Luke 10:1-6
The Lord now chose seventy other
disciples and sent them on ahead in pairs to all the towns and villages
he planned to visit later.
These were his instructions to them:
“Plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out more laborers to help
you, for the harvest is and the workers so few. Go now, and remember
that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money
with you, or a beggar’s bag, or even an extra pair of shoes. And don’t
waste time along the way.
“Whenever you enter a home, give it
your blessing. If it is worthy of the blessing, the blessing will stand;
if not, the blessing will return to you.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
If you are not an Arkansas
Razorbacks fan, substitute the images of your favorite team and one or
two of its biggest rivals in what I am about to tell you. Now, imagine
being with a group of rabid Razorbacks fans, dressed from head to toe in
your best team garb. The University of Arkansas president says, “I
want you to pair off and go down to Texas. Some of you go to Austin…the
rest of you go to College Station.” But I want you to knock on doors
and convince those folks to start rooting for the Razorbacks. Get them
to send their kids to college at the UofA and participate in Razorbacks
athletics and other school activities. Encourage them to renounce their
allegiance to the Texas Longhorns and the A&M Aggies and support
ONLY the Razorbacks in all things.
Would you do it? Even if with
every fiber of your being, you believed that the Razorbacks and the
university they represent were superior in every way…that being an
Arkansas Razorbacks fan would totally change your life – and all for the
better – could you approach someone you felt certain did not share your
beliefs and try to change their mind? Do you think some folks in Texas
would even open the door for you? And would you be worried for your
safety around those who did?
I know I’ve gone out on a ridiculous
limb here, but think about what Jesus was instructing these 35 pair of
disciples to do! He was sending them into “enemy territory” for the
most part - and in some ways saying, “Good luck out there!” But here’s
the thing…luck was not what these people needed. While Jesus knew that
they were taking big risks, He was walking with them every step of the
way. For those who listened to Jesus’ voice and trusted Him, their
obedient faith made the difference.
If you get right down to
it, Jesus is sending us out into the world just as He did those 70 early
disciples. He is telling us to interact with others…to spread the Good
News to those who may/may not want to hear it…to “put on our Hog hat
and knock on a Longhorn’s door” and invite the people inside to have a
change of heart.
On a more basic, everyday level, Jesus is
calling us to reach out to those who might differ from us in some way
and say, “I serve a Savior who died for the sins of ALL of us…Who loves
unconditionally and offers forgiveness and Eternal Life to anyone who
will give their heart to Him.” We are called to treat others as Jesus
treats us…and for some of us, that is a tall order! There is no room
for malicious talk, judgment, hateful criticism, discrimination, an air
of superiority, or unkindness of any sort. It’s no wonder that some
people put up a wall of defense or get downright nasty when we approach,
because our attitude comes across as arrogant, unloving – and anything
but “Christian.”
So “put on the whole armor of God” – nothing
more or less - and get out there and share Jesus with others.
Demonstrate His love and compassion to each person you meet. Love them
as you wish to be loved – and as He loves you. Carry the Holy Spirit in
your heart, and trust that any effort you make with a sincere and
obedient faith will make a difference. We’ll never convince many
Longhorn and Aggie fans to “convert” to our side…but with the power of
Jesus, we might just win a few souls to God’s Kingdom. And that’s worth
a Woo…Pig! Sooie!...don’t you think?!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 16, 2016
Leviticus 19:18
Stop being angry and don’t try to take revenge. I am the Lord, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, I purchased something on eBay, and the seller contacted me the next day to say that extra items were inadvertently shipped with my order. This person asked if I would return these things and said she would e-mail me a prepaid shipping label. I agreed to do this. When the box arrived, there were double the “extra items” - and double the weight. So I had to contact the seller – who emailed me ANOTHER label that would cover the extra postage costs.
I thought about giving this seller a negative rating on eBay - or sending a message to express my dissatisfaction. But in the end, I have done nothing. Why? Partly because someone really MIGHT be in trouble if I did this…and I’ve tried to put myself in that person’s shoes. Were I to make such a mistake, I would truly appreciate a buyer who didn’t “rub salt in the wound!”
Additionally, it WAS a small inconvenience – and something of an aggravation to have to deal with this. But at the end of the day, it’s really not worth any more of my time and energy…certainly not worth “stirring the pot” and causing a problem for someone else.
So often, we "fly off the handle" and react to things that really don’t deserve that much effort and attention. We get angry when there is no need and seek revenge where it would be best to simply leave things alone. Timothy told me once when he had pushed Nathan…”He needed to be taught a lesson!” The truth is that most of the time, this is not our job! Sometimes our efforts to handle things on our own are not pretty – and don’t represent true Christian discipleship.
Are you making every effort to operate in love and a spirit of “second chances?” Do you give others the benefit of the doubt? Don’t you think it’s time we learned to check our attitudes before we react to others? Ask God to help you mature in this area. Learn to take a breath and step back before you totally make a mess of things. Think about how YOU would like to be treated…and make this your guideline for how to respond in kind.
In both the Old and New Testaments, we are commanded to love others as we love ourselves. We are told not to get angry or seek revenge. I’d say that this is pretty high on God’s list of priorities…wouldn’t you? So what are you doing to eliminate anger and revenge from your life?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Stop being angry and don’t try to take revenge. I am the Lord, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, I purchased something on eBay, and the seller contacted me the next day to say that extra items were inadvertently shipped with my order. This person asked if I would return these things and said she would e-mail me a prepaid shipping label. I agreed to do this. When the box arrived, there were double the “extra items” - and double the weight. So I had to contact the seller – who emailed me ANOTHER label that would cover the extra postage costs.
I thought about giving this seller a negative rating on eBay - or sending a message to express my dissatisfaction. But in the end, I have done nothing. Why? Partly because someone really MIGHT be in trouble if I did this…and I’ve tried to put myself in that person’s shoes. Were I to make such a mistake, I would truly appreciate a buyer who didn’t “rub salt in the wound!”
Additionally, it WAS a small inconvenience – and something of an aggravation to have to deal with this. But at the end of the day, it’s really not worth any more of my time and energy…certainly not worth “stirring the pot” and causing a problem for someone else.
So often, we "fly off the handle" and react to things that really don’t deserve that much effort and attention. We get angry when there is no need and seek revenge where it would be best to simply leave things alone. Timothy told me once when he had pushed Nathan…”He needed to be taught a lesson!” The truth is that most of the time, this is not our job! Sometimes our efforts to handle things on our own are not pretty – and don’t represent true Christian discipleship.
Are you making every effort to operate in love and a spirit of “second chances?” Do you give others the benefit of the doubt? Don’t you think it’s time we learned to check our attitudes before we react to others? Ask God to help you mature in this area. Learn to take a breath and step back before you totally make a mess of things. Think about how YOU would like to be treated…and make this your guideline for how to respond in kind.
In both the Old and New Testaments, we are commanded to love others as we love ourselves. We are told not to get angry or seek revenge. I’d say that this is pretty high on God’s list of priorities…wouldn’t you? So what are you doing to eliminate anger and revenge from your life?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 15, 2016
John 3:8-9
As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her out in front of the staring crowd.
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?”
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!”
Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust. And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I truly believe that God allows us to experience many things in order to teach us empathy for others…including not only events like illness, personal loss, and natural disasters…but our own sins, as well. We are more empathetic when we have walked in another person’s shoes. Someone who has overcome a handicap is probably more understanding toward those like him/her. No one can talk to a smoker or another person with an addiction about quitting better than one who has already given up the habit. Unfortunately, the only way to truly understand grief and loss seems to be to experience it firsthand.
While personal knowledge and experience may increase our “street cred” when commiserating or encouraging someone else…this does not define our calling – and our ability – to share the love and forgiveness of Jesus with others. To put it another way, you do not have to be an adulterer, murderer, or addict in order to offer love, compassion, and encouragement to someone who is. Why? Because we all have sinned in some manner…and in the eyes of Jesus, no one is better or worse than another.
So while you judge the single mother whose significant other has been jailed for possession of drugs, you are overlooking that juicy tidbit of gossip you just shared with your best friend. While you shake your head and talk about the sexual predator who has moved into your neighborhood, you fail to acknowledge that you called someone (whether you know him/her personally or not) an unkind name – or you posted something derogatory about him/her on social media.
While you are busy looking down your nose at people you consider “less than” in some manner, you are completely oblivious to the fact that you have done your fair share of breaking Jesus’ commandments - just by passing judgment on another. If all of your sins were laid bare, the world would most likely see just how despicably you have behaved, as well.
The lesson for us is that while we want to pick up the stone and hurl it, we had best take a long hard look at all that we have asked God to forgive in our own lives first. The time has come to love others with the love of Christ, which means we are going to have to get down off our high horses and stop judging and condemning others. We need to start looking at everyone with the attitude that we could easily be the ones that other people are so eager to stone.
Look around. Who could use a smile…a hug…a handshake or an encouraging word that says, “I see you…not your mistakes.”? Do you love others with the love of Christ, regardless of who they are or what they have done? Do you understand that others look at you with the same disdain because of your own sins and shortcomings? When will we "put down the stone and" pick up an attitude of kindness and compassion for others, in order to ensure that they seek complete forgiveness from the only One who can truly give it?
Are you ready to practice true Christian discipleship and love of all people? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her out in front of the staring crowd.
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?”
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!”
Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust. And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I truly believe that God allows us to experience many things in order to teach us empathy for others…including not only events like illness, personal loss, and natural disasters…but our own sins, as well. We are more empathetic when we have walked in another person’s shoes. Someone who has overcome a handicap is probably more understanding toward those like him/her. No one can talk to a smoker or another person with an addiction about quitting better than one who has already given up the habit. Unfortunately, the only way to truly understand grief and loss seems to be to experience it firsthand.
While personal knowledge and experience may increase our “street cred” when commiserating or encouraging someone else…this does not define our calling – and our ability – to share the love and forgiveness of Jesus with others. To put it another way, you do not have to be an adulterer, murderer, or addict in order to offer love, compassion, and encouragement to someone who is. Why? Because we all have sinned in some manner…and in the eyes of Jesus, no one is better or worse than another.
So while you judge the single mother whose significant other has been jailed for possession of drugs, you are overlooking that juicy tidbit of gossip you just shared with your best friend. While you shake your head and talk about the sexual predator who has moved into your neighborhood, you fail to acknowledge that you called someone (whether you know him/her personally or not) an unkind name – or you posted something derogatory about him/her on social media.
While you are busy looking down your nose at people you consider “less than” in some manner, you are completely oblivious to the fact that you have done your fair share of breaking Jesus’ commandments - just by passing judgment on another. If all of your sins were laid bare, the world would most likely see just how despicably you have behaved, as well.
The lesson for us is that while we want to pick up the stone and hurl it, we had best take a long hard look at all that we have asked God to forgive in our own lives first. The time has come to love others with the love of Christ, which means we are going to have to get down off our high horses and stop judging and condemning others. We need to start looking at everyone with the attitude that we could easily be the ones that other people are so eager to stone.
Look around. Who could use a smile…a hug…a handshake or an encouraging word that says, “I see you…not your mistakes.”? Do you love others with the love of Christ, regardless of who they are or what they have done? Do you understand that others look at you with the same disdain because of your own sins and shortcomings? When will we "put down the stone and" pick up an attitude of kindness and compassion for others, in order to ensure that they seek complete forgiveness from the only One who can truly give it?
Are you ready to practice true Christian discipleship and love of all people? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 14, 2016
John 4:46-50
While Jesus was in Galilee, he returned to the village of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was an official in Capernaum whose son was sick. And when the man heard that Jesus had come from Judea, he went and begged him to keep his son from dying.
Jesus told the official, “You won’t have faith unless you see miracles and wonders!”
The man replied, “Lord, please come before my son dies!”
Jesus then said, “Your son will live. Go on home to him.” The man believed Jesus and started back home.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“I’ll believe it when I see it!”
“Show me the money!”
“Prove it!”
We humans are a skeptical lot! We need reassurance…proof…a “visual” confirmation before we will commit – to pretty much anything! I keep a little basket of toys and puzzles in the cabinet, and when the children have been especially good or worked to “earn” a prize, they are allowed to choose something from the basket. Nathan, in particular, will say, “I need to look in the basket and see what’s in there.” In part, he is deciding whether it is worth his effort…but he also needs reassurance that I really do have some goodies there!
Sometimes, I will say, “You kids don’t need to see the basket…you know what is there!” And other times, I do let them have a look. But more often now, they trust that there ARE good surprises that are worth their effort. They have faith that I would not steer them down a wrong path, and they “work” in hope of a reward.
I have to believe that Jesus knew that the man’s faith was genuine, even when He chided him and the crowd by saying, “You won’t believe without proof!” Jesus might have even been a little irritated or frustrated, because so many really did NOT believe what they were told about Him. But clearly, this father of the sick child was not derailed by the comment. And if you read the verses surrounding this passage, you will see that indeed, Jesus healed his son.
