to that place in his mind and heart yet. He told the contestants that he knew if he went home now, he would not do the work he needed to lose weight and live longer to rear his young son.
One of the hardest things for us humans to grasp is complete surrender to God. We are crippled by fear (imposed by Satan, of course!), and we hesitate. Quite often, we really like our sins… they feel good to us, and we are comfortable with them. The life in Christ seems like a huge sacrifice. The truth is that there is absolutely no “sacrifice” we can ever make to come close to what Jesus has already done for each of us. When we realize this, even talking about our own “sacrifices” seems a little ridiculous, doesn’t it?!
So the question becomes… how can we ever be saved and surrender completely to God? The answer is clear…we cannot do anything, but God can do everything! Maybe the guy on The Biggest Loser needs the support of his fellow contestants and the trainers to continue on his journey. Maybe he needs to ask God for more strength and courage. I’m not judging… I’m just sayin’! But the bottom line is, we are no different in our own situations. We all pull up short every day and say, “Whoa! That’s more than I can handle!” We often get almost all the way to the Finish Line, so to speak, and then turn and step to the curb and call it quits.
It’s time to cross on over the line. It’s time we realized the power of God to do what we cannot. It’s time we understood that nothing we have or enjoy could possibly compare to what God is waiting to give us. All we have to do is to surrender to Him… to be willing to completely put Him first above everything and everyone else… to fully serve as His disciple. The results can be amazing… are you willing to see them firsthand?
©2011 Debbie Robus
A man came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. If you want to have eternal life, you must obey his commandments." "Which ones?" the man asked.
Jesus answered, "Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother. And love others as much as you love yourself." The young man said, "I have obeyed all of these. What else must I do?"
Jesus replied, "If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower." When the young man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.
Jesus said to his disciples, "It's terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven! In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly surprised and asked, "How can anyone ever be saved?" Jesus looked straight at them and said, "There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent episode of The Biggest Loser, the contestants had to decide which member of a married couple to send home. The couple pleaded with the contestants to send the wife home and keep the husband on the ranch. Their rationale was that the wife knew what she needed to do to continue losing weight at home, while the husband had not come to that place in his mind and heart yet. He told the contestants that he knew if he went home now, he would not do the work he needed to lose weight and live longer to rear his young son.
One of the hardest things for us humans to grasp is complete surrender to God. We are crippled by fear (imposed by Satan, of course!), and we hesitate. Quite often, we really like our sins… they feel good to us, and we are comfortable with them. The life in Christ seems like a huge sacrifice. The truth is that there is absolutely no “sacrifice” we can ever make to come close to what Jesus has already done for each of us. When we realize this, even talking about our own “sacrifices” seems a little ridiculous, doesn’t it?!
So the question becomes… how can we ever be saved and surrender completely to God? The answer is clear…we cannot do anything, but God can do everything! Maybe the guy on The Biggest Loser needs the support of his fellow contestants and the trainers to continue on his journey. Maybe he needs to ask God for more strength and courage. I’m not judging… I’m just sayin’! But the bottom line is, we are no different in our own situations. We all pull up short every day and say, “Whoa! That’s more than I can handle!” We often get almost all the way to the Finish Line, so to speak, and then turn and step to the curb and call it quits.
It’s time to cross on over the line. It’s time we realized the power of God to do what we cannot. It’s time we understood that nothing we have or enjoy could possibly compare to what God is waiting to give us. All we have to do is to surrender to Him… to be willing to completely put Him first above everything and everyone else… to fully serve as His disciple. The results can be amazing… are you willing to see them firsthand?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 15, 2011
John 3:6
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.
It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.
But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.
Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.
There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.
It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.
But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.
Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.
There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 10, 2011
Jeremiah 13:23
Can you ever change and do what's right? Can people change the color of their skin, or can a leopard remove its spots? If so, then maybe you can change and learn to do right.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A decade ago, I was a sun worshipper. My skin is incredibly pale, and I thought a tan made me look better… younger, healthier, and more fit. In the winter, I would skip the tanning bed and give my skin a rest, and I did not like how it looked… pasty, freckled, and almost ghostly! But over time, I realized that I was not really changing my skin… I was just making it age faster. No matter how much time I spend in a tanning bed – or how much I am able to darken my skin – when I stop the process, my skin will once again be pasty white (albeit with more freckles and “sun/age spots” as a result).
In other words, I didn’t really change my skin color, any more than bleaching my hair changes the fact that my “natural color” is a salt-and-pepper combo of dishwater blonde and snowy white. Once I stop spending time in the tanning bed or out in the sun – or going to a hairdresser and having my hair color adjusted – the original color returns. The change is only on the surface.
Sadly, there are some people who seem to treat their relationship with God like tanning or coloring their hair. The results are short-term, and fairly shallow. Once the “new” wears off, old habits and behaviors resurface. The “change” was not from deep within the heart. Maybe these people thought the change was real… maybe they convinced themselves that they had given their heart to God and were committed to following Him and serving as Christ’s disciple. And maybe nobody explained to them that salvation is not the end – it’s the beginning!
