Daily Devotional for December 17, 2016

Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”

Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”

The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”

Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

I almost didn’t go to school to help in the kids’ classrooms yesterday.  I’ve been a little under the weather lately, and I almost “called in sick.”  But I woke early and felt pretty decent, so I dressed and headed for the school. Within 5 minutes of my arrival, I knew why I was there. A young mother approached me and began to thank me for the sympathy card and message I sent when her dad passed away recently.  She said my words were just what she needed to hear, and she had hoped to see me to thank me in person.

About 30 minutes later, I visited with a teacher whose mother was buried earlier in the week. I hugged her as she cried and asked, “Will it ever get better?”  I assured her that it would – in time…that it has been eleven months since my mother died, and I sometimes feel that I am still numb.  I also told her that God is shielding her now from more pain and sadness than she could otherwise bear, and He will continue to do this.  She squeezed me tightly and said, “You really do know how this feels.”

I don’t share these experiences for any other reason than to show you that “hunger” comes in many forms.  These two women needed a word of encouragement from someone who has “been there, done that”…and God apparently chose me.  I told one of them that when my own dad and brother died in a span of 13 months, I was struck by how many dear friends and loved ones said and did absolutely NOTHING to comfort us…and I vowed to never be that person for someone else.  God made a believer out of me in a profound way…and I am so glad He did!

I don’t know what God is calling you to do to minister to the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick or jailed.  I don’t know what strangers He will insert into your path to be shown His grace, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, hope and promise.  But I know that God WILL do this. We had best all be watching and listening for any and all opportunities to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we encounter…whether they are a stranger or someone we know and love dearly.  And we need to begin today.  Are you paying attention?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for January 27, 2016

Psalm 119:120
I shiver in awe before you;
    your decisions leave me speechless with reverence.

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.

Yesterday, the gates of Heaven were opened wide for a friend and fellow church member, Patrick Hunt Dudeck, whose two-year battle with kidney cancer came to a close.  He was only midway through his 45th year…the husband to Kerri and father to Lauren, Seth and Rowe. Our pastor announced Sunday during worship that Pat had gone on Hospice care the day before.

As I sent messages of prayer and encouragement to Pat and Kerri and others who loved them, I noted that the waiting was so very hard.  We had accepted that death was eminent…but the question of exactly when and how left us anxious.  I remember this from waiting with my mother only two weeks ago – and sitting with other loved ones whose passing was close at hand.  And I remember the “shiver of awe” that washed over me when it was finished.

I love how The Message translation describes this “fear of the Lord.”  Have you ever felt this “shiver” for yourself?  Maybe for you it wasn’t when a loved one passed.  Perhaps it was the release and relief when a miracle happened in your life…you passed the test…got good news about a health scare…a baby was born…you were reunited with a loved one who had been away for a long time…you got the job – or the promotion…or the “storm” passed and left you unscathed.  Or maybe you felt this “shiver” and leaned on God when you got bad news and didn’t fall apart…you did something you didn’t think you would be able to manage…or life kicked you in the gut in some manner.

In all of these circumstances and many more, God’s decisions often leave us “speechless in reverence” – or they should.  Pat texted me on December 29th…”Got your note this morning…thank you!  I love the encouragement. From the beginning, I wanted this to glorify God and be a part of His bigger plan.  Thank you and Greg for your faith and prayers. God bless!”  THAT is reverence for God’s decisions.  We should all desire that everything about our lives would glorify God and be part of His bigger plan.

On January 12, Pat posted a note on Facebook he titled “Revelation.”  It said…” I've learned that everyday truly is a gift from the Lord above. I have always been told this, and believed it. But to truly grasp the rock solid meaning of that statement is a true gift in itself. My hope and prayer for anyone who hasn't, is to find that truth, and enjoy it. May God bless you!”  Today, this quote, superimposed over a portrait of the Dudeck family, has become the “profile picture” of countless people from our community.  Just as hundreds of people posted comments about my mother and echoed her unending faith a few weeks ago, Pat’s words have become another “rally cry” among many for the “shivering awe” and reverence for God’s plans and promises.