Jesus is probably pretty frustrated and irritated with us many times, as we wring our hands and worry about what will happen. It’s a safe bet that most of us have weak faith on any given day – and for some, this is a way of life. We need proof…we have to have “signs”…until we actually see the hand of Jesus in our daily lives, we will reserve our acceptance – and sometimes, our best efforts.
Start watching and actually searching for Jesus as He shows up in your life and the lives of others. Don’t miss an opportunity to acknowledge His presence…or your faith that He is with you – even when you cannot readily see or feel Him. Point out to others when you see Jesus at work in their lives…not in an “I told you so” way – but as a gentle reminder that He is with them, as well!
Get in the habit of living with faith without the physical presence of signs and wonders. Trust that the “prize basket” of God’s blessings is abundantly full and available to you…that healing has already taken place…that Jesus is with you each and every minute of the day. Continually demonstrate your trust in Jesus with your words, actions – and your very demeanor. Jesus may not let us “see in the basket,” but we know what is there for us – and the time has come to start living like it!
©2016 Debbie Robus
While Jesus was in Galilee, he returned to the village of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was an official in Capernaum whose son was sick. And when the man heard that Jesus had come from Judea, he went and begged him to keep his son from dying.
Jesus told the official, “You won’t have faith unless you see miracles and wonders!”
The man replied, “Lord, please come before my son dies!”
Jesus then said, “Your son will live. Go on home to him.” The man believed Jesus and started back home.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“I’ll believe it when I see it!”
“Show me the money!”
“Prove it!”
We humans are a skeptical lot! We need reassurance…proof…a “visual” confirmation before we will commit – to pretty much anything! I keep a little basket of toys and puzzles in the cabinet, and when the children have been especially good or worked to “earn” a prize, they are allowed to choose something from the basket. Nathan, in particular, will say, “I need to look in the basket and see what’s in there.” In part, he is deciding whether it is worth his effort…but he also needs reassurance that I really do have some goodies there!
Sometimes, I will say, “You kids don’t need to see the basket…you know what is there!” And other times, I do let them have a look. But more often now, they trust that there ARE good surprises that are worth their effort. They have faith that I would not steer them down a wrong path, and they “work” in hope of a reward.
I have to believe that Jesus knew that the man’s faith was genuine, even when He chided him and the crowd by saying, “You won’t believe without proof!” Jesus might have even been a little irritated or frustrated, because so many really did NOT believe what they were told about Him. But clearly, this father of the sick child was not derailed by the comment. And if you read the verses surrounding this passage, you will see that indeed, Jesus healed his son.
Jesus is probably pretty frustrated and irritated with us many times, as we wring our hands and worry about what will happen. It’s a safe bet that most of us have weak faith on any given day – and for some, this is a way of life. We need proof…we have to have “signs”…until we actually see the hand of Jesus in our daily lives, we will reserve our acceptance – and sometimes, our best efforts.
Start watching and actually searching for Jesus as He shows up in your life and the lives of others. Don’t miss an opportunity to acknowledge His presence…or your faith that He is with you – even when you cannot readily see or feel Him. Point out to others when you see Jesus at work in their lives…not in an “I told you so” way – but as a gentle reminder that He is with them, as well!
Get in the habit of living with faith without the physical presence of signs and wonders. Trust that the “prize basket” of God’s blessings is abundantly full and available to you…that healing has already taken place…that Jesus is with you each and every minute of the day. Continually demonstrate your trust in Jesus with your words, actions – and your very demeanor. Jesus may not let us “see in the basket,” but we know what is there for us – and the time has come to start living like it!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 13, 2016
John 4:34-38
Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
“The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My cousin Natalie introduced me to the Silhouette® Cameo - a computerized machine that cuts all sorts of things out of adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl , fabric, paper, and more. The Silhouette® has revolutionized how I sew and create outfits and gifts for my family and friends, as well as card making projects and so much more! And…it’s FUN! I get a great sense of satisfaction from creating something that looks so polished and crisp!
Like so many “gadgets” in our lives today, this machine and my computer do the hard work for me. I have to make the effort to pick a design and use the tools in the computer program to create a template…but the machine does a lot of the “thinking” for me, then actually cuts out the designs. Here’s the thing…I have to be awake and alert. I have to position the material just right for cutting and set the blade to the correct sharpness for my material. I must pay attention to select colors and materials that are right for whatever I am making. I learned the hard way that you cannot iron a heat transfer on an insulated metal tumbler! I have to attach the cutouts to whatever surface they were destined to adorn.
I am grateful for this machine and the “work” it does for me. I appreciate my dishwasher and washing machine…the serger that finishes my stitched edges so nicely…the hot water that appears in the sink when I turn on the appropriate faucet…and my smart phone that does more than I even realize! But I have to do my part, too! I have to put dishes in the dishwasher, and turn on the phone and punch some buttons. I have to place clothes in the washer and select the design for my machine to cut. And when it comes to harvesting souls for Jesus, we have work to do, as well.
Many faithful servants paved the way and established a foundation for God’s Kingdom even before Jesus came to earth. Then Jesus did the truly hard work by dying on the cross for our sins and giving us not only an outline for how to live and minister to others – but His Holy Spirit to accompany us and serve as our personal Guide and Companion. But we have to do our part. We have to put these directives into action. We must demonstrate Jesus’ teachings and emulate His words and actions in our everyday living. We are called to seek out those who need Jesus for themselves…and to share His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, joy, hope and healing with them.
We’ve grown complacent in this world, thanks in large part to the many “conveniences” that do much of our work. If anything, this should give us more time and tools for winning others to Christ and sharing His blessings with them. We’ve been given all of the right equipment…the “hard work” has been done. Now it’s time for us to handle the “harvest!” Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get busy?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
“The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My cousin Natalie introduced me to the Silhouette® Cameo - a computerized machine that cuts all sorts of things out of adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl , fabric, paper, and more. The Silhouette® has revolutionized how I sew and create outfits and gifts for my family and friends, as well as card making projects and so much more! And…it’s FUN! I get a great sense of satisfaction from creating something that looks so polished and crisp!
Like so many “gadgets” in our lives today, this machine and my computer do the hard work for me. I have to make the effort to pick a design and use the tools in the computer program to create a template…but the machine does a lot of the “thinking” for me, then actually cuts out the designs. Here’s the thing…I have to be awake and alert. I have to position the material just right for cutting and set the blade to the correct sharpness for my material. I must pay attention to select colors and materials that are right for whatever I am making. I learned the hard way that you cannot iron a heat transfer on an insulated metal tumbler! I have to attach the cutouts to whatever surface they were destined to adorn.
I am grateful for this machine and the “work” it does for me. I appreciate my dishwasher and washing machine…the serger that finishes my stitched edges so nicely…the hot water that appears in the sink when I turn on the appropriate faucet…and my smart phone that does more than I even realize! But I have to do my part, too! I have to put dishes in the dishwasher, and turn on the phone and punch some buttons. I have to place clothes in the washer and select the design for my machine to cut. And when it comes to harvesting souls for Jesus, we have work to do, as well.
Many faithful servants paved the way and established a foundation for God’s Kingdom even before Jesus came to earth. Then Jesus did the truly hard work by dying on the cross for our sins and giving us not only an outline for how to live and minister to others – but His Holy Spirit to accompany us and serve as our personal Guide and Companion. But we have to do our part. We have to put these directives into action. We must demonstrate Jesus’ teachings and emulate His words and actions in our everyday living. We are called to seek out those who need Jesus for themselves…and to share His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, joy, hope and healing with them.
We’ve grown complacent in this world, thanks in large part to the many “conveniences” that do much of our work. If anything, this should give us more time and tools for winning others to Christ and sharing His blessings with them. We’ve been given all of the right equipment…the “hard work” has been done. Now it’s time for us to handle the “harvest!” Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get busy?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 12, 2016
John 4:25-30
The woman said, “I don’t know about that. I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we’ll get the whole story.”
“I am he,” said Jesus. “You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.”
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of a woman. No one said what they were all thinking, but their faces showed it.
The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?” And they went out to see for themselves.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There are several television shows now that feature “mediums” – people who claim they can talk to the spirits of our loved ones who have “passed over” and deliver messages to us. Skepticism abounds…but invariably, each “medium” is able to deliver information that at least seems so personal and tailored to us that no other living soul would know this. We MUST be hearing from our departed friend or loved one.
Children love to role play – to pretend to be someone other than themselves. And often, in order to be included in their game, they will say, “What’s the password?” We have to provide the right word or clue in order for them to accept us.
I honestly don’t know if there are people who can communicate with the dead. And I will be the first to tell you that there have been several times when I have not known the proper “password” to be included in one of our kids’ games. But when it comes to Jesus, neither of these vehicles are necessary. And I am so glad, because I do NOT want to miss Him!
Do we really need so much proof? Does Jesus have to appear to us like a psychic or medium and say, “You did ABC on this day” and “XYZ happened to you at some point in time!”? Do we have to have signs and wonders or the presentation of stories and events about which no one else could possibly have knowledge in order to believe that Jesus really is with us?
How well do you know Jesus? Do you readily recognize His presence in your daily living? Are you fully aware of the Holy Spirit's existence within your heart? Have you invited Him to dwell there? Do you need to gather friends, neighbors and relatives and examine physical “proof” in order to find Jesus in your life? Or are you so attuned to His voice…the word of God…the Holy Spirit and how Jesus intricately orchestrates every second of your life that you KNOW that He is with you?
Just as importantly, do others see Jesus with you? Do they readily recognize the presence of Jesus in everything from your facial expressions and body language to how you actually conduct the daily business of your life and treat each person you encounter?
Some of us have acknowledged Jesus, while others have walked right past Him. Many are questioning His existence in some manner. Jesus’ words to the woman at the well are equally true for you and me…we don’t have to wait any longer or look any further. He is HERE…Jesus is with us NOW - and for all eternity. Do you see him?
©2016 Debbie Robus
The woman said, “I don’t know about that. I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we’ll get the whole story.”
“I am he,” said Jesus. “You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.”
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of a woman. No one said what they were all thinking, but their faces showed it.
The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?” And they went out to see for themselves.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There are several television shows now that feature “mediums” – people who claim they can talk to the spirits of our loved ones who have “passed over” and deliver messages to us. Skepticism abounds…but invariably, each “medium” is able to deliver information that at least seems so personal and tailored to us that no other living soul would know this. We MUST be hearing from our departed friend or loved one.
Children love to role play – to pretend to be someone other than themselves. And often, in order to be included in their game, they will say, “What’s the password?” We have to provide the right word or clue in order for them to accept us.
I honestly don’t know if there are people who can communicate with the dead. And I will be the first to tell you that there have been several times when I have not known the proper “password” to be included in one of our kids’ games. But when it comes to Jesus, neither of these vehicles are necessary. And I am so glad, because I do NOT want to miss Him!
Do we really need so much proof? Does Jesus have to appear to us like a psychic or medium and say, “You did ABC on this day” and “XYZ happened to you at some point in time!”? Do we have to have signs and wonders or the presentation of stories and events about which no one else could possibly have knowledge in order to believe that Jesus really is with us?
How well do you know Jesus? Do you readily recognize His presence in your daily living? Are you fully aware of the Holy Spirit's existence within your heart? Have you invited Him to dwell there? Do you need to gather friends, neighbors and relatives and examine physical “proof” in order to find Jesus in your life? Or are you so attuned to His voice…the word of God…the Holy Spirit and how Jesus intricately orchestrates every second of your life that you KNOW that He is with you?
Just as importantly, do others see Jesus with you? Do they readily recognize the presence of Jesus in everything from your facial expressions and body language to how you actually conduct the daily business of your life and treat each person you encounter?
Some of us have acknowledged Jesus, while others have walked right past Him. Many are questioning His existence in some manner. Jesus’ words to the woman at the well are equally true for you and me…we don’t have to wait any longer or look any further. He is HERE…Jesus is with us NOW - and for all eternity. Do you see him?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 11, 2016
John 4:21-24
“Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”
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.
Today we pause to remember the people who perished in the terroristic attacks on the World Trade Center exactly 15 years ago. We think of the family members and friends who were left to grieve and suffer…the survivors who spent hours/days/weeks/months/years recuperating and physically recovering to some degree. We pray for all who were affected…and weren’t we ALL affected in some way?
As I read this scripture passage, it struck me that the God I love…the God I trust and serve each and every day…was the same God that many – if not most of us - prayed to and sought in the midst of this horrific event. There has been much talk about how the events of 9/11 brought us together as a country…and I think to some degree, this is true. We didn’t see color, race, ethnic background, gender, sexual identity, socio-economic level, intellect, or even political leanings. We just saw people who were frightened, hurting and suffering…people who had great needs and endured tremendous losses…people who were “just like us” in so many fundamental ways. We asked God to meet them right where they were…and I believe He did just that.
We reached out…we served in the name of Jesus…we sent aid of all kinds…and we genuinely expressed sympathy and empathy for these victims and their extended “families.” We didn’t give it a second thought, really…we just knew that this was what the God we worshipped and adored wanted of us…and we did it.
