Romans 8:12-14
So, dear brothers, you have no
obligations whatever to your old sinful nature to do what it begs you to
do. For if you keep on following it you are lost and will perish, but
if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and its evil deeds,
you shall live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of
God.
The Living Bible
copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights
reserved.
Some 20 years ago, Greg and I would have been
spending summer Sunday afternoons out on the lake, with our pontoon boat tied
together with several other pontoons and a ski boat or two. We would be
with our friends, soaking up the sun and enjoying our beautiful crystal
clear lake. This morning at church, one of our “boat buddies” (who is
now the father of four children ages 2-10) said, “I no longer tie up in a
cove like we used to do…it’s too dangerous for kids.” Greg and I no
longer even own a boat. We take our children to the indoor pool at the
local Aquatic Center. Times have changed…and we have changed with them!
We
could buy another boat and go back to the cove on the lake with our
friends. Some have grown children now…others have small, young
families. It would be the same – yet different…and we are not bound to
keep doing what we always did. Life changes, and we change with it.
In
the same way, we are not bound to continue our old sinful ways once we
give our hearts and lives to Jesus. We have a new focus…new interests…a
new way of doing things. You may be one of those people who really had
a pretty good life as a sinner. You didn’t break rules…you were kind
to others and cared about their needs…you observed the laws, went to
church, and “did all the right things.” It might seem like your “old
life” was not all that different from the new one…that doing what you
always did would not really be that bad even now.
Here’s the
difference…the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of the commitment you
made to Jesus…and His Holy Spirit working in and through you…everything
about your “new life” is better. “New and improved” are the words of
the day. It may not feel all that different…but your focus HAS shifted –
or it should have. Instead of just going through the motions, you
should now be calling on the Holy Spirit to guide your days…direct your
paths…ordain your thoughts, words and actions. Where you once muddled
through each day, He now gives you a life of “intention”…a holy
purpose…and the promise of Eternal Life.
I sometimes think an
afternoon on the lake would be fun. But then I think about the heat and
sunburn…all of the gear to load and unload…the worry of making sure
that the kids stayed safe…and I am totally content with things as they
are. And I wouldn’t trade my “new life in Christ” and the company of
the Holy Spirit for a single second of the “old life” as a sinner.
All
I have to do is think of how glorious “life” will be in Paradise for
all eternity…and how carefully God tends to my every need in this life
through His Holy Spirit, and I know that this is the life for me…forever
and ever. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 4, 2016
Romans 8:5-8
Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A former student who is now the father of a 5-year-old shared a link to an essay published by Reif Larsen in the May 31, 2016, edition of the New York Times, titled, “In Search of Lost Time.”* The writer talks of his first solo trip after the birth of his son…how he dreamed of going to a movie alone, dining in peace and quiet…even drinking more than one beer without feeling guilty. He eagerly anticipated a swim in the pool without any worries and concerns for a 12+-month-old mini-version of himself. He practically drooled over the thought of his great big hotel bed, which he would not have to share with a soul – and the epic sleep he hoped to experience there.
Nothing was as Larsen thought it would be. The trip started out well. Larsen marveled at how quickly and easily he navigated airport security without a baby and its paraphernalia. But he found himself noticing every baby in his line of sight. Larsen listened for his boy at every turn…he could not enjoy his meals – or his drinks – and he said, “…everywhere I went I couldn’t escape this feeling as if I had lost something essential. Keys, wallet, cellphone … hmmm. It was eerie.” He woke up several times in the night – disoriented and thinking he heard his son’s cry. And in the end, he declared the trip to be “boring” and exhausting.
Do you see how this relates to the Romans 8:5-8 – and to many aspects of our lives? We build up so much that we think will be grand and glorious…people…trips… acquisitions of all kinds…the perfect job/house/marriage/children…”fame and fortune”…the ideal level of fitness and attractiveness…and just plain “fun” in everything we do. And we set out to achieve these things…through any and all means possible. We try to “do it our way”…and often, this means pushing God to the back burner, at best. We’re too busy to pray…we don’t have time to study His word…we surely don’t have room in our lives to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus and address the needs of others. What about OUR needs?
In the end, we often find that the very things we thought were so important either 1) never measure up to our high expectation level; or 2) are actually quite boring and exhausting – the exact opposite of what we thought we wanted. But GOD always satisfies. Attention to God isn’t always glamorous – or even fun! But when we focus on God and trust His Spirit to move in and through us, we find that everything in life is oh, so satisfying. We find a peace and contentment we never knew could exist as we chased the world by the tail. We can rest and reflect on His goodness…bask in the glow of His glory…and revel in the blessings that come our way each and every day.
Will God give us a rosy, trouble free life? Probably not – at least not 24/7/365. But the good will far outweigh the bad…in all things…day in and day out. As we please God, He will show us just how good life with Him can be. In Philippians 4:12, the Apostle Paul tells us that…”I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” I pray that this would become our battle cry today…our words to live by. We can make it through anything in Christ Jesus. We don’t have to do it on our own – and the grass is NOT greener on the other side. Many of the things we think will make our lives so much better are pipe dreams, because God has not ordained them.
Wherever God has “planted” you today…do your best to bloom. But let HIM handle the “gardening!” Let’s spend some time talking with God and ask where we are supposed to focus…then allow Him to guide our steps and bring out His very best in us! Are you with me?
©2016 Robus
*http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/travel/family-holidays-parenting-fatherhood.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A former student who is now the father of a 5-year-old shared a link to an essay published by Reif Larsen in the May 31, 2016, edition of the New York Times, titled, “In Search of Lost Time.”* The writer talks of his first solo trip after the birth of his son…how he dreamed of going to a movie alone, dining in peace and quiet…even drinking more than one beer without feeling guilty. He eagerly anticipated a swim in the pool without any worries and concerns for a 12+-month-old mini-version of himself. He practically drooled over the thought of his great big hotel bed, which he would not have to share with a soul – and the epic sleep he hoped to experience there.
Nothing was as Larsen thought it would be. The trip started out well. Larsen marveled at how quickly and easily he navigated airport security without a baby and its paraphernalia. But he found himself noticing every baby in his line of sight. Larsen listened for his boy at every turn…he could not enjoy his meals – or his drinks – and he said, “…everywhere I went I couldn’t escape this feeling as if I had lost something essential. Keys, wallet, cellphone … hmmm. It was eerie.” He woke up several times in the night – disoriented and thinking he heard his son’s cry. And in the end, he declared the trip to be “boring” and exhausting.
Do you see how this relates to the Romans 8:5-8 – and to many aspects of our lives? We build up so much that we think will be grand and glorious…people…trips… acquisitions of all kinds…the perfect job/house/marriage/children…”fame and fortune”…the ideal level of fitness and attractiveness…and just plain “fun” in everything we do. And we set out to achieve these things…through any and all means possible. We try to “do it our way”…and often, this means pushing God to the back burner, at best. We’re too busy to pray…we don’t have time to study His word…we surely don’t have room in our lives to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus and address the needs of others. What about OUR needs?
In the end, we often find that the very things we thought were so important either 1) never measure up to our high expectation level; or 2) are actually quite boring and exhausting – the exact opposite of what we thought we wanted. But GOD always satisfies. Attention to God isn’t always glamorous – or even fun! But when we focus on God and trust His Spirit to move in and through us, we find that everything in life is oh, so satisfying. We find a peace and contentment we never knew could exist as we chased the world by the tail. We can rest and reflect on His goodness…bask in the glow of His glory…and revel in the blessings that come our way each and every day.
Will God give us a rosy, trouble free life? Probably not – at least not 24/7/365. But the good will far outweigh the bad…in all things…day in and day out. As we please God, He will show us just how good life with Him can be. In Philippians 4:12, the Apostle Paul tells us that…”I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” I pray that this would become our battle cry today…our words to live by. We can make it through anything in Christ Jesus. We don’t have to do it on our own – and the grass is NOT greener on the other side. Many of the things we think will make our lives so much better are pipe dreams, because God has not ordained them.
Wherever God has “planted” you today…do your best to bloom. But let HIM handle the “gardening!” Let’s spend some time talking with God and ask where we are supposed to focus…then allow Him to guide our steps and bring out His very best in us! Are you with me?
©2016 Robus
*http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/travel/family-holidays-parenting-fatherhood.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
Daily Devotional for June 3, 2016
Romans 8:1-4
If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. The Law of Moses cannot do this, because our selfish desires make the Law weak. But God set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin. God used Christ’s body to condemn sin. He did this, so that we would do what the Law commands by obeying the Spirit instead of our own desires.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I heard some talk show hosts debating the pros and cons of “cheat days”…days when people who are working hard to lose weight and get fit are allowed to “cheat” and eat whatever they want for just that one day. Usually, this is only permitted once a week…and some fitness “experts” say it helps people stay on track and feel like they are not missing out on the foods they love. Others say it makes no sense – that people are not “wired” to stop with just a small sampling of these “forbidden” foods and will often consume so many calories in this day of cheating that they negate all of their efforts throughout the rest of the week. Either way, this “cheat day” represents the human inability of most of us to maintain a rigid regimen of some sort for an extended period of time…much less forever!