In another of our last message exchanges, I told Pat that I was not sure what God had up His sleeve with all of the things happening to him and my mother, but I had a feeling it was something BIG. I had no idea just how big it would be…or that they would both be with Jesus so soon. I most certainly did not know that Greg’s brother, Bruce, would precede them both. But I can tell you, they all got the better end of this deal!

As you spend time with God today, seek His decisions – all of them – with reverence and awe.  Humble yourself in His sight and truly feel His presence.  Know that every day…every circumstance…every experience is a gift from God.  He will walk through each one of them with you, no matter what is included.  If that doesn’t make you shiver with awe, you should probably check your “relationship status.”  Romans 8:28 reminds us…” And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.”  We have recently celebrated the lives of several servants who loved God and fit into His plans.  Can the same be said of you?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 11, 2014

Psalm 51:1
Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
 
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 recently shared a version of this story with me…the author is unknown…

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.
 
The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie®.  The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
 
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy? "He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
 
Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I ate Twinkies® in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."
 
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

How does this line up with Psalm 51:1?  Too often, we are quick to ask God to provide US with compassion, mercy, love, and forgiveness…but we cannot – or will not – seek the same for others.  We don’t acknowledge their importance to Him…or the impact of our gestures of love and compassion toward them in His name.
 
We must be grateful for God’s compassion and mercy in our own lives…but we must also remember to always seek this for others.  We must do our part to represent God to them…even in the simple form of a shared Twinkie®.  How will you share the mercy, love and compassion of God with someone today?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 27, 2014

Philippians 4:15-20
You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.

And now I have it all—and keep getting more! The gifts you sent with Epaphroditus were more than enough, like a sweet-smelling sacrifice roasting on the altar, filling the air with fragrance, pleasing God no end. You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

“I’m busy.”
“I’m shy.”
“I’m sick/injured/disabled in some way.”
“I’m too old/young.”
“I’m not very smart.”
“I can’t even pay my own bills.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“I’m the wrong color/gender/ethnicity…or my political party or sexual orientation are different.”
“I’m not good with people…I can’t write/speak well.”
"There are things in my past of which I am ashamed."
“That’s none of my business!”
“What’s in it for me?”

How many of these excuses have you used to keep from getting involved with others or generously showing them that you care?  If we are honest, each one of us has used some form of one or more of these throughout our lives in order to avoid full engagement in Christian service.  And as a result, we have not only missed out on blessing others…we’ve blocked our own blessings!

Read the passage again.  Note especially the part that says “You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.”  So every time you offer one of these excuses – or any other – you are essentially saying, “I don’t believe that God can equip me for His ministries and purposes!”  You are denying Him the opportunity to bless you as He meets the needs of others through your efforts.

Sharing compassion and care doesn’t have to cost money.  It doesn’t have to take HUGE chunks of your time.  You don’t have to be able-bodied – or even physically well to offer a prayer on the behalf of someone else…or to pick up the phone or your keyboard and express concern.  Young children can be taught to genuinely ask, “How are you doing?” and to be polite and kind to others.  Older adults can offer encouragement and mentoring to young people - to the best of their abilities.  Most people don’t care what color you are, who you vote for…or who you love – as long as you are showing them how much you care about them!  Your past may be the very thing that equips you to truly relate to - and encourage - someone else!

God equips each of us with special “gifts” for His ministries and service.  The choice to use them for His glory is ours.  But understand clearly that when you fail to show love and compassion to others in Jesus’ name, you are in many ways denying your Christian faith…and you are blocking the blessings that God wants to bring you.  I don’t know about you, but I’ll take every single blessing God has for me…because I am always strengthened, encouraged, uplifted and amazed!  Who wouldn’t want an abundance of these things in their life?!

Let’s all agree that the excuses stop today...here…NOW!  Let’s all get in on this “blessing” thing…let’s encourage and support one another - and glorify God in the process.  Let’s bask in the glow of His blessings and abundance in our own lives as a result.

Will this be the day that you drop the justifications and get busy with the work of the LORD?  Isn’t it time you did?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 22, 2014

Ephesians 1:15-18
I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.  So I never stop being grateful for you, as I mention you in my prayers.  I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God.  My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
Timothy began to grow tired late one morning, and the litany began…”I’m thirsty!  I’m hungry!  I don’t want to lie down!  I want this…I need that!”  Greg said, “I don’t think he is any of those things…he knows he needs a nap, and these are diversions.”  And he was right.  As the protests grew louder and the tears came, I snuggled him with a cup of juice, and soon, he was calm…not quite asleep - but the food and other “demands” had been forgotten.
 