I don’t know what shifted…or really why…but we have lost a good deal of this honest and simple faith and servitude in recent years. We’ve become skeptical, cynical, and self-absorbed. Even worse, we have become elitist…the God we serve is OUR God. His reach cannot possibly encompass those who are different from us in even the slightest way. We are like the college kid who makes good grades so Mom and Dad will keep sending money…we serve God out of a sense of duty, obligation, and fear that to do otherwise would result in a disconnect of sorts from His blessings and rewards in our lives.
As devastating as the events of 9/11 were, God brought about so many good things. Every time our country goes through a crisis, we seem to rally just a bit – though not as much as we did fifteen years ago. But it shouldn’t take a catastrophe to gather us to God…and I pray that we don’t fall into the pattern of only turning to Him and embracing one another when the unthinkable happens.
Where does this leave us? Are we simply and honestly ourselves before God and others? Are we serving God with a spirit of inclusiveness and adoration? Do we desire that ALL PEOPLE cultivate a relationship with God…and are we doing everything in our power to share His Spirit with the masses? Are you a reactionary who only reaches out to others in the midst of a crisis…or do others see your heart for Jesus – and ALL who God has created – each and every day?
Will this anniversary serve as a reminder that God sent Jesus for EVERYONE…and not just you and me? Will you live in a way that this is evident to others? Don’t you think you should?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”
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.
Today we pause to remember the people who perished in the terroristic attacks on the World Trade Center exactly 15 years ago. We think of the family members and friends who were left to grieve and suffer…the survivors who spent hours/days/weeks/months/years recuperating and physically recovering to some degree. We pray for all who were affected…and weren’t we ALL affected in some way?
As I read this scripture passage, it struck me that the God I love…the God I trust and serve each and every day…was the same God that many – if not most of us - prayed to and sought in the midst of this horrific event. There has been much talk about how the events of 9/11 brought us together as a country…and I think to some degree, this is true. We didn’t see color, race, ethnic background, gender, sexual identity, socio-economic level, intellect, or even political leanings. We just saw people who were frightened, hurting and suffering…people who had great needs and endured tremendous losses…people who were “just like us” in so many fundamental ways. We asked God to meet them right where they were…and I believe He did just that.
We reached out…we served in the name of Jesus…we sent aid of all kinds…and we genuinely expressed sympathy and empathy for these victims and their extended “families.” We didn’t give it a second thought, really…we just knew that this was what the God we worshipped and adored wanted of us…and we did it.
I don’t know what shifted…or really why…but we have lost a good deal of this honest and simple faith and servitude in recent years. We’ve become skeptical, cynical, and self-absorbed. Even worse, we have become elitist…the God we serve is OUR God. His reach cannot possibly encompass those who are different from us in even the slightest way. We are like the college kid who makes good grades so Mom and Dad will keep sending money…we serve God out of a sense of duty, obligation, and fear that to do otherwise would result in a disconnect of sorts from His blessings and rewards in our lives.
As devastating as the events of 9/11 were, God brought about so many good things. Every time our country goes through a crisis, we seem to rally just a bit – though not as much as we did fifteen years ago. But it shouldn’t take a catastrophe to gather us to God…and I pray that we don’t fall into the pattern of only turning to Him and embracing one another when the unthinkable happens.
Where does this leave us? Are we simply and honestly ourselves before God and others? Are we serving God with a spirit of inclusiveness and adoration? Do we desire that ALL PEOPLE cultivate a relationship with God…and are we doing everything in our power to share His Spirit with the masses? Are you a reactionary who only reaches out to others in the midst of a crisis…or do others see your heart for Jesus – and ALL who God has created – each and every day?
Will this anniversary serve as a reminder that God sent Jesus for EVERYONE…and not just you and me? Will you live in a way that this is evident to others? Don’t you think you should?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 10, 2016
John 3:31-36
“He has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is a fountain of truth. For this one—sent by God—speaks God’s words, for God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. The Father loves this man because he is his Son, and God has given him everything there is. And all who trust him — God’s Son — to save them have eternal life; those who don’t believe and obey him shall never see heaven, but the wrath of God remains upon them.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
At least once a week, I see a story posted on Facebook that sounds so wonderful – or plausible - and many people are eagerly sharing. I learned the hard way to go to Snopes.com* first and make sure whether or not these stories are true. Slaves in Charleston, South Carolina did not start Memorial Day to honor the Union war dead…baby cribs were not circled up outside of the Pentagon on 9/11 to protect infants and toddlers who attended a daycare there…journalist Matt Lauer and NBC did not omit the statement from the mother of a Navy seal killed in Libya that her Christian faith sustains her. These and so many more “shared-for-truth” viral stories are carefully and articulately debunked on fact-checking websites, if only we will take a few minutes to investigate and verify.
Let’s be honest…we are pretty gullible…and sometimes we’re downright naïve. We also seem to have a penchant for believing the stories that are outrageous, tug at our heartstrings, make us want to wave our flags and feel all “patriotic”…and those that make our blood boil. We are human…and this is part of our nature.
The sad truth is that we can have ALL of this – and so much more – in God’s word and the “story” that Jesus has to share with us. There are tales of outrageous acts, battles, struggles and suffering. There are heartwarming stories of rescue and redemption. We have opportunities to thump our chest and praise our Warrior God who defeats all enemies and protects His Kingdom. And we have the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, the murder of innocent babies, and other heinous acts that can make our blood boil. And we can believe every single word we read and share it with others to our heart’s content!
There are two lessons here…1) check your sources – AND your facts – before you share what you read and hear from mere mortals…even your closest friend or relative, and 2) learn to trust the word of God – and believe and obey His directives.
I particularly like the image of God’s “fountain of truth.” Who doesn’t love a beautiful fountain? When my siblings and I were little, our city park had a “wading pool” with a fountain. We loved to stand under the shower of refreshing water and bask in its coolness on a hot summer day. The idea that God’s gifts are like that fountain - that He sustains, encourages, and renews our spirit throughout this earthly life - gives me hope, peace and joy. The thought of eternal life in the presence of God, where EVERY MINUTE is more glorious than I can even dream, gives me motivation to seek Him and His truth at each turn in this earthly journey.
Go after the truth in all things…both earthly declarations and the message of Jesus. Take advantages of resources like Snopes.com for the former – and the Holy Bible for the latter. Learn to live in bold confidence that you always operate in facts and concrete information. Stand under the “fountain” of God’s truth, and let Him continually pour out His wisdom and blessings on you as you serve faithfully and obediently. Learn to make every minute count…and make this the day that you renew your commitment fully prepare for eternity at the feet of Jesus. The stakes are high…the reward is great…and the time is now to get this right!
©2016 Debbie Robus
* http://snopes.com
“He has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is a fountain of truth. For this one—sent by God—speaks God’s words, for God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. The Father loves this man because he is his Son, and God has given him everything there is. And all who trust him — God’s Son — to save them have eternal life; those who don’t believe and obey him shall never see heaven, but the wrath of God remains upon them.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
At least once a week, I see a story posted on Facebook that sounds so wonderful – or plausible - and many people are eagerly sharing. I learned the hard way to go to Snopes.com* first and make sure whether or not these stories are true. Slaves in Charleston, South Carolina did not start Memorial Day to honor the Union war dead…baby cribs were not circled up outside of the Pentagon on 9/11 to protect infants and toddlers who attended a daycare there…journalist Matt Lauer and NBC did not omit the statement from the mother of a Navy seal killed in Libya that her Christian faith sustains her. These and so many more “shared-for-truth” viral stories are carefully and articulately debunked on fact-checking websites, if only we will take a few minutes to investigate and verify.
Let’s be honest…we are pretty gullible…and sometimes we’re downright naïve. We also seem to have a penchant for believing the stories that are outrageous, tug at our heartstrings, make us want to wave our flags and feel all “patriotic”…and those that make our blood boil. We are human…and this is part of our nature.
The sad truth is that we can have ALL of this – and so much more – in God’s word and the “story” that Jesus has to share with us. There are tales of outrageous acts, battles, struggles and suffering. There are heartwarming stories of rescue and redemption. We have opportunities to thump our chest and praise our Warrior God who defeats all enemies and protects His Kingdom. And we have the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, the murder of innocent babies, and other heinous acts that can make our blood boil. And we can believe every single word we read and share it with others to our heart’s content!
There are two lessons here…1) check your sources – AND your facts – before you share what you read and hear from mere mortals…even your closest friend or relative, and 2) learn to trust the word of God – and believe and obey His directives.
I particularly like the image of God’s “fountain of truth.” Who doesn’t love a beautiful fountain? When my siblings and I were little, our city park had a “wading pool” with a fountain. We loved to stand under the shower of refreshing water and bask in its coolness on a hot summer day. The idea that God’s gifts are like that fountain - that He sustains, encourages, and renews our spirit throughout this earthly life - gives me hope, peace and joy. The thought of eternal life in the presence of God, where EVERY MINUTE is more glorious than I can even dream, gives me motivation to seek Him and His truth at each turn in this earthly journey.
Go after the truth in all things…both earthly declarations and the message of Jesus. Take advantages of resources like Snopes.com for the former – and the Holy Bible for the latter. Learn to live in bold confidence that you always operate in facts and concrete information. Stand under the “fountain” of God’s truth, and let Him continually pour out His wisdom and blessings on you as you serve faithfully and obediently. Learn to make every minute count…and make this the day that you renew your commitment fully prepare for eternity at the feet of Jesus. The stakes are high…the reward is great…and the time is now to get this right!
©2016 Debbie Robus
* http://snopes.com
Daily Devotional for September 9, 2016
September 9 ~ John 3:27-30
John answered, “It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start?
“That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
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.
During the Sunday school lesson last week for second and third graders, I mentioned my brother Tim, who died almost 18 years ago. It was like a light bulb went on in Timothy’s head, and he said, “OH! So Uncle Tim was named for ME?” I smiled and explained that it was the other way around…that Uncle Tim was here first. This was logical thinking for a seven-year-old. Little children tend to believe that the world revolves around them. And I will have to say that most of the time, Timothy is unusually empathetic for his age. Still…every child has his/her moments.
You and I are no longer children. We cannot afford the “luxury” of selfish thinking…much less the assumption that “we’ve got this” by ourselves. There is no way that we can navigate “life” on our own for even the shortest amount of time. And if you believe differently, you are in for some pretty big heartaches and disappointments.
A friend shared a post on Facebook that started off, “Imagine getting to heaven and hearing God say”…and then “God” described how thought of us before we were born…laid out plans for us and prepared the way. “God” noted how He gave us time to accomplish these goals and supplied us with the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us…and provided us with missions and opportunities to fulfill them. And then it ends with “Let’s talk about how that all went.”
Too many of us want to have Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our hip pocket…but we still want the spotlight. We want it to be all about us…about our needs and desires. We spend our lives asking, “Is it fun? Will I enjoy this? Will it make me happy? What about ME?” And the truth is…it’s not about us at all. There’s an old hymn – “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” - that says, “Thou are the potter, I am the clay.” Jesus is the bridegroom…you and I are just the “bridesmaids and groomsmen.” Our job is to support Him…to fulfill His plans and missions…to step aside and bask in the rays of His limelight.
A little self-absorption is cute when you are a child…but it is in no way an attractive quality in adults…especially people who are supposed to represent Jesus. Humility, servitude, and the desire to keep Christ front and center are hallmarks of a faithful Christian disciple. It may never be “your turn” or “about you”…and that’s okay. When Jesus is given top priority, all other things fall into place as He designed. THIS is what truly matters!
When God has the talk with you about “how things went,” what will you have to say for yourself? Have you stepped aside and given Jesus the spotlight? Or are you still fighting to get off the sidelines and take center stage? How you answer makes all the difference…both now and for all eternity. Where are you standing today?
©2016 Debbie Robus
John answered, “It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start?
“That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
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.
During the Sunday school lesson last week for second and third graders, I mentioned my brother Tim, who died almost 18 years ago. It was like a light bulb went on in Timothy’s head, and he said, “OH! So Uncle Tim was named for ME?” I smiled and explained that it was the other way around…that Uncle Tim was here first. This was logical thinking for a seven-year-old. Little children tend to believe that the world revolves around them. And I will have to say that most of the time, Timothy is unusually empathetic for his age. Still…every child has his/her moments.
You and I are no longer children. We cannot afford the “luxury” of selfish thinking…much less the assumption that “we’ve got this” by ourselves. There is no way that we can navigate “life” on our own for even the shortest amount of time. And if you believe differently, you are in for some pretty big heartaches and disappointments.
A friend shared a post on Facebook that started off, “Imagine getting to heaven and hearing God say”…and then “God” described how thought of us before we were born…laid out plans for us and prepared the way. “God” noted how He gave us time to accomplish these goals and supplied us with the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us…and provided us with missions and opportunities to fulfill them. And then it ends with “Let’s talk about how that all went.”
Too many of us want to have Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our hip pocket…but we still want the spotlight. We want it to be all about us…about our needs and desires. We spend our lives asking, “Is it fun? Will I enjoy this? Will it make me happy? What about ME?” And the truth is…it’s not about us at all. There’s an old hymn – “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” - that says, “Thou are the potter, I am the clay.” Jesus is the bridegroom…you and I are just the “bridesmaids and groomsmen.” Our job is to support Him…to fulfill His plans and missions…to step aside and bask in the rays of His limelight.