I share this to illustrate that a lot of us have the best of intentions. We are determined to lose weight, stop smoking or some other addictive habit, keep our house/car/yard/workspace neater, spend more time in Bible study, visit friends and loved ones more often, read 100 books or more a year, watch less TV, and achieve countless other goals and aspirations. And we start out great…for a day – or maybe even a few weeks. Then we start to falter. One slip here…another there…one missed workout this week, followed by two next week…a television show or two…you know the drill! Pretty soon, we have an arsenal of excuses for why we failed - and an equal number of vows to do better – until we often give up and decide to just “be who we are” and suffer the consequences...even at the risk of death and personal danger to our health and well-being.
As serious as this can be (depending on what we are talking about ) it cannot compare to the severity of our attitude in this regard when it comes to sin. In these verses from Romans 8, the Apostle Paul points out why we cannot be trusted to handle our own atonement for sin. He clearly illustrates that our selfish desires – and our tons of excuses – make it impossible for God to merely set down His Law and expect us to follow it! So God sent Jesus to stand in the gap…to do what we could not…to pay for our sins once and for all.
Understand that this is not a license to live as we please. We cannot ask Jesus to die for our sins and then make every day a “cheat day.” But because of Jesus, we do not have to worry that God will renege on His promise to write our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life and give us a seat at His table for all Eternity when we make a misstep.
If we confess our sins and ask forgiveness, Jesus will wash us clean with His own blood. He took our punishment on the cross. We do not have to live in fear or the constant dread that we are going to fail in some way. We are freed to live in His abundance…to do our very best every day because we want to honor and please Him – not because we are afraid to do otherwise. I don’t know about you, but this seems like a far superior plan to trying to follow God’s Law on my own – or even a “cheat day.” I may not have any willpower when it comes to diet and a consistent exercise routine, keeping clutter at bay, and other habits and behaviors I would like to change. But when it comes to Jesus, He has my heart – and my back – and it doesn’t get any better! Can you say the same for yourself?
©2016 Debbie Robus
If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. The Law of Moses cannot do this, because our selfish desires make the Law weak. But God set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin. God used Christ’s body to condemn sin. He did this, so that we would do what the Law commands by obeying the Spirit instead of our own desires.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I heard some talk show hosts debating the pros and cons of “cheat days”…days when people who are working hard to lose weight and get fit are allowed to “cheat” and eat whatever they want for just that one day. Usually, this is only permitted once a week…and some fitness “experts” say it helps people stay on track and feel like they are not missing out on the foods they love. Others say it makes no sense – that people are not “wired” to stop with just a small sampling of these “forbidden” foods and will often consume so many calories in this day of cheating that they negate all of their efforts throughout the rest of the week. Either way, this “cheat day” represents the human inability of most of us to maintain a rigid regimen of some sort for an extended period of time…much less forever!
I share this to illustrate that a lot of us have the best of intentions. We are determined to lose weight, stop smoking or some other addictive habit, keep our house/car/yard/workspace neater, spend more time in Bible study, visit friends and loved ones more often, read 100 books or more a year, watch less TV, and achieve countless other goals and aspirations. And we start out great…for a day – or maybe even a few weeks. Then we start to falter. One slip here…another there…one missed workout this week, followed by two next week…a television show or two…you know the drill! Pretty soon, we have an arsenal of excuses for why we failed - and an equal number of vows to do better – until we often give up and decide to just “be who we are” and suffer the consequences...even at the risk of death and personal danger to our health and well-being.
As serious as this can be (depending on what we are talking about ) it cannot compare to the severity of our attitude in this regard when it comes to sin. In these verses from Romans 8, the Apostle Paul points out why we cannot be trusted to handle our own atonement for sin. He clearly illustrates that our selfish desires – and our tons of excuses – make it impossible for God to merely set down His Law and expect us to follow it! So God sent Jesus to stand in the gap…to do what we could not…to pay for our sins once and for all.
Understand that this is not a license to live as we please. We cannot ask Jesus to die for our sins and then make every day a “cheat day.” But because of Jesus, we do not have to worry that God will renege on His promise to write our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life and give us a seat at His table for all Eternity when we make a misstep.
If we confess our sins and ask forgiveness, Jesus will wash us clean with His own blood. He took our punishment on the cross. We do not have to live in fear or the constant dread that we are going to fail in some way. We are freed to live in His abundance…to do our very best every day because we want to honor and please Him – not because we are afraid to do otherwise. I don’t know about you, but this seems like a far superior plan to trying to follow God’s Law on my own – or even a “cheat day.” I may not have any willpower when it comes to diet and a consistent exercise routine, keeping clutter at bay, and other habits and behaviors I would like to change. But when it comes to Jesus, He has my heart – and my back – and it doesn’t get any better! Can you say the same for yourself?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 2, 2016
Romans 5:15-17
Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man’s sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God’s gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do! There’s no comparison between that death-dealing sin and this generous, life-giving gift. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins that followed was this wonderful life sentence. If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?
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.
On June 1, 2016, at 3:45 a.m., a 28-year-old woman drove on to the Interstate 430 bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas…traveling in the wrong direction. She collided with 60-year-old Gary Digiuseppe, who was on his way to work as an on-air news reporter for radio station KARN 102.9 FM. Both cars caught fire…both drivers were killed. A co-worker actually reported this crash on-air before he knew that one of the victims was his friend, Gary. At 3:45 a.m. on June 1, 2016, dozens of lives were forever impacted – and changed – by this accident.
Police and highway department officials note that traveling the wrong way on an Interstate highway happens more often than we realize…people make an errant turn and find themselves entering on an exit ramp. We will never know why or how this young woman came to be on the wrong side of the bridge on this fateful morning. But every day, countless events – and the decisions of others - change our lives forever. And so it was with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Because he ate the forbidden fruit presented by Eve, death became a physical – and possibly spiritual - reality for all of us today. I would say that this decision had probably one of the biggest impacts on the most people – EVER!
But here’s the thing…JESUS made an even bigger impact, because He reversed the finality of spiritual death. Because of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, our sins can be forgiven. We can enjoy Eternal Life in His presence. Jesus Christ offers the greatest impact on the most people forever and ever…hands down! And we can all get in on this and share in His gift.
There are a lot of situations and circumstances that we cannot change. We can’t stop the poor decisions of others. We cannot prevent physical death. Things will happen, people will argue, and relationships will be broken – possibly for the rest of our mortal lives. We can’t prevent natural disasters or many illnesses and injuries. In short, “life” just happens…and it has a tremendous – and lasting – effect on many of us. But when we focus on Jesus and what He offers us, we can handle these other “life impacts.” When we trust Him for our salvation – and focus on serving Him and fulfilling His purpose for our lives…we can put these other life-changing events into proper perspective.
My heart breaks for the family and friends of the two people who lost their lives…and I pray that they both reside in Heaven with Jesus today. I thank God that because of Him and the blood of Jesus, we have hope – even in the midst of a tragedy like this one. I am reminded just how much impact the words, thoughts and actions of one person can have on so many others…and I am even more determined to make sure that mine glorify God’s amazing gift through His only Son to the very best of my ability. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man’s sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God’s gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do! There’s no comparison between that death-dealing sin and this generous, life-giving gift. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins that followed was this wonderful life sentence. If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?
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.
On June 1, 2016, at 3:45 a.m., a 28-year-old woman drove on to the Interstate 430 bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas…traveling in the wrong direction. She collided with 60-year-old Gary Digiuseppe, who was on his way to work as an on-air news reporter for radio station KARN 102.9 FM. Both cars caught fire…both drivers were killed. A co-worker actually reported this crash on-air before he knew that one of the victims was his friend, Gary. At 3:45 a.m. on June 1, 2016, dozens of lives were forever impacted – and changed – by this accident.
Police and highway department officials note that traveling the wrong way on an Interstate highway happens more often than we realize…people make an errant turn and find themselves entering on an exit ramp. We will never know why or how this young woman came to be on the wrong side of the bridge on this fateful morning. But every day, countless events – and the decisions of others - change our lives forever. And so it was with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Because he ate the forbidden fruit presented by Eve, death became a physical – and possibly spiritual - reality for all of us today. I would say that this decision had probably one of the biggest impacts on the most people – EVER!
But here’s the thing…JESUS made an even bigger impact, because He reversed the finality of spiritual death. Because of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, our sins can be forgiven. We can enjoy Eternal Life in His presence. Jesus Christ offers the greatest impact on the most people forever and ever…hands down! And we can all get in on this and share in His gift.