So often, we don’t really pay attention to what children are telling us.  We grow impatient with them when they have outbursts instead of stopping to determine the true root of the problem.  We stifle their and actions and miss the signals and messages they are trying to send us. And sadly, we devalue them by doing this.  We do the same thing with “children of God” in our daily living.
 
In Kathryn Stockett’s The Help, Aibileen Clark (played by Viola Davis in the movie version), tells her little charge, Mae Mobley… “You is kind.  You is good.  You is important!”  She reminds the chubby little girl of her value apart from the color of her skin and her family’s “standing” in the community.  She wants this child to understand that she is valued on her own merits…that what she says, does and thinks matters!  And this is the message I wish to convey to you today.
 
Regardless of the family into which you were born…your race…skin color…appearance…sexual orientation…socio-economic position…political leaning…or even your past…you are precious to God.  If you have asked Jesus to forgive your sins and received the Holy Spirit into your heart, you have the capacity for wisdom and the ability to understand what it means to truly know God.  If you are a born-again child of God, you carry His light in your heart and are filled with His hope.  In God’s eyes…“You is kind.  You is good.  You is important!”  And as your fellow “sister in Christ,” you are all of those things to me - and I am grateful for you.
 
It is our privilege to pray for fellow believers…members of our “Christian family”.  It is important that we let others know that they are important to us…that their joys, sorrows, triumphs and defeats matter - greatly!  As Christian disciples, we must always build up other Christians…we must always encourage them and offer heartfelt compassion for their feelings.  In this manner, we fortify the Kingdom of God by strengthening and boosting the spirits of one another.  We must be kind and loving toward non-believers, too.  But for today, I am concentrating on our Christian “family”, because so often we tend to take each other for granted…to look beyond fellow believers and concentrate only on the “unsaved”.
 
Today, I encourage you to stop and pay attention to your family members…those in your physical family as well as your spiritual “siblings”.  Are you treating them with the same value that God gives them?  Do you pay attention when they speak?  Do you really “get” what they are trying to share with you?  Do they know that you care for them…that your prayers on their behalf are frequent and heartfelt?  Do they feel like you believe them to be kind…good…important?
 
In essence, it boils down to this question…”Are you a good ‘relative’ in God’s ‘family’?”  Isn’t it time you made the necessary changes to become an effective supporter and encourager to others?  Could your discipleship use a little “spit and polish”?  You is kind. You is good. You is important...to God – and to me.  Do your “family” members know that you feel this way about them?  Shouldn’t they?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 11, 2014

1 Peter 5:8-11
Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
 
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.
 
This morning as I enjoyed a cup of coffee on my back deck in 66-degree sunshine, I thought of the two big frozen blobs of sleet that still sit in our front flower beds.  I reminded myself that less than a week ago, we were experiencing day-time high temps in the teens and low twenties – and wind-chill factors close to zero!
 
Our house sits in a relatively wooded – and shaded – neighborhood. The home of one of my cousins has a similar setting.  She remarked to me that for several days last week, she thought the whole world was as “iced in” as she was, because she could not see beyond her neighborhood, where major streets and thoroughfares had been cleared, salted and sanded.  We felt much the same way.  Just a couple of blocks away from our house, a major highway was “passable”, while our streets and driveway were completely covered in sleet and ice.
 
So we were lulled into a sense that the world was “sleeping” for a few days until the weather cleared…while in reality, life was continuing somewhat as usual just a few yards from our doorstep!  Indeed, about a 3-hour drive east of us, motorists were stranded for as much as 48 hours on interstate highways in our state.  As most of the world carried on “as usual”, these motorists sat motionless, hungry, weary and away from family, friends, important appointments, and more.
 
This seems like the perfect analogy to demonstrate how we operate as Christians.  There are times when things happen in our lives, and we feel like the whole world has stopped…or should!  We experience illness, the death of a friend or loved one, trouble at home or in the workplace, stress at school, a pile of bills to be paid, accidents, uncontrollable weather events…and so much more.  Whether these circumstances were beyond our control, or the devil caught us napping…”life” happens!  And the thing is…this happens to all of us!
 