A little self-absorption is cute when you are a child…but it is in no way an attractive quality in adults…especially people who are supposed to represent Jesus. Humility, servitude, and the desire to keep Christ front and center are hallmarks of a faithful Christian disciple. It may never be “your turn” or “about you”…and that’s okay. When Jesus is given top priority, all other things fall into place as He designed. THIS is what truly matters!
When God has the talk with you about “how things went,” what will you have to say for yourself? Have you stepped aside and given Jesus the spotlight? Or are you still fighting to get off the sidelines and take center stage? How you answer makes all the difference…both now and for all eternity. Where are you standing today?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 8, 2016
John 3:19-21
“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”
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 cannot stress often enough what a wonderful study tool I have found in the book, Jesus Calling*. I am not affiliated with this author or publisher in any way - but these devotionals speak to me every time I read them. The September 6th entry says in part that (and remember, this is supposed to be Jesus speaking), “The desire to act independently – apart from Me – springs from the root of pride. Self-sufficiency is subtle, insinuating its way into your thoughts and actions without your realizing it. But apart from Me, you can do nothing: that is, nothing of eternal value.”
The passage goes on to encourage us to depend on Jesus in every situation…but we are reminded that we have to want to do this. While it would be simpler for Jesus to force us to be obedient servants, the author explains that freedom to choose is a “godlike privilege I bestowed on you as My image-bearer.”
Let’s be honest…the devil makes it pretty easy and attractive for us to live in darkness. A former pastor used to say that “Sin is fun…otherwise, nobody would be interested!” When I thought about today’s scripture passage – and the Jesus Calling entry from a couple of days ago – I couldn’t help but think how many people who claim to be Christians have gotten caught up in the collective shadows of dissension that seem to permeate our country today.
Lines are firmly drawn in the sand. It’s become cool and popular to speak one’s mind and let the chips fall where they may…to pit one group against another and deride good people – just because others seem to like it! There is a good deal of the “speak now and apologize later” mentality – and the fallout from this in some cases is permanent and irreparable. We want to be cool…to fit in…to be accepted. So we go along with rhetoric that divides rather than unites.
We operate like people who have stepped out of a building into the brightness of a sunny day without wearing any sunglasses. We prefer to jump back into the “comfort” of the shadows as quickly as possible. We are not willing to make the effort to adjust to the bright light – and enjoy it! We don’t appreciate the warmth of the sun’s life-giving rays. We have no desire to put on sunscreen and protective clothing and stick around.
And so it is with Jesus. We don’t want to do the work. We would rather coast along in the darkness and act like we’re “all that,” and enjoy the relative “comfort” of fitting in and not making waves.
Understand this…sometimes, being a Christian is messy. It takes courage, confidence, hope and faith. It takes a willingness to step out of the darkness and say, “I’m following the LIGHT!” We have to swallow our pride and put on the full armor of God and say, “Wherever You lead, I will follow!” Are YOU courageous enough to do this? Will you place everything on the line for the One who has already done this - and so much more - for you?
Aren’t you ready to step out of the darkness and into the brilliant Light of Christ, once and for all? Will this be the day that you do?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*Jesus Calling ~ http://jesuscalling.com – is available at most bookstores and major retailers, including Walmart and Target.
“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”
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 cannot stress often enough what a wonderful study tool I have found in the book, Jesus Calling*. I am not affiliated with this author or publisher in any way - but these devotionals speak to me every time I read them. The September 6th entry says in part that (and remember, this is supposed to be Jesus speaking), “The desire to act independently – apart from Me – springs from the root of pride. Self-sufficiency is subtle, insinuating its way into your thoughts and actions without your realizing it. But apart from Me, you can do nothing: that is, nothing of eternal value.”
The passage goes on to encourage us to depend on Jesus in every situation…but we are reminded that we have to want to do this. While it would be simpler for Jesus to force us to be obedient servants, the author explains that freedom to choose is a “godlike privilege I bestowed on you as My image-bearer.”
Let’s be honest…the devil makes it pretty easy and attractive for us to live in darkness. A former pastor used to say that “Sin is fun…otherwise, nobody would be interested!” When I thought about today’s scripture passage – and the Jesus Calling entry from a couple of days ago – I couldn’t help but think how many people who claim to be Christians have gotten caught up in the collective shadows of dissension that seem to permeate our country today.
Lines are firmly drawn in the sand. It’s become cool and popular to speak one’s mind and let the chips fall where they may…to pit one group against another and deride good people – just because others seem to like it! There is a good deal of the “speak now and apologize later” mentality – and the fallout from this in some cases is permanent and irreparable. We want to be cool…to fit in…to be accepted. So we go along with rhetoric that divides rather than unites.
We operate like people who have stepped out of a building into the brightness of a sunny day without wearing any sunglasses. We prefer to jump back into the “comfort” of the shadows as quickly as possible. We are not willing to make the effort to adjust to the bright light – and enjoy it! We don’t appreciate the warmth of the sun’s life-giving rays. We have no desire to put on sunscreen and protective clothing and stick around.
And so it is with Jesus. We don’t want to do the work. We would rather coast along in the darkness and act like we’re “all that,” and enjoy the relative “comfort” of fitting in and not making waves.
Understand this…sometimes, being a Christian is messy. It takes courage, confidence, hope and faith. It takes a willingness to step out of the darkness and say, “I’m following the LIGHT!” We have to swallow our pride and put on the full armor of God and say, “Wherever You lead, I will follow!” Are YOU courageous enough to do this? Will you place everything on the line for the One who has already done this - and so much more - for you?
Aren’t you ready to step out of the darkness and into the brilliant Light of Christ, once and for all? Will this be the day that you do?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*Jesus Calling ~ http://jesuscalling.com – is available at most bookstores and major retailers, including Walmart and Target.
Daily Devotional for September 7, 2016
John 3:16-18
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
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, I read a harrowing newspaper account of the confession from a man who abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling on October 22, 1989, in a field near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The assailant recently led authorities to the little boy’s remains, 27 years after the crime was committed. I tried to put myself in the shoes of Jacob’s parents, and I was moved to tears as I thought of them listening to this man’s confession and picturing their little boy…frightened and alone as a deranged man kidnapped and abused him, then put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
Whether we are eleven or one hundred and eleven, there will be things in life that happen to us that we cannot control. I realize that parents - and adults who love children like their own - cannot be with them 24/7. I understand that there will be good AND bad things that will happen to those we love, and we won’t be there to revel in the joys…or to protect them from dangers – and even moments of fear and panic. If you let your mind dwell on these things, it can become overwhelming.
Instead, I consider John 3:16-18, in which we are promised that God loved the world so much that He allowed HIS only Son to enter into it and be subjected to all sorts of encounters and experiences…both incredibly good – and unimaginably bad. But God never left Jesus. He was with Him through every single moment. And the GOOD NEWS is that because of this, God never leaves us. He is with us in the form of His Holy Spirit, now and forevermore.
Even when you or I cannot be with our children (of any age), God is there. When a loved one draws his/her last breath – and there is nothing we can do about it – God is with them. God is with us for our highest highs…and our lowest lows…and everything in between. He loves us SO much that He was willing to sacrifice HIS son in order that this might be the case. We must learn trust Him and live in His presence.
I won’t pretend that this is an easy – or instant – “fix”…that once we invite Jesus into our hearts, we are immediately able to surrender every single thought, experience, and emotion to Him. And certainly, for a child the age of Jacob Wetterling, it might be asking too much to hope that He had the spiritual maturity to call on God in this instance. But I have to believe that God did flood this child’s heart with a supernatural calm and peace. I am confident that we are commissioned to instill in others the faith and assurance that God loves us so much that He is with us in every situation…and we must especially do this for our children.
Many will ask, “If God loves us so much, why does He allow suffering and the occurrence of horrific atrocities?” My honest answer is that “I don’t know.” But I know that God does not do this to be cruel…that He suffers with us in these things. I also know that God rescues and redeems - and never wastes any experience.
In the case of Jacob Wetterling, his mother became a national advocate for missing children. And in 1994, a federal law, named after Jacob, was enacted that requires all states to establish registries for sex offenders. If we really begin to look at the big picture, we see how God knits together all sorts of experiences for outcomes we couldn’t even imagine…because of His incredible love for us.
The best gift we will ever receive is salvation through Jesus Christ – and the continual presence of His Holy Spirit. The best gift we can give another person is a demonstration of this love and presence in action in our own daily living. We must demonstrate that God is with us in each circumstance…that He loves us SO much that He sent Jesus to take our sins and show us how to fully live with faith and hope in His promises.
Have you accepted God’s “love gift?” Do you live in His presence on a daily basis? Don’t you want to? Are you ready to look for God in all situations and trust Him to surround you with His power and peace? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
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, I read a harrowing newspaper account of the confession from a man who abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling on October 22, 1989, in a field near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The assailant recently led authorities to the little boy’s remains, 27 years after the crime was committed. I tried to put myself in the shoes of Jacob’s parents, and I was moved to tears as I thought of them listening to this man’s confession and picturing their little boy…frightened and alone as a deranged man kidnapped and abused him, then put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
Whether we are eleven or one hundred and eleven, there will be things in life that happen to us that we cannot control. I realize that parents - and adults who love children like their own - cannot be with them 24/7. I understand that there will be good AND bad things that will happen to those we love, and we won’t be there to revel in the joys…or to protect them from dangers – and even moments of fear and panic. If you let your mind dwell on these things, it can become overwhelming.
Instead, I consider John 3:16-18, in which we are promised that God loved the world so much that He allowed HIS only Son to enter into it and be subjected to all sorts of encounters and experiences…both incredibly good – and unimaginably bad. But God never left Jesus. He was with Him through every single moment. And the GOOD NEWS is that because of this, God never leaves us. He is with us in the form of His Holy Spirit, now and forevermore.
Even when you or I cannot be with our children (of any age), God is there. When a loved one draws his/her last breath – and there is nothing we can do about it – God is with them. God is with us for our highest highs…and our lowest lows…and everything in between. He loves us SO much that He was willing to sacrifice HIS son in order that this might be the case. We must learn trust Him and live in His presence.
I won’t pretend that this is an easy – or instant – “fix”…that once we invite Jesus into our hearts, we are immediately able to surrender every single thought, experience, and emotion to Him. And certainly, for a child the age of Jacob Wetterling, it might be asking too much to hope that He had the spiritual maturity to call on God in this instance. But I have to believe that God did flood this child’s heart with a supernatural calm and peace. I am confident that we are commissioned to instill in others the faith and assurance that God loves us so much that He is with us in every situation…and we must especially do this for our children.
Many will ask, “If God loves us so much, why does He allow suffering and the occurrence of horrific atrocities?” My honest answer is that “I don’t know.” But I know that God does not do this to be cruel…that He suffers with us in these things. I also know that God rescues and redeems - and never wastes any experience.
In the case of Jacob Wetterling, his mother became a national advocate for missing children. And in 1994, a federal law, named after Jacob, was enacted that requires all states to establish registries for sex offenders. If we really begin to look at the big picture, we see how God knits together all sorts of experiences for outcomes we couldn’t even imagine…because of His incredible love for us.
The best gift we will ever receive is salvation through Jesus Christ – and the continual presence of His Holy Spirit. The best gift we can give another person is a demonstration of this love and presence in action in our own daily living. We must demonstrate that God is with us in each circumstance…that He loves us SO much that He sent Jesus to take our sins and show us how to fully live with faith and hope in His promises.
Have you accepted God’s “love gift?” Do you live in His presence on a daily basis? Don’t you want to? Are you ready to look for God in all situations and trust Him to surround you with His power and peace? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 6, 2016
John 3:10-15
Jesus replied: How can you be a teacher of Israel and not know these things? I tell you for certain that we know what we are talking about because we have seen it ourselves. But none of you will accept what we say. If you don’t believe when I talk to you about things on earth, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about things in heaven?
No one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from there. And the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as that metal snake was lifted up by Moses in the desert. Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Several years ago, my mother gave me a little desktop flip calendar called “365 Days of Humor for Women.” Today’s entry says…”Tell people that there are 400 billion stars, and they’ll believe you. Tell them a bench has wet paint, and they’ll have to touch it.” Talk about a perfect fit for today’s scripture passage!
Too many of us are running around wringing our hands and bemoaning this or that, when what we ought to be doing is “picking up the snake” and trusting God to make good on His promises! We SAY we believe in Jesus…that He is the LORD of our lives…but we surely do not act like it or demonstrate this to others. It’s like we went through the turnstile at a concert, but didn’t go on in for the show! We are stuck! We accepted Jesus…we received His forgiveness and redemption…but we’ve done nothing since then to share our newfound faith with others – or even demonstrate that we trust in an unseen God.
The crazy thing is that we readily accept everything from the posts we read on social media to the gossip we hear on the streets to those outlandish promises that if we just sign up for XYZ, we could win everything from a cruise or free airline tickets to millions of dollars! But when it comes to Jesus, we need to “touch the bench” to make sure the paint is really wet!