Accepting Jesus is the first step… inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within your heart is vital… but Jesus’ words were, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” He also told us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The rewards of a life in Christ are great… but so is the responsibility. And often, our commitment to God involves incredible, profound, permanent change. I’ll be the first to tell you that this is difficult… and there may be periods when we slip and fall and seem to lose our way for a time. But the key is to get back to God as quickly as possible, to admit your shortcomings and earnestly work to correct them.
Maybe we can’t change our ethnicity or the real color of our hair (at least not once and for all), but with work and dedication… faith and trust in God… we can change our heart to line up more closely with His. Are you willing to do what it takes to make the changes that matter? Is today the day you begin?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Can you ever change and do what's right? Can people change the color of their skin, or can a leopard remove its spots? If so, then maybe you can change and learn to do right.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A decade ago, I was a sun worshipper. My skin is incredibly pale, and I thought a tan made me look better… younger, healthier, and more fit. In the winter, I would skip the tanning bed and give my skin a rest, and I did not like how it looked… pasty, freckled, and almost ghostly! But over time, I realized that I was not really changing my skin… I was just making it age faster. No matter how much time I spend in a tanning bed – or how much I am able to darken my skin – when I stop the process, my skin will once again be pasty white (albeit with more freckles and “sun/age spots” as a result).
In other words, I didn’t really change my skin color, any more than bleaching my hair changes the fact that my “natural color” is a salt-and-pepper combo of dishwater blonde and snowy white. Once I stop spending time in the tanning bed or out in the sun – or going to a hairdresser and having my hair color adjusted – the original color returns. The change is only on the surface.
Sadly, there are some people who seem to treat their relationship with God like tanning or coloring their hair. The results are short-term, and fairly shallow. Once the “new” wears off, old habits and behaviors resurface. The “change” was not from deep within the heart. Maybe these people thought the change was real… maybe they convinced themselves that they had given their heart to God and were committed to following Him and serving as Christ’s disciple. And maybe nobody explained to them that salvation is not the end – it’s the beginning!
Accepting Jesus is the first step… inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within your heart is vital… but Jesus’ words were, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” He also told us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The rewards of a life in Christ are great… but so is the responsibility. And often, our commitment to God involves incredible, profound, permanent change. I’ll be the first to tell you that this is difficult… and there may be periods when we slip and fall and seem to lose our way for a time. But the key is to get back to God as quickly as possible, to admit your shortcomings and earnestly work to correct them.
Maybe we can’t change our ethnicity or the real color of our hair (at least not once and for all), but with work and dedication… faith and trust in God… we can change our heart to line up more closely with His. Are you willing to do what it takes to make the changes that matter? Is today the day you begin?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 29, 2010
Romans 3:10-18; 21-24
The Scriptures tell us, "No one is acceptable to God! Not one of them understands or even searches for God. They have all turned away and are worthless. There isn't one person who does right. Their words are like an open pit, and their tongues are good only for telling lies. Each word is as deadly as the fangs of a snake, and they say nothing but bitter curses. These people quickly become violent. Wherever they go, they leave ruin and destruction. They don't know how to live in peace. They don't even fear God."
Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses. God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
About once a week now, I get an e-mail message from a friend or acquaintance that contains “outrageous” information about this politician or celebrity or a current hot topic. People are hitting the “send” button without doing homework and any investigation – assuming the claims are true. They start their forwarded message with an “endorsement” such as “I’m outraged!” or “This made my blood boil!” Were it not so serious, it would almost be laughable at times, because the claims made in the e-mail message appear so ridiculous that you wonder how anyone could have believed them.
But my point is not to make a political or social commentary today about e-mail forwards. My point is that we make snap judgments – all the time. And my question is … “What if our Heavenly Father operated this way?” What if God took a look at you and me and said, “He/she is worthless … there is nothing there to redeem. I saw that indiscretion. I heard that gossip. I see how he/she conducts his/her daily life … I know the thoughts swirling in his/her head, and I am outraged. It makes my blood boil.”
What if God didn’t see our heart? What if He had not sent Jesus to die on the cross and cover our sins, indiscretions and impure thoughts with His own blood? What if we never had the opportunity to invite Jesus to wash us clean and place His Holy Spirit in our hearts, so that God looks deeper and sees beyond our sins?
We all want God to love us … to forgive our sins and accept us – warts and all. But so often, we are totally unwilling to do the same for others. We make snap judgments based on appearance, what we heard through the grapevine, or our own biases and prejudices. Read these verses again. “No one is acceptable to God … there isn’t one person who does right … all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” But the beautiful part is that “God treats us much better than we deserve … He freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.”
We’re willing to accept God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness … but are we willing to offer the same to others? Where have you made snap judgments? Where do you need to ask for – and offer – forgiveness? If we are unwilling to pay forward what God has done for us, perhaps we have not truly accepted the gift of salvation offered to us by Jesus Christ.
In order to truly receive acceptance from God – and all of the gifts and blessings He offers us – we must be willing to accept others in His name. Will you “pick and choose” and make rash judgments … or are you ready for the good stuff that comes with letting Jesus work in and through your life? None of us is more acceptable to God than the next. But through faith in Jesus, we can all be set free.