For every challenge and circumstance you have experienced…someone else has “been there, done that”.  This ought to give us renewed courage as we see how God has worked in the lives of others – how He has gotten them through the rough spots, put them together and set them back on their feet for good.  This also should give us courage and motivation to share with others out of our own personal witness to God’s great plans for us.  I am not diminishing the importance – or severity – of anything that has happened in your life.  In fact, I have expressed heartfelt compassion and empathy to many of you whom I know personally.  I have shared with you in these devotionals how God has “had the last word” in my life on many occasions…and how my faith has been strengthened through these experiences.
 
So my question to you today is, “What are you doing with the circumstances and events of your life?”  Are you awake and alert?  Or are you napping while the “weather” clears…or burying your head in the sand because things just seem too hard to bear?  Either one of the latter leaves you vulnerable to the devil.  And Peter is right…Satan stands ready and waiting to pounce like a cat watching a bug or a bird in the yard! Whatever you are going through…whatever has happened to you…God can use it to strengthen your faith – and to demonstrate His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to others.  Will you be one of His agents in this…or one of the devil’s victims?  The choice is totally up to you.
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 26, 2014

James 1:12
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
 
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.
 
In the blink of an eye…everything can change.  One minute you can be having the best day…eagerly anticipating the future…and then you step off a ledge, break your ankle and seriously damage your foot.  That happened to me almost seven years ago.  And for the next nine weeks, I was unable to walk without crutches and spent much of that time sitting rather helplessly on the couch or lying in bed. As we sat at our desks one hot summer morning, my mother-in-law called for Greg to come home quickly...his dad had died while sitting in his “easy chair”.  An “ordinary” work day that started with picking peaches and gardening suddenly became a day that would change our lives forever.
 
A relative went to work one day as usual and was told “this is your last day with us.”  In essence, she was fired from a job she had held for nine years – apparently over policy differences.  Another cousin woke one recent morning with a fiery red rash around her mid-section that was later diagnosed as shingles – a painful, itchy, virus that can make one miserable for weeks and months.   We’ve heard news reports more than once of a young athlete who collapsed and died on the football field or basketball court during a scrimmage or actual contest.  I’m sure that no one wakes up on any given morning thinking, “Today I will lose my home – or my family or my life – in a tornado, fire, earthquake or flood.”
 
There are “good” tests, such as marriage, the arrival of a new baby, starting college, or beginning a new job.  And we all know there are plenty of tests that appear to be anything but positive or happy.  Let’s be honest…we are often left asking God, “Why?”  We wonder “Why me?”…”Why now?”...”Why this?”.  Why did God immobilize me with a foot injury just as we were building a new house and there were dozens of decisions to make?  Why does God call our loved ones to heaven and leave us hurting and bewildered?  Why do we experience sudden upheavals - such as a job loss or a debilitating illness - when we have bills to pay, people who are depending on us for a myriad of things, and a ton of things to get done?
 
Why do some people seem to have “Job-sized” troubles?  I am thinking of those who experience multiple losses within the span of a few months…and often endure unexpected personal illness, needed home or vehicle repairs, and more?  We truly are left to wonder “why bad things happen to good people”…and why God allows this!  And the short answer is: I honestly do not know.
 
But here’s the thing.  Every unpleasant – even devastating – experience in my life has brought blessings, strength, and a deeper dependence on God to meet my daily needs.  I can look back at each one of the tests and temptations in my life and enumerate ways that God was caring for me and orchestrating events that bolstered my faith and Christian witness.  And I’ve seen the same thing happen in the lives of others.  If nothing else, these experiences have given me a more tender heart toward others who encounter similar circumstances.  I am able to say with confidence, “You will be just fine.”  I don’t offer this observation callously or without sympathy for what this person is enduring.  I share this out of a deep love and concern…and firsthand knowledge of its truth.
 
Perhaps God is testing you as you read this.  Perhaps you are in a season where life is pretty great and you are “in the zone”!  Whatever lies behind you…and ahead of you…God is with you.  He is equipping you to handle the tests and temptations.  Just as importantly, God will give you opportunities to share compassion and empathy for these circumstances with others who are equally tested and tempted.
 