I do not dare to judge others, but I do notice a lot of people who are ready to like a meme about Jesus, or one of those “If-you-really-love-Jesus-like-this-and-share-it” posts. And right before or after this, they claim to the world that “My ‘ex’ is a jerk,” call a politician or someone who differs with them in some manner an ugly name, or declare that “I’m a Christian, so I am so much better than someone who believes such-and-such.” This is what Jesus explained to Nicodemus…either you are “all in” with Him, or you are stuck at the “turnstile.” Either you trust wholeheartedly that Jesus is ready, willing, and able to meet all of your needs, or you are touching the bench to see if the paint is really wet.
We need to pull it together and get real about our faith. We need to understand that Jesus did not redeem us so that we could go on about our old ways of living and continue to doubt, gossip, or mistreat others. In short, we cannot continue to sin as much as more than we did before we supposedly gave our hearts to Him. Yes, Jesus’ love is unconditional…but His salvation comes with a mission! And it is time we got busy fulfilling our assignments!
Are you ready to believe Jesus for everything…and act like it? Will you make this the day that you move forward and begin to truly live as Christ’s disciple? Let others see your faith in action. Stand up…step out – and boldly declare that you know who Jesus is - and what He can do for each of us. Are you ready to prove your confidence in Christ’s power? Are you ready to demonstrate unequivocally that when He says “the bench has wet paint,” you never have to touch it to be certain? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Jesus replied: How can you be a teacher of Israel and not know these things? I tell you for certain that we know what we are talking about because we have seen it ourselves. But none of you will accept what we say. If you don’t believe when I talk to you about things on earth, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about things in heaven?
No one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from there. And the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as that metal snake was lifted up by Moses in the desert. Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Several years ago, my mother gave me a little desktop flip calendar called “365 Days of Humor for Women.” Today’s entry says…”Tell people that there are 400 billion stars, and they’ll believe you. Tell them a bench has wet paint, and they’ll have to touch it.” Talk about a perfect fit for today’s scripture passage!
Too many of us are running around wringing our hands and bemoaning this or that, when what we ought to be doing is “picking up the snake” and trusting God to make good on His promises! We SAY we believe in Jesus…that He is the LORD of our lives…but we surely do not act like it or demonstrate this to others. It’s like we went through the turnstile at a concert, but didn’t go on in for the show! We are stuck! We accepted Jesus…we received His forgiveness and redemption…but we’ve done nothing since then to share our newfound faith with others – or even demonstrate that we trust in an unseen God.
The crazy thing is that we readily accept everything from the posts we read on social media to the gossip we hear on the streets to those outlandish promises that if we just sign up for XYZ, we could win everything from a cruise or free airline tickets to millions of dollars! But when it comes to Jesus, we need to “touch the bench” to make sure the paint is really wet!
I do not dare to judge others, but I do notice a lot of people who are ready to like a meme about Jesus, or one of those “If-you-really-love-Jesus-like-this-and-share-it” posts. And right before or after this, they claim to the world that “My ‘ex’ is a jerk,” call a politician or someone who differs with them in some manner an ugly name, or declare that “I’m a Christian, so I am so much better than someone who believes such-and-such.” This is what Jesus explained to Nicodemus…either you are “all in” with Him, or you are stuck at the “turnstile.” Either you trust wholeheartedly that Jesus is ready, willing, and able to meet all of your needs, or you are touching the bench to see if the paint is really wet.
We need to pull it together and get real about our faith. We need to understand that Jesus did not redeem us so that we could go on about our old ways of living and continue to doubt, gossip, or mistreat others. In short, we cannot continue to sin as much as more than we did before we supposedly gave our hearts to Him. Yes, Jesus’ love is unconditional…but His salvation comes with a mission! And it is time we got busy fulfilling our assignments!
Are you ready to believe Jesus for everything…and act like it? Will you make this the day that you move forward and begin to truly live as Christ’s disciple? Let others see your faith in action. Stand up…step out – and boldly declare that you know who Jesus is - and what He can do for each of us. Are you ready to prove your confidence in Christ’s power? Are you ready to demonstrate unequivocally that when He says “the bench has wet paint,” you never have to touch it to be certain? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 5, 2016
John 3:5-8
Jesus answered:
I tell you for certain that before you can get into God’s kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. Humans give life to their children. Yet only God’s Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don’t be surprised when I say that you must be born from above. Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last year after Halloween, I bought “super-hero” costumes off the clearance rack and gave Timothy, Zola and Nathan each a costume for Christmas. The children have had capes and masks before…but this was the “whole shebang”…suit, mask, and accessories. And all three kids have almost worn these costumes threadbare. Ask Nathan who he is when in costume, and he will tell you, “I’m Batman®!” or “I’m Spiderman®!” But ask about the well-known superheroes…especially Spiderman®…and these children can also readily tell you that he is the alter-ego of "Peter Parker." Even though they believe that the costume makes them (at least temporarily) into someone else (if only in a pretend sense), they also grasp the concept of “human” – and “superhuman”.
I guess it should come as no surprise to me how readily these little ones accept God. They know we cannot see Him…they understand that “God lives ‘up there’ in Heaven,” as Nathan puts it. They will even tell you that God lives in our hearts, too…and they believe it! We are working to establish the understanding that God is not just a “superhero” like Spiderman®, Iron Man® or Superman®…that He is REAL all the time – even if we cannot “see” Him – or an alter-ego - in the flesh.
I’m wondering at what point we change from being children who readily accept that God exists to the questioning beings that many of us are today. When do we stop believing what God tells us and start to doubt Him? Why do so many of us SAY we trust in Jesus, and then fail to act as if we do? How can we possibly demonstrate Christian faith to others when our own confidence is so terribly lacking?
We need to buckle down and spend some time with God…both studying His word and in prayer and conversation. We need to re-establish the connection of faith…and to truly grasp what it means to be “born of water and spirit” – and changed into a child of God. Some of us have not made that leap of faith – and fully embraced the Holy Spirit. We’re like a little kid who put on the superhero costume, then sat down and refused to play the part. The costume adds nothing if we don’t put on the “spirit.” And once we take it off, we are no different than when we began.
The time is here to put on the “spirit” of God…to carry Him in our hearts every minute of the day. We have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus…now it is time to put on His whole armor…and keep it on…to become the spirit-filled child of God that He has made us to be! By the time God calls us to heaven, our “outfit” should be so threadbare that He can’t help but reward us with a new one!
My question to you today is, “Who are you?” Have you truly been transformed into a spirit-filled child of God? Can others readily see this? Are you really ready to fully embrace your New Life in Christ – and His Holy Spirit - forever and ever? Will this be the day that you make the change?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Jesus answered:
I tell you for certain that before you can get into God’s kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. Humans give life to their children. Yet only God’s Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don’t be surprised when I say that you must be born from above. Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last year after Halloween, I bought “super-hero” costumes off the clearance rack and gave Timothy, Zola and Nathan each a costume for Christmas. The children have had capes and masks before…but this was the “whole shebang”…suit, mask, and accessories. And all three kids have almost worn these costumes threadbare. Ask Nathan who he is when in costume, and he will tell you, “I’m Batman®!” or “I’m Spiderman®!” But ask about the well-known superheroes…especially Spiderman®…and these children can also readily tell you that he is the alter-ego of "Peter Parker." Even though they believe that the costume makes them (at least temporarily) into someone else (if only in a pretend sense), they also grasp the concept of “human” – and “superhuman”.
I guess it should come as no surprise to me how readily these little ones accept God. They know we cannot see Him…they understand that “God lives ‘up there’ in Heaven,” as Nathan puts it. They will even tell you that God lives in our hearts, too…and they believe it! We are working to establish the understanding that God is not just a “superhero” like Spiderman®, Iron Man® or Superman®…that He is REAL all the time – even if we cannot “see” Him – or an alter-ego - in the flesh.
I’m wondering at what point we change from being children who readily accept that God exists to the questioning beings that many of us are today. When do we stop believing what God tells us and start to doubt Him? Why do so many of us SAY we trust in Jesus, and then fail to act as if we do? How can we possibly demonstrate Christian faith to others when our own confidence is so terribly lacking?
We need to buckle down and spend some time with God…both studying His word and in prayer and conversation. We need to re-establish the connection of faith…and to truly grasp what it means to be “born of water and spirit” – and changed into a child of God. Some of us have not made that leap of faith – and fully embraced the Holy Spirit. We’re like a little kid who put on the superhero costume, then sat down and refused to play the part. The costume adds nothing if we don’t put on the “spirit.” And once we take it off, we are no different than when we began.
The time is here to put on the “spirit” of God…to carry Him in our hearts every minute of the day. We have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus…now it is time to put on His whole armor…and keep it on…to become the spirit-filled child of God that He has made us to be! By the time God calls us to heaven, our “outfit” should be so threadbare that He can’t help but reward us with a new one!
My question to you today is, “Who are you?” Have you truly been transformed into a spirit-filled child of God? Can others readily see this? Are you really ready to fully embrace your New Life in Christ – and His Holy Spirit - forever and ever? Will this be the day that you make the change?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 4, 2016
John 20:30-31
Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.
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, seven second and third graders studied the Book of James with me and my assistant, Carie. We learned about trials and how God allows all of us to endure trials and problems…and that even Jesus had trials. If we had no problems or trials, we would not learn to depend on God. We talked about how God wants us to study His word and talk to Him, so that we know what to do…and learn how He gives us wisdom, perseverance, and joy – even when things are going all wrong.
One of our exercises was to pretend that we just got up and came to church without brushing our teeth, combing our hair – or even changing out of our pajamas. A couple of the children said, “It doesn’t matter how we look – God loves us anyway, and the people at church will love us.” We all agreed that this is true. But then I showed the children a mirror and asked, “Suppose you looked in the mirror and saw that you were a wreck…that your hair needed combing and your teeth needed brushing…but you put down the mirror and didn’t do any of these things.”
We talked about how God’s word is like a mirror that shows us where we could make changes or improvements – and “clean up our act!” When we read the scriptures, we see guidelines for how to handle certain situations…rules to live by…and comfort and consolation when things don’t go so smoothly. If we don’t pay any attention to what this “mirror” shows us, we are essentially saying that we don’t need God – or believe in His word! And nothing changes.
One of the points in today’s lesson was that it isn’t enough to have faith in Jesus…we have to DO His work as well. We have to take our own trials and use them to encourage and comfort others who are going through similar experiences. We have to demonstrate how we seek God’s wisdom and comfort through prayer and Bible study – and how He builds our faith – so that others are encouraged to do the same thing. This is discipleship in action!
How are you handling the trials in your life? Do you trust God to show you how to find joy and courage even in the midst of problems and adversity? Do you demonstrate this faith to others? Do you pay attention to what God shows you in His “mirror”…and make necessary adjustments and improvements?
All of these things take work and effort…but they are vital to furthering God’s Kingdom and serving well until He calls you to your perfect, trial-free home in Heaven. It’s a lot to take in…but we serve a BIG God who is more than able to help us make the most of His word. I stressed to the children that there are answers in the Bible for handling our questions and problems…but we have to open it and dig in.
If God’s word sits on the shelf unopened, His message may not reach us. Will this be the week that you open your Bible, dig in and get busy? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.
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, seven second and third graders studied the Book of James with me and my assistant, Carie. We learned about trials and how God allows all of us to endure trials and problems…and that even Jesus had trials. If we had no problems or trials, we would not learn to depend on God. We talked about how God wants us to study His word and talk to Him, so that we know what to do…and learn how He gives us wisdom, perseverance, and joy – even when things are going all wrong.
One of our exercises was to pretend that we just got up and came to church without brushing our teeth, combing our hair – or even changing out of our pajamas. A couple of the children said, “It doesn’t matter how we look – God loves us anyway, and the people at church will love us.” We all agreed that this is true. But then I showed the children a mirror and asked, “Suppose you looked in the mirror and saw that you were a wreck…that your hair needed combing and your teeth needed brushing…but you put down the mirror and didn’t do any of these things.”
We talked about how God’s word is like a mirror that shows us where we could make changes or improvements – and “clean up our act!” When we read the scriptures, we see guidelines for how to handle certain situations…rules to live by…and comfort and consolation when things don’t go so smoothly. If we don’t pay any attention to what this “mirror” shows us, we are essentially saying that we don’t need God – or believe in His word! And nothing changes.
One of the points in today’s lesson was that it isn’t enough to have faith in Jesus…we have to DO His work as well. We have to take our own trials and use them to encourage and comfort others who are going through similar experiences. We have to demonstrate how we seek God’s wisdom and comfort through prayer and Bible study – and how He builds our faith – so that others are encouraged to do the same thing. This is discipleship in action!
How are you handling the trials in your life? Do you trust God to show you how to find joy and courage even in the midst of problems and adversity? Do you demonstrate this faith to others? Do you pay attention to what God shows you in His “mirror”…and make necessary adjustments and improvements?
All of these things take work and effort…but they are vital to furthering God’s Kingdom and serving well until He calls you to your perfect, trial-free home in Heaven. It’s a lot to take in…but we serve a BIG God who is more than able to help us make the most of His word. I stressed to the children that there are answers in the Bible for handling our questions and problems…but we have to open it and dig in.
