Daily Devotional for January 5, 2016

1 John 2:15-17
Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

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.

A couple of decades ago, I had this idea to write a book about “heroic” women in my community.  I wanted to write the book while these women were still living and I could personally interview them…and I never got around to doing this.  I may still write the book someday, but here’s the thing…none of these women were world famous.  I doubt a single one of them was anywhere near millionaire status.  Yet they left their mark – on my life, the community at large, and as Christian disciples.

Here was my “short list” of heroes…

Geraldine Monroe McCurry…a wife and mother who devoted her entire life to her husband and three girls, one of whom was wheelchair bound with Cerebral Palsy.  Geraldine and her family normalized a “special needs” child in the 1950s and 60s…when most children like her daughter, Mary, were institutionalized.

Charlsie Baldridge Little…an educator and mother of two whose husband died tragically on December 7, 1941 – while fighting a fire at our local theater.  The wall collapsed, and Milton Little fell with it and was killed. Mrs. Charlsie reared her two sons while teaching and serving as an elementary (and maybe junior high) school principal. She also authored a book about the history of our community’s First Baptist Church.  Charlsie Little was brilliant and remarkable on many levels.

Olive Biggs Baldridge…an amazing military wife who worked tirelessly in her community as an assistant to her husband (who was a local optometrist) - and also in her church and our county’s Democratic Party.  Olive was a force to be reckoned with – and a woman ahead of her time!

Peggy Mahon Logan…”Mrs. Peggy” was the queen of caring. Her life of service was borne out of personal experiences with neglect. As a divorcee, she cared for her dying mother-in-law, and no one from the church came to visit this woman.  Mrs. Peggy vowed that would never happen again on her “watch,” and she made it her mission – and life’s work – to visit the sick and shut-ins and ensure that anyone in need knew that someone cared.

Willie “Polly” Chandler…my paternal grandmother, whose life was filled with a vast array of experiences , both challenging and incredible.  My grandmother drove a school bus in the 1960s – and made dentures on her kitchen stove for the dentist she served as a chairside assistant...all while helping my grandfather manage a small farm, sewing clothes for us and making beautiful hand-stitched quilts. My Mam-ma Polly could do it all…and she pretty well did!

There are other ladies I would add to this book…Miss Ollie Fae Jackson and Mrs. Cora Mae Barnett, to name a couple.  But I will tie this together by saying that the one thing that all of these ladies have in common is their relationship with the Father.  Their Christian faith was/is at the core of every single thing about them.  Of all of the lessons I learned from each one…how to love and serve Jesus was the greatest and most important.

Not a single one of these ladies wanted their own way, everything for themselves, or to appear to be important.  They simply lived humble lives that honored their commitment to God – and blessed a LOT of people in the process.  And I want to be like them.

I may never get the book written, but I will do all I can to honor these “heroes” and serve God as they did. Their examples give me hope and courage…and when I emulate their penchant for service and discipleship, I know I am closer to God.  My prayer is that you know – or have known – people who model this level of Christian faith and humility…and that you are making every effort to imitate them.  Want what God wants…not the world…and see what amazing things this produces!

©2017 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 19, 2015

Isaiah 64:1-8
Rip the heavens apart! Come down, Lord; make the mountains tremble. Be a spark that starts a fire causing water to boil. Then your enemies will know who you are; all nations will tremble because you are nearby. Your fearsome deeds have completely amazed us; even the mountains shake when you come down. You are the only God ever seen or heard of who works miracles for his followers. You help all who gladly obey and do what you want, but sin makes you angry. Only by your help can we ever be saved.

We are unfit to worship you; each of our good deeds is merely a filthy rag. We dry up like leaves; our sins are storm winds sweeping us away. No one worships in your name or remains faithful. You have turned your back on us and let our sins melt us away.

You, Lord, are our Father. We are nothing but clay, but you are the potter who molded us.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Seattle's Gravity Payments CEO, Dan Price, recently did something that astounded a lot of people.  He announced that he was slashing his annual salary by approximately 1 million dollars...and giving all of his employees a raise. He pledged that each employee will immediately jump to at least $50,000 in annual salary...and gradually move to the $70K mark within the next three years.  The end goal will be for no one to work at Gravity Payments for less than $70,000 per year.