There are a lot of situations and circumstances that we cannot change. We can’t stop the poor decisions of others. We cannot prevent physical death. Things will happen, people will argue, and relationships will be broken – possibly for the rest of our mortal lives. We can’t prevent natural disasters or many illnesses and injuries. In short, “life” just happens…and it has a tremendous – and lasting – effect on many of us. But when we focus on Jesus and what He offers us, we can handle these other “life impacts.” When we trust Him for our salvation – and focus on serving Him and fulfilling His purpose for our lives…we can put these other life-changing events into proper perspective.
My heart breaks for the family and friends of the two people who lost their lives…and I pray that they both reside in Heaven with Jesus today. I thank God that because of Him and the blood of Jesus, we have hope – even in the midst of a tragedy like this one. I am reminded just how much impact the words, thoughts and actions of one person can have on so many others…and I am even more determined to make sure that mine glorify God’s amazing gift through His only Son to the very best of my ability. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 1, 2016
Romans 13:4
Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you’ll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you’re breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren’t there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That’s why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it’s the right way to live.
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.
Things have certainly changed since I taught school in the years from 1977-1986. Now a “School Resource Officer” (SRO) is on duty every school day at our children’s elementary school and middle school.
Information on our city’s Police Department website states that:
Further explanation is given that the School Resource Officer…
What is not explained on the website is how this job is God-ordained. Yes, it is sad that we have come to a point where we feel we must have an armed police office on duty at our elementary schools, of all places. But I can tell you…thirty years ago, there were situations where I would have welcomed this presence! And I can also tell you that Officer Wildman, the policeman on duty at our elementary school, is amazing. The children adore him AND respect his authority. He can respond to an emergency situation in one hour…and crawl into the back of my car to buckle Timothy into his child safety seat in the next! And Timothy and his fellow students have tremendous respect for this man.
What does this have to do with you and me? I have done a lot of reflecting since my teaching “career” ended. Particularly as our little ones entered the school system, I have realized more profoundly just how significant the role of a teacher or other person of authority and influence is for children and young people. These are God-ordained positions. As a 20-something kindergarten teacher, I wish I had been more aware of this “mission” and sought God even more in my daily interactions with my students.
But here’s the thing…since those years, I have become more cognizant of God’s purpose for me in WHATEVER position I find myself. Even on the days when my main objective is to cook, clean and do our laundry…make Play-doh® characters with the kids...or spend an hour visiting with someone who needs a little encouragement or a friendly ear…I have learned to find God’s purpose – and to recognize that HE put me here at this moment!
This is what I want us to think about today. God put each of us here for a reason. Whatever He has called you to do…from spouse/parent/housekeeper/caregiver to police officer/teacher/nurse/physician/public leader – and everything in between – He has ordained you to do your best. If you are a student, God has a plan for your future, as well. God has called on us to trust Him and His plans…and to recognize His presence in them. We must carry out our “mission” to the best of our ability – and respect the “calling” of others.
Whatever you do this day, ask God to fully equip you to give it your best. Live responsibly…not because it keeps you out of trouble – but because it pleases God. And isn’t that the ultimate goal?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you’ll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you’re breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren’t there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That’s why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it’s the right way to live.
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.
Things have certainly changed since I taught school in the years from 1977-1986. Now a “School Resource Officer” (SRO) is on duty every school day at our children’s elementary school and middle school.
Information on our city’s Police Department website states that:
“SROs work closely with administrators in an effort to create a safer environment for both students and staff. The responsibilities of SROs are similar to regular police officers in that they have the ability to make arrests, respond to calls for service, and document incidents that occur within their jurisdiction. School resource officers typically have additional duties to include mentoring and conducting presentations on youth-related issues. School resource officers play an integral role in the public school system and have had many positive impacts on the students that they are involved with.”
Further explanation is given that the School Resource Officer…
- "’humanizes’ the police; that is, young people can begin to relate to officers as people
- permits students to see officers in a helping role, not just an enforcement role
- opens lines of communication between law enforcement and youth
- opens dialogue between the school, law enforcement and parents to deal with other issues”
What is not explained on the website is how this job is God-ordained. Yes, it is sad that we have come to a point where we feel we must have an armed police office on duty at our elementary schools, of all places. But I can tell you…thirty years ago, there were situations where I would have welcomed this presence! And I can also tell you that Officer Wildman, the policeman on duty at our elementary school, is amazing. The children adore him AND respect his authority. He can respond to an emergency situation in one hour…and crawl into the back of my car to buckle Timothy into his child safety seat in the next! And Timothy and his fellow students have tremendous respect for this man.
What does this have to do with you and me? I have done a lot of reflecting since my teaching “career” ended. Particularly as our little ones entered the school system, I have realized more profoundly just how significant the role of a teacher or other person of authority and influence is for children and young people. These are God-ordained positions. As a 20-something kindergarten teacher, I wish I had been more aware of this “mission” and sought God even more in my daily interactions with my students.
But here’s the thing…since those years, I have become more cognizant of God’s purpose for me in WHATEVER position I find myself. Even on the days when my main objective is to cook, clean and do our laundry…make Play-doh® characters with the kids...or spend an hour visiting with someone who needs a little encouragement or a friendly ear…I have learned to find God’s purpose – and to recognize that HE put me here at this moment!
This is what I want us to think about today. God put each of us here for a reason. Whatever He has called you to do…from spouse/parent/housekeeper/caregiver to police officer/teacher/nurse/physician/public leader – and everything in between – He has ordained you to do your best. If you are a student, God has a plan for your future, as well. God has called on us to trust Him and His plans…and to recognize His presence in them. We must carry out our “mission” to the best of our ability – and respect the “calling” of others.
Whatever you do this day, ask God to fully equip you to give it your best. Live responsibly…not because it keeps you out of trouble – but because it pleases God. And isn’t that the ultimate goal?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 31, 2016
Romans 12:1-2
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity 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.
I know about three people on the planet who actually like to iron…myself, my friend Jo-Ann, and my niece Cindy. I probably don’t iron as much as these two women, but I do my fair share. I like the sharp, crisp appearance of neatly-pressed clothing. I like how it feels to wear something that has been starched and ironed. And this does add life to the garments, helps to prevent stains, and prolongs the number of “wears” you can get between washings!
As a rule, I don’t iron underwear…but anything that needs a little pressing is up for discussion in my laundry room! One time, my husband asked me why I was spending time ironing his “permanent press” shirts. I told him I didn’t want him to walk into the bank or another public venue and have someone we know see him in a wrinkled, rumpled shirt and think, “His wife doesn’t care about how he looks!” I didn’t want someone to look at his less-than-polished appearance and decide that HE didn’t care about the details…because I know that he does! In essence, details matter!
So I iron…lots of things that most folks wouldn’t. Does this make me a better person? Absolutely not. But it speaks to what I have deemed to be my determination to embrace God even in little things. I have taken ordinary, mundane chores like scrubbing a bathroom, grocery shopping and prepping fruits and vegetables for consumption afterward, keeping the laundry done and the clothes neatly pressed…and I’ve made them offerings to God.
When I clean our house to keep my family healthy and everything in order, I am honoring the gifts that God has given me – my family and a beautiful, comfortable home. When I go the extra mile to make sure my family’s clothing is presentable - or that we have healthy food to eat - I am demonstrating gratitude that we have plenty of clothing to wear and regular meals on our table. When I take time to read an extra book to one of the children before a nap…or to sit and snuggle them for a few minutes…I am sowing my love – and the love of Christ – into their little hearts…and letting them know how precious they are to us.
Even when I stop for a few minutes to talk with our cat, Mabel, and scratch her ears or stroke her fur, I am demonstrating gratitude to God for this little furball who has filled our lives with joy for more than 17 years. It seems to follow with me that when I am faithful and joyful in the little, everyday things, I am more cognizant of the bigger things…the blessings - and the responsibilities – that God has given me. I find that when I focus on honoring God in these seemingly insignificant things, I am automatically more aware that I must keep my words, thoughts and actions “clean and neatly pressed,” also.
Don’t misunderstand me…I’ve had plenty of days where I acted immaturely. I sometimes get caught up in the pull and tug to fit in with the culture…and I’ve gossiped, disparaged, and shown out with the best of them…if only to sit on my duff and say, “That’s not my problem,” or “I’ll clean that up NEXT week!” But I know better…and so do you! The more I fall in love with Jesus and understand just how much He did for me…the more I want to give Him glory and honor in EVERYTHING I do…even ironing our clothing!
Ironing and housekeeping may not be your “thing,” but something is! Find out what brings you into closer harmony with God…and get busy doing it to the best of your ability! Separate yourself from the culture around you and be the YOU that God has created and called. Honor and glorify Him in everything you do…from the biggest, most visible acts to the small and mundane ones. Let God bring out the best in you…and let others see His glory - and maybe a neatly pressed shirt or two - in the process!
©2016 Debbie Robus
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity 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.