If God’s word sits on the shelf unopened, His message may not reach us. Will this be the week that you open your Bible, dig in and get busy? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 3, 2016
John 20:24-29
But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”
But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”
Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”
Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”
Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”
Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”
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.
In a recent television interview, Arkansas Razorbacks head football coach, Bret Bielema, shared the story of his 27-year-old sister Betsy’s death in 1990. Betsy Bielema was in Seattle, Washington, working with underprivileged children. She broke her neck when she landed on her head after a horse she was riding encountered a snake and threw her. Bret Bielema was understandably devastated by this shocking loss. But he shared that after her passing, his pastor asked him, “What is something you will always remember about Betsy?” Bielema noted that his sister LOVED donuts.
The pastor told Bret Bielema that from now on, whenever he sees donuts, he should stop and tell SOMEONE about his sister…that this will keep her memory alive. Bielema asked the reporter [paraphrased]…”Do you know how many airports I’m in and how many Cinnabon® shops I pass?” He added that he always stops and tells someone about Betsy - sometimes even complete strangers! But Bielema admitted that talking about his sister and remembering keeps her “alive” in his heart and memories.
Even our little children understand that when someone dies, we cannot see them any longer – but they are still “with us.” Just yesterday, four-year-old Nathan was telling me (more to reassure himself) that “God is in our hearts…just like Granny. Granny died, but she is still in our hearts!” And he is so right. We talk about my mother, look at pictures, and carry on some of her “traditions” in an effort to keep her memory strong - and recognize her “presence.”
Quite often, my mother hosted a birthday dinner for my niece, Jasmine. She did this as recently as last year. So this year…Greg and I hosted the dinner. A cousin applauded our efforts to “keep the family strong” and noted that…”It would be way easier to let it all go.” I thought about Coach Bielema…how busy he is and how it must be incredibly inconvenient at times to stop in an airport - or wherever he happens to encounter donuts – and tell someone about his sister.
But what if we just let go of these people? More importantly, what if we just “let Jesus go?” What if we didn’t carry on His work and “believe without seeing?” I still remember the first time I heard this scripture passage taught and realized that people who have never “seen” Jesus (like you and I) – yet believe in Him with our whole hearts – are extra precious to God. It’s easy to love someone, talk about them, and share in their experiences when they are physically with us. But to keep them “alive” after they have passed takes effort…faith…hope…strength…and perseverance.
So this is our mission for today…to “Keep Jesus Alive!” We must go the extra mile to do His work and share His message with others. We must be willing to “stop people in an airport” and tell them about this amazing Prince of Peace that none of us can physically “see”…but Who is completely present with us at all times - in ways great and small. We must honor the importance that God has given to each of us in His Kingdom. We must trust in an unseen Savior…and “make Him real” to others.
It would be way easier to let it all go…but then we would be left with absolutely nothing. And I want no part of a life without Jesus…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”
But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”
Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”
Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”
Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”
Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”
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.
In a recent television interview, Arkansas Razorbacks head football coach, Bret Bielema, shared the story of his 27-year-old sister Betsy’s death in 1990. Betsy Bielema was in Seattle, Washington, working with underprivileged children. She broke her neck when she landed on her head after a horse she was riding encountered a snake and threw her. Bret Bielema was understandably devastated by this shocking loss. But he shared that after her passing, his pastor asked him, “What is something you will always remember about Betsy?” Bielema noted that his sister LOVED donuts.
The pastor told Bret Bielema that from now on, whenever he sees donuts, he should stop and tell SOMEONE about his sister…that this will keep her memory alive. Bielema asked the reporter [paraphrased]…”Do you know how many airports I’m in and how many Cinnabon® shops I pass?” He added that he always stops and tells someone about Betsy - sometimes even complete strangers! But Bielema admitted that talking about his sister and remembering keeps her “alive” in his heart and memories.
Even our little children understand that when someone dies, we cannot see them any longer – but they are still “with us.” Just yesterday, four-year-old Nathan was telling me (more to reassure himself) that “God is in our hearts…just like Granny. Granny died, but she is still in our hearts!” And he is so right. We talk about my mother, look at pictures, and carry on some of her “traditions” in an effort to keep her memory strong - and recognize her “presence.”
Quite often, my mother hosted a birthday dinner for my niece, Jasmine. She did this as recently as last year. So this year…Greg and I hosted the dinner. A cousin applauded our efforts to “keep the family strong” and noted that…”It would be way easier to let it all go.” I thought about Coach Bielema…how busy he is and how it must be incredibly inconvenient at times to stop in an airport - or wherever he happens to encounter donuts – and tell someone about his sister.
But what if we just let go of these people? More importantly, what if we just “let Jesus go?” What if we didn’t carry on His work and “believe without seeing?” I still remember the first time I heard this scripture passage taught and realized that people who have never “seen” Jesus (like you and I) – yet believe in Him with our whole hearts – are extra precious to God. It’s easy to love someone, talk about them, and share in their experiences when they are physically with us. But to keep them “alive” after they have passed takes effort…faith…hope…strength…and perseverance.
So this is our mission for today…to “Keep Jesus Alive!” We must go the extra mile to do His work and share His message with others. We must be willing to “stop people in an airport” and tell them about this amazing Prince of Peace that none of us can physically “see”…but Who is completely present with us at all times - in ways great and small. We must honor the importance that God has given to each of us in His Kingdom. We must trust in an unseen Savior…and “make Him real” to others.
It would be way easier to let it all go…but then we would be left with absolutely nothing. And I want no part of a life without Jesus…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 2, 2016
John 20:19-23
Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.
The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”
Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There's a funny thing about kids…they never want you to throw anything away. So they are devastated when they find “artwork” in the trash…or you gather toys they no longer play with to share with a younger child. I’ve even seen our children cling to clothing that they had outgrown. I’m particularly remembering a pair of “Ninja Turtles” pajamas that were far too snug and short (both in the leg length and the “stride”) for Timothy – and then Nathan – and both boys INSISTED that these still fit and fell apart when I mentioned giving them to a younger friend. I cannot count how many times we have had to do a little “purging” when the children were gone… and just hoped that they didn’t ask about the “missing” items!
You and I hang onto things, too…just open any closet or drawer! But we also cling to grudges…offenses…and memories of things that happened so long ago that the details are incredibly fuzzy to everyone – except us! As Christians, we are called to forgive…to let go of these things and move forward. As Jesus put it to the Disciples...if you don’t release old baggage, what will you do with it?
Some of us try to “wear” these old sins like the too-small pair of Ninja Turtles pajama pants. And I’m here to tell you, the look ain’t pretty! More importantly, it does not properly represent our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The same deep breath that Jesus breathed into His Disciples, He breathes into each and every one of us who surrender to Him. He fills us with His Holy Spirit. But it is up to us to receive Him and recognize His presence…to fully operate under His guidance, wisdom, grace and mercy - each and every day.
So “out with the old…in with the new!” Think about what you need to let go of today…who you need to forgive…where you should release old grudges, insults, offenses and heartaches, so that the Holy Spirit has room to fill your heart with His joys and abundance. Don’t be afraid to get rid of the baggage and move forward with Christ. It’s time to truly trust Jesus to do what He has promised…and to extend His peace and love to others. Now ready…set…GO!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.
The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”
Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There's a funny thing about kids…they never want you to throw anything away. So they are devastated when they find “artwork” in the trash…or you gather toys they no longer play with to share with a younger child. I’ve even seen our children cling to clothing that they had outgrown. I’m particularly remembering a pair of “Ninja Turtles” pajamas that were far too snug and short (both in the leg length and the “stride”) for Timothy – and then Nathan – and both boys INSISTED that these still fit and fell apart when I mentioned giving them to a younger friend. I cannot count how many times we have had to do a little “purging” when the children were gone… and just hoped that they didn’t ask about the “missing” items!
You and I hang onto things, too…just open any closet or drawer! But we also cling to grudges…offenses…and memories of things that happened so long ago that the details are incredibly fuzzy to everyone – except us! As Christians, we are called to forgive…to let go of these things and move forward. As Jesus put it to the Disciples...if you don’t release old baggage, what will you do with it?
Some of us try to “wear” these old sins like the too-small pair of Ninja Turtles pajama pants. And I’m here to tell you, the look ain’t pretty! More importantly, it does not properly represent our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The same deep breath that Jesus breathed into His Disciples, He breathes into each and every one of us who surrender to Him. He fills us with His Holy Spirit. But it is up to us to receive Him and recognize His presence…to fully operate under His guidance, wisdom, grace and mercy - each and every day.
So “out with the old…in with the new!” Think about what you need to let go of today…who you need to forgive…where you should release old grudges, insults, offenses and heartaches, so that the Holy Spirit has room to fill your heart with His joys and abundance. Don’t be afraid to get rid of the baggage and move forward with Christ. It’s time to truly trust Jesus to do what He has promised…and to extend His peace and love to others. Now ready…set…GO!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 1, 2016
John 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down and saw two angels inside. They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One was at the head and the other was at the foot. The angels asked Mary, “Why are you crying?”
She answered, “They have taken away my Lord’s body! I don’t know where they have put him.”
As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know who he was. Jesus asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener and said, “Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him, “Rabboni.” The Aramaic word “Rabboni” means “Teacher.”
Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples that I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God.” Mary Magdalene then went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord. She also told them what he had said to her.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few years ago, my mother gave copies of a little book called Jesus Calling* to me, my sister, and my niece. When Mother died in January, I found extra copies in her “stash” of books, so I know that she shared this inspirational book with many people over the years.
Mother spoke of Jesus Calling often…she faithfully read her copy every day. I have it on my desk, and often, I look at the notes she made and the parts she underlined. I will admit that I didn’t pay much attention to my copy until Mother’s last days on this earth. And while I sometimes get busy, I always catch up on the entries at some point during the week. I would highly recommend Jesus Calling to each of you…the passages are brief and easy to understand – as if they were written from Jesus directly to us. There are also scripture references for each entry that correlate the message to actual Bible verses.
This morning, I was reading the entry for August 30th, which begins…”There is no place so desolate that you cannot find Me there.” In the second paragraph, “Jesus” tells us, “No set of circumstances could ever isolate you from My loving Presence.”
As I read this story from John 20 of Mary Magdalene and how despondent and lonely she must have felt after Jesus’ death, I was touched by the gentleness of Jesus’ encounter with her. He didn’t yell at her…or scream, “Mary, it’s ME…JESUS! How could you not know Me?” He gently and sweetly approached her. And with a simple almost-whisper of her name, Mary recognized her Lord. The tenderness of this image nearly moves me to tears. Jesus is always with us…but He never forces Himself on us.
This may be a difficult day for you. You may be so busy that you don’t see how you can possibly accomplish everything on your “to-do” list. You may be brokenhearted with grief and sadness…frightened about circumstances beyond your control…angry over some injustice or wrong…sick or injured - and worried about your health and well-being. Or you may be filled with uncontrollable joy and excitement about wonderful things that are happening to you and/or someone you love. Life may be exceptionally hard right now…or incredibly good…or somewhere in between.
Regardless of your situation and present circumstances, Jesus is with you. He is gently and tenderly calling your name. You may be looking everywhere for Him…or He may not even be “on your radar” today. But I assure you that you are on His! He is with you…waiting to be recognized…ready to meet your every need and walk with you through this day – and every other. Stop…look…listen…and call to Jesus! Recognize His presence, and take every opportunity to let others know that He is always available to each of us.
Jesus IS calling…your Lord is right beside you! Will you acknowledge His presence?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*www.JesusCalling.com
Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down and saw two angels inside. They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One was at the head and the other was at the foot. The angels asked Mary, “Why are you crying?”
She answered, “They have taken away my Lord’s body! I don’t know where they have put him.”
As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know who he was. Jesus asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener and said, “Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him, “Rabboni.” The Aramaic word “Rabboni” means “Teacher.”
Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples that I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God.” Mary Magdalene then went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord. She also told them what he had said to her.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few years ago, my mother gave copies of a little book called Jesus Calling* to me, my sister, and my niece. When Mother died in January, I found extra copies in her “stash” of books, so I know that she shared this inspirational book with many people over the years.
Mother spoke of Jesus Calling often…she faithfully read her copy every day. I have it on my desk, and often, I look at the notes she made and the parts she underlined. I will admit that I didn’t pay much attention to my copy until Mother’s last days on this earth. And while I sometimes get busy, I always catch up on the entries at some point during the week. I would highly recommend Jesus Calling to each of you…the passages are brief and easy to understand – as if they were written from Jesus directly to us. There are also scripture references for each entry that correlate the message to actual Bible verses.
This morning, I was reading the entry for August 30th, which begins…”There is no place so desolate that you cannot find Me there.” In the second paragraph, “Jesus” tells us, “No set of circumstances could ever isolate you from My loving Presence.”