In the words of one person who responded to a group e-mail I received, “Why can’t we all just get along?” It would seem to me that God might be asking this same question of His children. Where do you fit in this? Are you treating others better than they deserve – as God does for us – or are you making snap judgments and leaving ruin and destruction? Don’t you think it’s time we start learning how to live in God’s peace? Isn’t today a good time to begin?
©2010 Debbie Robus
The Scriptures tell us, "No one is acceptable to God! Not one of them understands or even searches for God. They have all turned away and are worthless. There isn't one person who does right. Their words are like an open pit, and their tongues are good only for telling lies. Each word is as deadly as the fangs of a snake, and they say nothing but bitter curses. These people quickly become violent. Wherever they go, they leave ruin and destruction. They don't know how to live in peace. They don't even fear God."
Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses. God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
About once a week now, I get an e-mail message from a friend or acquaintance that contains “outrageous” information about this politician or celebrity or a current hot topic. People are hitting the “send” button without doing homework and any investigation – assuming the claims are true. They start their forwarded message with an “endorsement” such as “I’m outraged!” or “This made my blood boil!” Were it not so serious, it would almost be laughable at times, because the claims made in the e-mail message appear so ridiculous that you wonder how anyone could have believed them.
But my point is not to make a political or social commentary today about e-mail forwards. My point is that we make snap judgments – all the time. And my question is … “What if our Heavenly Father operated this way?” What if God took a look at you and me and said, “He/she is worthless … there is nothing there to redeem. I saw that indiscretion. I heard that gossip. I see how he/she conducts his/her daily life … I know the thoughts swirling in his/her head, and I am outraged. It makes my blood boil.”
What if God didn’t see our heart? What if He had not sent Jesus to die on the cross and cover our sins, indiscretions and impure thoughts with His own blood? What if we never had the opportunity to invite Jesus to wash us clean and place His Holy Spirit in our hearts, so that God looks deeper and sees beyond our sins?
We all want God to love us … to forgive our sins and accept us – warts and all. But so often, we are totally unwilling to do the same for others. We make snap judgments based on appearance, what we heard through the grapevine, or our own biases and prejudices. Read these verses again. “No one is acceptable to God … there isn’t one person who does right … all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” But the beautiful part is that “God treats us much better than we deserve … He freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.”
We’re willing to accept God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness … but are we willing to offer the same to others? Where have you made snap judgments? Where do you need to ask for – and offer – forgiveness? If we are unwilling to pay forward what God has done for us, perhaps we have not truly accepted the gift of salvation offered to us by Jesus Christ.
In order to truly receive acceptance from God – and all of the gifts and blessings He offers us – we must be willing to accept others in His name. Will you “pick and choose” and make rash judgments … or are you ready for the good stuff that comes with letting Jesus work in and through your life? None of us is more acceptable to God than the next. But through faith in Jesus, we can all be set free.
In the words of one person who responded to a group e-mail I received, “Why can’t we all just get along?” It would seem to me that God might be asking this same question of His children. Where do you fit in this? Are you treating others better than they deserve – as God does for us – or are you making snap judgments and leaving ruin and destruction? Don’t you think it’s time we start learning how to live in God’s peace? Isn’t today a good time to begin?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 5, 2010
April 5 ~ 1 Corinthians 7:17, 20
In every church I tell the people to stay as they were when the Lord Jesus chose them and God called them to be his own. Now I say the same thing to you. So don't try to change what you were when God chose you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In 2003, the lunch ladies of Holdingford, Minnesota, pooled their money to buy a lottery ticket. The ticket won, and each of the 16 school cafeteria workers walked away with approximately $2 million. Two of them subsequently retired, but the other ladies continued to come to work each day and perform the same duties as they had done before the winning ticket was confirmed… cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, and more. Just because they were transformed into millionaires overnight didn’t mean they changed into different people. They just had a little extra money for sharing with family and friends, paying off debts, sending their children to college, and taking an elderly grandma to Las Vegas on a trip!
Why do you suppose I used an illustration about the lottery for this scripture passage? I assure you I am not encouraging you to play the lottery! But I want you to notice that winning the lottery may have changed the lives of these ladies in some ways… but it did not change these ladies. And Paul is telling us that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, things will change in our lives… but we don’t have to change careers, spouses, locations and more to serve God in our newfound salvation. Sure, if we are participating in sinful activities, we need to stop. If we are associating with people who act ungodly, we probably need new friends. But quite often, as a Christian, we can stay put and serve God right where we are. We can witness to those in our workplace who may not know Him. We can bring about improvement in our relationships with spouses, family members, and friends, just by showing love, grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. We can accomplish much for God’s kingdom by demonstrating how He has transformed our own lives and attitudes.
Sometimes we all try too hard. We think we have to be something all prim and proper and buttoned-down in order to please God… and we think we have to exhibit radical transformation in order to prove to others (and ourselves?) that we have experienced salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God wants us to be ourselves. He wants us to demonstrate how He does extraordinary things with ordinary people. He wants us to relax, rest, and be content with who and what we are… and what He can do with us! God wants to use us to be all we can for Him… but, I repeat - He also wants us to be ourselves. Who are you trying to be these days?