I know about three people on the planet who actually like to iron…myself, my friend Jo-Ann, and my niece Cindy. I probably don’t iron as much as these two women, but I do my fair share. I like the sharp, crisp appearance of neatly-pressed clothing. I like how it feels to wear something that has been starched and ironed. And this does add life to the garments, helps to prevent stains, and prolongs the number of “wears” you can get between washings!
As a rule, I don’t iron underwear…but anything that needs a little pressing is up for discussion in my laundry room! One time, my husband asked me why I was spending time ironing his “permanent press” shirts. I told him I didn’t want him to walk into the bank or another public venue and have someone we know see him in a wrinkled, rumpled shirt and think, “His wife doesn’t care about how he looks!” I didn’t want someone to look at his less-than-polished appearance and decide that HE didn’t care about the details…because I know that he does! In essence, details matter!
So I iron…lots of things that most folks wouldn’t. Does this make me a better person? Absolutely not. But it speaks to what I have deemed to be my determination to embrace God even in little things. I have taken ordinary, mundane chores like scrubbing a bathroom, grocery shopping and prepping fruits and vegetables for consumption afterward, keeping the laundry done and the clothes neatly pressed…and I’ve made them offerings to God.
When I clean our house to keep my family healthy and everything in order, I am honoring the gifts that God has given me – my family and a beautiful, comfortable home. When I go the extra mile to make sure my family’s clothing is presentable - or that we have healthy food to eat - I am demonstrating gratitude that we have plenty of clothing to wear and regular meals on our table. When I take time to read an extra book to one of the children before a nap…or to sit and snuggle them for a few minutes…I am sowing my love – and the love of Christ – into their little hearts…and letting them know how precious they are to us.
Even when I stop for a few minutes to talk with our cat, Mabel, and scratch her ears or stroke her fur, I am demonstrating gratitude to God for this little furball who has filled our lives with joy for more than 17 years. It seems to follow with me that when I am faithful and joyful in the little, everyday things, I am more cognizant of the bigger things…the blessings - and the responsibilities – that God has given me. I find that when I focus on honoring God in these seemingly insignificant things, I am automatically more aware that I must keep my words, thoughts and actions “clean and neatly pressed,” also.
Don’t misunderstand me…I’ve had plenty of days where I acted immaturely. I sometimes get caught up in the pull and tug to fit in with the culture…and I’ve gossiped, disparaged, and shown out with the best of them…if only to sit on my duff and say, “That’s not my problem,” or “I’ll clean that up NEXT week!” But I know better…and so do you! The more I fall in love with Jesus and understand just how much He did for me…the more I want to give Him glory and honor in EVERYTHING I do…even ironing our clothing!
Ironing and housekeeping may not be your “thing,” but something is! Find out what brings you into closer harmony with God…and get busy doing it to the best of your ability! Separate yourself from the culture around you and be the YOU that God has created and called. Honor and glorify Him in everything you do…from the biggest, most visible acts to the small and mundane ones. Let God bring out the best in you…and let others see His glory - and maybe a neatly pressed shirt or two - in the process!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 30, 2016
May 30 ~ Romans 11:1-5
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
As Nathan approaches his fourth birthday, he has taken up the rally cry of “You don’t love me anymore!” when he is reprimanded. We assure him that we do, and he often follows with, “Well, then I don’t love YOU anymore!”…or the “knife-to-the-heart” response – “I am not your bestest friend any MORE!” We smile and say, “Okay”…and he has to do his “time out” or whatever anyway!
Timothy, our resident worry-wart, will often spontaneously ask, “Are you mad at me?” …as if he has done something that upset us – or that he knows he should not do. Of course, we assure him that we are NOT mad at him. And Zola just goes with the flow! The three children are in many ways a microscopic model of the world at large and how we operate and react in regard to others – particularly authority figures and leaders.
I have long heard it said (and more frequently in recent months)…that by all rights, God should wipe us all out and either start over or give up completely. We’ve all said and done things that must make God crazy in any given moment. The quote for this date on my daily calendar says, “Only some of us can learn by other people’s mistakes. The rest of us have to be the other people.” And this is where God’s grace comes into play.
Without God’s grace, we surely would be totally banished from the face of the earth. He could not put up with us otherwise! Because of God’s grace, we are given second chances – often, lots of them! God honors His promise to redeem us through the blood of Jesus. So those of us who have surrendered our hearts to Jesus Christ and admitted our sins and shortcomings are covered by God’s grace and mercy. This is not a license to live as we please…but it IS a reminder that our “good works” will not get us into God’s “good graces.”
The message for today is that God is occasionally mad at us - or disappointed. He may not feel like being our “bestest friend” in the moment. But because of the blood of Jesus…and God’s amazing grace…we are part of the “remnant” who are protected and given more chances than we deserve to turn things around. Let’s show God just how grateful we are and make the most of them, shall we?
©2016 Debbie Robus
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
As Nathan approaches his fourth birthday, he has taken up the rally cry of “You don’t love me anymore!” when he is reprimanded. We assure him that we do, and he often follows with, “Well, then I don’t love YOU anymore!”…or the “knife-to-the-heart” response – “I am not your bestest friend any MORE!” We smile and say, “Okay”…and he has to do his “time out” or whatever anyway!
Timothy, our resident worry-wart, will often spontaneously ask, “Are you mad at me?” …as if he has done something that upset us – or that he knows he should not do. Of course, we assure him that we are NOT mad at him. And Zola just goes with the flow! The three children are in many ways a microscopic model of the world at large and how we operate and react in regard to others – particularly authority figures and leaders.
I have long heard it said (and more frequently in recent months)…that by all rights, God should wipe us all out and either start over or give up completely. We’ve all said and done things that must make God crazy in any given moment. The quote for this date on my daily calendar says, “Only some of us can learn by other people’s mistakes. The rest of us have to be the other people.” And this is where God’s grace comes into play.
Without God’s grace, we surely would be totally banished from the face of the earth. He could not put up with us otherwise! Because of God’s grace, we are given second chances – often, lots of them! God honors His promise to redeem us through the blood of Jesus. So those of us who have surrendered our hearts to Jesus Christ and admitted our sins and shortcomings are covered by God’s grace and mercy. This is not a license to live as we please…but it IS a reminder that our “good works” will not get us into God’s “good graces.”
The message for today is that God is occasionally mad at us - or disappointed. He may not feel like being our “bestest friend” in the moment. But because of the blood of Jesus…and God’s amazing grace…we are part of the “remnant” who are protected and given more chances than we deserve to turn things around. Let’s show God just how grateful we are and make the most of them, shall we?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 29, 2016
Revelation 22:5
Never again will night appear, and no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light, and they will rule forever. Jesus answered, “God wants you to have faith in the one he sent.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our little ones have a hard time going to sleep at night when they visit us. They want the light left on – or some form of illumination nearby - and I get that. When I was a little girl, my siblings and I would go to stay with our paternal grandparents at their farm “in the country.” Their house sat on a dirt road, surrounded by thick forests…and the darkness at night was beyond what I can describe. There were no street lights. No digital clock on the night stand delivered the time in LED. There was no blinking smoke alarm in the ceiling - or glow from so much as the power light on a television set!
And the quiet was amazing! The only noise was the steady tick-tock of my grandparents’ mantel clock as it counted down the minutes and chimed on the hour and half-hour. So I lay there many nights, trying to “see” in the darkness - and listening to that clock…totally unable to relax and fall asleep!
This might have something to do with why I keep so many lights on in our house today. We have twinkling lights that are plugged in each morning – lamps on timers that go on and off different hours of the day and night. And I leave a light on in our bathroom each night, so that we are not stumbling around in the darkness. I am not afraid of the dark…but I have to say that I prefer the light…and I am more than a little glad to hear that there will be no darkness in heaven!
I am also grateful that Jesus (and His Holy Spirit) illuminates my heart… and for the most part, there is no room for the devil and his darkness. I marvel sometimes at how sources of light have crept into our contemporary lives…how we are never in a room that some gadget doesn’t have a light source, like the LED display on digital clocks and the alarms in our walls/ceilings. And we think nothing of it.
By contrast, I’m afraid that many of us have grown complacent and accepting of the intrusions of darkness in our hearts - and the devil’s attempt to pepper the light with areas of sin and iniquity. If we are not careful and diligent, we will allow him to sneak in little areas of darkness that can grow over time – and we’ll never even see it coming.
When I think of Jesus…and Heaven…I think of bright light that never fades. I picture a light so bright and pure that we shouldn’t be able to even handle it without protective eyewear – and yet we bask in its brilliance with eagerness and boundless joy. I want all of this Light that I can get – even now! I have faith that Jesus is ALL that I need…and I trust Him to care for me completely. So I am doubling down on my efforts to stay close to Him…to listen for His voice and “keep the lights on” as much as possible. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Never again will night appear, and no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light, and they will rule forever. Jesus answered, “God wants you to have faith in the one he sent.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our little ones have a hard time going to sleep at night when they visit us. They want the light left on – or some form of illumination nearby - and I get that. When I was a little girl, my siblings and I would go to stay with our paternal grandparents at their farm “in the country.” Their house sat on a dirt road, surrounded by thick forests…and the darkness at night was beyond what I can describe. There were no street lights. No digital clock on the night stand delivered the time in LED. There was no blinking smoke alarm in the ceiling - or glow from so much as the power light on a television set!