How will you respond?  This is the real question…because you do have a choice.  You can elect to wallow in self-pity and let the devil drag you down…or you can say, “LORD…I don’t understand, but I trust you completely.  Show me how to use this experience for Your purposes.  Strengthen me and give me courage, comfort and confidence.  Place before me those who need to see how You are helping me through this…the ones who need to be encouraged and ministered to out of my own tests and temptations.”
 
Will this be easy?  Probably not!  I do not mean to imply that God will instantly take your heartaches, grief, and difficulties from you.  But He will walk through them with you…every step of the way…and create opportunities and blessings you never even saw coming.  Will you trust Him to do this?  Are you ready for whatever comes your way because of your strength and faith in the LORD?  Isn’t it time you were?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 25, 2014

John 1:18
No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
 
I know we are “late to the dance”, but we are finally watching the television miniseries The Bible, which initially aired in spring 2013 on The History Channel.  This program has zipped through the Bible with lightning speed and only scratched the surface in telling the story of God’s word with selective, often-underdeveloped snippets.  But the writers/producers have still managed to present a compelling image of life in Biblical times – and left many hungry to grab their Bibles and dig in more deeply.  And that’s a good thing!
 
One of the persuasive demonstrations of the first three episodes was the incredible faith of many people who never saw the face of God.  They trusted Him…worshipped Him...and obeyed Him solely on the words of a handful of people who either saw God in some form as Moses did, heard from Him directly - like Abraham - or were visited by an angel who gave them a direct message, as was the case for Mary, mother of Jesus.  Most of the everyday, ordinary people of Israel walked totally by faith.  They trusted that those who led them on God’s behalf had truly heard from Him.
 
When Jesus came to earth, He revealed God to man in a whole new way.  He didn’t use burning bushes, the sudden appearance of angels, or even the audible voice of God to reach those in His midst.  Instead, he related to them on a more personal level.  When Peter cast his nets and came up empty-handed, Jesus took him out to fish one more time.  The nets almost broke from the haul…giving Jesus the opening to say, “Come with me and I’ll make you a Fisherman Extraordinaire…one who harvests souls for God’s kingdom instead of food for the table.”  When Jesus saw the sick and the lame, He touched them and made them well and whole…He demonstrated God’s love and care in a tangible way.  When people were hungry, Jesus fed them… literally AND figuratively.  He embraced the children who surrounded Him and reminded the adults that there is a special place in the Kingdom for those with a child-like heart of wonder and acceptance.  And He suffered…for His beliefs and on our behalf…and was ultimately tortured and crucified.
 
It may have been difficult for those in the Old Testament times to see God…to fully understand Him.  And truly, if you watch this miniseries and study your Bible, you will get a sense of just how incredibly brave it was of many to step up and out for God.  Thousands died serving a God they never saw.  Many were tortured unmercifully because they claimed to believe in a God who had never physically revealed Himself to them.  We may operate faithfully in an unseen God…but I daresay many of us will ever be in any danger for doing so.  The “stakes” for us are pretty low by comparison to so many who preceded us.
 
Still, we can learn much from those who followed God in such a valiant manner.  For starters, we can recognize that the God who loved and cared for these people is the same God who cares for us.  If God could do incredible, miraculous things in the lives of the Israelites who followed Him…don’t you think He will do the same for you?  Don’t you believe that the God who protected Mary and Joseph…Who guided them as they delivered Jesus into the world and shielded Him from King Herod…will protect you and guide your steps?  Do you fully comprehend that the compassion Jesus had for the people in Galilee and the surrounding cities is accessible to you…and available for you to share with others in His name?
 
One of the challenges we often face in sharing the love, compassion, grace and mercy of God with others is their inability to get past a sense of His physical absence.  This is where we have the perfect opportunity to say, “I know that God exists…that He will do these things for you…because this is what He has done for me.”  We can cite personal examples of God’s power and care for our own lives.  In doing so, we can essentially say, “I get what you are going through…and I know Someone who can help you!”
 
