1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
For all of the cooking shows I watch each week, I ought to be Julia Child's twin! I’ve learned a lot of useful… and some not-so-helpful… information from these shows. (I don’t think I will be cooking fish heads for a rich broth any time soon!) I’ve discovered how to turn ordinary ingredients in my pantry into amazingly tasty and creative dishes… to “make something from nothing,” as it were. I’ve learned about flavors… how delicious food not only looks good but is filled with taste and aroma from the right blends of spices, stocks and sauces. I now know several tips, tricks and techniques that could not only help me be a better cook… but also a more efficient and confident one.
The thing is… I still gravitate toward the same handful of dishes I’ve brought to our table for nearly 40 years. I would rather grab a pizza from the freezer and give it less than 20 minutes in a hot oven… or open a can of chicken noodle soup and serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich than spend an hour creating something from scratch. And let’s not forget take-out! In other words…I have acquired all of this knowledge and ability… I know how to make the food “sing.” But on most days, I’m complacent and lazy in the kitchen!
Over and over on these shows, the judges and experts refer to the depth of flavor that chefs are able to create within their dishes. They talk a lot about how various ingredients are “infused” into the food by cooking in a rich stock… marinating in sauces, oils and rubs… and blending ingredients in a way that produces something marvelous, sometimes unexpected, and chock full of flavor! Still, many of us have become quite comfortable substituting a plateful of “fast and easy” for a beautiful portion of savory deliciousness!
Are we like this in our Spiritual life? Do you see that God has cleared the road for us… then poured out his love on each of us and everyone in our circle? Do you get that He offers to infuse us with His strength, purity and confidence… and to “pretty us up” to others – to make us appealing and delightful like a beautiful plate of food? The question is… are we “cooking creatively” with all of the ingredients God has given us? Or are we lazy and complacent… content to get by with a quick fix or the least effort that will get the job done and satisfy appetites?
Let’s be honest… a frozen pizza or take-out from our favorite restaurant will often fill our bellies quite heartily. And it may even taste pretty good in the bargain. But these “quick fixes” can’t hold a candle to a well-prepared and served gourmet meal that gratifies all of our senses and leaves us feeling loved and sated through and through. And it’s the same in our relationship with God. We may be able get by on minimal effort… and a few of us will skirt through life relatively unscathed. But this is not really a “gourmet life” in Christ.
I don’t know about you, but I want the “full course meal!” I want all that God stands ready to splash over me and every “flavor” He desires to infuse into my soul. I want to take all of the mismatched items in the “pantry” of my life and allow God to show me how to transform them into an incredible “dish!” I want to be a vehicle of the incredible “meal” God delights in serving to others… to be a reflection of the love, strength, purity, confidence, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion He offers to each of us. Now this sounds like a flavorful plate of “soul food!”
What have you done with God’s ingredients? Is your “dish” pleasing to Him, or could you use a little polish and finesse? God will help you become a better “cook.” If you will only ask, He will show you how to tweak your “recipes” for a life in Christ and come up with something delectable and incredible. It’s time to stretch beyond a life of frozen pizza and take-out discipleship. What are you serving today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label using our talents and abilities for Gods glory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label using our talents and abilities for Gods glory. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for September 28, 2012
Ephesians 1:11-14
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious 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.
When my husband and I first started our own business, we stuck to a very strict monthly budget. We had allotted so much for the basics… groceries, utilities, gas for the vehicles, insurance, and other household expenses. We also had allotted a certain amount each month for business expenses…office supplies, postage, telephone bill, and more. Because we had planned carefully and spent frugally early in our careers, we had saved enough money to pay for our home outright. So we didn’t have the monthly expense of a house payment or rent. This was very liberating!
We also had what we called a “nest egg” – money we had set aside from our retirement funds and savings, in case we had an emergency or the business did not develop and go well. We worked very hard… God blessed us… and our business was successful. After a few years, we didn’t have to adhere to the budget nearly as tightly as we did those first years.