And the quiet was amazing! The only noise was the steady tick-tock of my grandparents’ mantel clock as it counted down the minutes and chimed on the hour and half-hour. So I lay there many nights, trying to “see” in the darkness - and listening to that clock…totally unable to relax and fall asleep!
This might have something to do with why I keep so many lights on in our house today. We have twinkling lights that are plugged in each morning – lamps on timers that go on and off different hours of the day and night. And I leave a light on in our bathroom each night, so that we are not stumbling around in the darkness. I am not afraid of the dark…but I have to say that I prefer the light…and I am more than a little glad to hear that there will be no darkness in heaven!
I am also grateful that Jesus (and His Holy Spirit) illuminates my heart… and for the most part, there is no room for the devil and his darkness. I marvel sometimes at how sources of light have crept into our contemporary lives…how we are never in a room that some gadget doesn’t have a light source, like the LED display on digital clocks and the alarms in our walls/ceilings. And we think nothing of it.
By contrast, I’m afraid that many of us have grown complacent and accepting of the intrusions of darkness in our hearts - and the devil’s attempt to pepper the light with areas of sin and iniquity. If we are not careful and diligent, we will allow him to sneak in little areas of darkness that can grow over time – and we’ll never even see it coming.
When I think of Jesus…and Heaven…I think of bright light that never fades. I picture a light so bright and pure that we shouldn’t be able to even handle it without protective eyewear – and yet we bask in its brilliance with eagerness and boundless joy. I want all of this Light that I can get – even now! I have faith that Jesus is ALL that I need…and I trust Him to care for me completely. So I am doubling down on my efforts to stay close to Him…to listen for His voice and “keep the lights on” as much as possible. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 28, 2016
Revelation 20:4
Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those who had been given the right to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the Creature or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They had come to life again and now they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
You and I cannot fathom literally losing our heads for speaking of Jesus and proclaiming the Word of God. And yet, it happens in our world even today. In Columbine, Colorado, a teenage girl was shot when she told her assailant she knew Jesus. In Charleston, South Carolina, family members of the victims told their murderer in court, “I forgive you.” In a way, these are forms of “losing your head” for Jesus. Many Christians are persecuted every day in our own back yards because they prayerfully speak what they believe is God’s truth, while others condemn them – and sometimes physically abuse them!
The Bible tells us that those who stand firm and serve as God’s witnesses will be rewarded. We are promised that we will be given yet another “new life in Christ” for our faithfulness and steadfast delivery of His message to the world. OUR JOB is to be certain that this is the message we are delivering…that we are doing the work of Jesus Christ and not that of the conniving, sly agents of the devil!
Sadly, there are a lot of people who believe they are doing God’s work…that they are sharing the message of Christ. And all the while, they are judging and condemning others, acting out of hate and fear rather than love, and demonstrating anything but Jesus’ grace and mercy. As I read this scripture verse, I pictured the day of judgment…and the countless “Christians” who THOUGHT they were serving God but had actually accepted the mark of the devil and perpetuated His message! These souls will be sorely disappointed and dismayed when Christ raises His church – and they are not among the saints!
We must be diligent and very careful as we study God’s word and follow the teachings of Jesus. We must make certain that our thoughts, words and actions line up with His. We must be prepared to take the abuse and criticism that may come…willing to literally lose our heads (although hopefully, it will never come to that) in order to speak and live God’s truth. I don’t know where or how you and I will come face to face with Jesus…but I want to be certain that He is pleased with me in that moment. I want to know that He will raise me to new life with Him…and I am doing all I can to ensure that I always operate in His will – and no one else’s. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those who had been given the right to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the Creature or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They had come to life again and now they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
You and I cannot fathom literally losing our heads for speaking of Jesus and proclaiming the Word of God. And yet, it happens in our world even today. In Columbine, Colorado, a teenage girl was shot when she told her assailant she knew Jesus. In Charleston, South Carolina, family members of the victims told their murderer in court, “I forgive you.” In a way, these are forms of “losing your head” for Jesus. Many Christians are persecuted every day in our own back yards because they prayerfully speak what they believe is God’s truth, while others condemn them – and sometimes physically abuse them!
The Bible tells us that those who stand firm and serve as God’s witnesses will be rewarded. We are promised that we will be given yet another “new life in Christ” for our faithfulness and steadfast delivery of His message to the world. OUR JOB is to be certain that this is the message we are delivering…that we are doing the work of Jesus Christ and not that of the conniving, sly agents of the devil!
Sadly, there are a lot of people who believe they are doing God’s work…that they are sharing the message of Christ. And all the while, they are judging and condemning others, acting out of hate and fear rather than love, and demonstrating anything but Jesus’ grace and mercy. As I read this scripture verse, I pictured the day of judgment…and the countless “Christians” who THOUGHT they were serving God but had actually accepted the mark of the devil and perpetuated His message! These souls will be sorely disappointed and dismayed when Christ raises His church – and they are not among the saints!
We must be diligent and very careful as we study God’s word and follow the teachings of Jesus. We must make certain that our thoughts, words and actions line up with His. We must be prepared to take the abuse and criticism that may come…willing to literally lose our heads (although hopefully, it will never come to that) in order to speak and live God’s truth. I don’t know where or how you and I will come face to face with Jesus…but I want to be certain that He is pleased with me in that moment. I want to know that He will raise me to new life with Him…and I am doing all I can to ensure that I always operate in His will – and no one else’s. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 27, 2016
May 27 ~ Psalm 24:1
The earth belongs to God! Everything in all the world is his!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A friend shared a video this morning of a woman talking about how she reached a point in her life where she felt quite sure she had become invisible. She would go into a room and ask her children to turn down the television…and they would ignore her. She walked up to her husband at a party (after they had been there for several hours) and signaled that she was ready to leave…and he kept talking to his friends. She said it hit her…”I am invisible.”
Then a friend gave her a beautiful book filled with photos of ancient cathedrals. Picture after picture carried a note…”builder unknown.” The friend had written a note inside the book that essentially said, “You are building important things that others may never acknowledge…but God knows.” The mom realized that it didn’t matter if her kids brought their friends home to visit and bragged about all she did…as long as they came home and brought their friends. It didn’t matter whether she was physically acknowledged…as long as God was glorified.
A lot of us want to ask, “What’s in it for me?” The real question we should be asking is, “Am I being a good steward of what belongs to God?”…because truly, EVERYTHING belongs to Him. He created ALL of us…He designed us to serve His purposes. Our job is to make sure that GOD is seen…yet many of us turn this around and try to make it about us. We scramble to make sure that WE are seen and heard…and that our efforts are recognized.
The message for today is that God sees you…He hears you…He knows your efforts to serve Him (and of the ones that fall short). And He loves you…warts and all. Stop trying so hard to be noticed and focus more on putting God – and the mission(s) He has given you - in the spotlight. Take yourself a little less seriously and put the emphasis on seeking God’s will…and making it your own. Let your ultimate recognition be God’s whisper of a “well done” – and the blessings that He is waiting to shower upon you.
Nobody ever said being a Christian disciple would be easy…or filled with accolades, wealth, or fame. The earth – and everything in all the world – belongs to God. Are you making a point – or making a difference? What will you do as His earthly steward?
©2016 Debbie Robus
The earth belongs to God! Everything in all the world is his!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A friend shared a video this morning of a woman talking about how she reached a point in her life where she felt quite sure she had become invisible. She would go into a room and ask her children to turn down the television…and they would ignore her. She walked up to her husband at a party (after they had been there for several hours) and signaled that she was ready to leave…and he kept talking to his friends. She said it hit her…”I am invisible.”
Then a friend gave her a beautiful book filled with photos of ancient cathedrals. Picture after picture carried a note…”builder unknown.” The friend had written a note inside the book that essentially said, “You are building important things that others may never acknowledge…but God knows.” The mom realized that it didn’t matter if her kids brought their friends home to visit and bragged about all she did…as long as they came home and brought their friends. It didn’t matter whether she was physically acknowledged…as long as God was glorified.
A lot of us want to ask, “What’s in it for me?” The real question we should be asking is, “Am I being a good steward of what belongs to God?”…because truly, EVERYTHING belongs to Him. He created ALL of us…He designed us to serve His purposes. Our job is to make sure that GOD is seen…yet many of us turn this around and try to make it about us. We scramble to make sure that WE are seen and heard…and that our efforts are recognized.