As I read this story from John 20 of Mary Magdalene and how despondent and lonely she must have felt after Jesus’ death, I was touched by the gentleness of Jesus’ encounter with her. He didn’t yell at her…or scream, “Mary, it’s ME…JESUS! How could you not know Me?” He gently and sweetly approached her. And with a simple almost-whisper of her name, Mary recognized her Lord. The tenderness of this image nearly moves me to tears. Jesus is always with us…but He never forces Himself on us.
This may be a difficult day for you. You may be so busy that you don’t see how you can possibly accomplish everything on your “to-do” list. You may be brokenhearted with grief and sadness…frightened about circumstances beyond your control…angry over some injustice or wrong…sick or injured - and worried about your health and well-being. Or you may be filled with uncontrollable joy and excitement about wonderful things that are happening to you and/or someone you love. Life may be exceptionally hard right now…or incredibly good…or somewhere in between.
Regardless of your situation and present circumstances, Jesus is with you. He is gently and tenderly calling your name. You may be looking everywhere for Him…or He may not even be “on your radar” today. But I assure you that you are on His! He is with you…waiting to be recognized…ready to meet your every need and walk with you through this day – and every other. Stop…look…listen…and call to Jesus! Recognize His presence, and take every opportunity to let others know that He is always available to each of us.
Jesus IS calling…your Lord is right beside you! Will you acknowledge His presence?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*www.JesusCalling.com
Daily Devotional for August 31, 2016
John 20:1-9
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone was rolled aside from the entrance.
She ran and found Simon Peter and me and said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!”
We ran to the tomb to see; I outran Peter and got there first, and stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but I didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went on inside. He also noticed the cloth lying there, while the swath that had covered Jesus’ head was rolled up in a bundle and was lying at the side. Then I went in too, and saw, and believed that he had risen - for until then we hadn’t realized that the Scriptures said he would come to life again!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I saw a talk show interview with actor/comedian/filmmaker Mel Brooks in which he spoke of his dear friend, the late actor Gene Wilder. Brooks said he knew that his friend was not well – that his time on earth was growing short. But once Wilder passed, Mel Brooks said that he actually felt “shocked” for a while. Brooks could not accept that he would never be able to call Wilder and speak to him again. This this is a typical reaction for someone who is grieving…part of a normal process.
When American gymnasts Simone Biles and Aly Raisman took the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the 2016 Rio Olympics, there were a few moments where the two young women and their coaches stood and hugged each other somewhat in disbelief. The “talk” for days had been that these girls would win medals. It was certainly no surprise that Biles took the gold. But in the initial moments, there was a bit of surprise and excitement…and awe! Again, this was a normal reaction. The culmination of all that had happened was almost overwhelming.
Think of a time when someone told you something…but what they were saying didn’t really register. Maybe you were not paying enough attention. Perhaps you simply did not comprehend what you were being told. Or maybe, what you were hearing was so astounding that you didn’t think it could possibly be accurate or really happen. So when you realized that this.was.real…you were “dazed and confused” – at least momentarily.
When I read this scripture passage, I asked myself…”What is our take-away?” And the message I kept getting is…”pay attention!” So often, we are caught up in a myriad of circumstances and emotions – many of them important, but some not so much – and we don’t really comprehend what we read or hear. This is especially true when it comes to God’s word for our life. So we can read a scripture passage over and again for decades…and one day, it all “clicks” and we realize…”THIS is what Jesus was saying!” Or we move along through life and don’t realize that Scriptures told us plainly what would happen in this or that situation…and we simply didn’t grasp it!
The bottom line is that we must pay closer attention to God’s word for us…both written and whispered. We must be awake and alert to His “signs and wonders”…in tune with His directives. We must ask questions…dig deeper…and really GET what we are being fed! The mission is too important…the message is unbelievably crucial. We don’t have time to waste…and figuring things out after the fact – when “the tomb is empty” – is unacceptable. God wants us to be so attuned to His word that we anticipate what is coming next…that we expect Him to show up…that we are never caught off guard.
I don’t know about you, but this means that I have work to do! I have to get my act together and sharpen my focus. I have to start seeking God more and living with confidence that He is always close at hand. I have to be less shocked when God shows up and “shows out”…and better prepared for His miraculous presence and perfection. I suspect it is much the same for you, as well.
Will you be like John and Peter at the empty tomb? Or will this be the day that you sit up a little straighter, perk your ears, and zero in on what God is showing you? Are you truly paying attention? Don't you think you should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone was rolled aside from the entrance.
She ran and found Simon Peter and me and said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!”
We ran to the tomb to see; I outran Peter and got there first, and stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but I didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went on inside. He also noticed the cloth lying there, while the swath that had covered Jesus’ head was rolled up in a bundle and was lying at the side. Then I went in too, and saw, and believed that he had risen - for until then we hadn’t realized that the Scriptures said he would come to life again!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I saw a talk show interview with actor/comedian/filmmaker Mel Brooks in which he spoke of his dear friend, the late actor Gene Wilder. Brooks said he knew that his friend was not well – that his time on earth was growing short. But once Wilder passed, Mel Brooks said that he actually felt “shocked” for a while. Brooks could not accept that he would never be able to call Wilder and speak to him again. This this is a typical reaction for someone who is grieving…part of a normal process.
When American gymnasts Simone Biles and Aly Raisman took the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the 2016 Rio Olympics, there were a few moments where the two young women and their coaches stood and hugged each other somewhat in disbelief. The “talk” for days had been that these girls would win medals. It was certainly no surprise that Biles took the gold. But in the initial moments, there was a bit of surprise and excitement…and awe! Again, this was a normal reaction. The culmination of all that had happened was almost overwhelming.
Think of a time when someone told you something…but what they were saying didn’t really register. Maybe you were not paying enough attention. Perhaps you simply did not comprehend what you were being told. Or maybe, what you were hearing was so astounding that you didn’t think it could possibly be accurate or really happen. So when you realized that this.was.real…you were “dazed and confused” – at least momentarily.
When I read this scripture passage, I asked myself…”What is our take-away?” And the message I kept getting is…”pay attention!” So often, we are caught up in a myriad of circumstances and emotions – many of them important, but some not so much – and we don’t really comprehend what we read or hear. This is especially true when it comes to God’s word for our life. So we can read a scripture passage over and again for decades…and one day, it all “clicks” and we realize…”THIS is what Jesus was saying!” Or we move along through life and don’t realize that Scriptures told us plainly what would happen in this or that situation…and we simply didn’t grasp it!
The bottom line is that we must pay closer attention to God’s word for us…both written and whispered. We must be awake and alert to His “signs and wonders”…in tune with His directives. We must ask questions…dig deeper…and really GET what we are being fed! The mission is too important…the message is unbelievably crucial. We don’t have time to waste…and figuring things out after the fact – when “the tomb is empty” – is unacceptable. God wants us to be so attuned to His word that we anticipate what is coming next…that we expect Him to show up…that we are never caught off guard.
I don’t know about you, but this means that I have work to do! I have to get my act together and sharpen my focus. I have to start seeking God more and living with confidence that He is always close at hand. I have to be less shocked when God shows up and “shows out”…and better prepared for His miraculous presence and perfection. I suspect it is much the same for you, as well.
Will you be like John and Peter at the empty tomb? Or will this be the day that you sit up a little straighter, perk your ears, and zero in on what God is showing you? Are you truly paying attention? Don't you think you should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 30, 2016
John 18:33-37
Meanwhile, the apostles were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”
Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?”
Pilate said, “Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?”
“My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”
Pilate said, “So, are you a king or not?”
Jesus answered, “You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice.”
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.
Last night, we had a birthday dinner for my niece, Jasmine. Timothy was running around in a “dress-up” costume, pretending to be some imaginary character. He said, “You can call me Dr. Evil…or just ‘E’…but don’t call me XYZ (I cannot remember the other name).” I’ll be honest, I had no clue who he was…or whether he was really “evil” - or a good guy. And he did little to give me any insight beyond what names I should use to address him.
Who are you? Who do people think you are? Do they know you by the reputation others have assigned to you…and is it a favorable one? Are you known as a “good person” or someone who is “nice”? Conversely, have others heard that you are NOT a decent person…that you are unkind, arrogant, pretentious, judgmental, dishonest, or self-serving - and not to be trusted? Have people formed opinions about you based on your demeanor – and have these sometimes been unfair or inaccurate? Do others have any CLUE that you are a follower of Jesus?
Here’s the thing…people ARE watching – and forming instant opinions. Right or wrong, we all pay attention the opinions of others…and sometimes, these color OUR thoughts. Each of us has a set of criteria by which we evaluate others…and quite often, there is no room on this list for actual truth. I think on some level, Pilate knew who Jesus really was…but he would not allow himself to go against the opinion of others and stand up for the truth. There was no attempt by Jesus to deceive…He never hides the truth of Who He is – or His message. But I think that there are times when we “put on a costume,” so to speak…and show others who we want them to see, rather than who we truly are – much less who Christ calls us to be!
We downplay – or even belie – our faith in Jesus in favor of a more popular demeanor and stance. We hide the truth of Christ. We laugh at the offensive joke… show up where we know we shouldn’t…look the other way when we know something wrong is being said or done - and even step over others to make ourselves look better. We gossip, judge, discriminate, glorify people and actions that are anything BUT worthy of any credit or recognition. And worst of all…we do a lot of these things while calling ourselves Christians and claiming the name of Jesus!
We are not seven-year-olds in a costume pretending to be some imaginary character. Many of us are saved and sanctified believers who are supposed to be Disciples of Christ who share His truth with others. We are supposed to be transparent, unabashed proclaimers of Jesus’ message who leave no question about Who we serve…representatives of the King who doesn’t belong to this world but came to save it for God’s Heavenly Kingdom. People should be able to recognize us readily as Christians…as followers of Christ who know His voice - and willingly obey Him.
Who ARE you…and who do others think you are? Are you in need of an “identity makeover?” Will this be the day that you take off your “dress-up costume” and ask God to help you become the person He designed - and Christ redeemed? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Meanwhile, the apostles were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”
Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?”
Pilate said, “Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?”
“My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”
Pilate said, “So, are you a king or not?”
Jesus answered, “You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice.”
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.
Last night, we had a birthday dinner for my niece, Jasmine. Timothy was running around in a “dress-up” costume, pretending to be some imaginary character. He said, “You can call me Dr. Evil…or just ‘E’…but don’t call me XYZ (I cannot remember the other name).” I’ll be honest, I had no clue who he was…or whether he was really “evil” - or a good guy. And he did little to give me any insight beyond what names I should use to address him.
Who are you? Who do people think you are? Do they know you by the reputation others have assigned to you…and is it a favorable one? Are you known as a “good person” or someone who is “nice”? Conversely, have others heard that you are NOT a decent person…that you are unkind, arrogant, pretentious, judgmental, dishonest, or self-serving - and not to be trusted? Have people formed opinions about you based on your demeanor – and have these sometimes been unfair or inaccurate? Do others have any CLUE that you are a follower of Jesus?
Here’s the thing…people ARE watching – and forming instant opinions. Right or wrong, we all pay attention the opinions of others…and sometimes, these color OUR thoughts. Each of us has a set of criteria by which we evaluate others…and quite often, there is no room on this list for actual truth. I think on some level, Pilate knew who Jesus really was…but he would not allow himself to go against the opinion of others and stand up for the truth. There was no attempt by Jesus to deceive…He never hides the truth of Who He is – or His message. But I think that there are times when we “put on a costume,” so to speak…and show others who we want them to see, rather than who we truly are – much less who Christ calls us to be!
We downplay – or even belie – our faith in Jesus in favor of a more popular demeanor and stance. We hide the truth of Christ. We laugh at the offensive joke… show up where we know we shouldn’t…look the other way when we know something wrong is being said or done - and even step over others to make ourselves look better. We gossip, judge, discriminate, glorify people and actions that are anything BUT worthy of any credit or recognition. And worst of all…we do a lot of these things while calling ourselves Christians and claiming the name of Jesus!
We are not seven-year-olds in a costume pretending to be some imaginary character. Many of us are saved and sanctified believers who are supposed to be Disciples of Christ who share His truth with others. We are supposed to be transparent, unabashed proclaimers of Jesus’ message who leave no question about Who we serve…representatives of the King who doesn’t belong to this world but came to save it for God’s Heavenly Kingdom. People should be able to recognize us readily as Christians…as followers of Christ who know His voice - and willingly obey Him.
Who ARE you…and who do others think you are? Are you in need of an “identity makeover?” Will this be the day that you take off your “dress-up costume” and ask God to help you become the person He designed - and Christ redeemed? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 29, 2016
John 18:19-23
The high priest questioned Jesus about his followers and his teaching. But Jesus told him, “I have spoken freely in front of everyone. And I have always taught in our meeting places and in the temple, where all of our people come together. I have not said anything in secret. Why are you questioning me? Why don’t you ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said.”
As soon as Jesus said this, one of the temple police hit him and said, “That’s no way to talk to the high priest!”
Jesus answered, “If I have done something wrong, say so. But if not, why did you hit me?”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our daily news is filled with reports of people saying or doing shocking - and sometimes abhorrent things. We read and hear accounts of everything from name calling and degradation of others…to heinous acts of cruelty…to public protests of this issue or that one, and much more. Sometimes, we are shocked by these words and actions…but quite often, these behaviors come as no surprise, given the reputation of the people involved.