©2010 Debbie Robus
In every church I tell the people to stay as they were when the Lord Jesus chose them and God called them to be his own. Now I say the same thing to you. So don't try to change what you were when God chose you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In 2003, the lunch ladies of Holdingford, Minnesota, pooled their money to buy a lottery ticket. The ticket won, and each of the 16 school cafeteria workers walked away with approximately $2 million. Two of them subsequently retired, but the other ladies continued to come to work each day and perform the same duties as they had done before the winning ticket was confirmed… cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, and more. Just because they were transformed into millionaires overnight didn’t mean they changed into different people. They just had a little extra money for sharing with family and friends, paying off debts, sending their children to college, and taking an elderly grandma to Las Vegas on a trip!
Why do you suppose I used an illustration about the lottery for this scripture passage? I assure you I am not encouraging you to play the lottery! But I want you to notice that winning the lottery may have changed the lives of these ladies in some ways… but it did not change these ladies. And Paul is telling us that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, things will change in our lives… but we don’t have to change careers, spouses, locations and more to serve God in our newfound salvation. Sure, if we are participating in sinful activities, we need to stop. If we are associating with people who act ungodly, we probably need new friends. But quite often, as a Christian, we can stay put and serve God right where we are. We can witness to those in our workplace who may not know Him. We can bring about improvement in our relationships with spouses, family members, and friends, just by showing love, grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. We can accomplish much for God’s kingdom by demonstrating how He has transformed our own lives and attitudes.
Sometimes we all try too hard. We think we have to be something all prim and proper and buttoned-down in order to please God… and we think we have to exhibit radical transformation in order to prove to others (and ourselves?) that we have experienced salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God wants us to be ourselves. He wants us to demonstrate how He does extraordinary things with ordinary people. He wants us to relax, rest, and be content with who and what we are… and what He can do with us! God wants to use us to be all we can for Him… but, I repeat - He also wants us to be ourselves. Who are you trying to be these days?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 4, 2010
April 4 ~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.
Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. `Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear. When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.
Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I can’t think of a better day for this scripture passage. When we consider God’s love for us – a love that caused Him to send His only Son to die for our sins – this scripture passage is a fitting one. When we think of the resurrection – how the power of God was so strong that even death and the tomb could not contain Jesus – it is fitting to read these verses.
There is no way we can comprehend the depth and breadth of God’s love for us. It is all-consuming, overwhelming, incredible, amazing… and given unconditionally. God’s love is beyond anything in our capacity. But we can strive to love others more… to be patient, humble, without envy and pride, courteous, slow to anger, quick to forget, supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. We can grow up and at least try to act more like Christ and model the behavior He showed us.
We can show God our gratitude and give Him praise for loving us so well… and for sending Jesus. We can thank Him that Christ rose from the grave… and that in doing so, we are promised that we will rise to spend Eternity with Him someday. If we do not strive to love as Jesus taught, the “Easter experience” is wasted on us. If we do not have faith that God will fulfill His promises, then why did Christ die on the cross and rise from the tomb? If we do not love others, Jesus does not matter. And we all know better – Jesus does matter – nothing about Jesus is a waste!
We don’t know everything – God has not revealed all of the answers. But we have faith, hope and love… and for now, these are sufficient. Today and in days to come, give all three your heartiest workout. And toss in praise and thanksgiving to God, as well. Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! Praise be to God Almighty! Happy Easter… share God’s love with others today… and always!
©2010 Debbie Robus
What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.
Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. `Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear. When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.
Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I can’t think of a better day for this scripture passage. When we consider God’s love for us – a love that caused Him to send His only Son to die for our sins – this scripture passage is a fitting one. When we think of the resurrection – how the power of God was so strong that even death and the tomb could not contain Jesus – it is fitting to read these verses.
There is no way we can comprehend the depth and breadth of God’s love for us. It is all-consuming, overwhelming, incredible, amazing… and given unconditionally. God’s love is beyond anything in our capacity. But we can strive to love others more… to be patient, humble, without envy and pride, courteous, slow to anger, quick to forget, supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. We can grow up and at least try to act more like Christ and model the behavior He showed us.
We can show God our gratitude and give Him praise for loving us so well… and for sending Jesus. We can thank Him that Christ rose from the grave… and that in doing so, we are promised that we will rise to spend Eternity with Him someday. If we do not strive to love as Jesus taught, the “Easter experience” is wasted on us. If we do not have faith that God will fulfill His promises, then why did Christ die on the cross and rise from the tomb? If we do not love others, Jesus does not matter. And we all know better – Jesus does matter – nothing about Jesus is a waste!
We don’t know everything – God has not revealed all of the answers. But we have faith, hope and love… and for now, these are sufficient. Today and in days to come, give all three your heartiest workout. And toss in praise and thanksgiving to God, as well. Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! Praise be to God Almighty! Happy Easter… share God’s love with others today… and always!