Are you ready to be the face of God to others?  Will this be the day that you reveal His love and care to someone by offering them compassion and understanding?  Are you operating in faith that God will meet your needs each day…and are you ready to share this confidence with others?  Will you step up and out in faith in an “unseen God”… and let others see Him through you today?  Don’t you think you should?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 24, 2014

1 Timothy 1:19-20
Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I watched a documentary on NBC about Olympic figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding.  You may know the story of these two women who were rising stars in the figure skating world… both poised to win Olympic medals in 1994 at Lillehammer, Norway.  Kerrigan was attacked after a practice one day and hit in the knee with a metal bar.  Harding would later be implicated in a convoluted – and poorly executed – scheme to injure Kerrigan so that she could not contend for Olympic gold…thus, freeing the way for Harding to win the medal.  As Kerrigan lay in the hallway, crippled from the attack, she cried out, “Why?!  Why, me?!”  Some have made fun of her and criticized her as a “whiner,” while others maintain that she was in excruciating pain and offered a legitimate reaction.

Pastor Joel Osteen recently preached a sermon titled, “All is Well.”  He encouraged listeners to focus on repeating this phrase – and truly believing these words…regardless of what is happening in our lives.  He maintained that with God at the helm, all truly is well…all the time.  These are encouraging words.  This is an incredibly hopeful thought…and one that represents “perfect timing” for many people I know who are experiencing a “season” of difficulty and challenge.  The fact is that this is a timely thought for many people on any given day.  If we truly do rely on God to meet our needs…if we honestly believe that He will make a way where none seems possible…then certainly “all is well”.

Given this thought to ponder, we look at Paul’s words to Timothy – in particular, verse 20 when he says that he threw out Hymenaeus and Alexander (two pastors) and “handed them over to Satan”.  What does this mean?  How can this be?  I went in search of explanation and discovered an insightful online sermon by Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California.  If you have time and really want to dig into this message, go to http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/54-9 and read/listen to what he says.  He cites numerous scripture passages to solidify his view…including instances in the Old and New Testament where a believer was handed over to Satan…for “refining”…for “proving the validity of their faith”…and “for greater effectiveness”.  But in all situations, the purpose was not to literally give these people to the devil…but ultimately, to bring glory to God - and a deepening of their relationship with Him.

So what does this mean for us as Christians?  Stop and think about your life and the lives of others.  Do you know someone who just can’t seem to catch a break?  I’m talking about a faith-filled Christian who seems to experience one challenge after another for a period of time…physical illness and/or injury, the loss of loved ones, perhaps a job loss or difficulties at school – or some problem in their home life.  Perhaps you or someone you know have gotten to the point where you wake up in the morning and ask, “What else can possibly go wrong?”

Here’s the thing…even Jesus was delivered to Satan…but He was not defeated by him.  God’s hand of protection never left Jesus…and He won’t leave us, either. We may go through some truly rough, heartbreaking, painful times in our lives…but God will still meet our needs…and ultimately, “all is well”.  As faith-filled Christians, this is the message we must internalize…and the hope and encouragement that we must offer others.

Our job is to operate with compassion and empathy…to honestly offer sympathy to others who seem to be in the pit of despair and desperation.  But at the same time, we must offer them hope.  We must assure them that God will not leave them in this pit…even if He allows them to visit for a while.  We must demonstrate confidence and faith in our own lives when things appear to be impossible…and we must use our own bleak “seasons” as tools to encourage others who are troubled.  We must pray fervently for God to work in us and those to whom we minister, so that the results He desires are manifested…and His power and everlasting care are glorified.

God will not hand us over to Satan “lock, stock and barrel”…but He will do whatever it takes to refine us and make us the most faithful, hopeful, and effective Disciples we can possibly become. We must look at the challenges before us - and those presented to others - as opportunities to stretch and grow in our faith and ministry.  We must be ready to learn from them…and to trust God for the outcomes.  And all the while, we must demonstrate that…“All is well”.

Has God handed you over to the devil for a season?  If so, are you remaining steadfast in your faith?  Are you growing in your reliance on God’s wisdom, power, and love?  Are you encouraging others and offering them compassion and empathy…even as they seem to fall into a pit of despair and the tricks and battering of Satan’s attempts to wear them down and reclaim them?  Will this be the day that you look up and grab God’s hand and say, “Whatever You throw at me, I will not let go.  All is well!  All is well!”?  Don’t you think it’s time you did?