Think of your life sort of like a budget. You must be careful with the details… how you conduct yourself, where you spend your time and energy. When you give your heart to Jesus, it’s sort of like when we paid for our house… there is a burden lifted… you no longer have to worry about eternity or forgiveness for your sins. Does this mean you can “blow the budget?” Absolutely not! You still must be careful, monitor all “expenditures” and how you conduct your life. But you have the security of knowing that your future is secure in Jesus Christ… you will spend eternity with Him in heaven someday.
Now think of the Holy Spirit as your “nest egg” – the gift God has given you of a guiding force in your life… someone who you can fall back on in hard times... something of a security blanket. Again, you can’t expect the Holy Spirit to carry you while you coast along and do as you please. But you know He is there… that He is directing your path when you ask for help… that He will watch over you and help you plan a future filled with abundance and blessings.
Budgets and plans are wonderful tools. I’m so glad that God “budgeted and planned” for me… and that the Holy Spirit is helping me each and every day. What an amazing God we serve. To think that He cares that deeply for each of us boggles my mind. But I’m surely glad He does… aren’t you?
How are you budgeting these days… not just in the regular world, but spiritually, as well? Are you a good steward of God’s gifts? Do you take advantage of the presence of His Holy Spirit? Are you living in a way that says, “I’m ready for the next level! I know that God has great things in store for me, and I can’t wait to experience them!”? Today is the perfect time to start to live according to God’s plan… to pay closer attention to how you are using the gifts and blessings He has provided… and to “operate within the budget.” Are you ready to do this?
©2012 Debbie Robus
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious 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.
When my husband and I first started our own business, we stuck to a very strict monthly budget. We had allotted so much for the basics… groceries, utilities, gas for the vehicles, insurance, and other household expenses. We also had allotted a certain amount each month for business expenses…office supplies, postage, telephone bill, and more. Because we had planned carefully and spent frugally early in our careers, we had saved enough money to pay for our home outright. So we didn’t have the monthly expense of a house payment or rent. This was very liberating!
We also had what we called a “nest egg” – money we had set aside from our retirement funds and savings, in case we had an emergency or the business did not develop and go well. We worked very hard… God blessed us… and our business was successful. After a few years, we didn’t have to adhere to the budget nearly as tightly as we did those first years.
Think of your life sort of like a budget. You must be careful with the details… how you conduct yourself, where you spend your time and energy. When you give your heart to Jesus, it’s sort of like when we paid for our house… there is a burden lifted… you no longer have to worry about eternity or forgiveness for your sins. Does this mean you can “blow the budget?” Absolutely not! You still must be careful, monitor all “expenditures” and how you conduct your life. But you have the security of knowing that your future is secure in Jesus Christ… you will spend eternity with Him in heaven someday.
Now think of the Holy Spirit as your “nest egg” – the gift God has given you of a guiding force in your life… someone who you can fall back on in hard times... something of a security blanket. Again, you can’t expect the Holy Spirit to carry you while you coast along and do as you please. But you know He is there… that He is directing your path when you ask for help… that He will watch over you and help you plan a future filled with abundance and blessings.
Budgets and plans are wonderful tools. I’m so glad that God “budgeted and planned” for me… and that the Holy Spirit is helping me each and every day. What an amazing God we serve. To think that He cares that deeply for each of us boggles my mind. But I’m surely glad He does… aren’t you?