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 3, 2010
April 3 ~ Luke 24:2-7
When they found the stone rolled away from the entrance, they went in. But they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, and they did not know what to think. Suddenly two men in shining white clothes stood beside them. The women were afraid and bowed to the ground. But the men said, "Why are you looking in the place of the dead for someone who is alive? Jesus isn't here! He has been raised from death. Remember that while he was still in Galilee, he told you, 'The Son of Man will be handed over to sinners who will nail him to a cross. But three days later he will rise to life.' "
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Before you toss this as a duplicate of the previous devotional, stick with me for a few minutes. We’ve all seen movie scenes where someone goes to a cemetery and stands over a tombstone and talks to the person who is buried there… and you may have done this yourself. If we are rational, we realize that the person to whom we are speaking isn’t going to answer – and probably can’t even hear what we are saying. But somehow, we are drawn to the grave. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, it may be therapeutic to stop and meditate at a gravesite. But expecting any response – or to find anything other than a mound of dirt and a marker – is unreasonable.
This is what makes the account of the women who visited Jesus’ tomb so remarkable. Jesus truly was NOT there! And the significance of this contrast to the graves of mere human beings is huge. Because the tomb could not hold Jesus… because of what He did for us and God’s power… the grave is not our final resting place. Because of Jesus and the sacrifices – and victories – He experienced on our behalf, the tomb will not hold us either – at least not our souls.
Jesus was raised from physical death. And because of that, we are raised from the death of sin – if we choose to believe in Him and the power of God to work in our lives. We do have a final resting place… but it’s not in a cemetery. We who have become followers of Christ will live in Heaven with God Almighty for all of eternity! This is very good news – not only for this Easter weekend, but forever. The tomb is empty – death is not the end – Hallelujah! Celebrate new life in Christ Jesus today – and always!
©2010 Debbie Robus
When they found the stone rolled away from the entrance, they went in. But they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, and they did not know what to think. Suddenly two men in shining white clothes stood beside them. The women were afraid and bowed to the ground. But the men said, "Why are you looking in the place of the dead for someone who is alive? Jesus isn't here! He has been raised from death. Remember that while he was still in Galilee, he told you, 'The Son of Man will be handed over to sinners who will nail him to a cross. But three days later he will rise to life.' "
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Before you toss this as a duplicate of the previous devotional, stick with me for a few minutes. We’ve all seen movie scenes where someone goes to a cemetery and stands over a tombstone and talks to the person who is buried there… and you may have done this yourself. If we are rational, we realize that the person to whom we are speaking isn’t going to answer – and probably can’t even hear what we are saying. But somehow, we are drawn to the grave. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, it may be therapeutic to stop and meditate at a gravesite. But expecting any response – or to find anything other than a mound of dirt and a marker – is unreasonable.
This is what makes the account of the women who visited Jesus’ tomb so remarkable. Jesus truly was NOT there! And the significance of this contrast to the graves of mere human beings is huge. Because the tomb could not hold Jesus… because of what He did for us and God’s power… the grave is not our final resting place. Because of Jesus and the sacrifices – and victories – He experienced on our behalf, the tomb will not hold us either – at least not our souls.
Jesus was raised from physical death. And because of that, we are raised from the death of sin – if we choose to believe in Him and the power of God to work in our lives. We do have a final resting place… but it’s not in a cemetery. We who have become followers of Christ will live in Heaven with God Almighty for all of eternity! This is very good news – not only for this Easter weekend, but forever. The tomb is empty – death is not the end – Hallelujah! Celebrate new life in Christ Jesus today – and always!
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 28, 2010
March 28 ~ Acts 13:30-35
But God raised him from death! Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him. God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus, "You are my son because today I have become your Father." God raised Jesus from death and will never let his body decay. It is just as God said, "I will make to you the same holy promise that I made to David." And in another psalm it says, "God will never let the body of his Holy One decay."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“I promise.” We say that so often. We tell our babies and small children, “I promise I will be right back.” We tell family and friends, “I promise I will remember to do such-and-such for you,” or “I promise I will never lie to you, “ or even “I promise I will do better.” We tell our teachers, “I promise, the dog ate my homework!”
“I promise, I promise!” But how many of our promises are reliable? How often do we fall short of delivering on our promises? What if GOD fell short? What if He had allowed Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, but somehow He never resurrected Jesus’ body? What if God had allowed Jesus’ body to decay? Our “Good News” wouldn’t be very good, would it?!
There’s more to consider... before we gave our hearts to Jesus, we were “dead” in sin. But Jesus bought and paid for our sins on the cross, and then He rose from the grave. Because of this, we are no longer “dead” in sin. We have risen to new life in Christ. God promised this, too! If God had failed to honor even one part of His promises, we would not be saved from sin and guaranteed an eternity with Him in heaven.
Because we are human, we often fail to honor our promises, even when our intentions are the best in the world. Thankfully, God NEVER fails to honor a promise. We can rest assured that what He has said He will do for us will be done. This is wonderful news! I promise this is true… because GOD has promised it!
2009 Debbie Robus
But God raised him from death! Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him. God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus, "You are my son because today I have become your Father." God raised Jesus from death and will never let his body decay. It is just as God said, "I will make to you the same holy promise that I made to David." And in another psalm it says, "God will never let the body of his Holy One decay."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“I promise.” We say that so often. We tell our babies and small children, “I promise I will be right back.” We tell family and friends, “I promise I will remember to do such-and-such for you,” or “I promise I will never lie to you, “ or even “I promise I will do better.” We tell our teachers, “I promise, the dog ate my homework!”