The message for today is that God sees you…He hears you…He knows your efforts to serve Him (and of the ones that fall short). And He loves you…warts and all. Stop trying so hard to be noticed and focus more on putting God – and the mission(s) He has given you - in the spotlight. Take yourself a little less seriously and put the emphasis on seeking God’s will…and making it your own. Let your ultimate recognition be God’s whisper of a “well done” – and the blessings that He is waiting to shower upon you.
Nobody ever said being a Christian disciple would be easy…or filled with accolades, wealth, or fame. The earth – and everything in all the world – belongs to God. Are you making a point – or making a difference? What will you do as His earthly steward?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 26, 2016
Proverbs 21:15
Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,
but for the workers of evil it’s a bad day.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There is a commercial running on local television where two young men are pulled over by a police woman. The passenger is mocking the driver…making fun of him for getting a ticket…teasing him about how it must feel. And then the officer walks to the passenger side of the car and writes up the passenger for not wearing his seatbelt. The driver just looks at his passenger friend and smiles.
My mother always told me to do the right thing and let others worry about their own behaviors. Even when it seemed that some people were “getting away with murder,” I was taught to “take the high road.” Whether these folks got what they deserved at some point or not was to be of no concern to me. Don’t misunderstand me…I’m not saying that we should never point out evil deeds or injustice. But we should not lower ourselves to a level where we call others names, make up lies, treat someone unkindly, and more…just because we don’t like how they are behaving.
Additionally, we should not boast and brag when someone gets his/her due justice. We shouldn’t be sore losers…but we should not be arrogant “winners,” either! God wants us to love everyone…the good, the bad, and the ugly. And this means that we must celebrate victories – but we must not publicly revel in the defeats of others. We should encourage good behavior rather than always pointing out another person’s faults. We are to be busy building up God’s Kingdom, rather than tearing down those who do the devil’s work.
The message for me in today’s passage is that God always prevails…and for those who are doing His will, the day that justice triumphs is a good one. For those who choose to follow the devil and ignore the teachings of Jesus, there will be some bad days – and lots of defeats. It may not seem that way “to the naked eye,” (think Jesus’ crucifixion) but I assure you, God always makes things right. Our job is to stick with Him…to trust His timing…and to always do the right thing.
We are to be like the driver in the commercial, rather than the passenger…focused on the road ahead and doing the right thing rather than making the business of others our own. Which “seat” do you occupy these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,
but for the workers of evil it’s a bad day.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There is a commercial running on local television where two young men are pulled over by a police woman. The passenger is mocking the driver…making fun of him for getting a ticket…teasing him about how it must feel. And then the officer walks to the passenger side of the car and writes up the passenger for not wearing his seatbelt. The driver just looks at his passenger friend and smiles.
My mother always told me to do the right thing and let others worry about their own behaviors. Even when it seemed that some people were “getting away with murder,” I was taught to “take the high road.” Whether these folks got what they deserved at some point or not was to be of no concern to me. Don’t misunderstand me…I’m not saying that we should never point out evil deeds or injustice. But we should not lower ourselves to a level where we call others names, make up lies, treat someone unkindly, and more…just because we don’t like how they are behaving.
Additionally, we should not boast and brag when someone gets his/her due justice. We shouldn’t be sore losers…but we should not be arrogant “winners,” either! God wants us to love everyone…the good, the bad, and the ugly. And this means that we must celebrate victories – but we must not publicly revel in the defeats of others. We should encourage good behavior rather than always pointing out another person’s faults. We are to be busy building up God’s Kingdom, rather than tearing down those who do the devil’s work.
The message for me in today’s passage is that God always prevails…and for those who are doing His will, the day that justice triumphs is a good one. For those who choose to follow the devil and ignore the teachings of Jesus, there will be some bad days – and lots of defeats. It may not seem that way “to the naked eye,” (think Jesus’ crucifixion) but I assure you, God always makes things right. Our job is to stick with Him…to trust His timing…and to always do the right thing.
We are to be like the driver in the commercial, rather than the passenger…focused on the road ahead and doing the right thing rather than making the business of others our own. Which “seat” do you occupy these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 25, 2016
May 25 ~ Matthew 6:30-33
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”
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.
If I have learned anything in the last several months, it’s that we worry far too much about a lot of things that really don’t matter. For several months, I feel like I have just gone through the motions in our home…housekeeping chores have been neglected…the Christmas tree stayed up until almost the end of January…we’ve eaten a lot of take-out meals. And it has not mattered. We have been focused on family and attending to “business” matters that had to be handled…and the rest could wait.
When Greg and I started Workamper News in 1987, we carefully budgeted every penny. For the first few years, we documented every dime we spent, until we were sure that the business was going to succeed enough to pay all of the bills. If we ended up with a surplus in the budget at month’s end, we treated ourselves to Sonic® burgers. Those were some of our happiest years as business owners!
I remember tough times as a child. My parents were working multiple jobs to pay the bills and put food on the table for themselves and three children. I know what it feels like to struggle and worry about how budgets will be met…and how goals will be accomplished. I’ve stressed over college courses, business plans, the challenges and heartaches of loved ones, health concerns, and more. And I have wasted more than my fair share of time on worry and preoccupation with the outcomes.
This is a profound scripture passage for almost all of us…because there is something innate in us as humans that keeps us asking, “What is in it for me?” and thinking about how we can acquire more…money, time, possessions, friends - or even physical fitness and attractiveness. And Jesus is telling us to get a grip – literally – on the love and grace of God Almighty!
You might be temporarily happier with an extra couple hundred dollars in your pocket. You could feel better for a while if you lost a few pounds, put on a new outfit and got your hair done. You might feel a momentary thrill to drive a shiny new car…move into a big, fancy, perfectly decorated house…or mingle with the rich and famous as their equal. But in the end, none of these things lasts – or matters. What is important is to “steep our lives in God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provisions”…which are always more than enough.
Are you still worried about missing out? Or are you trusting God to meet every one of your needs? Will this be the day that you get your priorities in line with His and start to truly live in His peace and abundance? Don’t you want it to be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”
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.
If I have learned anything in the last several months, it’s that we worry far too much about a lot of things that really don’t matter. For several months, I feel like I have just gone through the motions in our home…housekeeping chores have been neglected…the Christmas tree stayed up until almost the end of January…we’ve eaten a lot of take-out meals. And it has not mattered. We have been focused on family and attending to “business” matters that had to be handled…and the rest could wait.
When Greg and I started Workamper News in 1987, we carefully budgeted every penny. For the first few years, we documented every dime we spent, until we were sure that the business was going to succeed enough to pay all of the bills. If we ended up with a surplus in the budget at month’s end, we treated ourselves to Sonic® burgers. Those were some of our happiest years as business owners!
I remember tough times as a child. My parents were working multiple jobs to pay the bills and put food on the table for themselves and three children. I know what it feels like to struggle and worry about how budgets will be met…and how goals will be accomplished. I’ve stressed over college courses, business plans, the challenges and heartaches of loved ones, health concerns, and more. And I have wasted more than my fair share of time on worry and preoccupation with the outcomes.
This is a profound scripture passage for almost all of us…because there is something innate in us as humans that keeps us asking, “What is in it for me?” and thinking about how we can acquire more…money, time, possessions, friends - or even physical fitness and attractiveness. And Jesus is telling us to get a grip – literally – on the love and grace of God Almighty!
You might be temporarily happier with an extra couple hundred dollars in your pocket. You could feel better for a while if you lost a few pounds, put on a new outfit and got your hair done. You might feel a momentary thrill to drive a shiny new car…move into a big, fancy, perfectly decorated house…or mingle with the rich and famous as their equal. But in the end, none of these things lasts – or matters. What is important is to “steep our lives in God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provisions”…which are always more than enough.
Are you still worried about missing out? Or are you trusting God to meet every one of your needs? Will this be the day that you get your priorities in line with His and start to truly live in His peace and abundance? Don’t you want it to be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 24, 2016
Matthew 6:24
You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
CBS News has been running a story* about Fred Vautour, a Boston College janitor who took advantage of a policy that allows children of BC employees to attend the school tuition-free…provided they are accepted. All five of Vautour’s children have done exactly that…his youngest, Alicia, graduated recently with a nursing degree.
Vautour worked the overnight shift for Boston College …cleaning Robsham Theater, which has a 567-seat auditorium, classrooms, a dance studio, and a smaller “black box” theater. Each child had to meet the stringent admissions requirements for BC – and obviously Fred and his wife, Debra, have some smart kids! – but in the end, the college’s generous policy for employees whittled annual tuition from $66,000 per student down to about $3000!
Since 1998, Vautour has performed these janitorial duties to provide for his family. He said the thought of five college degrees kept him motivated. And while the total monetary value of these five diplomas is nearly $700,000…the dollar amount is not what appears to have been Vautour’s primary focus. My opinion is that Fred saw the mission God had given him - to nurture the lives of five children…and he made this his focus.