I am not condoning these exploits and comments. But we have come to expect a certain level of behavior – or misbehavior – from quite a few folks. By the same token…we know people of integrity who consistently offer truth, grace, mercy, kindness, and wisdom in their daily living. As the old saying goes…”It takes all kinds.”
Even a person of utmost character and uprightness will have his/her detractors. Jesus certainly said or did nothing to deserve to be slapped around, spit upon, beaten to a pulp and crucified. He didn’t say or do anything different to merit such cruelty from the high priests after His arrest. His message was consistent…His actions were unwavering. Yet Jesus was persecuted. And on our best day as Christian disciples, you and I will be subject to criticism and unfair assessment, as well.
OUR JOB is to remain steady in our faith and witness…to develop a reputation for upright character and fairness – and to do everything we can to never falter. There will be those who want to trip us up…or judge us without merit. There will even be people who say unkind things about us – and maybe spread malicious (and untrue) rumors about us to disparage our character. They will look for the least little thing to jump on and “slap us around.” So we must bring our “A-game” at all times!
What sort of reputation do you have with others? Are you “one of those” from whom ugly, disrespectful comments and actions or outbursts are expected? Do you give others reason to question your discipleship and loyalty to Christ? Or are you known as someone who is consistent in his/her faithfulness and witness? Are you able to rise above criticism and disparagement from those who might try to denigrate your efforts to share the Good News of Jesus…and continue to serve Him with dignity and honor? And are you careful not to criticize or judge others?
What is your level of commitment to serving Jesus – and to serving others in His name? When someone “slaps you around,” how do you react? Let Christ’s example be your model. Honor your commitment to Him by always going the extra mile…even when the devil puts obstacles and distractions in your path. This will probably happen at some point…will you be ready to handle it?
©2016 Debbie Robus
The high priest questioned Jesus about his followers and his teaching. But Jesus told him, “I have spoken freely in front of everyone. And I have always taught in our meeting places and in the temple, where all of our people come together. I have not said anything in secret. Why are you questioning me? Why don’t you ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said.”
As soon as Jesus said this, one of the temple police hit him and said, “That’s no way to talk to the high priest!”
Jesus answered, “If I have done something wrong, say so. But if not, why did you hit me?”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our daily news is filled with reports of people saying or doing shocking - and sometimes abhorrent things. We read and hear accounts of everything from name calling and degradation of others…to heinous acts of cruelty…to public protests of this issue or that one, and much more. Sometimes, we are shocked by these words and actions…but quite often, these behaviors come as no surprise, given the reputation of the people involved.
I am not condoning these exploits and comments. But we have come to expect a certain level of behavior – or misbehavior – from quite a few folks. By the same token…we know people of integrity who consistently offer truth, grace, mercy, kindness, and wisdom in their daily living. As the old saying goes…”It takes all kinds.”
Even a person of utmost character and uprightness will have his/her detractors. Jesus certainly said or did nothing to deserve to be slapped around, spit upon, beaten to a pulp and crucified. He didn’t say or do anything different to merit such cruelty from the high priests after His arrest. His message was consistent…His actions were unwavering. Yet Jesus was persecuted. And on our best day as Christian disciples, you and I will be subject to criticism and unfair assessment, as well.
OUR JOB is to remain steady in our faith and witness…to develop a reputation for upright character and fairness – and to do everything we can to never falter. There will be those who want to trip us up…or judge us without merit. There will even be people who say unkind things about us – and maybe spread malicious (and untrue) rumors about us to disparage our character. They will look for the least little thing to jump on and “slap us around.” So we must bring our “A-game” at all times!
What sort of reputation do you have with others? Are you “one of those” from whom ugly, disrespectful comments and actions or outbursts are expected? Do you give others reason to question your discipleship and loyalty to Christ? Or are you known as someone who is consistent in his/her faithfulness and witness? Are you able to rise above criticism and disparagement from those who might try to denigrate your efforts to share the Good News of Jesus…and continue to serve Him with dignity and honor? And are you careful not to criticize or judge others?
What is your level of commitment to serving Jesus – and to serving others in His name? When someone “slaps you around,” how do you react? Let Christ’s example be your model. Honor your commitment to Him by always going the extra mile…even when the devil puts obstacles and distractions in your path. This will probably happen at some point…will you be ready to handle it?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 28, 2016
John 15:9-14
“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.
“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.
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.
Anyone who knows us very well knows that we are huge “homebodies.” As founders and publishers of Workamper News*, a magazine and website that tell people how to find work while traveling…people readily assumed that Greg and I were criss-crossing the country in an RV. In truth, for the 18 years we owned this business – and in the years since – we’ve rarely gone anywhere. Our business was home-based for most of the first 16 years…quite literally in an adjoining room of our house for about a decade. For another six years or so, our office was located a short golf-cart ride away - but still on the same property. We could – and did – work in our pajamas, if we wanted!
Thankfully Greg and I get along quite well, because we have been virtually inseparable since 1987! We are blessed with a special relationship that allows us to live and work together amicably…and to give each other “space” for special interests/hobbies. We revel in our individual joys, as well as common purposes. Like many couples who have been together for a long time, we share experiences…joys and triumphs – and heartaches and concerns. There is nothing that we would not do for each other…no burden OR delight that we would not take on together.
As idyllic as this all sounds, I have to tell you that I firmly believe the only reason such a relationship is possible is because we are “at home” in the love of Christ. We are just as comfortable in our relationship with Jesus as we are with each other. We have made ourselves at home in His love. Jesus shares our joys, triumphs and accomplishments…and our disappointments, burdens and sorrows. He undergirds everything about our lives and creates a safe haven in which to rest and reside.
As I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I have less and less desire or temptation to “travel” to areas that don’t include Him. The “lure” of sin has lost its appeal. I find that I stop in my tracks more often if/when I am tempted to speak or act in a manner that might disrespect or degrade our relationship in any way. I am quite cozy, comfortable, and “at home” in the arms of Jesus.
This does not mean that I am complacent. With any “home,” maintenance and upkeep are required…and it is no different in my relationship with Jesus. We must cultivate and nurture conversation, shared activities and goals…and Christ’s mission. We must make the time and effort to encourage others to settle in with Him, as well…and we must demonstrate His love by loving them just as He does.
Take some time today to think about your home. Is it a place you pass through on your way to something or somewhere else? Are you comfortable there…secure and content? Would you say that this describes your “home” in the love of Christ? Is your relationship with Jesus like a place where you store your clothes and other belongings…but spend little to no time there? Or do you delight in dwelling in His presence and serving as His disciple?
Are you in some ways running from Jesus…and does it show in your daily living? Are you ready to fully embrace your relationship with Christ – and then share the blessings of His love with others? Will this be the day that your joy fully matures and you settle in to “make your home” with Him? Don’t you want it to be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*http://workamper.com
“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.
“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.
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.
Anyone who knows us very well knows that we are huge “homebodies.” As founders and publishers of Workamper News*, a magazine and website that tell people how to find work while traveling…people readily assumed that Greg and I were criss-crossing the country in an RV. In truth, for the 18 years we owned this business – and in the years since – we’ve rarely gone anywhere. Our business was home-based for most of the first 16 years…quite literally in an adjoining room of our house for about a decade. For another six years or so, our office was located a short golf-cart ride away - but still on the same property. We could – and did – work in our pajamas, if we wanted!
Thankfully Greg and I get along quite well, because we have been virtually inseparable since 1987! We are blessed with a special relationship that allows us to live and work together amicably…and to give each other “space” for special interests/hobbies. We revel in our individual joys, as well as common purposes. Like many couples who have been together for a long time, we share experiences…joys and triumphs – and heartaches and concerns. There is nothing that we would not do for each other…no burden OR delight that we would not take on together.
As idyllic as this all sounds, I have to tell you that I firmly believe the only reason such a relationship is possible is because we are “at home” in the love of Christ. We are just as comfortable in our relationship with Jesus as we are with each other. We have made ourselves at home in His love. Jesus shares our joys, triumphs and accomplishments…and our disappointments, burdens and sorrows. He undergirds everything about our lives and creates a safe haven in which to rest and reside.
As I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I have less and less desire or temptation to “travel” to areas that don’t include Him. The “lure” of sin has lost its appeal. I find that I stop in my tracks more often if/when I am tempted to speak or act in a manner that might disrespect or degrade our relationship in any way. I am quite cozy, comfortable, and “at home” in the arms of Jesus.
This does not mean that I am complacent. With any “home,” maintenance and upkeep are required…and it is no different in my relationship with Jesus. We must cultivate and nurture conversation, shared activities and goals…and Christ’s mission. We must make the time and effort to encourage others to settle in with Him, as well…and we must demonstrate His love by loving them just as He does.
Take some time today to think about your home. Is it a place you pass through on your way to something or somewhere else? Are you comfortable there…secure and content? Would you say that this describes your “home” in the love of Christ? Is your relationship with Jesus like a place where you store your clothes and other belongings…but spend little to no time there? Or do you delight in dwelling in His presence and serving as His disciple?
Are you in some ways running from Jesus…and does it show in your daily living? Are you ready to fully embrace your relationship with Christ – and then share the blessings of His love with others? Will this be the day that your joy fully matures and you settle in to “make your home” with Him? Don’t you want it to be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*http://workamper.com
Daily Devotional for August 26, 2016
John 14:15-17
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!
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.
Recently, I discovered a website called Power of Positivity (PoP)*, which describes as part of its focus…“the good in the world, how you can expand that good within you, and how that expansion from within can generate more good for others.” While I don’t necessarily endorse everything shared on this website, the article that caught my attention was titled “9 Things You Should Say to Your Kids Every Day.” These are:
These simple phrases can be incorporated into our daily “mission” to show others what Jesus has told us. We can let someone know that we love them and care about them. We can recognize the qualities and accomplishments of others. We have opportunities to convey to other people that we trust them…believe in them…are confident in their abilities…and that we are grateful for their lives. By merely stopping to say “Hello” to an acquaintance at school, church, or in the aisle at Walmart, we can acknowledge the joy and pride our association with that person brings – and boost their confidence in the process.
We have grown so comfortable with criticism and ugliness. We are ready, willing and eager to share a negative post or a condescending remark. We can’t wait to laugh with others about someone’s mistakes and shortcomings. We often mumble and grumble our way through the day. Quite frankly, if the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, very few people would ever know it by the way we talk and act!
God calls us to change this…to look for positives and recognize the good things. He wants us to cultivate our relationship with the Holy Spirit and radiate such hope and faith to others that those who know this Friend for themselves will readily recognize Him in us…and the rest will want to know Him.
It doesn’t take all that much effort to flip the switch from negative to positive. Start with something as simple as whispering these three words…”Come, Holy Spirit.” Shift your focus today and start operating in the message and mission of Jesus. Concentrate on sharing His goodness with others - and offering them at least a glimpse of His glory through your spirit of faith and hope.
If you feel you are not hearing these positive affirmations frequently enough, there may be something that you need to change. Do others see Jesus in your daily living? Isn’t it time they did?
©2016 Debbie Robus
* https://www.powerofpositivity.com/
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!
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.
Recently, I discovered a website called Power of Positivity (PoP)*, which describes as part of its focus…“the good in the world, how you can expand that good within you, and how that expansion from within can generate more good for others.” While I don’t necessarily endorse everything shared on this website, the article that caught my attention was titled “9 Things You Should Say to Your Kids Every Day.” These are:
- I love you
- I like it when you...
- You make me happy.
- I'm proud of you.
- You are special.
- I trust you.
- I believe in you.
- I know you can do this.
- I am grateful for you.
These simple phrases can be incorporated into our daily “mission” to show others what Jesus has told us. We can let someone know that we love them and care about them. We can recognize the qualities and accomplishments of others. We have opportunities to convey to other people that we trust them…believe in them…are confident in their abilities…and that we are grateful for their lives. By merely stopping to say “Hello” to an acquaintance at school, church, or in the aisle at Walmart, we can acknowledge the joy and pride our association with that person brings – and boost their confidence in the process.
We have grown so comfortable with criticism and ugliness. We are ready, willing and eager to share a negative post or a condescending remark. We can’t wait to laugh with others about someone’s mistakes and shortcomings. We often mumble and grumble our way through the day. Quite frankly, if the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, very few people would ever know it by the way we talk and act!
God calls us to change this…to look for positives and recognize the good things. He wants us to cultivate our relationship with the Holy Spirit and radiate such hope and faith to others that those who know this Friend for themselves will readily recognize Him in us…and the rest will want to know Him.
It doesn’t take all that much effort to flip the switch from negative to positive. Start with something as simple as whispering these three words…”Come, Holy Spirit.” Shift your focus today and start operating in the message and mission of Jesus. Concentrate on sharing His goodness with others - and offering them at least a glimpse of His glory through your spirit of faith and hope.
If you feel you are not hearing these positive affirmations frequently enough, there may be something that you need to change. Do others see Jesus in your daily living? Isn’t it time they did?
©2016 Debbie Robus
* https://www.powerofpositivity.com/
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