“I promise, I promise!” But how many of our promises are reliable? How often do we fall short of delivering on our promises? What if GOD fell short? What if He had allowed Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, but somehow He never resurrected Jesus’ body? What if God had allowed Jesus’ body to decay? Our “Good News” wouldn’t be very good, would it?!
There’s more to consider... before we gave our hearts to Jesus, we were “dead” in sin. But Jesus bought and paid for our sins on the cross, and then He rose from the grave. Because of this, we are no longer “dead” in sin. We have risen to new life in Christ. God promised this, too! If God had failed to honor even one part of His promises, we would not be saved from sin and guaranteed an eternity with Him in heaven.
Because we are human, we often fail to honor our promises, even when our intentions are the best in the world. Thankfully, God NEVER fails to honor a promise. We can rest assured that what He has said He will do for us will be done. This is wonderful news! I promise this is true… because GOD has promised it!
2009 Debbie Robus
November Devotionals - Week 4
November 30 ~ Matthew 6:19-21
Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Have you ever known people who save their “good stuff” for a special occasion… like their best pajamas, or their “nice clothes.” Meanwhile, they wear the torn, tattered and frayed stuff every day while their good clothes hang in a closet or are folded in a drawer. I have known of people who died with beautiful things still hanging in the closet with tags on them… saved for another day. I’ve known of aunts and grandmothers who kept their “good pajamas” in the drawer “in case I have to go to the hospital.” How sad to save the “good stuff” for such an occasion!
But it’s not just clothes and possessions we store up for another day. We do this spiritually, too. We work hard to make lots of money while neglecting family and friends – and God. We “live it up” and enjoy our weekends and free time and have a blast, but we don’t serve others. We will go to Tunica and gamble all weekend long, but we don’t have an extra $100 to give to missions. We store up our “treasure” on earth and neglect the things of heaven.
What does this have to do with our heart? Everything! See, what your heart truly desires is what you will have. If your heart’s desire is to make lots of money and spend it on yourself, you will work hard to do just that. If your heart is for others and serving them… sharing what you have and serving God… you will make time for those things. If your heart is about appearances rather than substance, you’ll make a good show – but have nothing to show for it!
So what is your heart’s desire? What treasures are you storing? Are they earthly and expendable, or are they heavenly and eternal? The choice is ours… what sort of “good stuff” are you saving?”
©2009 Debbie Robus
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November 29 ~ Matthew 5:8
God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him!
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
What does it mean to have a “pure heart?” If you read this passage in The Message, it says, “You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” Do you see God in the outside world? Or are you a cynic? That means you look at people or things and see what’s wrong – or what could go wrong – rather than what is right. And we all do this from time to time… some of us more than others!
Our goal should be to see good in others rather than emphasize their negative traits… to see potential in unfortunate situations instead of ranting and raving about how awful or evil something is. This is part of recognizing that we are all God’s creatures and equally precious to Him. This is also recognizing God’s power to change any and all situations.
Yes, people make mistakes and fall short of what God desired for them – and so do you and I! Yes, there is evil in the world, and life often isn’t fair. But GOD is in control… and the closer we grow to Him, the more what we rationalize in our head matches our heart. The more attuned to God we become, the more we start to see people and situations with a pure heart, full of potential for God to work. This is not being simple or naïve… this is being faithful and confident in God to handle things we cannot – both seen and unseen! This is trusting His will for our lives.
So let me ask you again… do you see God in the outside world? Do you even LOOK for Him? The first step toward developing a pure heart may very well be to change your attitude! And to do this will take time spent in prayer and Bible study – listening to and looking for GOD! We all have work to do to develop a pure heart… isn’t this a great time to begin?
©2009 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. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.
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November 28 ~ Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a desire to know me and to be my people. They will want me to be their God, and they will turn back to me with all their heart.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
When I was a junior high Sunday School teacher, there were lots of Sundays when I wondered if anything that was said or done in that class registered with any in attendance. The junior high years are tough ones for a lot of kids, and they have so much racing around in their minds – and learning more about God and/or the Bible isn’t high on the radar of many! Over and over, people told me, “You’re planting seeds.” A couple of people told me, “You may never know in this lifetime what impact your leading this class had, but it did make a difference for these kids.” And I felt that, if ONE kid was touched on ONE Sunday, I had faithfully served God in this capacity.
I didn’t have to wait that long to see evidence that God spoke to kids in those classes. I still see many of those former students from time to time, and I see the how God is working in their lives. Some wandered away… but I’m not worried. I know they love God in their heart, and they will want Him to be their God in a big way someday. I know that for others, God has been an ever-present help to them through high school – and now, college. One graduating senior sent me a note and said, “I wish we could return to the days when XYZ and I were harassing you in Sunday School.” It wasn’t much of an endorsement… but I’ll take it!
You don’t have to teach junior high Sunday School to plant a desire to know God in the hearts of others. You can model faith-filled, Godly behavior in other ways. You can serve God by serving others… and make a difference in their lives – a difference that might mean whether or not they choose to follow God for themselves. YOU can plant seeds of desire for God in the hearts of others. God will do the rest.
Do your part to share God’s love with others - then be patient. Step back and watch God work. You’ll be amazed at the results. And if someone you know has wandered away from God, keep praying for them and offering encouragement. Believe that they will turn back to Him with all their heart and trust God to do the rest.