Fred and Debra obviously invested in their kids far beyond the impact of actual dollars. They clearly encouraged their children to develop into bright, motivated, dedicated young adults with a desire to become productive and successful. In another article about this family, I learned that Fred coached Little League…and Debra was a stay-at-home mom when the children were younger. Fred’s annual income was approximately $60,000. This doesn’t fit the definition of “money-hungry” in my book!
I share this family’s story to say to you that when we focus on completing the mission God gives us, He blesses us in ways we cannot imagine. This doesn’t mean that all of our children will go to college virtually tuition-free. But when we concentrate our efforts on obtaining material wealth – or personal accolades and recognition, we can’t possibly give God the time and attention He deserves.
We can idolize a myriad of things…from possessions, to our personal appearance, to relationships with other human beings and/or a hunger to be surrounded by the attention of others. All of this robs God of our attention and dedication. OR…we can go about our daily business, serving God as He has designed – even as an overnight janitor and father of five who is providing for the needs of his family (both short and long-term!). One demonstrates, at the very least, a division of loyalties – which short-changes God. The other represents a single-mindedness of purpose…to hear God’s voice and follow only Him…even if He says to scrub bathrooms and mop floors for the next 20 years!
Take a good look at your daily living and determine who you are serving. Have you allowed the love of money - or another desire/aspiration – to distract you and divert your attention from God? Will this be the day that you re-align your priorities and put the focus back on Him, where it belongs? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
* http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-college-janitor-sends-all-five-kids-to-college-for-free/
You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
CBS News has been running a story* about Fred Vautour, a Boston College janitor who took advantage of a policy that allows children of BC employees to attend the school tuition-free…provided they are accepted. All five of Vautour’s children have done exactly that…his youngest, Alicia, graduated recently with a nursing degree.
Vautour worked the overnight shift for Boston College …cleaning Robsham Theater, which has a 567-seat auditorium, classrooms, a dance studio, and a smaller “black box” theater. Each child had to meet the stringent admissions requirements for BC – and obviously Fred and his wife, Debra, have some smart kids! – but in the end, the college’s generous policy for employees whittled annual tuition from $66,000 per student down to about $3000!
Since 1998, Vautour has performed these janitorial duties to provide for his family. He said the thought of five college degrees kept him motivated. And while the total monetary value of these five diplomas is nearly $700,000…the dollar amount is not what appears to have been Vautour’s primary focus. My opinion is that Fred saw the mission God had given him - to nurture the lives of five children…and he made this his focus.
Fred and Debra obviously invested in their kids far beyond the impact of actual dollars. They clearly encouraged their children to develop into bright, motivated, dedicated young adults with a desire to become productive and successful. In another article about this family, I learned that Fred coached Little League…and Debra was a stay-at-home mom when the children were younger. Fred’s annual income was approximately $60,000. This doesn’t fit the definition of “money-hungry” in my book!
I share this family’s story to say to you that when we focus on completing the mission God gives us, He blesses us in ways we cannot imagine. This doesn’t mean that all of our children will go to college virtually tuition-free. But when we concentrate our efforts on obtaining material wealth – or personal accolades and recognition, we can’t possibly give God the time and attention He deserves.
We can idolize a myriad of things…from possessions, to our personal appearance, to relationships with other human beings and/or a hunger to be surrounded by the attention of others. All of this robs God of our attention and dedication. OR…we can go about our daily business, serving God as He has designed – even as an overnight janitor and father of five who is providing for the needs of his family (both short and long-term!). One demonstrates, at the very least, a division of loyalties – which short-changes God. The other represents a single-mindedness of purpose…to hear God’s voice and follow only Him…even if He says to scrub bathrooms and mop floors for the next 20 years!
Take a good look at your daily living and determine who you are serving. Have you allowed the love of money - or another desire/aspiration – to distract you and divert your attention from God? Will this be the day that you re-align your priorities and put the focus back on Him, where it belongs? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
* http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-college-janitor-sends-all-five-kids-to-college-for-free/
Daily Devotional for May 23, 2016
Matthew 6:22-23
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
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.
According to information on MayoClinic.com, “Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer. The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may cause winter-onset SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body's internal clock and lead to feelings of depression.”
I’m pretty sure my maternal grandmother had a form of SAD. Cloudy and rainy days were terrible for her all throughout the year. She was miserable on these days. For her, the darkness outside - and in her house - transferred to a darkness on the inside. And while I have always been able to find plenty to do on a rainy day, I will admit that as I’ve gotten older, I notice a definite mood shift when the sun returns after several days of clouds and rain. Indeed, the Mayo Clinic website says that…”Treatment for SAD may include light therapy (phototherapy).”
Clearly there is something to all of this. Scripture tells us that when we allow darkness to creep into our lives, we make room for the devil to fill our hearts and minds with his own brand of darkness – and sin. When we get mired down in gossip…hatred and discrimination…apathy and indifference…fear…mistreatment and abuse of others…and selfishness, we leave no room for the light of Christ. This can lead to a really sad and miserable existence…and a “dark life” in every sense of the word.
So pull the blinds…raise the curtains…and fill your heart and mind with the bright Light of Christ. Focus on Jesus and the joy and blessings that result from keeping Him at the forefront of everything you think, say, and do. Make His mission yours…and leave no room for the darkness of the devil. Let the Light of Christ keep your “spiritual clock” running smoothly and without disruption. He’s “good medicine” for what ails us! Will this be the day you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
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.
According to information on MayoClinic.com, “Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer. The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may cause winter-onset SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body's internal clock and lead to feelings of depression.”
I’m pretty sure my maternal grandmother had a form of SAD. Cloudy and rainy days were terrible for her all throughout the year. She was miserable on these days. For her, the darkness outside - and in her house - transferred to a darkness on the inside. And while I have always been able to find plenty to do on a rainy day, I will admit that as I’ve gotten older, I notice a definite mood shift when the sun returns after several days of clouds and rain. Indeed, the Mayo Clinic website says that…”Treatment for SAD may include light therapy (phototherapy).”
Clearly there is something to all of this. Scripture tells us that when we allow darkness to creep into our lives, we make room for the devil to fill our hearts and minds with his own brand of darkness – and sin. When we get mired down in gossip…hatred and discrimination…apathy and indifference…fear…mistreatment and abuse of others…and selfishness, we leave no room for the light of Christ. This can lead to a really sad and miserable existence…and a “dark life” in every sense of the word.
So pull the blinds…raise the curtains…and fill your heart and mind with the bright Light of Christ. Focus on Jesus and the joy and blessings that result from keeping Him at the forefront of everything you think, say, and do. Make His mission yours…and leave no room for the darkness of the devil. Let the Light of Christ keep your “spiritual clock” running smoothly and without disruption. He’s “good medicine” for what ails us! Will this be the day you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 22, 2016
May 22 ~ Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
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 Sao Paulo, Brazil, a wealthy businessman dug a hole in his back yard and made a big media “splash” as he claimed he would bury his $500,000 Bentley there. His excuse was that he had studied the burial practices of Egyptian Pharaohs and wanted to ensure that he had a luxurious ride to the next life. People were stunned that this man was actually going to bury this expensive car…and as it turned out, this was all a publicity stunt.
The man had survived a serious illness, and he was trying to make a point that people bury something more valuable than this half-million-dollar car every day – their body organs. He claimed that he was trying to raise awareness for organ donations. Okay…I guess that’s one way to do it!
The point is that we really can’t take it with us…and an expensive car in the ground will not transport us to Heaven in luxury! But there IS treasure we can store for Heaven…love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, faithful obedience to God’s will, empathy, kindness, service to others, and more. When our treasure is the kind that demonstrates Christian faith and discipleship, God will exchange this for blessings and abundance when He calls us to Heaven. Material wealth is not heavenly currency!
So think about what matters most to you. Are you more interested in accumulating “things”…or blessings? Is it more important to you what others think of you…or are you more concerned with serving – and pleasing – God? Is your time better spent making yourself feel good and important in the “here and now”…or in helping to build God’s Kingdom for all Eternity?
What really matters to you…and what will matter when you get to Heaven? If the two do not line up, something is out of whack somewhere. It’s up to us to figure it out and make necessary adjustments. What are YOU storing these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
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 Sao Paulo, Brazil, a wealthy businessman dug a hole in his back yard and made a big media “splash” as he claimed he would bury his $500,000 Bentley there. His excuse was that he had studied the burial practices of Egyptian Pharaohs and wanted to ensure that he had a luxurious ride to the next life. People were stunned that this man was actually going to bury this expensive car…and as it turned out, this was all a publicity stunt.
The man had survived a serious illness, and he was trying to make a point that people bury something more valuable than this half-million-dollar car every day – their body organs. He claimed that he was trying to raise awareness for organ donations. Okay…I guess that’s one way to do it!