©2014 Debbie Robus

https://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/VideoStreaming.aspx 
Click on 2.23.2014 #607  "All is Well"

Daily Devotional for February 16, 2014

Hebrews 2:18
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

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.

Yesterday, a schoolmate named Carol messaged me and asked if I would post a prayer request for her on Facebook.  She was distraught over recent events involving her mother, an Alzheimer’s patient who lives in a nursing home and has experienced several falls and a broken hip in recent weeks.  Carol lives 800 miles away in another state and is unable to be with her mother right now, and she was feeling incredibly frustrated, worried, and alone.  I posted a prayer request for her and spelled out her needs, as well as those of Carol’s mother – and her brother who lives close by and serves as his mother’s guardian.

In no time at all, dozens of comments were posted.  Many “tagged” Carol on Facebook and gave her words of encouragement and advice.  Some had “been there, done that” with their own parents, and they were able to offer tremendous comfort to Carol because of their own “suffering and testing”.  One person in particular described how she had cared for her own mother as she suffered from dementia.  She made some constructive suggestions for how to handle this situation – and the accompanying emotions.  It was a blessing to be able to petition prayers for this family…and even more so to read the responses and see how so many people stepped up to offer compassion and support.

This is what we are supposed to do. I was listening to a sermon recently by Pastor Joel Osteen, and he reminded us that God uses our trials and tribulations for His purposes.  When He allows us to experience something that is difficult or unpleasant, we often question why these things happened.  Many times we cannot see that God has plans to use these circumstances in some manner. It may happen 3 days from now…or 30 years down the road.  But God will not waste these events.  And it might just be that He is setting us up to help someone else.

So while you wonder why you are facing so many challenges with your aging parents, God might be planning to put you in a position to someday support and encourage someone else who is going through the same thing. If you struggled to get through a course in biology, God might put others in your path who face the same struggle, so that you can reassure them that they can handle this.  If someone stole your credit card and racked up a huge bill, God might show you a way to warn others…or to share with someone what you did to recover – and how he/she can, also.

The bottom line is that God never wastes an opportunity to show us His love and compassion…and He expects us to do the same for others.  Look around you.  Who needs your compassion, encouragement, and reassurance?  Where can you share a personal experience and give something that may have seemed truly horrible a positive spin…while helping someone else who is going through the same thing?  How can you share God’s love and compassion with others and emulate Jesus Christ?

Are you ready to reach out to the people around you…to allow God to work in and through you and turn your suffering and testing into opportunities to minister to others?  In the words of Pastor Osteen, will this be the day you become a “victor” in Christ instead of a “victim” of circumstances?  Will you truly demonstrate the love of Jesus to others by sharing in their burdens?  Isn’t it time you did?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 9, 2014

2 Corinthians 4:7-12
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
 
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.
 
Early in our marriage, Greg’s mother gave us a “quilt” that Greg’s grandmother had made.  Actually, I think it is probably an old quilt that was recovered with this red “bandana-like” material and “string tied”.  This means the coverlet is not actually “quilted”… but every few inches, a piece of yarn was tacked through the material and tied into a strong knot to hold the fabric –and the quilting inside – in place.  There is nothing especially pretty about this quilt.  But over the years, it has kept us warm, padded our seat at countless ballgames, and served us well.  The fabric is almost threadbare around the edges…still, it provides warmth and comfort.  Now our little ones use the quilt…for warmth…as a “pallet” on the floor…and even once as a “fort” when it was draped over the playpen!
 
Oh, the places this quilt has been…the things it has done with us!   This blanket holds a lot of “history”…picnics, ballgames, cookouts, snowy nights, childhood fun, and so much more! You cannot tell all of this just by looking at it…the naked eye cannot see the love and comfort that has emanated from the folds of this inanimate object.  Considering that this quilt belonged to Greg’s family before I came on the scene, it is safe to say that this roughly 36-square-feet of blanketing has been a source of contentment and coziness for well more than 40 years!
 