How are you budgeting these days… not just in the regular world, but spiritually, as well? Are you a good steward of God’s gifts? Do you take advantage of the presence of His Holy Spirit? Are you living in a way that says, “I’m ready for the next level! I know that God has great things in store for me, and I can’t wait to experience them!”? Today is the perfect time to start to live according to God’s plan… to pay closer attention to how you are using the gifts and blessings He has provided… and to “operate within the budget.” Are you ready to do this?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 23, 2012
Romans 12:3
I realize how kind God has been to me, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The final two contestants on American Idol were 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez, from San Diego, California… and 21-year-old Phillip Phillips, from Leesburg, Georgia. Both have amazing talent. Sanchez sings like someone almost twice her age. Phillips has a knack for sounding like a lot of musical artists… and creating his own “sound” as well. Neither of these young people were taught how to do these things… their talent is a God-given gift. For either of them to take personal credit for their abilities – or the ultimate title of American Idol – would be ludicrous. With coaching and instruction, each would probably be a good singer/entertainer. But what sets them apart from the average singer in any town in America is an extraordinary talent – a gift from God.
There are things we can accomplish on our own, perhaps. We can study and learn… we can exercise and build muscle mass and strength… we can practice playing a musical instrument and become fairly adept at creating a pretty sound. But for everything we can do “on our own,” there are countless things that we would never be able to accomplish without God’s help… His grace, mercy, love and blessings. And honestly, our ability to learn anything is in itself a gift from God. If God had not blessed us with the capability to absorb knowledge… or to move physically… we would never be able to learn or move! Everything we have and are is a gift from God!
Knowing this… why on earth would we ever take credit for things? Why would we ever think we are better than we really are? We are only as good as the gifts God gives us – and what we do with them. Does that mean that some of us could not do a whole lot better? Do many of us squander what God has given us? Absolutely! Do most of us fail to fully recognize and acknowledge God’s presence in our lives? Most certainly! So what are we doing about this? Shouldn’t our aim become to do better at giving credit where credit is due? Isn’t it time we focused on praising God for all He has done for us… all He has given us… and putting our own ego in the back seat?
God may not be calling us to be the next American Idol, rocket scientist, or CEO of a major corporation. He may be calling us to be the best “ordinary” servant we can be. Our job is to pay attention… to be ready to serve however and wherever God desires… and to give Him all the glory for what He accomplishes in and through us. Are you in?
©2012 Debbie Robus
I realize how kind God has been to me, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The final two contestants on American Idol were 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez, from San Diego, California… and 21-year-old Phillip Phillips, from Leesburg, Georgia. Both have amazing talent. Sanchez sings like someone almost twice her age. Phillips has a knack for sounding like a lot of musical artists… and creating his own “sound” as well. Neither of these young people were taught how to do these things… their talent is a God-given gift. For either of them to take personal credit for their abilities – or the ultimate title of American Idol – would be ludicrous. With coaching and instruction, each would probably be a good singer/entertainer. But what sets them apart from the average singer in any town in America is an extraordinary talent – a gift from God.
There are things we can accomplish on our own, perhaps. We can study and learn… we can exercise and build muscle mass and strength… we can practice playing a musical instrument and become fairly adept at creating a pretty sound. But for everything we can do “on our own,” there are countless things that we would never be able to accomplish without God’s help… His grace, mercy, love and blessings. And honestly, our ability to learn anything is in itself a gift from God. If God had not blessed us with the capability to absorb knowledge… or to move physically… we would never be able to learn or move! Everything we have and are is a gift from God!
Knowing this… why on earth would we ever take credit for things? Why would we ever think we are better than we really are? We are only as good as the gifts God gives us – and what we do with them. Does that mean that some of us could not do a whole lot better? Do many of us squander what God has given us? Absolutely! Do most of us fail to fully recognize and acknowledge God’s presence in our lives? Most certainly! So what are we doing about this? Shouldn’t our aim become to do better at giving credit where credit is due? Isn’t it time we focused on praising God for all He has done for us… all He has given us… and putting our own ego in the back seat?
God may not be calling us to be the next American Idol, rocket scientist, or CEO of a major corporation. He may be calling us to be the best “ordinary” servant we can be. Our job is to pay attention… to be ready to serve however and wherever God desires… and to give Him all the glory for what He accomplishes in and through us. Are you in?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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