Price, a 30-year-old single man who runs Gravity Payments - a company that helps businesses process credit cards and offers business analytics, solutions and support - realized that there was a tremendous inequality in the pay among the employees of his firm.  He could see that some of his staff struggled to make ends meet, pay off student loans, and put food on the table - all while Price was paid well over one million dollars annually.  Essentially, he asked himself, "Who do you think you are?" and realized that he was only as successful and productive as the members of his team.  This young business executive understood that life was about something much larger than Dan Price.

If you research Gravity Payments, you will see that they do a lot of community work and philanthropic projects...giving 10% of annual profits to charitable organizations and reaching out to the community to help in a variety of ways. It sounds like a pretty great place to work…a company that truly is striving to make a difference in the lives of others – beginning with their own employees.

The question “Who do you think you are?” is one that we should all be asking on a daily basis.  Because honestly, we are nothing without the power and presence of Almighty God.  Without His blessings and care, we are 100% ineffective – in anything and everything we do…at least in ways that really matter! God is truly the potter…we are merely the clay.  Without salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are no better than filthy rags.  And certainly none of us is superior to the next guy.

This is a question that deserves to be answered by each of us.  Who DO we think we are? What are we doing in the name of Jesus?  If Jesus ripped open the heavens and returned today for His church, what would we have to say for ourselves? Are we making a point -  or making a difference?  And what are we willing to do about it?  
©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 23, 2014

James 1:27
Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
 
Several years ago, a friend shared an audiobook with me… So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore: An Unexpected Journey, by Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman.  This is the fictional story of a disillusioned pastor named Jake who has several encounters with a stranger who strongly resembles the mannerisms of the apostle John.  A review of this book on Amazon.com says in part…” Facing his own disappointment with Christianity, Jake must forsake the habits that have made his faith rote and rediscover the love that captured his heart when he first believed.”
 
Critics have claimed that this book just fuels the fire for bashing “institutional church”, which one person described as a place where “church members are hopelessly ignorant, able to recite chapter and verse but knowing nothing of the heart of Scripture.”  In one chapter, “Pastor Jake” is reminded of his childhood and “competitions” to learn Bible verses and earn “Gold Stars”…and the pressure and guilt he felt when he didn’t perform well in this endeavor.  This really struck a chord with me.
 
When I was a child, my church held an annual fundraiser for overseas missions.  A big map was hung above the choir loft, and every time someone donated a certain amount of money to this mission fund, a red bulb was lit on this map.  I so wanted my family to be able to light one of those bulbs.  But coming from a household of five whose budget was limited, this never happened.  And somewhere in my subconscious, I think I felt less valuable as a Christian witness - not because my family could not afford to contribute - but because we somehow didn’t fit in with those who did.  Now understand, a LOT of families in our church never gave enough to light a bulb…and this truly had nothing to do with how well we served others in God’s name. Plain and simple, it was a “religious” competition…”hot air” that truly was not about overseas missions as much as creating an image of “group participation”.  In actuality, this only divided the “haves” from the “have-nots” – even within the church body.
 
To this day, I feel a tad uneasy when I receive solicitations in the mail for legitimate donations… St. Jude’s Hospital, the American Cancer Society, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Arkansas Children’s Hospital – even my own church and its ministries.  How does one choose?  Where does one draw the line?  Are you a “bad Christian” if you donate to one cause and not another?  If you are serving and giving to the best of your ability - yet you continue to be asked by church leaders and charitable organizations to give more - does this mean you are not serving God well…or doing enough?  Is serving God about getting the “Gold Star”…or are we serving out of a heart for the “homeless and loveless” in the world?  Are we giving our money, time and talent to make a name for ourselves and soothe our conscience (or shush those who berate us)…or are we earnestly seeking God’s will for our lives and ministering to others according to His will?
 
It matters greatly how we answer these questions.  I firmly believe that God will provide for every need when we seek His will and act accordingly.  If God leads us to give money or donate to a mission fund or charity, we should certainly do so.  If God says, “Use your time and talents in this manner for my glory,” we should get up and get going!  If God presents us with people and circumstances for which our own life experiences give us firsthand knowledge - and the ability to comfort and encourage - we should step up and out and do exactly that!
 