The blanket itself is not extraordinary.  What is truly worth noting is how it has served our family…and how we have repeatedly turned to this quilt in countless situations.  And this is where my mind went when I read these verses from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.  We are the vessel…the unadorned clay pot or the plain and simple quilt.  Without God, our purposes – and their effects – are minimal, at best.  The “beat-down” of life in general - and the devil specifically – should by all rights have done us in long ago.  But we keep on going.  We have amazing strength because of God’s power.
 
For a lot of us, plenty of people know the troubles we’ve seen… but not how we survived them - or more importantly, WHO got us through these trials.  A few of us have understood that the “wear and tear” of our life has made us who we are in Christ…and we are supposed to share that with others in the same boat!  Some of us get it that we got this far because of Jesus…and others need to know that they can do the same thing!  We understand that we are plain, ordinary, everyday people through whom God has done extraordinary things.  Oh, I don’t mean that He has necessarily used us to cure a world-wide plague or even to become the next big thing (whatever that is!)...but God has used us, just the same.
 
God has worked in and through you in countless instances that could be shared with others to help them in their journey.  Just like an old clay pot or a well-used quilt, you may be a little rough around the edges…or you may appear to be so ordinary that others seem to walk right past you.  But you are incredibly unique - and important - and so capable of sharing God’s love and compassion with others.  It’s what He’s calling us to do all throughout the scriptures…and it’s time we started paying attention.
 
Will you ask God to show you how and where you can share His power at work in you with others?  Will you find your purpose as a Christian disciple and see where you are to serve as His vessel?  Who needs the warmth and comfort of your blanket of experiences…and kindheartedness?  God is giving you His best – even when you are at your worst.  Are you ready to “raise a corner of the quilt” and invite others to share in His love and power?  Shouldn’t you?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 6, 2014

Hebrews 4:14-16
Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
 
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.
 
Our little niece Zola is the “poster child” for “I can do it myself!”  Try to help her with a drinking straw so she doesn’t spill her milk, and she will wrestle you with the brute strength of a grown man!  Cut up her food into manageable bites, and she might burst into tears and have a “meltdown”!  Four months shy of her third birthday, she cannot comprehend that we adults have “been there, done that” and might know a thing or two about how to help her.  We’re not trying to be bossy…we are actually acting out of mercy for her dilemma - and potential for peril!
 
Can I be honest?  We are often no better than a two-year-old who is still growing and learning.  The problem is…we should know better by now!  There are times when we all could use a little help…the compassion and empathy of someone who has been through what we are experiencing…a hand up or a handout…or just an extra set of hands for a little while.  Sure…there are those who take advantage of the generosity of others…but hopefully, you’re not one of them!
 
Don’t assume that others will think you are weak…or incapable…or that they will pity you in some way.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  If you lose a loved one, and a friend or relative shows up at your house to help answer the phone, wash dishes, do laundry, answer the door… or simply give you a hug… don’t assume that you have inconvenienced that person – or that he/she thinks you can’t handle your own affairs.  Do not rob them of the blessing of serving you!
 
If someone says, “Let me know if I can help you”… LET.THEM.KNOW.IF.THEY.CAN.HELP.YOU!!  Do not try to be the hero or the martyr.  Take them at their word - and assume they mean it.  If what you ask is something that others are not comfortable helping with…or they cannot accommodate your schedule…give them the chance to say so.  And never cease to ask others to pray for you.  Most people do not have E.S.P. - they cannot telepathically determine that you are in need of special prayer or assistance.  Give them the chance to lift you to the LORD…to join the voices of others in reminding Him that you are precious and in need of His tender care.
 
Imagine if you kept your needs to yourself and never shared them with God.  There are indeed people who say, “God’s too busy to bother with this or that.”  Nothing could be further from the truth!  God is NEVER too busy to hear any request you may present…no matter how small it seems to you.  And as Disciples of Christ…we are called to help others…to hear their requests…and to do what we can to share Jesus’ love with them.
 
You have been given a unique set of experiences and “gifts” that are to be shared with others.  By the same token…others have been equipped to share “gifts” and experiences with YOU.  Christian Discipleship is a “give-and-take” relationship.  Are you fully participating?  Are you blessing others with your acts of compassion and mercy…and are you giving them the chance to do the same for you?  How will you respond the next time someone extends compassion and empathy to you?  Will you accept the mercy and take the help?  Don’t you think you should?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus