James 4:1-3
Where do you think all these appalling
wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again.
They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep
inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to
kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get
your hands on it.
You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it,
would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you
have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Greg and I watched Bridge of
Spies*, a movie about the Cold War and the exchange of a Russian spy
captured by Americans for an American Pilot – and a private citizen who
was doing graduate studies in Eastern Europe. The story was really
about the American attorney, James Donovan (played by Tom Hanks), who
was recruited to negotiate the exchange.
Donovan had been
tapped to defend the Russian spy, Rudolph Abel – to give the public
appearance that Abel received a “fair trial.” However, Donovan took his
job seriously. While public sentiment prevailed - and the judge and
jury found Abel guilty - Donovan was able to persuade the judge to
sentence Abel to prison rather than death. Donovan could foresee the
time when it might be helpful to have a Russian spy who could be
exchanged for an American held captive abroad…and he was right. On
February 10, 1962, Rudolph Abel was exchanged for American U2 Pilot
Frances Gary Powers, and graduate student Frederic Pryor.
The
point of sharing this is to say that the prevailing sentiment was that
Rudolph Abel should be put to death. He had given “our” secrets to the
Russians…and Americans wanted him to pay. People were outraged by the
judge’s decision to imprison Abel instead of executing him…and attorney
James Donovan became nothing short of a pariah. Yet, when Abel was
exchanged for two Americans, Donovan was hailed as a hero. It all came
down to a matter of perspective…and personal desires.
So what
does this have to do with us? We will likely never be involved in
international negotiations involving spies. But we might find ourselves
involved in a discussion at school, church, in the workplace or our
community over this issue or that one. Indeed, we “argue” over
political choices every day…from legislation to candidates to the Bill
of Rights – or even the umpire’s call at our kids’ little league game.
Sometimes we pray for God’s will…and sometimes, we know that our
attitude is such that we dare not mention our desires to God.
In
many ways, we’ve gotten to a point where there are more and more issues
that we know better than to pray about, because we feel certain that God
would hang His head in shame at our selfishness. Our attitudes
represent a lack of love and understanding, compassion and caring for
our fellow man in favor of coddling our own desires – and yes, our
fears. Because we have made no effort to understand another person’s
position, we impose our own view of things – and fight to make it the
norm. And often, the outcomes are messy at best – and potentially
life-changing for some.
Bridge of Spies does not fully examine
James Donovan’s faith and what role it might have played in his
treatment of Rudolph Abel – or his subsequent role in negotiating the
famous exchange of men. But one has to believe that He sought the
counsel of a Higher Power…that He asked God, “What is the right thing to
do here?” Even in the face of threats and personal endangerment,
Donovan looked at a Russian spy as a human being with thoughts,
feelings, and a soul…and treated him accordingly. I have to believe
that he trusted God to mete out justice…and to show him the right way to
conduct himself.
Can we say the same in our daily living? Are
we operating in selfishness and our own desires, fears and
frustrations? Or are we able to say to God, “LORD…I don’t know what is
the right direction to take…but You do. I trust You to show me how to
proceed.” Your decisions might not determine the fate of three men held
captive by opposing forces…but it does matter. Does knowing this in
any way change your thinking? Don’t you think it should?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*Bridge of Spies ~ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3682448/
Showing posts with label selfish desires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selfish desires. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 4, 2016
1 John 2:15-17
Don’t love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you cannot love the Father. Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have been doing a lot of sorting in the last several weeks…sorting through books and other items at my mother’s house…sorting through closets and drawers at my own home as I try to reduce clutter and get organized…sorting through files on my computer in an attempt to clean out the junk and get things in proper order. And in doing all of this, I have learned something important…we place too much value on the wrong things.
As I’ve gone through my mother’s belongings, I’ve realized that I cannot keep them all…and many of the items that held importance for her do not mean the same thing to me. I read several online articles that suggest that we often attach significance to items that belonged to our parents or another loved one, because we see those things as an extension of that person. And this is misplaced attachment. It’s hard to see the “treasures” that our loved ones saved and realize that they do not represent this person – and that our feelings toward him/her will not be diminished if we let them go. I am a slow learner, so I’m sure I have brought home more than I should have…and someday we either have to sort through it again – or someone else will!
Here’s the thing…as much as I appreciate my mother’s writings…her books and journals, music, dishes and the family heirlooms she saved for me…they are not what defined her. I would give up every single item to spend even one hour sitting on a bench with Mother - watching Timothy, Zola and Nathan play in her back yard. We could revel in their joy…and what it took to get to this point in our lives. We might not speak at all, but there would be a shared understanding of how God intertwined our lives - and how much we all love each other. THIS would be important!
As my mother lay dying, what was significant was to sit and hold her hand…to read her messages to her and talk with her when she was awake…to tell her over and over how much I loved her. For that twelve days, the rest of the world virtually stood still and/or ceased to exist for me. It was simply a time to focus on her – on US – and to watch and listen as God orchestrated my mother’s last few days on earth.
This is how it should be with us as Christians. Yes, we have to get up and go to work. We have family obligations…shopping, houses to clean, meals to prepare and laundry to do. Most certainly, we have a lot of things that require our attention, to some degree. But we clutter life up with so much more…material acquisitions, foolish pride, attempts to be something or someone other than what God intended. We waste time on worry, criticism, negativity and back-biting. We develop airs of superiority and focus far too much on the physical image that we project to others. And we pretty well kick God to the curb in the process.
Let’s stop this nonsense! Let’s pare down and get real…and focus on what is truly important. Let’s put God at the forefront of EVERYTHING we say and do…and if He is not in it or for it…let’s let go and move in a different direction. Let’s store up treasure of the relationship kind…and truly focus on each other and meeting personal needs. Notice I didn’t say desires or “wants”…but genuine needs – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Let’s rearrange our priorities to suit GOD…and discover how much more time we have – for EVERYTHING else!
Spring is almost here. It’s time to do some major sorting and decluttering – in every area of our lives. I’m in…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Don’t love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you cannot love the Father. Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have been doing a lot of sorting in the last several weeks…sorting through books and other items at my mother’s house…sorting through closets and drawers at my own home as I try to reduce clutter and get organized…sorting through files on my computer in an attempt to clean out the junk and get things in proper order. And in doing all of this, I have learned something important…we place too much value on the wrong things.
As I’ve gone through my mother’s belongings, I’ve realized that I cannot keep them all…and many of the items that held importance for her do not mean the same thing to me. I read several online articles that suggest that we often attach significance to items that belonged to our parents or another loved one, because we see those things as an extension of that person. And this is misplaced attachment. It’s hard to see the “treasures” that our loved ones saved and realize that they do not represent this person – and that our feelings toward him/her will not be diminished if we let them go. I am a slow learner, so I’m sure I have brought home more than I should have…and someday we either have to sort through it again – or someone else will!
Here’s the thing…as much as I appreciate my mother’s writings…her books and journals, music, dishes and the family heirlooms she saved for me…they are not what defined her. I would give up every single item to spend even one hour sitting on a bench with Mother - watching Timothy, Zola and Nathan play in her back yard. We could revel in their joy…and what it took to get to this point in our lives. We might not speak at all, but there would be a shared understanding of how God intertwined our lives - and how much we all love each other. THIS would be important!
As my mother lay dying, what was significant was to sit and hold her hand…to read her messages to her and talk with her when she was awake…to tell her over and over how much I loved her. For that twelve days, the rest of the world virtually stood still and/or ceased to exist for me. It was simply a time to focus on her – on US – and to watch and listen as God orchestrated my mother’s last few days on earth.
This is how it should be with us as Christians. Yes, we have to get up and go to work. We have family obligations…shopping, houses to clean, meals to prepare and laundry to do. Most certainly, we have a lot of things that require our attention, to some degree. But we clutter life up with so much more…material acquisitions, foolish pride, attempts to be something or someone other than what God intended. We waste time on worry, criticism, negativity and back-biting. We develop airs of superiority and focus far too much on the physical image that we project to others. And we pretty well kick God to the curb in the process.
Let’s stop this nonsense! Let’s pare down and get real…and focus on what is truly important. Let’s put God at the forefront of EVERYTHING we say and do…and if He is not in it or for it…let’s let go and move in a different direction. Let’s store up treasure of the relationship kind…and truly focus on each other and meeting personal needs. Notice I didn’t say desires or “wants”…but genuine needs – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Let’s rearrange our priorities to suit GOD…and discover how much more time we have – for EVERYTHING else!
Spring is almost here. It’s time to do some major sorting and decluttering – in every area of our lives. I’m in…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 15, 2015
Romans 8:5-8
People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
As we drove home from swim lessons today, Nathan was alternately making “Minions” sounds in the back seat and declaring that he was a superhero! On any given day, we have Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman riding in the back seats of our vehicle! But I can assure you, in real life, NONE of us are truly superheroes. We like to think we are at times…but God has a way of showing us Who is really in control! And our efforts to resist and have things our way never work out like we hoped.
So I have learned that I cannot conquer the world…that there are times that God wants me to step up and serve in a certain ministry or capacity. But there are also times when He says, “That’s not your responsibility,” or even, “You have enough on your plate…it’s time to step back and take a break.”
I had three little ones who informed me that they would not need naps after swim lessons and lunch. But I reminded them that we have one more night of VBS, and a nap might be in order. And sometimes, God tells us, “You’ve done this and that and something else this week, so you should skip the XYZ event tonight – or let someone else handle that project.” I can tell you from personal experience that when I listen to God, I never regret what I “missed.” But I have paid dearly at times when I tried to satisfy my own desires and take on too much – even with the best of intentions.
This is about more than just wanting to “sow wild oats” or do as you please. Even the most well-meaning Christians sometimes overload themselves. And while we think we are doing this to be good servants and disciples, the truth is that often, we are just afraid of what others will think if we say “No!”…or we simply want more than we can handle. It’s like a kid who looks through the toy store flyer that comes at Christmas time and says, “I’ll take this…and this…and this!” with no regard for how expensive all of those things are – or who will foot the bill!
When we try to do what we want rather than what God wants, the road can get pretty rocky! We wear ourselves out chasing our tails and getting nowhere… the real work of God doesn’t get done…and everybody loses. This doesn’t please God in the least. Like little children who must learn that poor choices and selfishness have consequences, we must learn that serving our own desires rather than God’s can get us into a heap of trouble, also…everything from losses and disappointments to sickness brought on by wearing our bodies down with too much busyness.
Spend some time with God and ask Him what He wants you to do. Learn to run EVERY activity and option by Him first…to determine whether He endorses your choices – or they are of your own making. Begin to operate within God’s plans, and see how much better things can be. You won’t actually become a Ninja Warrior or Superman…but when you learn to operate under the power and wisdom of the “Ultimate Superhero,” He might just make you feel like one!
©2015 Debbie Robus
People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
As we drove home from swim lessons today, Nathan was alternately making “Minions” sounds in the back seat and declaring that he was a superhero! On any given day, we have Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman riding in the back seats of our vehicle! But I can assure you, in real life, NONE of us are truly superheroes. We like to think we are at times…but God has a way of showing us Who is really in control! And our efforts to resist and have things our way never work out like we hoped.
So I have learned that I cannot conquer the world…that there are times that God wants me to step up and serve in a certain ministry or capacity. But there are also times when He says, “That’s not your responsibility,” or even, “You have enough on your plate…it’s time to step back and take a break.”
I had three little ones who informed me that they would not need naps after swim lessons and lunch. But I reminded them that we have one more night of VBS, and a nap might be in order. And sometimes, God tells us, “You’ve done this and that and something else this week, so you should skip the XYZ event tonight – or let someone else handle that project.” I can tell you from personal experience that when I listen to God, I never regret what I “missed.” But I have paid dearly at times when I tried to satisfy my own desires and take on too much – even with the best of intentions.
This is about more than just wanting to “sow wild oats” or do as you please. Even the most well-meaning Christians sometimes overload themselves. And while we think we are doing this to be good servants and disciples, the truth is that often, we are just afraid of what others will think if we say “No!”…or we simply want more than we can handle. It’s like a kid who looks through the toy store flyer that comes at Christmas time and says, “I’ll take this…and this…and this!” with no regard for how expensive all of those things are – or who will foot the bill!
When we try to do what we want rather than what God wants, the road can get pretty rocky! We wear ourselves out chasing our tails and getting nowhere… the real work of God doesn’t get done…and everybody loses. This doesn’t please God in the least. Like little children who must learn that poor choices and selfishness have consequences, we must learn that serving our own desires rather than God’s can get us into a heap of trouble, also…everything from losses and disappointments to sickness brought on by wearing our bodies down with too much busyness.
Spend some time with God and ask Him what He wants you to do. Learn to run EVERY activity and option by Him first…to determine whether He endorses your choices – or they are of your own making. Begin to operate within God’s plans, and see how much better things can be. You won’t actually become a Ninja Warrior or Superman…but when you learn to operate under the power and wisdom of the “Ultimate Superhero,” He might just make you feel like one!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 24, 2015
Matthew 10:38
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
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.
It happens almost every time we are together. Timothy gets so engrossed in playing with his Legos®…or watching videos or a movie…or whatever has grabbed his attention at the moment…and he totally ignores our summons. At least that’s how it seems…because, you see, we KNOW that he hears us! We call, “C’mon…it’s time to go,” or "Dinner is ready…you can play with that again after you eat.” And he acts as if nothing has been said to him until we call to him two or three (or more) times! If we start to move on without him, Timothy will often look up and say, “Wait! Wait for me!” and come running to join us.
This is not a case of childhood misbehavior, necessarily. Timothy’s siblings – and all children – do this, because they are immature children! They lack the ability to understand that there will be plenty of time to do what they want after they complete the task being required by the adult(s). And most surely, they lack the capacity to fully comprehend that there is a time and a place for us to do what we please and follow our own desires…and a time to set those aside for someone or something else. No kid of any age ever likes to hear the words, “Time’s up!”
I know this scripture verse is almost identical to the passage from Luke 9 that I shared yesterday. And I’ll be honest, the outline I created for these devotionals called for me to use another passage from the Book of Mark, Chapter 8, that says virtually the same thing. So I surmised that God really wants me to share this thought again today. We cannot be true disciples of Jesus Christ and focus on our own desires and agendas. We must understand that HIS desires and plans come first. When He calls, we must drop what we are doing…and answer!
Most likely, there will be plenty of time for us to do the things that we want to do…and if not, they weren’t all that important anyway. If God supports your desires and activities, He will see that you have the means to pursue them. And if you choose to pursue them without His blessing, don’t be surprised if the end results are less than stellar. I’m not suggesting that God will sabotage you…but He surely will not support and enhance your selfish behavior.
Let’s all stop today and spend a few minutes talking to God about what He wants for us. Let’s ask Him to show us which pursuits and desires are selfish…and which are on point with what Jesus requires from His disciples – including us. When Jesus calls, let’s drop what we are doing and answer right away. If we are not willing to do this – to go all the way with Him through thick and thin – we really don’t deserve to have a relationship with Him. I don’t want to be like a child who keeps on playing…and look up to find Jesus leaving without me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
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.
It happens almost every time we are together. Timothy gets so engrossed in playing with his Legos®…or watching videos or a movie…or whatever has grabbed his attention at the moment…and he totally ignores our summons. At least that’s how it seems…because, you see, we KNOW that he hears us! We call, “C’mon…it’s time to go,” or "Dinner is ready…you can play with that again after you eat.” And he acts as if nothing has been said to him until we call to him two or three (or more) times! If we start to move on without him, Timothy will often look up and say, “Wait! Wait for me!” and come running to join us.
This is not a case of childhood misbehavior, necessarily. Timothy’s siblings – and all children – do this, because they are immature children! They lack the ability to understand that there will be plenty of time to do what they want after they complete the task being required by the adult(s). And most surely, they lack the capacity to fully comprehend that there is a time and a place for us to do what we please and follow our own desires…and a time to set those aside for someone or something else. No kid of any age ever likes to hear the words, “Time’s up!”
I know this scripture verse is almost identical to the passage from Luke 9 that I shared yesterday. And I’ll be honest, the outline I created for these devotionals called for me to use another passage from the Book of Mark, Chapter 8, that says virtually the same thing. So I surmised that God really wants me to share this thought again today. We cannot be true disciples of Jesus Christ and focus on our own desires and agendas. We must understand that HIS desires and plans come first. When He calls, we must drop what we are doing…and answer!
Most likely, there will be plenty of time for us to do the things that we want to do…and if not, they weren’t all that important anyway. If God supports your desires and activities, He will see that you have the means to pursue them. And if you choose to pursue them without His blessing, don’t be surprised if the end results are less than stellar. I’m not suggesting that God will sabotage you…but He surely will not support and enhance your selfish behavior.
Let’s all stop today and spend a few minutes talking to God about what He wants for us. Let’s ask Him to show us which pursuits and desires are selfish…and which are on point with what Jesus requires from His disciples – including us. When Jesus calls, let’s drop what we are doing and answer right away. If we are not willing to do this – to go all the way with Him through thick and thin – we really don’t deserve to have a relationship with Him. I don’t want to be like a child who keeps on playing…and look up to find Jesus leaving without me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 14, 2015
James 4:1-3
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it because there is a whole army of evil desires within you? You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
For more than a year, we’ve gone out to eat with the children after church on Sunday. There are about five restaurants that we have rotated through…and of course, the children have their favorites – Pizza Hut® and Burger King®, for starters! Timothy and Zola “campaigned” for one of these two options every Sunday, so Greg would say, “Okay, today is Zola’s day to choose,” or “It’s Grandma E’s day to choose,” and we would rotate through the five of us in just over a “month of Sundays”!
One Sunday, Timothy chose Pizza Hut® - and the next week, it was Uncle Greg’s turn. Timothy asked, “Uncle Greg…where do you want to eat? I think Pizza Hut® would be a great choice…don’t you? Wouldn’t you like to eat at Pizza Hut®, Uncle Greg?” We had to laugh at his “diplomatic” attempt to manipulate the choice.
This is cute when one is five years old. It’s not cute at all when you are our age…and we are trying to manipulate God for what we want, rather than what He has in store for us. We sometimes pray in specifics…as we should. But our motives are often misguided at best…if not downright selfish. So instead of asking God to guide our interview for a new job and to work in the hearts of those who decide which person to hire, we say, “LORD, please help me get this job.” We give no consideration to whether this is the place God wants us to be, because it’s where we desire to work!
Or we pray for God to heal us…or to fix a relationship…or to help us get a new car or pass a particular class…or to save a loved one from dying…or whatever is on our heart. And we never even ask God what He desires. Because you see…that really doesn’t matter to us, quite often.
Several weeks ago, our pastor asked us “Are you making a difference…or making a point?” It’s a valid question for all of us. I know that learning to ask God for His will over our own is a hard practice for many of us to master. We are not wired to submit to the will of another – not even to God! So we “campaign” for whatever our “Pizza Hut®” desire is…even to the point of trying to manipulate God into doing it. “LORD, it would be great if You could take this cancer from me…don’t You think that I could do so many wonderful things if I wasn’t sick?!” Or, “LORD, I really need a new house/car/job/relationship…so that I can do even more for YOU!” Pah-lease! (insert eye-roll here!) God is not fooled for even one second!
If we will learn to pour our hearts out to God…and even tell Him what we want (like He doesn’t already know!)…He will listen. But we must humbly and genuinely submit to Him that what we really want – and need – is His will for our lives…and we are ready to accept this and eagerly abide in whatever He designs for us. We can stomp our 5-year-old “spiritual feet” and demand our own way…or we can surrender to God’s will and actually make a difference. The choice is ours…what will you decide?
©2015 Debbie Robus
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it because there is a whole army of evil desires within you? You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
For more than a year, we’ve gone out to eat with the children after church on Sunday. There are about five restaurants that we have rotated through…and of course, the children have their favorites – Pizza Hut® and Burger King®, for starters! Timothy and Zola “campaigned” for one of these two options every Sunday, so Greg would say, “Okay, today is Zola’s day to choose,” or “It’s Grandma E’s day to choose,” and we would rotate through the five of us in just over a “month of Sundays”!
One Sunday, Timothy chose Pizza Hut® - and the next week, it was Uncle Greg’s turn. Timothy asked, “Uncle Greg…where do you want to eat? I think Pizza Hut® would be a great choice…don’t you? Wouldn’t you like to eat at Pizza Hut®, Uncle Greg?” We had to laugh at his “diplomatic” attempt to manipulate the choice.
This is cute when one is five years old. It’s not cute at all when you are our age…and we are trying to manipulate God for what we want, rather than what He has in store for us. We sometimes pray in specifics…as we should. But our motives are often misguided at best…if not downright selfish. So instead of asking God to guide our interview for a new job and to work in the hearts of those who decide which person to hire, we say, “LORD, please help me get this job.” We give no consideration to whether this is the place God wants us to be, because it’s where we desire to work!
Or we pray for God to heal us…or to fix a relationship…or to help us get a new car or pass a particular class…or to save a loved one from dying…or whatever is on our heart. And we never even ask God what He desires. Because you see…that really doesn’t matter to us, quite often.
Several weeks ago, our pastor asked us “Are you making a difference…or making a point?” It’s a valid question for all of us. I know that learning to ask God for His will over our own is a hard practice for many of us to master. We are not wired to submit to the will of another – not even to God! So we “campaign” for whatever our “Pizza Hut®” desire is…even to the point of trying to manipulate God into doing it. “LORD, it would be great if You could take this cancer from me…don’t You think that I could do so many wonderful things if I wasn’t sick?!” Or, “LORD, I really need a new house/car/job/relationship…so that I can do even more for YOU!” Pah-lease! (insert eye-roll here!) God is not fooled for even one second!
If we will learn to pour our hearts out to God…and even tell Him what we want (like He doesn’t already know!)…He will listen. But we must humbly and genuinely submit to Him that what we really want – and need – is His will for our lives…and we are ready to accept this and eagerly abide in whatever He designs for us. We can stomp our 5-year-old “spiritual feet” and demand our own way…or we can surrender to God’s will and actually make a difference. The choice is ours…what will you decide?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 27, 2014
Ephesians 2:7-10
Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
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.
There is a running joke in our family that Timothy is just a little compulsive. His bath tub “friends” must all face a certain direction, and “everyone knows that dinosaurs and zoo animals do not mix together on the window [sill]”! He gets things just like he likes them…and trust me…it has to be HIS idea how everything will go from there! He is big on “I’ll do it myself!” I’ll be honest… most of the time in between Timothy’s visits to our house, his toys are left exactly where he placed them. They remind me of him and how hard he “worked” to get them just right when he was here.
Have you thought about how hard God worked to create you and get you to where you are today? Have you considered all of the planning and preparation that went into designing you and your life… all of the actual “work” that was involved in making you the person you are and developing your potential for the future? Did you know that God even has plans for your Eternity in heaven…purposes and goals for what you will accomplish there for Him?
Trust me…you won’t mind performing your “heavenly assignments”. But I am afraid more than a few of us resent doing God’s work on this earth…or at least we act like we do. We appear to be anything BUT eager to serve Him…to seek His will…to stay in communication with Him. We’re like the teenager or college-aged student who doesn’t answer Mom or Dad’s phone calls or texts. We figure if they can’t reach us, we can say we didn’t get their message…that we had no clue they wanted us to do something. We didn’t know that they expected us to come for dinner, pick up a sibling from school, or help Grandma with some yard work. We were not aware that they were counting on us to do well in school and provide frequent reports…or to be a responsible citizen/employee/friend/child. We didn’t get the “memo”.
Do you see that this really makes no sense? Do you understand that everything we have…everything we are and ever will be is because of God – not ourselves? Don’t you want to enjoy everything He designed and planned for you? Do you get it that your attempts to do things your way often sabotage God’s plans to make everything “just right” for you…lined up perfectly and in the exact combinations that are spot-on? Isn’t it time you dropped the arrogance and bravado and allowed God to create perfection within you...His way…on His terms? Don’t you know that His way will always be better than ours?
Are you ready to go full in with God…to let go of your own will in order to embrace His? Will this be the week that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
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.
There is a running joke in our family that Timothy is just a little compulsive. His bath tub “friends” must all face a certain direction, and “everyone knows that dinosaurs and zoo animals do not mix together on the window [sill]”! He gets things just like he likes them…and trust me…it has to be HIS idea how everything will go from there! He is big on “I’ll do it myself!” I’ll be honest… most of the time in between Timothy’s visits to our house, his toys are left exactly where he placed them. They remind me of him and how hard he “worked” to get them just right when he was here.
Have you thought about how hard God worked to create you and get you to where you are today? Have you considered all of the planning and preparation that went into designing you and your life… all of the actual “work” that was involved in making you the person you are and developing your potential for the future? Did you know that God even has plans for your Eternity in heaven…purposes and goals for what you will accomplish there for Him?
Trust me…you won’t mind performing your “heavenly assignments”. But I am afraid more than a few of us resent doing God’s work on this earth…or at least we act like we do. We appear to be anything BUT eager to serve Him…to seek His will…to stay in communication with Him. We’re like the teenager or college-aged student who doesn’t answer Mom or Dad’s phone calls or texts. We figure if they can’t reach us, we can say we didn’t get their message…that we had no clue they wanted us to do something. We didn’t know that they expected us to come for dinner, pick up a sibling from school, or help Grandma with some yard work. We were not aware that they were counting on us to do well in school and provide frequent reports…or to be a responsible citizen/employee/friend/child. We didn’t get the “memo”.
Do you see that this really makes no sense? Do you understand that everything we have…everything we are and ever will be is because of God – not ourselves? Don’t you want to enjoy everything He designed and planned for you? Do you get it that your attempts to do things your way often sabotage God’s plans to make everything “just right” for you…lined up perfectly and in the exact combinations that are spot-on? Isn’t it time you dropped the arrogance and bravado and allowed God to create perfection within you...His way…on His terms? Don’t you know that His way will always be better than ours?
Are you ready to go full in with God…to let go of your own will in order to embrace His? Will this be the week that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 15, 2013
Galatians 6:7-8
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
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.
There’s a new Sonic® commercial where two guys are sitting in the car, and one of them says that he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, and the other guy says, “Tell me about it”… then proceeds to talk about something. Guy #1 says, “Wait a minute! You said ‘tell me about it,’ and then you didn’t give me a chance to tell you!” Guy #2 says, “Man, you really did wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!” It’s a silly commercial… not as funny in my opinion as most by these two actors… but it does make a good point.
We are often so caught up in our own life that we really don’t give the other person a chance to “tell us about it.” We ask people how they are doing as we pass them… but we certainly don’t intend for them to answer us - and we’re not about to stop what we are doing long enough to hear their answer! We don’t notice that others have needs, because we are so busy whining and complaining about our own. We can’t be bothered to help a friend, because we might have to give up or postpone something that we want to do for ourselves. We’ll spend hours shopping online or in a store for just the right shoes, purses, golf clubs, hunting rifle, fishing pole, or outfit to wear to an event… but we can’t spend thirty minutes talking to a friend in need… much less take an hour or two on Sunday to attend a worship service.
We don’t stop to think how others are affected by our decisions because we are too busy worrying about whether or not we will be “fulfilled”, satisfied or happy with the choice. I’m just as guilty as the rest of you… I have made my share of excuses when I didn’t want to do something. But I have also done things I didn’t want to do because they were the right choice… like spend time taking my grandmother to events that didn’t interest me because she had no other way to get there and needed assistance getting around once there. I don’t always want to bite my tongue when someone says something that I disagree with, even though I know to respond might start World War Three or destroy a friendship. I have to consciously choose to pay the guy at the farmer’s market more than he is asking for his home-grown vegetables, even when it means I’m giving him the last of my change… or to tell the girl who sells me her daughters’ hand-me-downs that she is undercharging and give her extra money, even though she didn’t ask for it, and I could rightfully pay her pennies on the dollar.
The point is that we have choices. We can choose to serve ourselves and always do what “feels good.” Or we can ask, “Does this please God and honor my commitment to serve Him as a Christian disciple?” and choose to do what is right. Sometimes, that choice actually feels good and serves us, whether we intended for it to do so or not. Often, we get the bigger blessing when we make a hard choice. Either way, we must deal with our decisions and face the results.
I don’t know what hard choices you are encountering. I don’t know whether you are serving yourself more than you serve God and others… or if you have made a habit of living selflessly. The balance can be delicate. But if you will practice serving God and others first, you will find that you end up served in the bargain more often than not. At the end of the day, God will be pleased with your decisions. And that’s really all that matters.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
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.
There’s a new Sonic® commercial where two guys are sitting in the car, and one of them says that he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, and the other guy says, “Tell me about it”… then proceeds to talk about something. Guy #1 says, “Wait a minute! You said ‘tell me about it,’ and then you didn’t give me a chance to tell you!” Guy #2 says, “Man, you really did wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!” It’s a silly commercial… not as funny in my opinion as most by these two actors… but it does make a good point.
We are often so caught up in our own life that we really don’t give the other person a chance to “tell us about it.” We ask people how they are doing as we pass them… but we certainly don’t intend for them to answer us - and we’re not about to stop what we are doing long enough to hear their answer! We don’t notice that others have needs, because we are so busy whining and complaining about our own. We can’t be bothered to help a friend, because we might have to give up or postpone something that we want to do for ourselves. We’ll spend hours shopping online or in a store for just the right shoes, purses, golf clubs, hunting rifle, fishing pole, or outfit to wear to an event… but we can’t spend thirty minutes talking to a friend in need… much less take an hour or two on Sunday to attend a worship service.
We don’t stop to think how others are affected by our decisions because we are too busy worrying about whether or not we will be “fulfilled”, satisfied or happy with the choice. I’m just as guilty as the rest of you… I have made my share of excuses when I didn’t want to do something. But I have also done things I didn’t want to do because they were the right choice… like spend time taking my grandmother to events that didn’t interest me because she had no other way to get there and needed assistance getting around once there. I don’t always want to bite my tongue when someone says something that I disagree with, even though I know to respond might start World War Three or destroy a friendship. I have to consciously choose to pay the guy at the farmer’s market more than he is asking for his home-grown vegetables, even when it means I’m giving him the last of my change… or to tell the girl who sells me her daughters’ hand-me-downs that she is undercharging and give her extra money, even though she didn’t ask for it, and I could rightfully pay her pennies on the dollar.
The point is that we have choices. We can choose to serve ourselves and always do what “feels good.” Or we can ask, “Does this please God and honor my commitment to serve Him as a Christian disciple?” and choose to do what is right. Sometimes, that choice actually feels good and serves us, whether we intended for it to do so or not. Often, we get the bigger blessing when we make a hard choice. Either way, we must deal with our decisions and face the results.
I don’t know what hard choices you are encountering. I don’t know whether you are serving yourself more than you serve God and others… or if you have made a habit of living selflessly. The balance can be delicate. But if you will practice serving God and others first, you will find that you end up served in the bargain more often than not. At the end of the day, God will be pleased with your decisions. And that’s really all that matters.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 17, 2013
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
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.
Last night at our Vacation Bible School, my character had to “come clean” to the children and tell them that I had been lying for two nights. I really do know Jesus, but I told them I’d only heard of him…because I was afraid if they knew the truth, they would not visit our marketplace and spend their dollars – much less like me and be my friend. I had really talked poorly about the Apostle Paul, a visitor to Athens where “my” marketplace was located. Now I confessed that everything I had said was a ruse… a selfish, insincere ploy on my part to “save my own hide” and keep my business afloat. I asked the children to forgive me… and told them that I had already asked for – and received – forgiveness from Jesus. So many people were being persecuted, I explained, because of their faith… and I was just unwilling to risk being one of them. Thankfully, the children were sweet and forgiving. Many said, “I KNEW IT! I knew all along you believed!” Others acted disappointed, but were gracious and showed me mercy nonetheless.
I am reading a book titled 1861, by Adam Goodheart, which details the events leading up to the beginning of the Civil War. I find it pretty sad to read the quotes of men in power who reference God and cite scripture, while voicing an unwillingness to yield to others or show mercy… men who “played favorites” all day long and considered only the opinions and feelings that were theirs. A lot of that still goes on today… and it is every bit as unsettling. There really is very little new "under the sun”!
This is not to say that we are on the verge of a civil war. In fact, I pray that we are not! But a lot of us have less than pure motives. We say that we hear from God and walk in His wisdom… then we operate on the “What’s in it for me?” theory in our daily living. We would rather deny our faith in God than have someone judge us. We go along with unkind talk, cruel and off-putting jokes and more... because we don’t want to be singled out. We play favorites when it suits our desires… and it’s our way or the highway. And if we are honest, we have to admit that there are at least moments when this creates a less than peaceful existence.
I have to tell you… even though I was role-playing last night at VBS, it felt good to tell the truth. It even felt good to ask for mercy and forgiveness. The make-believe “secret” between us created a divide…and left me feeling unsettled. If you are a true child of God… or as I told the children last night – if Jesus truly lives in your heart and is your “Forever Friend”… you have to feel at least tinges of guilt and uneasiness when you operate in selfishness and insincerity. It has to make you at least a little anxious to “play favorites” or go along with others when you know they are being unkind or dishonest.
Isn’t it time to “come clean” with Jesus? Isn’t it time to operate in the purity of His wisdom and trust Him to see you through any and all reactions and repercussions? Don’t you want the peace of knowing that you are pleasing God at every turn… and that He has your back? What “secrets” do you need to divulge? Are you ready for the gentle life of Christ’s love and peace? Is this the day you begin to change?
©2013 Debbie Robus
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
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.
Last night at our Vacation Bible School, my character had to “come clean” to the children and tell them that I had been lying for two nights. I really do know Jesus, but I told them I’d only heard of him…because I was afraid if they knew the truth, they would not visit our marketplace and spend their dollars – much less like me and be my friend. I had really talked poorly about the Apostle Paul, a visitor to Athens where “my” marketplace was located. Now I confessed that everything I had said was a ruse… a selfish, insincere ploy on my part to “save my own hide” and keep my business afloat. I asked the children to forgive me… and told them that I had already asked for – and received – forgiveness from Jesus. So many people were being persecuted, I explained, because of their faith… and I was just unwilling to risk being one of them. Thankfully, the children were sweet and forgiving. Many said, “I KNEW IT! I knew all along you believed!” Others acted disappointed, but were gracious and showed me mercy nonetheless.
I am reading a book titled 1861, by Adam Goodheart, which details the events leading up to the beginning of the Civil War. I find it pretty sad to read the quotes of men in power who reference God and cite scripture, while voicing an unwillingness to yield to others or show mercy… men who “played favorites” all day long and considered only the opinions and feelings that were theirs. A lot of that still goes on today… and it is every bit as unsettling. There really is very little new "under the sun”!
This is not to say that we are on the verge of a civil war. In fact, I pray that we are not! But a lot of us have less than pure motives. We say that we hear from God and walk in His wisdom… then we operate on the “What’s in it for me?” theory in our daily living. We would rather deny our faith in God than have someone judge us. We go along with unkind talk, cruel and off-putting jokes and more... because we don’t want to be singled out. We play favorites when it suits our desires… and it’s our way or the highway. And if we are honest, we have to admit that there are at least moments when this creates a less than peaceful existence.
I have to tell you… even though I was role-playing last night at VBS, it felt good to tell the truth. It even felt good to ask for mercy and forgiveness. The make-believe “secret” between us created a divide…and left me feeling unsettled. If you are a true child of God… or as I told the children last night – if Jesus truly lives in your heart and is your “Forever Friend”… you have to feel at least tinges of guilt and uneasiness when you operate in selfishness and insincerity. It has to make you at least a little anxious to “play favorites” or go along with others when you know they are being unkind or dishonest.
Isn’t it time to “come clean” with Jesus? Isn’t it time to operate in the purity of His wisdom and trust Him to see you through any and all reactions and repercussions? Don’t you want the peace of knowing that you are pleasing God at every turn… and that He has your back? What “secrets” do you need to divulge? Are you ready for the gentle life of Christ’s love and peace? Is this the day you begin to change?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 1, 2013
Romans 1:8-15
I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That’s first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him. And God, whom I so love to worship and serve by spreading the good news of his Son—the Message!—knows that every time I think of you in my prayers, which is practically all the time, I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you. The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don’t think I’m not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.
Please don’t misinterpret my failure to visit you, friends. You have no idea how many times I’ve made plans for Rome. I’ve been determined to get some personal enjoyment out of God’s work among you, as I have in so many other non-Jewish towns and communities. But something has always come up and prevented it. Everyone I meet—it matters little whether they’re mannered or rude, smart or simple—deepens my sense of interdependence and obligation. And that’s why I can’t wait to get to you in Rome, preaching this wonderful good news of God.
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.
Have you ever really wanted to do something or go somewhere, but nothing worked out? It seemed like no matter how hard you tried - or how much you wanted to do this - things just never came together. You might have even said, “There’s just something holding me back!” On the other hand, there might have been something you felt you should do… but everyone else said, “That’s crazy!” Still, you strongly felt you were supposed to take a certain job, donate to a certain cause, or even go visit someone you might not know very well – or with whom your relationship had not been all that great.
I don’t know about you, but I am comforted to know that this even happened to the Apostle Paul! And yet, I’m not surprised, because clearly the timing was not right… this was not his “season” to visit the Romans! And the “something” that held him back was most likely Someone – God Almighty!
In this passage, Paul is somewhat making excuses. But in his case, the reasons are valid. There truly are times when we are not meant to participate in something… to volunteer for a particular ministry, join a Bible study group or civic club, take on another project or hobby, or even take a trip. The KEY is to know when we are merely making excuses because we don’t want to do something or it doesn’t fit our own personal agenda…and when God is whispering, “This is not your season for that project,” or “This doesn’t fit my plans for you.”
Our pastor was speaking to the membership a few weeks ago about areas of service within the church, and he plainly told those in attendance not to sign up for everything on the list! God doesn’t want warm bodies… He wants willing servants that He can equip for the task. If we take on anything and everything that comes down the pike, we will be something of a “jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none.” We cannot be effective if we spread our talents and energy too thinly. So sometimes, the “excuse” that “it’s just not working for me right now,” or “this is not my season” is totally appropriate.
Believe me, if God had wanted Paul to visit the Romans at the time of his letter, He would have cleared the way. And if you and I stay in close communication with Him, we will know that He is guiding our steps and opening doors. When something doesn’t feel right - or things just don’t seem to come together – stop and ask God, “What are you showing me? Am I on track? Is this where You want me to be?” If you do not get a clear indication that God is sending you, I strongly encourage you to re-evaluate your choices.
By the same token, I can name more than one time in my life that I have felt strongly convicted I was supposed to move in a certain direction or make a specific decision that my head told me was ridiculous… but God spoke to my heart and said, “Do it anyway.” I know people who paid for meals in restaurants for complete strangers, reached out to someone with whom they had a strained relationship, and stepped up to be foster parents, and more… all while “that little voice in their heads” said, “This is crazy!” But the Voice in their heart said, “I’m beside you all the way… do this for Me.” And the outcome blessed all concerned. When God calls you to step out and do something that is scary, unconventional, or unpleasant… trust Him to make the difference - and go for it!
There are plenty of times when we make excuses because of our own selfish desires. But sometimes, our “excuse” is that “God told me to do this… or NOT to do this.” And this justification is not only appropriate… it is extremely critical to the life of a Christian. Following God’s will is the only thing that truly matters. The next time He leads you in a specific direction…will you be ready and willing to follow? Make sure your “excuses” are always based on your “heart-talk” with God… and not on your own agenda.
©2013 Debbie Robus
I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That’s first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him. And God, whom I so love to worship and serve by spreading the good news of his Son—the Message!—knows that every time I think of you in my prayers, which is practically all the time, I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you. The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don’t think I’m not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.
Please don’t misinterpret my failure to visit you, friends. You have no idea how many times I’ve made plans for Rome. I’ve been determined to get some personal enjoyment out of God’s work among you, as I have in so many other non-Jewish towns and communities. But something has always come up and prevented it. Everyone I meet—it matters little whether they’re mannered or rude, smart or simple—deepens my sense of interdependence and obligation. And that’s why I can’t wait to get to you in Rome, preaching this wonderful good news of God.
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.
Have you ever really wanted to do something or go somewhere, but nothing worked out? It seemed like no matter how hard you tried - or how much you wanted to do this - things just never came together. You might have even said, “There’s just something holding me back!” On the other hand, there might have been something you felt you should do… but everyone else said, “That’s crazy!” Still, you strongly felt you were supposed to take a certain job, donate to a certain cause, or even go visit someone you might not know very well – or with whom your relationship had not been all that great.
I don’t know about you, but I am comforted to know that this even happened to the Apostle Paul! And yet, I’m not surprised, because clearly the timing was not right… this was not his “season” to visit the Romans! And the “something” that held him back was most likely Someone – God Almighty!
In this passage, Paul is somewhat making excuses. But in his case, the reasons are valid. There truly are times when we are not meant to participate in something… to volunteer for a particular ministry, join a Bible study group or civic club, take on another project or hobby, or even take a trip. The KEY is to know when we are merely making excuses because we don’t want to do something or it doesn’t fit our own personal agenda…and when God is whispering, “This is not your season for that project,” or “This doesn’t fit my plans for you.”
Our pastor was speaking to the membership a few weeks ago about areas of service within the church, and he plainly told those in attendance not to sign up for everything on the list! God doesn’t want warm bodies… He wants willing servants that He can equip for the task. If we take on anything and everything that comes down the pike, we will be something of a “jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none.” We cannot be effective if we spread our talents and energy too thinly. So sometimes, the “excuse” that “it’s just not working for me right now,” or “this is not my season” is totally appropriate.
Believe me, if God had wanted Paul to visit the Romans at the time of his letter, He would have cleared the way. And if you and I stay in close communication with Him, we will know that He is guiding our steps and opening doors. When something doesn’t feel right - or things just don’t seem to come together – stop and ask God, “What are you showing me? Am I on track? Is this where You want me to be?” If you do not get a clear indication that God is sending you, I strongly encourage you to re-evaluate your choices.
By the same token, I can name more than one time in my life that I have felt strongly convicted I was supposed to move in a certain direction or make a specific decision that my head told me was ridiculous… but God spoke to my heart and said, “Do it anyway.” I know people who paid for meals in restaurants for complete strangers, reached out to someone with whom they had a strained relationship, and stepped up to be foster parents, and more… all while “that little voice in their heads” said, “This is crazy!” But the Voice in their heart said, “I’m beside you all the way… do this for Me.” And the outcome blessed all concerned. When God calls you to step out and do something that is scary, unconventional, or unpleasant… trust Him to make the difference - and go for it!
There are plenty of times when we make excuses because of our own selfish desires. But sometimes, our “excuse” is that “God told me to do this… or NOT to do this.” And this justification is not only appropriate… it is extremely critical to the life of a Christian. Following God’s will is the only thing that truly matters. The next time He leads you in a specific direction…will you be ready and willing to follow? Make sure your “excuses” are always based on your “heart-talk” with God… and not on your own agenda.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 9, 2012
Matthew 10:32-39
“Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
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.
Someone was telling me recently about visiting the home of a friend, and there was a pillow in one room that said, “It’s all about ME!” Sadly, this is not a joke for some of us! Many people function in this world under the assumption that it truly is all about them. Their focus is on their own agenda… the next purchase…who is paying attention to them… what is happening in their own little circle… and how they appear to others – on every level.
Forget asking these people to change their plans or forego a “treat” for themselves to help someone else. Remember, it’s all about them! Never mind asking them to put the needs of another person ahead of their own… or to say, I had planned to give such-and-such to my parents or my child… but this person is in dire straits and needs it worse, so I will proceed in a different direction.
When it comes to our Christian Discipleship, even more of us have a problem in this area. Ask yourself… “Would I be willing to forego a daily/semi-weekly cup of specialty coffee or a large soft drink in order to sponsor a child in Compassion, International or help another worthwhile charity? Could I give up an hour or so a week of doing something I really enjoy in order to help someone who had a physical need I could meet… running errands, help with lawn maintenance, delivering Meals on Wheels, giving a shut-in a ride somewhere, etc.? What if I turned off my television each day for one hour and spent that time in quiet prayer and meditation for others?”
I don’t know what God is calling you to do. I don’t know where your path to Discipleship leads you. But I do know that a lot of us are far less obedient and selfless in these areas than we ought to be. When it comes to our Christian witness and Discipleship, more than a handful of us could sport a pillow that says “It’s all about ME.”
I’m asking you to examine your heart… and your lifestyle… and see where you are acting selfishly and with a self-centered heart. Then ask God to help you turn things around. Start operating from a place of incredible generosity… the old “give until it hurts – and then some” mentality. I’m not talking about money, per se… unless that is what God asks you to give. I’m talking time, talents, energy - whatever He requests. Be willing to give…and then give some more. Stand up for God, and He will stand up for you! Life may not always be cozy,but you will be blessed. You will know that you can someday stand before God with honor and the confidence that you went all the way with Him. You gave everything you had to give… and then some.
If it’s all about GOD, He will see that your needs are met in the bargain. And when God meets your needs, nothing is lacking…and He is truly enough. Aren’t you ready for this? Won’t you ask God to help you change your focus?
©2012 Debbie Robus
“Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
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.
Someone was telling me recently about visiting the home of a friend, and there was a pillow in one room that said, “It’s all about ME!” Sadly, this is not a joke for some of us! Many people function in this world under the assumption that it truly is all about them. Their focus is on their own agenda… the next purchase…who is paying attention to them… what is happening in their own little circle… and how they appear to others – on every level.
Forget asking these people to change their plans or forego a “treat” for themselves to help someone else. Remember, it’s all about them! Never mind asking them to put the needs of another person ahead of their own… or to say, I had planned to give such-and-such to my parents or my child… but this person is in dire straits and needs it worse, so I will proceed in a different direction.
When it comes to our Christian Discipleship, even more of us have a problem in this area. Ask yourself… “Would I be willing to forego a daily/semi-weekly cup of specialty coffee or a large soft drink in order to sponsor a child in Compassion, International or help another worthwhile charity? Could I give up an hour or so a week of doing something I really enjoy in order to help someone who had a physical need I could meet… running errands, help with lawn maintenance, delivering Meals on Wheels, giving a shut-in a ride somewhere, etc.? What if I turned off my television each day for one hour and spent that time in quiet prayer and meditation for others?”
I don’t know what God is calling you to do. I don’t know where your path to Discipleship leads you. But I do know that a lot of us are far less obedient and selfless in these areas than we ought to be. When it comes to our Christian witness and Discipleship, more than a handful of us could sport a pillow that says “It’s all about ME.”
I’m asking you to examine your heart… and your lifestyle… and see where you are acting selfishly and with a self-centered heart. Then ask God to help you turn things around. Start operating from a place of incredible generosity… the old “give until it hurts – and then some” mentality. I’m not talking about money, per se… unless that is what God asks you to give. I’m talking time, talents, energy - whatever He requests. Be willing to give…and then give some more. Stand up for God, and He will stand up for you! Life may not always be cozy,but you will be blessed. You will know that you can someday stand before God with honor and the confidence that you went all the way with Him. You gave everything you had to give… and then some.
If it’s all about GOD, He will see that your needs are met in the bargain. And when God meets your needs, nothing is lacking…and He is truly enough. Aren’t you ready for this? Won’t you ask God to help you change your focus?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 22, 2012
Psalm 128:1
The Lord will bless you if you respect him and obey his laws.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version ©1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently I saw a news report on a documentary film that has been made about drug dealers in Mexico… except the actors were all children instead of adults. The four-minute film is a commentary on the upcoming presidential elections in our neighboring country to the south. Deemed a “wake-up” call, this “mocumentary” has gone viral on YouTube and ends with a little girl saying, “If this is the future that awaits me, I don't want it. Enough of working for your political parties instead of for us. Enough of cosmetic changes.”
As I watched the video, I was struck by the thought that every adult is someone’s child. And in that context, I would hope we find it a little more difficult to be so harsh and judgmental toward others. At the very least, when we think about the person who commits a heinous crime and see his/her grieving parents on the news, we should have compassion… for them AND – to some degree - for the culprit. Somewhere along the line, this person lost his/her respect for – and obedience to – God’s laws. And in many ways, we have all done the same thing as we choose to follow our own desires – or the will of man – rather than God’s.
We are all familiar with the “Ten Commandments” as given to Moses by God. We probably all know them pretty well by heart. But in the New Testament, Jesus gave us two basic “laws”… “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind and soul,” and “Love one another as He has loved us.” If/when we do these things, everything else falls into place. All you have to do is stop and ask yourself if your words and actions reflect a love for God with all your heart, mind and soul… and whether they show a love for others. It’s truly that simple… and that complicated all at once!
If we consider Jesus’ commands, we cannot be judgmental, immoral, unkind, indecent, or perverse. We cannot be arrogant, pious, or proud. We cannot murder, steal, lie or cheat. To love God on this level means we must fully surrender our “program” for God’s… and walk in respect and reverence of Him at all times.
I don’t know what man-made “laws” - or interpretations of God’s law - are governing (and/or burdening) you today. But I do know that the only laws that matter are God’s… and it’s up to us to determine which are which! If we operate in the fear (respect and reverence) of the LORD and walk in His ways… obey His laws… our choices and decisions become fairly simple – and the blessings are sure to be evident. Ask yourself simply and prayerfully, “Does this line up with the word and will of God?” Your answer will determine how you proceed… and inevitably control the outcome.
To paraphrase the little girl in the movie…“Enough of living according to man’s law and his interpretation of the word of God. Enough of pretending to serve God while serving our own interests.” It’s time to make sure we are in step with God’s will at all times. Are you asking the right questions? Whose laws are you following these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
The Lord will bless you if you respect him and obey his laws.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version ©1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently I saw a news report on a documentary film that has been made about drug dealers in Mexico… except the actors were all children instead of adults. The four-minute film is a commentary on the upcoming presidential elections in our neighboring country to the south. Deemed a “wake-up” call, this “mocumentary” has gone viral on YouTube and ends with a little girl saying, “If this is the future that awaits me, I don't want it. Enough of working for your political parties instead of for us. Enough of cosmetic changes.”
As I watched the video, I was struck by the thought that every adult is someone’s child. And in that context, I would hope we find it a little more difficult to be so harsh and judgmental toward others. At the very least, when we think about the person who commits a heinous crime and see his/her grieving parents on the news, we should have compassion… for them AND – to some degree - for the culprit. Somewhere along the line, this person lost his/her respect for – and obedience to – God’s laws. And in many ways, we have all done the same thing as we choose to follow our own desires – or the will of man – rather than God’s.
We are all familiar with the “Ten Commandments” as given to Moses by God. We probably all know them pretty well by heart. But in the New Testament, Jesus gave us two basic “laws”… “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind and soul,” and “Love one another as He has loved us.” If/when we do these things, everything else falls into place. All you have to do is stop and ask yourself if your words and actions reflect a love for God with all your heart, mind and soul… and whether they show a love for others. It’s truly that simple… and that complicated all at once!
If we consider Jesus’ commands, we cannot be judgmental, immoral, unkind, indecent, or perverse. We cannot be arrogant, pious, or proud. We cannot murder, steal, lie or cheat. To love God on this level means we must fully surrender our “program” for God’s… and walk in respect and reverence of Him at all times.
I don’t know what man-made “laws” - or interpretations of God’s law - are governing (and/or burdening) you today. But I do know that the only laws that matter are God’s… and it’s up to us to determine which are which! If we operate in the fear (respect and reverence) of the LORD and walk in His ways… obey His laws… our choices and decisions become fairly simple – and the blessings are sure to be evident. Ask yourself simply and prayerfully, “Does this line up with the word and will of God?” Your answer will determine how you proceed… and inevitably control the outcome.
To paraphrase the little girl in the movie…“Enough of living according to man’s law and his interpretation of the word of God. Enough of pretending to serve God while serving our own interests.” It’s time to make sure we are in step with God’s will at all times. Are you asking the right questions? Whose laws are you following these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 14, 2012
Proverbs 3:33-35
God's curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize.
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.
My husband heard the Chairman of the NCAA interviewed, about how many college football and basketball players have aspirations to become professional athletes. Obviously many Division I athletes have hopes of “going pro.” However, to emphasize his point, the chairman stated that 50% of all of Division II football and basketball players (including those at schools like Harding, Arkansas Tech, and others where student athletes may not even be on full scholarships) hope to “go pro.” In reality, only 1% actually make it to “the big leagues.” Clearly the expectations exceed realizations!
I am not criticizing these young people for having hopes and dreams. In fact, I commend their determination. At the same time, I wonder who has convinced them they may have what it takes to become a professional athlete. How many have unrealistic opinions of themselves and their abilities… and expect to be rewarded for their talents in this manner? As Graduation Day approaches for many high school and college students, I wonder who is looking toward a future in a career that God did not sanction. Who is anticipating being a “star” athlete in college or the pro ranks… or pursuing a degree that meets his/her choices rather than God’s?
Many of us spend a lot of time creating an image of wealth, intelligence, and general “success”. We care far too much about how others see us, and far too little about how we are truly seen. How many times have you heard it said that someone appeared to be beautiful and truly amazing, until this person opened his/her mouth? How many celebrities do you know who appear to have it all… wealth, fame, good looks… a great life… but in reality their life is falling apart? I could give you a laundry list of names, but you probably have your own already.
Regardless of our age or stage in life, we all need to focus on living humbly instead of playing the game. We need to seek God’s will for our lives. If God directs us to do the things that put us in line for wealth, fame… or even a chance to play a professional sport… then He will show us how to do the work to accomplish this. He will use us in this capacity to serve Him and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others in these arenas. If God calls us to operate in the background, He will equip us with the necessary guidance and gifts for this, as well.
God needs all kinds of people in His army… He can use celebrities and “regular Joes” alike. But God is not amused by those who try to be something or someone other than who He has called them to become. If God wants a college athlete to become a high school coach and help mold and shape the lives of countless teenagers, He will bless these efforts far more than the “riches” this athlete could ever accrue on the pro circuit. One has to recognize that the coach and the “pro” athlete are both professionals… just with a different vehicle for serving potential service. There is no shame in changing your major, your career, or even your hobby, if you feel that God is moving you in a different direction.
Who are you trying to be? What are you working toward… and does it line up with what God wants for your life? Have you truly shown up for life… the life that God has planned for you? Or are you determined to be something or someone else? Ask God to show you how to show up for the life that He has chosen. Humbly seek His will for your life… then get busy fulfilling His desires. You will be amazed at how He shows up for you as a result!
©2012 Debbie Robus
God's curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize.
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.
My husband heard the Chairman of the NCAA interviewed, about how many college football and basketball players have aspirations to become professional athletes. Obviously many Division I athletes have hopes of “going pro.” However, to emphasize his point, the chairman stated that 50% of all of Division II football and basketball players (including those at schools like Harding, Arkansas Tech, and others where student athletes may not even be on full scholarships) hope to “go pro.” In reality, only 1% actually make it to “the big leagues.” Clearly the expectations exceed realizations!
I am not criticizing these young people for having hopes and dreams. In fact, I commend their determination. At the same time, I wonder who has convinced them they may have what it takes to become a professional athlete. How many have unrealistic opinions of themselves and their abilities… and expect to be rewarded for their talents in this manner? As Graduation Day approaches for many high school and college students, I wonder who is looking toward a future in a career that God did not sanction. Who is anticipating being a “star” athlete in college or the pro ranks… or pursuing a degree that meets his/her choices rather than God’s?
Many of us spend a lot of time creating an image of wealth, intelligence, and general “success”. We care far too much about how others see us, and far too little about how we are truly seen. How many times have you heard it said that someone appeared to be beautiful and truly amazing, until this person opened his/her mouth? How many celebrities do you know who appear to have it all… wealth, fame, good looks… a great life… but in reality their life is falling apart? I could give you a laundry list of names, but you probably have your own already.
Regardless of our age or stage in life, we all need to focus on living humbly instead of playing the game. We need to seek God’s will for our lives. If God directs us to do the things that put us in line for wealth, fame… or even a chance to play a professional sport… then He will show us how to do the work to accomplish this. He will use us in this capacity to serve Him and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others in these arenas. If God calls us to operate in the background, He will equip us with the necessary guidance and gifts for this, as well.
God needs all kinds of people in His army… He can use celebrities and “regular Joes” alike. But God is not amused by those who try to be something or someone other than who He has called them to become. If God wants a college athlete to become a high school coach and help mold and shape the lives of countless teenagers, He will bless these efforts far more than the “riches” this athlete could ever accrue on the pro circuit. One has to recognize that the coach and the “pro” athlete are both professionals… just with a different vehicle for serving potential service. There is no shame in changing your major, your career, or even your hobby, if you feel that God is moving you in a different direction.
Who are you trying to be? What are you working toward… and does it line up with what God wants for your life? Have you truly shown up for life… the life that God has planned for you? Or are you determined to be something or someone else? Ask God to show you how to show up for the life that He has chosen. Humbly seek His will for your life… then get busy fulfilling His desires. You will be amazed at how He shows up for you as a result!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 11, 2012
James 4:1-3
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Apparently everyone has an agenda! In our present political climate, we have people on all sides who claim to make decisions in the name of God. For a nation who believes in separation of church and state, we surely do hide behind religion a lot in order to make our point or have things go our way. So we have political candidates who run for office based on a platform of “family values” and their particular stance on abortion, gay marriage, the right to bear arms, and much more – yet I wonder if many of them can truly explain their position and the meaning they place behind it.
Some will declare themselves pro-war and pro-life in the same breath! In the end, people who claim to hear from God - again, on every side of every issue – cannot seem to get along with each other for five minutes! We would all do well to ask the question asked in James 4:1 – “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen?”
We know this isn’t right. We know that many of our troubles boil down to selfishness. And hopefully, we realize that it would be beyond ridiculous to ask God to support us in many of our desires and endeavors… because clearly we are not entitled to the things for which we are asking. If we ask God to do things for us at the expense of someone or something else, we have to realize this is selfish and wrong.
Asking God to choose our team over another at a sporting event makes no sense. Calling on God to look the other way when we cheat on a test or our taxes… to “give us a pass” this one time… doesn’t benefit us – and it surely doesn’t glorify God! We can’t ask God to help us make it to class and do well in school – or continue to hold down a job – while we are drinking and partying and/or doing drugs every night and weekend. Claiming the name of God and cloaking ourselves in Christian faith so that we can “win friends and influence people” – in any life situation – does not please God. Asking God to bless us and help us to prosper while cheating and backstabbing our friends and neighbors seems preposterous! And while the scripture says we would never think of asking God for things to which we have no right… sadly, many of us are doing exactly this. Yet, we wonder why our prayers are not answered as we expect!
The time has come for us to “come clean.” We must humbly come before God and seek His wisdom… and expect answers according to HIS will – not ours. We must take our emotions out of the equation and rely solely on the Word of God… because often, what we want and what God wants are two very different things. When we start to operate in what God wants… to desire His will and expect His answers accordingly, everything changes.
When we begin to ask God to give us the desires of His heart… the things that bless and benefit all of His children (not just us or a select few), amazing things begin to happen. Results and blessings flow in abundance. We operate in harmony, because we have checked our selfish desires at the door. There is no room in our hearts for ego, deceit, manipulation, argument, gossip, pettiness, and a whole host of other negative attitude builders, because we are filled with the word and wisdom of God. We are confident in God’s decisions and His ability to work in and through us.
Lately, God has shown me in several ways that what many of us need is a big ole dose of humility... followed by an attitude adjustment. If we could only begin to be still and listen for His voice… to develop an attitude of humble, unselfish, expectant, confident prayer for HIS will instead of our own… a lot of positive change could start to occur. But we have to take the first step. We have to examine our own hearts and motives… and start the ball rolling by surrendering to God. We must follow the protocol of prayer – pray the Word of God, enter into covenant with Him, and expect His perfect answers. Will this be the week where the “faith rules” of prayer begin to change things for you? Shouldn’t it?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Apparently everyone has an agenda! In our present political climate, we have people on all sides who claim to make decisions in the name of God. For a nation who believes in separation of church and state, we surely do hide behind religion a lot in order to make our point or have things go our way. So we have political candidates who run for office based on a platform of “family values” and their particular stance on abortion, gay marriage, the right to bear arms, and much more – yet I wonder if many of them can truly explain their position and the meaning they place behind it.
Some will declare themselves pro-war and pro-life in the same breath! In the end, people who claim to hear from God - again, on every side of every issue – cannot seem to get along with each other for five minutes! We would all do well to ask the question asked in James 4:1 – “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen?”
We know this isn’t right. We know that many of our troubles boil down to selfishness. And hopefully, we realize that it would be beyond ridiculous to ask God to support us in many of our desires and endeavors… because clearly we are not entitled to the things for which we are asking. If we ask God to do things for us at the expense of someone or something else, we have to realize this is selfish and wrong.
Asking God to choose our team over another at a sporting event makes no sense. Calling on God to look the other way when we cheat on a test or our taxes… to “give us a pass” this one time… doesn’t benefit us – and it surely doesn’t glorify God! We can’t ask God to help us make it to class and do well in school – or continue to hold down a job – while we are drinking and partying and/or doing drugs every night and weekend. Claiming the name of God and cloaking ourselves in Christian faith so that we can “win friends and influence people” – in any life situation – does not please God. Asking God to bless us and help us to prosper while cheating and backstabbing our friends and neighbors seems preposterous! And while the scripture says we would never think of asking God for things to which we have no right… sadly, many of us are doing exactly this. Yet, we wonder why our prayers are not answered as we expect!
The time has come for us to “come clean.” We must humbly come before God and seek His wisdom… and expect answers according to HIS will – not ours. We must take our emotions out of the equation and rely solely on the Word of God… because often, what we want and what God wants are two very different things. When we start to operate in what God wants… to desire His will and expect His answers accordingly, everything changes.
When we begin to ask God to give us the desires of His heart… the things that bless and benefit all of His children (not just us or a select few), amazing things begin to happen. Results and blessings flow in abundance. We operate in harmony, because we have checked our selfish desires at the door. There is no room in our hearts for ego, deceit, manipulation, argument, gossip, pettiness, and a whole host of other negative attitude builders, because we are filled with the word and wisdom of God. We are confident in God’s decisions and His ability to work in and through us.
Lately, God has shown me in several ways that what many of us need is a big ole dose of humility... followed by an attitude adjustment. If we could only begin to be still and listen for His voice… to develop an attitude of humble, unselfish, expectant, confident prayer for HIS will instead of our own… a lot of positive change could start to occur. But we have to take the first step. We have to examine our own hearts and motives… and start the ball rolling by surrendering to God. We must follow the protocol of prayer – pray the Word of God, enter into covenant with Him, and expect His perfect answers. Will this be the week where the “faith rules” of prayer begin to change things for you? Shouldn’t it?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 3, 2012
Proverbs 25:19
A friend you can't trust in times of trouble is like having a toothache or a sore foot.
Galatians 5:16
If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The incredible devastation of tornadoes that have ravaged our nation this week is truly mind boggling. My heart is broken for the victims of these storms, and I am praying that God will care for each of them and offer comfort and hope in the days ahead. But you may have seen the news video of the incredible tornado that was barreling down on one city, and a woman can be heard clearly praying for the storm to miss her. Miraculously, the storm turns, and her home is spared… but her town is wiped away.
I will be the first to tell you that I would have prayed exactly as that woman did… and I am not saying she was selfish or wrong to do so. But when fear sets in, we often call things into our life that we don’t need. If we could get into a mindset of calling on God to provide us with what we need, according to His will, rather than what we think is best, we might be astounded by the results. Does this mean that praying for God to stop the storm completely or to protect all in its path might have had a different outcome for this woman and her community? Not necessarily. But we often pray selfishly, giving little regard to the ultimate outcome and its ramifications for anyone but ourselves.
Our goal should be to grow closer to God… to become more like Jesus… and that means letting go of any and all selfish motives. I heard the question posed recently, “If you were in a sinking boat with two other people, and only two of you could be saved… whom would you choose?” What was your first thought – does it depend on who the other two people are and what they mean to you? Or did you think of your own faith in God… your promise of Eternity in heaven with Him… and say, “I would gladly go”? Did you base your answer on your relationship with God… and possibly the relationship you believe the other two had with Him, as well?
When we begin to operate in faith rather than fear, everything changes… our opinions, our outlooks, our prayers, our choices. I repeat, if I saw a massive tornado approaching my house, I might very well ask God to save me. But hopefully I would also ask Him to protect all in its path, according to His will… and accept whatever outcome He chose as sovereign and absolute.
Where are you operating in fear these days? Where are you living selfishly, and possibly calling into your life things that you really don’t need? Where are you asking God for blessings and care at the potential expense of others? Where are you failing to trust in His complete perfection? Is this the day you begin to change? Will you ask God to meet your needs completely, according to His will… and rest in His choices? Are you the friend that others can trust… or are you like a selfish “toothache?” Isn’t it time we reversed our fear and started living in unwavering faith?
©2012 Debbie Robus
A friend you can't trust in times of trouble is like having a toothache or a sore foot.
Galatians 5:16
If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The incredible devastation of tornadoes that have ravaged our nation this week is truly mind boggling. My heart is broken for the victims of these storms, and I am praying that God will care for each of them and offer comfort and hope in the days ahead. But you may have seen the news video of the incredible tornado that was barreling down on one city, and a woman can be heard clearly praying for the storm to miss her. Miraculously, the storm turns, and her home is spared… but her town is wiped away.
I will be the first to tell you that I would have prayed exactly as that woman did… and I am not saying she was selfish or wrong to do so. But when fear sets in, we often call things into our life that we don’t need. If we could get into a mindset of calling on God to provide us with what we need, according to His will, rather than what we think is best, we might be astounded by the results. Does this mean that praying for God to stop the storm completely or to protect all in its path might have had a different outcome for this woman and her community? Not necessarily. But we often pray selfishly, giving little regard to the ultimate outcome and its ramifications for anyone but ourselves.
Our goal should be to grow closer to God… to become more like Jesus… and that means letting go of any and all selfish motives. I heard the question posed recently, “If you were in a sinking boat with two other people, and only two of you could be saved… whom would you choose?” What was your first thought – does it depend on who the other two people are and what they mean to you? Or did you think of your own faith in God… your promise of Eternity in heaven with Him… and say, “I would gladly go”? Did you base your answer on your relationship with God… and possibly the relationship you believe the other two had with Him, as well?
When we begin to operate in faith rather than fear, everything changes… our opinions, our outlooks, our prayers, our choices. I repeat, if I saw a massive tornado approaching my house, I might very well ask God to save me. But hopefully I would also ask Him to protect all in its path, according to His will… and accept whatever outcome He chose as sovereign and absolute.
Where are you operating in fear these days? Where are you living selfishly, and possibly calling into your life things that you really don’t need? Where are you asking God for blessings and care at the potential expense of others? Where are you failing to trust in His complete perfection? Is this the day you begin to change? Will you ask God to meet your needs completely, according to His will… and rest in His choices? Are you the friend that others can trust… or are you like a selfish “toothache?” Isn’t it time we reversed our fear and started living in unwavering faith?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 2, 2012
Psalm 37:4-8
Do what the LORD wants, and he will give you your heart's desire. Let the LORD lead you and trust him to help. Then it will be as clear as the noonday sun that you were right. Be patient and trust the LORD. Don't let it bother you when all goes well for those who do sinful things. Don't be angry or furious. Anger can lead to sin.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We are apparently wired from birth to experience anger. How else would toddlers know to throw temper tantrums? Where would little children learn to lash out – at one another and at us? And even at young ages, the results of anger are often what most of us would consider “sinful”… bad behavior and “meltdowns,” physical abuse or mistreatment, and a generally poor attitude. Let’s face it… Satan is not picky about age. The younger he can gain a stronghold in our lives, the better!
But this is not the real point I want to stress today. What I want to emphasize is that we are all wired for anger, but we must not surrender to it. We must learn to rest in the LORD and let Him have control, rather than succumb to the ramifications of irritation and fury in our own lives. And we must do our part to teach children (of all ages) to do this, as well.
Does this mean that we will not be affected by news reports of injustice and mistreatment? Will we wear our rose-colored glasses and never get emotional when we see people get by with crime or dishonesty? When someone “does us wrong,” will we feel nothing? Absolutely not! But where and how we channel the energy of these emotions is what matters. We can be angry and furious… and open ourselves wide for the devil to step in and cause us to say things we shouldn’t, drive us to drink, or make us act out inappropriately… or we can turn to God, trust Him to help, and wait patiently for His response.
The next time something angers you… the next time you are bothered by some news or something you witness – or some injustice hurled in your direction… stop, breathe, listen... PRAY! Ask God to handle things according to HIS will, then give Him time and leeway to do so. Make sure that your words, actions and desires line up with God’s will. Do what pleases Him, trust Him to act as judge and jury over others, and bask in the blessings He will send your way.
When we get angry, nobody wins but Satan. Don’t give Him any victories… even for a second! Stay focused and still… and wait for the “good stuff” that God is getting ready to send your way.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Do what the LORD wants, and he will give you your heart's desire. Let the LORD lead you and trust him to help. Then it will be as clear as the noonday sun that you were right. Be patient and trust the LORD. Don't let it bother you when all goes well for those who do sinful things. Don't be angry or furious. Anger can lead to sin.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We are apparently wired from birth to experience anger. How else would toddlers know to throw temper tantrums? Where would little children learn to lash out – at one another and at us? And even at young ages, the results of anger are often what most of us would consider “sinful”… bad behavior and “meltdowns,” physical abuse or mistreatment, and a generally poor attitude. Let’s face it… Satan is not picky about age. The younger he can gain a stronghold in our lives, the better!
But this is not the real point I want to stress today. What I want to emphasize is that we are all wired for anger, but we must not surrender to it. We must learn to rest in the LORD and let Him have control, rather than succumb to the ramifications of irritation and fury in our own lives. And we must do our part to teach children (of all ages) to do this, as well.
Does this mean that we will not be affected by news reports of injustice and mistreatment? Will we wear our rose-colored glasses and never get emotional when we see people get by with crime or dishonesty? When someone “does us wrong,” will we feel nothing? Absolutely not! But where and how we channel the energy of these emotions is what matters. We can be angry and furious… and open ourselves wide for the devil to step in and cause us to say things we shouldn’t, drive us to drink, or make us act out inappropriately… or we can turn to God, trust Him to help, and wait patiently for His response.
The next time something angers you… the next time you are bothered by some news or something you witness – or some injustice hurled in your direction… stop, breathe, listen... PRAY! Ask God to handle things according to HIS will, then give Him time and leeway to do so. Make sure that your words, actions and desires line up with God’s will. Do what pleases Him, trust Him to act as judge and jury over others, and bask in the blessings He will send your way.
When we get angry, nobody wins but Satan. Don’t give Him any victories… even for a second! Stay focused and still… and wait for the “good stuff” that God is getting ready to send your way.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 9, 2012
Galatians 5:16
If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Dictionary.com defines the word “selfish” as… “devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.” My “daily humor” calendar quote for today was… “What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk!” Selfish people are often spoiled… and rotten in more ways than one!
Let’s be perfectly frank here… true Disciples of Christ do not have time to be selfish. At the same time, Satan has all the time in the world to try to con us into doing exactly this! He will tell us that it’s okay to think about ourselves for once. He will remind us that we deserve to be happy, pampered, at the top of the heap, given special treatment… or to do as we please, regardless of how it affects others. He will make whatever is tempting us so alluring and enticing that we will feel like we simply have to have it!
If you think for one minute that the devil doesn’t have a lot of power, you are sadly mistaken! And if you think that digging into the Word of God, cloaking yourself in prayer and growing closer to the Holy Spirit will make him go away, you are in for a rude awakening. As long as you are selfish and spoiled, the devil doesn’t really care… he’s got you right where he wants you. But start listening for God’s voice… start letting the Holy Spirit guide your heart… and your real challenges have just begun?
So why bother? Why not just be selfish and get what we want (or what we think we want), and forget about having to deal with all the mess that Satan will try to make of our lives if we stand up to him? Because Satan is no match for the power of the Holy Spirit. As we grow in faith and learn to live by the Holy Spirit… to walk the path that He shows us… we grow stronger in our ability to stand up to Satan’s challenges. We learn to lean more on God and less on ourselves… and we actually find that our desires become more like His and less selfish. And that… as they say… is where the magic happens!
One of the biggest and most selfish desires we have is to say whatever is on our mind as soon as we think it. In many ways, death and life are in the power of the tongue. We have the power to speak great joy into the lives of others… or great pain. And which do you think the devil prefers? By learning to listen to the Holy Spirit… by operating in His desires instead of ours… we learn to control our mouth… and all other actions and behaviors begin to change, as well.
Controlling our tongue is a very hard thing. Checking our words… stopping to think about what we say before we say it…does not come naturally for most of us. The only way we have any chance of accomplishing this is by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us… by giving our selfish desires over to Him and working to fulfill His desires instead. The first step is to want to walk in the Holy Spirit… to choose to surrender selfish desires. Once we determine to do this, we are in the right mindset to ask God to help us accomplish it.
If we could begin to operate in the desires of the Holy Spirit… if we could begin to control the words we speak and make sure they are pleasing to Him… we could see great changes in our own lives and the lives of others. We could start to surrender our selfish desires in all areas of life for good. We would still be pampered… but when God does the pampering, the results are never spoiled. Isn’t it time we changed directions and began seeking the desires of the King of Kings… the One who can truly give us the deepest desires of His heart… and ours? Are you ready to go from “spoiled rotten” to “royally blessed”?
©2012 Debbie Robus
If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Dictionary.com defines the word “selfish” as… “devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.” My “daily humor” calendar quote for today was… “What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk!” Selfish people are often spoiled… and rotten in more ways than one!
Let’s be perfectly frank here… true Disciples of Christ do not have time to be selfish. At the same time, Satan has all the time in the world to try to con us into doing exactly this! He will tell us that it’s okay to think about ourselves for once. He will remind us that we deserve to be happy, pampered, at the top of the heap, given special treatment… or to do as we please, regardless of how it affects others. He will make whatever is tempting us so alluring and enticing that we will feel like we simply have to have it!
If you think for one minute that the devil doesn’t have a lot of power, you are sadly mistaken! And if you think that digging into the Word of God, cloaking yourself in prayer and growing closer to the Holy Spirit will make him go away, you are in for a rude awakening. As long as you are selfish and spoiled, the devil doesn’t really care… he’s got you right where he wants you. But start listening for God’s voice… start letting the Holy Spirit guide your heart… and your real challenges have just begun?
So why bother? Why not just be selfish and get what we want (or what we think we want), and forget about having to deal with all the mess that Satan will try to make of our lives if we stand up to him? Because Satan is no match for the power of the Holy Spirit. As we grow in faith and learn to live by the Holy Spirit… to walk the path that He shows us… we grow stronger in our ability to stand up to Satan’s challenges. We learn to lean more on God and less on ourselves… and we actually find that our desires become more like His and less selfish. And that… as they say… is where the magic happens!
One of the biggest and most selfish desires we have is to say whatever is on our mind as soon as we think it. In many ways, death and life are in the power of the tongue. We have the power to speak great joy into the lives of others… or great pain. And which do you think the devil prefers? By learning to listen to the Holy Spirit… by operating in His desires instead of ours… we learn to control our mouth… and all other actions and behaviors begin to change, as well.
Controlling our tongue is a very hard thing. Checking our words… stopping to think about what we say before we say it…does not come naturally for most of us. The only way we have any chance of accomplishing this is by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us… by giving our selfish desires over to Him and working to fulfill His desires instead. The first step is to want to walk in the Holy Spirit… to choose to surrender selfish desires. Once we determine to do this, we are in the right mindset to ask God to help us accomplish it.
If we could begin to operate in the desires of the Holy Spirit… if we could begin to control the words we speak and make sure they are pleasing to Him… we could see great changes in our own lives and the lives of others. We could start to surrender our selfish desires in all areas of life for good. We would still be pampered… but when God does the pampering, the results are never spoiled. Isn’t it time we changed directions and began seeking the desires of the King of Kings… the One who can truly give us the deepest desires of His heart… and ours? Are you ready to go from “spoiled rotten” to “royally blessed”?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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