Hear me on this…God doesn’t care if you never light a bulb on a map to raise funds for missions – or earn a badge or pin for attending a certain number of Bible studies - or learning x number of scripture verses.  God really could care less if we are “religious”!  What matters to God is that we eagerly seek His will for our lives…that we ask Him how, when and where to share the love and Good News of Jesus Christ with others…and that we spend every waking minute honoring Him with our faith and obedience.
 
I have to tell you, I’m a little tired of divisive tactics and “religious” people who want to make others look or feel badly because they are not doing enough…aren’t giving enough…aren’t high-profile enough in their ministry efforts and Christian witness.  God doesn’t want a show…He wants believers who have a true heart for Him and want to share His love with others.  The only “medal” or recognition we should be seeking is the words…“Well done, My good and faithful servant,” when we stand before the LORD on Judgment Day. Our focus should be on loving others and meeting their needs in Jesus’ name – each and every day…and letting God have the glory and recognition.
 
Where do you fit in this picture?  Are you working hard to earn an earthly medal?  Is your “religious” appearance nothing more than a “hot-air” performance?  Are you genuinely God’s faithful servant?  Are your ministries sincere, compassionate, heartfelt and God-sanctioned?  Isn’t it time they were?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus
 
http://www.amazon.com/You-Dont-Want-Church-Anymore/dp/0964729229

Daily Devotional for June 8, 2012

Psalm 90:3-6
At your command we die and turn back to dust, but a thousand years mean nothing to you! They are merely a day gone by or a few hours in the night. You bring our lives to an end just like a dream. We are merely tender grass that sprouts and grows in the morning, but dries up by evening.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Today, my cousin’s wife posted on Facebook that their daughter is doing a “senior pictures” photo shoot today. She made the remark, “How time flies…” And it does seem that way. One minute you are a little kid playing outside, riding your bike and swimming all summer… and the next you are working at a marina so others can play on the water… or you have a job in an office or facility with no windows that allow you to enjoy the beauty of summer… or you are taking your own children/grandchildren to parks, pools and lakes to play. It often seems like a dozen years go by like a day - or a few hours in the night!

So what does this mean for us as Christians? First, we must remember that time doesn’t mean the same thing to God as it does to us. He knew us long before we were born… and He will still care about us long after we die. We always matter to God... always!

Do you know how it feels to anticipate an event… maybe your graduation, a special party, your wedding day, a big game or concert… or even Christmas Day? You get so excited and worked up making plans and preparations… you think about the details and envision how much fun you will have… how wonderful the event will be. And then the day arrives, the event happens, and it’s over and done. So often, the planning and anticipation are more enjoyable than the actual event… most certainly better than the day after!

This brings us to the second thing to remember… that with God, there is no letdown. Each “new thing” is just that - a new experience - and He wants to give us more and more of these. But God wants us to savor each experience… to stop and appreciate where we are in life – where He has brought us, and where He will take us next.

Time does seem to pass quickly. But our job as Christians is to take time to enjoy every minute of each day… to count our blessings… and to look for opportunities to bless and serve others in God’s name. At the end of our earthly journey, when God turns us back to dust and calls us to Heaven, let it be said that we made the most of our time here. Whether you are given a few days or a hundred-plus years, make them count for Him.

God has incredible plans for each of our lives. Make sure that you give Him your very best every day of yours. The time may still seem to fly by… but you will have made the most of your earthly journey.

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 15, 2012

Philippians 2:5-11
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

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.

All someone has to say to me is some form of “Do you realize who you are dealing with?”… “Do you realize who I am?” and my hackles are raised immediately. There are plenty of people in this world who think that others should bow down and cater to their every whim because of who they are… or who their parents are… how wealthy they may be… or their “position” in life as a business person, politician, or celebrity (if only in their own mind!).

Wouldn’t it have been easy for Jesus to ask this question…“Do you realize who I am? Do you know you are dealing with the Son of God?” He could have stood tall against the Roman soldiers and said, “STOP! You are in the presence of Greatness! You cannot treat me this way.” And yes, He could have stopped all of the torture and the crucifixion any time He wanted. Instead, Jesus chose to suffer and die… for you and me. He chose to minister to people by meeting them where they were… on a level playing field… rather than riding in on a white horse wearing a flowing robe and crown and carrying a royal scepter.