2009 Debbie Robus
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November 27 ~ Jeremiah 20:12
LORD All-Powerful, you test those who do right, and you know every heart and mind. I have told you my complaints, so let me watch you take revenge on my enemies.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Recently, a jury in Little Rock found a man guilty of the murder of news anchor Anne Pressly. Many were astounded that this man received a sentence of life in prison, rather than the death penalty. Around the same time, a man at Ft. Hood, Texas, shot and killed 13 others… and survived. I have heard more than one person say, “He should have died, too,” or “I hope he gets the death penalty.”
Please understand, I am not defending murderers. I have no patience for people who brutalize and harm others in any way, shape, or form – or murder them. But I also believe that God knows the hearts of these people… and in His time, He will deal with them. He will mete out the revenge on them that they deserve. Whether I know of it or not doesn’t matter.
So often we want to take matters into our own hands. And the danger in this is that we don’t always know what is in another person’s heart. We don’t see “the big picture” that God sees. What if a person’s life is spared from death row, and he/she is offered the plan of salvation and accepts Jesus? I read just recently about a man serving a life sentence in prison who gave his life to Christ and is now witnessing to other inmates. He knows he will die as an inmate himself, but in the meantime, he is growing the Kingdom of Heaven. Might it be that God is using a once-evil situation for His purposes now?
By all accounts, Anne Pressly “did right” and was pure in heart and mind… yet she was brutally raped and murdered. The crime against her deserves God’s revenge. But that’s the point… the revenge is God’s to give! Meanwhile, He may be able to bring about something positive from something so horrible… and that is where we have to trust Him. We serve a God of second (and third, and fourth and more) chances… and what we would wish for God to give us, we have to be willing to accept when He offers to others. Give your complaints to God – then let Him decide what to do with them.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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November 26 ~ Isaiah 61:3
He sent me to give them flowers in place of their sorrow, olive oil in place of tears, and joyous praise in place of broken hearts. They will be called "Trees of Justice," planted by the LORD to honor his name.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
On a day when we pause to be thankful for so much, we must remember above all else to be thankful for Jesus Christ. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, He came “to heal the brokenhearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives… to comfort those who mourn.” Jesus did come to free us from the captivity of sin. He came to heal our broken hearts and comfort us – to give us new life in Him. In Isaiah 61:10, we read, “I celebrate and shout because of my Lord God.” This truly is a day to celebrate and shout – a day to be thankful for a Savior who died for us and all of the blessings and privileges we enjoy because of what He has done in our lives.
We like to name so many things for which we are thankful during this season… and that is not a bad idea, because we are rich beyond measure. But let’s remember to be thankful – first and foremost – for Jesus Christ, and a loving Heavenly Father who sent His only Son to die for our sins. We are greatly blessed – let us pause and be thankful… not only today, but always.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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November 25 ~ Isaiah 59:13
We have rebelled and refused to follow you. Our hearts were deceitful, and so we lied; we planned to abuse others and turn our backs on you.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Have you ever heard of a “Devil-may-care” attitude? Have you ever wanted something so badly that you said, “I don’t care what I have to do to get it!”? Have you ever known someone who pursued their dreams and desires to the extent that they were ruthlessly willing to step over others to attain them? Did you realize that we all do this to some extent? Just the other day, I was so absorbed in my grocery shopping that I reached into the meat case to select a package of bacon and stepped right in front of someone else who was there. Now I will say, I thought this person had made her selection already. But I was so “in the zone,” that I didn’t realize she actually had backed away to let me make my choices. I quickly apologized and insisted I would wait while she finished choosing her bacon!
I know… that seems like a silly example. I had to ask myself… “For even a moment, did I think my time was more important than someone else’s?” We “inadvertently” pull out in front of people in our cars, step in front of someone in line, grab the last roll at dinner without asking, say hurtful or rude things, and more. We say we didn’t mean it, but if we examine ourselves more closely, we have to admit that we were so into ourselves at that moment that we really weren’t thinking about anyone or anything else.
Soon a “harmless” incident like cutting in line becomes habit, and the devil has an opening. He will use it to harden our hearts and make us more self-serving. Before we know it, we are deliberately taking advantage of others – and proud of it! We might even brag to our friends, “I never wait in line… I make up an excuse to move ahead of the others,” or “How could he be so stupid? I just had to tell him off and let him know what I thought!” We start to feel like we are superior – even to God. We start to bend the rules and mold the Scriptures to suit our whims and justify our behavior… “Well, God didn’t really mean that!”
From time to time, we all need to examine our hearts and see how we are doing. We need to make sure we are not deceiving ourselves – or others. We need to be sure we are not bending God’s word to suit our situations and justify our sinful behavior. In all things, when God examines our heart, what does He see? This should be what motivates us each day… to make sure God is pleased with what He finds. Have you examined your heart lately?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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November 24 ~ Proverbs 21:2
We may think we are doing the right thing, but the LORD always knows what is in our hearts.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Have you ever heard someone say about another person, “He/she just has such a good heart.” You know how I love Andy Griffith. Have you seen the episode where Barney wants to sing with the choir, but his voice is terribly off-key. But he has such a good heart, and nobody wants to hurt his feelings, so Andy and the choir cook up a scheme for Barney to sing into a “super-sensitive microphone” while a more adept singer actually performs for him from behind the curtain. Poor Barney even tries to help the choir director find the person who is singing off-key, totally unaware HE is the culprit. And when he hears the beautiful voice coming from the better singer, he thinks HIS voice actually sounds better in this special microphone. It’s a tangled web of deception – all created in the name of saving Barney’s feelings and protecting his heart.
So often we do all sorts of dances and gyrations to convince ourselves that what we are doing is the right thing – and that God will understand – when truly, we know better. Barney and Andy’s little dance may have been harmless enough, but in the end, Barney found out the truth. And isn’t that always the way? The old adages that “the truth WILL come out” and “honesty is the best policy” are both solid pieces of advice!Here are a few examples of thinking you are doing the right thing, when God is looking at your heart and your motives:
- You’re at a party where underage teens are drinking, but because you aren’t drinking, you think it is okay to stay at the party.
- You are in a store with someone who is shoplifting. You don’t shoplift, but you don’t call your friend on it, either. Your justification is that you didn’t do anything illegal… and you don’t want to make your friend mad by saying anything.
- You let your underage kids have a party at your house and you allow them to consume alcohol. You rationalize that because you keep all of the kids there and nobody is driving, it’s okay.
- You use your friend’s handicapped parking permit to claim a prime parking space when you go grocery shopping. Your justification is that you’re a senior citizen and you are entitled. Besides, there weren’t any other spaces available near the store.
- You help yourself to pens, paper, paper clips, and more from your place of employment and take them home. The business has plenty, and no more than they pay you, you feel you are entitled to these “bonuses.”
- You cover for your friend who is cheating on his/her significant other because you don’t want to get caught in the middle or hurt anyone’s feelings.
- You chew out the refs at your kid’s Pee Wee basketball game in front of everyone because you feel they made a terrible call, and by golly, they need to be taken down a notch or two!
The point I am making is that sometimes, we feel completely justified… we have rationalized our behavior and/or our choices perfectly in our mind - and we have totally compartmentalized our thoughts and separated them from our conscience – or our heart! Deep within, we may even realize that what we are doing would not be pleasing to God – or may be wrong on some level. This is a great example of where the head and heart do not function the same!
The bottom line is that we should strive to act in a manner that we know in our heart pleases God. When we are in doubt about our actions, we should consult God first and ask Him if our choices line up with His will… and if He approves. Often God will speak to us from our heart and give us the answer. And no matter how hard it may be to accept – and act upon – the outcome will always be better, and God will help us navigate any difficulties along the way.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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November 23 ~ Psalm 139:23
Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking.
Proverbs 15:11
If the LORD can see everything in the world of the dead, he can see in our hearts.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
WHOA! I don’t know about you, but there are days I would really rather God not see everything I am thinking! And having said that, we have to ask ourselves, “What is wrong with this picture?” Surely God knows everything we are thinking. Yet when the devil gets hold of us, our thoughts are not always pleasing to God, are they? At least, I know mine aren’t! From the unkind thought I have about the driver who cuts me off in traffic to the envy I sometimes have when I see someone wearing a nice outfit to the frustration I experience when someone says or does something I don’t like – I allow the devil to creep into my heart and my thoughts… and sometimes it ain’t pretty!
The truth of this scripture is that the Psalmist is saying, “Go ahead, God… look at everything about me… see what isn’t pleasing to you…AND FIX IT!!!” Don’t be afraid for God to examine your heart. Certainly, we should all work harder to make sure what He sees there is pleasing. But the beauty of our relationship with God is that He is willing to help us change even the unpleasant things He finds in our heart. If we are willing to turn to God and completely give Him our heart, He will have mercy on us and show us how to correct “stinkin’ thinkin’!”
I’m going with the Psalmist on this one… “Bring it on, Lord! Look deep into every nook and cranny of my heart. Find the things I need to change. Forgive me for them. Then show me how to turn things around and head back toward You.” God already knows what we are thinking. The question is… do our thoughts please Him? If the answer is “not always,” are we ready and willing to change?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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November 22 ~ Psalm 84:2
Deep in my heart I long for your temple, and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
The older I get, the more I look forward to heaven. Now, you probably think that sounds pretty morbid… and no, I do not have a death wish! But the more I discover about God’s love for us and how He works in our lives, the more I want to know of Him! Yet, I realize we won’t have all of the answers until we get to Heaven!
At the same time, the anticipation of Heaven makes life on this earth sweeter. Does that make sense? See, just like this scripture, as God fills me with joy and I live a life that I hope pleases – and glorifies – Him, the more I enjoy my earthly life. This doesn’t diminish my anticipation of Heaven someday, but it does give me patience for the journey. God doesn’t want us to just mark time in this life as we wait for Him… He wants us to fully LIVE it!!!
I often tell younger people not to wish their lives away… and this is good advice for all of us. Instead of anticipating the future, God wants us to savor every single day. Deep in our hearts we may long for Heaven. But day-to-day, we should be filled with joyful songs for the blessings God gives us. We should live every minute to the fullest in service and honor to Him. What’s deep within YOUR heart these days?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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