Let me ask you something… who would you rather encounter – someone who is genuine, humble and truly seems to care about you and what you have to say? Or would you rather be in the presence of someone who perceives himself/herself to be superior – and expects you to recognize this and react accordingly? When you go about your day, will others be drawn to you because you are warm, real and sincere… or will you turn them off with your arrogance and piety?

Who do you think you are? Who are you really? There may be a difference! We need to recognize that we are the children of God Almighty – cleansed by the blood of Jesus and heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. But we also need to behave as Jesus did… humbly and gently… never lording it over others or giving them even one hint of superiority or condescension. If we have any hope of being effective ministers for Christ, we have to follow His model of humility. We have to focus on relating to people in their comfort zone … to help them to discover the Good News of Jesus and experience the promises of God in their own lives.

If we “keep it real,” we can be assured that God will bless us… that we will be rewarded with the applause of Heaven. I don’t know about you, but that is more than enough recognition for me! I know who I am already… and I’m not keeping it a secret. But I hope I never give anyone else the impression that I am unapproachable or superior in any way – especially because of my relationship with God. Someday, I hope to proudly claim my place as an heir to God’s Kingdom!” That will be all of the recognition I ever need. What about you? Who do others think you are these days? Is it time for a “humility check?”

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for January 5, 2012

1 Chronicles 19:1-5
Some time later, King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king. David said, "Nahash was kind to me, so I will be kind to his son." He sent some officials to Ammon to tell Hanun how sorry he was that his father had died.

But when David's officials arrived at Ammon, the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, "Do you really believe King David is honoring your father by sending these men to comfort you? He probably sent them to spy on our country, so he can come and destroy it."

Hanun arrested David's officials and had their beards shaved off and their robes cut off just below the waist, and then he sent them away. They were terribly ashamed. When David found out what had happened to his officials, he sent a message that told them, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back. Then you can come home.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

In previous devotionals, I’ve cited the adage that “People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care.” And honestly, sometimes all we need is to know that someone else cares about us. In this instance, David was doing the right thing, but people questioned his motives. And that will happen… especially if you are not in the business of genuinely caring for others on a regular basis. We’ve probably all had someone do something nice for us at one time or another and wondered, “Why did that happen? What did he/she really want?”

The bottom line is that God calls us to genuinely care for others… to love them as He loves us. David demonstrated this… not only in sending officials to express his sympathy, but also in allowing those officials to stay away until their time of shame had ended and their beards had grown back. He not only showed great concern for his own men… but also for others.

I can see where the Ammonites might have thought David had selfish motives. After all, didn’t a king have more important things to think about than the grief of someone else? And don’t we have plenty to occupy our time and our thoughts? Do we really have time to think about the troubles and needs of others? The answer lies in another question… “How much do you want to serve and honor God and your commitment to Him?”

If you truly are God’s disciple and desire to serve Him with honor and glory, then you will find plenty of time to show love and concern to others for their needs. If you are “in it for yourself,” the outcome will be totally different… and any demonstration of concern may seem suspicious.

I challenge you to consider how you show your love for God by loving others. I suggest that you try to reach out to at least one person every day. You can write a note or mail a card… make a phone call or send an e-mail… visit someone… offer to run an errand or cook a meal… babysit or pet sit… send a gift or a flower…offer up a prayer… or simply and ask someone, “How are you today?” – and mean it! The end result must be that someone knows that you are thinking of them and genuinely care about their well-being.

You can choose family members and close friends… but why not expand your circle to include a church member, a classmate, or someone you haven’t been in contact with for a while. We find it easy to care about those in our immediate circle… and we do a fairly good job of showing our love and concern. But what if we broadened our horizons a little bit and reached out to those with whom we are not quite so close or don’t know as well?

I know this won’t be easy for many of us… especially not at first. But as we make it a daily habit and ask God to guide us, we will find that it gets easier… and more rewarding for everyone. People truly don’t care what we know until they know that we care. Who knows that you care… and who else needs to hear from you?

©2012 Debbie Robus