The point is that we really can’t take it with us…and an expensive car in the ground will not transport us to Heaven in luxury! But there IS treasure we can store for Heaven…love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, faithful obedience to God’s will, empathy, kindness, service to others, and more. When our treasure is the kind that demonstrates Christian faith and discipleship, God will exchange this for blessings and abundance when He calls us to Heaven. Material wealth is not heavenly currency!
So think about what matters most to you. Are you more interested in accumulating “things”…or blessings? Is it more important to you what others think of you…or are you more concerned with serving – and pleasing – God? Is your time better spent making yourself feel good and important in the “here and now”…or in helping to build God’s Kingdom for all Eternity?
What really matters to you…and what will matter when you get to Heaven? If the two do not line up, something is out of whack somewhere. It’s up to us to figure it out and make necessary adjustments. What are YOU storing these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 21, 2016
Matthew 6:14-15
“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
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.
Often when Timothy and Nathan work with Legos® or other blocks, something will not fit together, and they will growl and say, “Awww…I can’t figure this out!” When I am sewing or creating a craft pattern, there are many times that I stop and ask, “What am I missing?” In most of these instances, we are getting in a hurry and trying to do things “our way,” or we have not considered the big picture. And this same principle applies to how we treat others – and whether or not we forgive them.
If we are honest, we have asked God at least once, “Why are you not answering me?” Now this can have a lot of different implications. We can be asking, “Why didn’t you give me what I wanted?” We can be saying, “I feel cut off from you – lonely and afraid." Or we can simply be asking, “Lord, what is taking so long?” In all cases, the answer may lie more with OUR behaviors than with God’s responses.
I will be the first to say that I have felt God tell me, “You are holding a grudge,” or “You’ve not done your part yet.” I realized that the very answers I needed…the help I so desperately sought…was blocked because of my unwillingness to forgive another. It is amazing what can happen when we slow down, fully assess the situation, and make the necessary corrections on our end!
So stop and take a hard look at your life today. Where are you holding grudges? Who do you need to forgive? What answers do you seek that don’t seem to come…and the only explanation seems to be that YOU are blocking the responses with your attitudes and behaviors. Isn’t it time to open the floodgates of heaven…to forgive those as God has forgiven you…to fully bask in His blessings and abundance? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
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.
Often when Timothy and Nathan work with Legos® or other blocks, something will not fit together, and they will growl and say, “Awww…I can’t figure this out!” When I am sewing or creating a craft pattern, there are many times that I stop and ask, “What am I missing?” In most of these instances, we are getting in a hurry and trying to do things “our way,” or we have not considered the big picture. And this same principle applies to how we treat others – and whether or not we forgive them.
If we are honest, we have asked God at least once, “Why are you not answering me?” Now this can have a lot of different implications. We can be asking, “Why didn’t you give me what I wanted?” We can be saying, “I feel cut off from you – lonely and afraid." Or we can simply be asking, “Lord, what is taking so long?” In all cases, the answer may lie more with OUR behaviors than with God’s responses.
I will be the first to say that I have felt God tell me, “You are holding a grudge,” or “You’ve not done your part yet.” I realized that the very answers I needed…the help I so desperately sought…was blocked because of my unwillingness to forgive another. It is amazing what can happen when we slow down, fully assess the situation, and make the necessary corrections on our end!
So stop and take a hard look at your life today. Where are you holding grudges? Who do you need to forgive? What answers do you seek that don’t seem to come…and the only explanation seems to be that YOU are blocking the responses with your attitudes and behaviors. Isn’t it time to open the floodgates of heaven…to forgive those as God has forgiven you…to fully bask in His blessings and abundance? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 20, 2016
May 20 ~ Matthew 6:7-13
“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I gave our 3½-year-old nephew, Nathan, a can of Play-doh®, some cookie cutters, a plastic knife left over from a take-out food order, a rolling pin and cutting mat, and some toothpicks. While I worked in the kitchen, he spent about 45 minutes making all sorts of characters, including a birthday cake with “toothpick candles,” countless snakes…and other interesting characters and shapes.
We have many things at our house for the children to play with…but they are all pretty simple and basic – blocks, art supplies, puzzles, dolls, “dress-up” clothes, and lots of books. We feel that this fosters creativity and helps the children learn to “use what you already have.” And in many ways, this is what Jesus is telling us in this Matthew 6:7-13 (often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”). You have everything you need to effectively communicate with God. You don’t need the latest “formula” from a leading Bible scholar…the lessons of a popular author/speaker who creates Bible studies and simulcasts…the newest releases from Christian musicians…or even a prayer partner or intercessor. You just need to stop and talk to God – and use the simple outline found in these verses.
I am a big fan of the KISS method of doing things – Keep It Simple, Silly! (Okay, the last “S” stands for another word, but I’m trying to be nice here!) Whenever you get stymied about how to talk to God – or wonder what to say or where to begin – simply start here, with these words…“Our Father in heaven…reveal who you are”…or even “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Too often, we are more concerned with making a point than making a difference…especially when it comes to our relationship with God. Let’s make a concerted effort to dial it down…to simplify and strip bare before Him. Let’s stand before God as a lone can of Play-doh® with a handful of basic “tools” in our arsenal…and prepare to be amazed at what He can create. Are you with me?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I gave our 3½-year-old nephew, Nathan, a can of Play-doh®, some cookie cutters, a plastic knife left over from a take-out food order, a rolling pin and cutting mat, and some toothpicks. While I worked in the kitchen, he spent about 45 minutes making all sorts of characters, including a birthday cake with “toothpick candles,” countless snakes…and other interesting characters and shapes.
We have many things at our house for the children to play with…but they are all pretty simple and basic – blocks, art supplies, puzzles, dolls, “dress-up” clothes, and lots of books. We feel that this fosters creativity and helps the children learn to “use what you already have.” And in many ways, this is what Jesus is telling us in this Matthew 6:7-13 (often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”). You have everything you need to effectively communicate with God. You don’t need the latest “formula” from a leading Bible scholar…the lessons of a popular author/speaker who creates Bible studies and simulcasts…the newest releases from Christian musicians…or even a prayer partner or intercessor. You just need to stop and talk to God – and use the simple outline found in these verses.
I am a big fan of the KISS method of doing things – Keep It Simple, Silly! (Okay, the last “S” stands for another word, but I’m trying to be nice here!) Whenever you get stymied about how to talk to God – or wonder what to say or where to begin – simply start here, with these words…“Our Father in heaven…reveal who you are”…or even “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Too often, we are more concerned with making a point than making a difference…especially when it comes to our relationship with God. Let’s make a concerted effort to dial it down…to simplify and strip bare before Him. Let’s stand before God as a lone can of Play-doh® with a handful of basic “tools” in our arsenal…and prepare to be amazed at what He can create. Are you with me?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 19, 2016
Matthew 6:1
“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.
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.
If you have ever contributed to a page like “GoFundMe” or “CaringBridge” - or even purchased something on amazon.com – you’ve probably gotten the little pop-up box afterward that says something like “Tell your friends!” In these cases, the motive is to hopefully encourage others to follow in your footsteps. After all, if YOU gave to this charity, others should want to! If YOU bought printer ink on amazon.com…others should, too!
But there is another component to these messages…particularly the charities. When you donate and provide your name, this really may encourage others to participate. But when you tell how MUCH you gave…you’ve “done gone to braggin’!” If you stop and give $20 to an out-of-work mother standing on the corner by the Walmart parking lot, others do not need to know this. If you provide school supplies for a child who has none…this is not Facebook news.
If your heart is warmed by the joy you receive when you do for others and serve the LORD, that’s great! But when you feel compelled to tell others about your good deeds – even in the context of how much God has blessed you – this crosses the line. We don’t need the praise of other people…the applause of Heaven should be more than enough.
In some translations of Matthew 6:1, Jesus seems to go so far as to say that the “good works” you brag about are totally negated in God’s eyes. At the very least, “self-promotion” takes the focus off of God and tries to put it on us…and we should know that this is not good Discipleship. Trust me…the world is watching. If you are operating in the will of God…and serving according to His plans and directives…others will notice. More importantly, God will be pleased and glorified.
We shouldn’t ever have to “toot our own horn.” God’s work in and through us should speak loudly enough. And if nobody ever publicly acknowledges a single thing we do, it won’t matter one bit. Our goal should be to hear God say, ”Well done!” when we arrive at Heaven’s gates. Our “glory” should be HIS glory manifested…His Kingdom furthered…and His purposes completed. Anything else could very well be our own selfish ego getting in the way.
So do all of the “good works” that God calls you to “perform.” But check your ego at the door. Seek only the praise and applause that really matters…His.
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.
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.
If you have ever contributed to a page like “GoFundMe” or “CaringBridge” - or even purchased something on amazon.com – you’ve probably gotten the little pop-up box afterward that says something like “Tell your friends!” In these cases, the motive is to hopefully encourage others to follow in your footsteps. After all, if YOU gave to this charity, others should want to! If YOU bought printer ink on amazon.com…others should, too!
But there is another component to these messages…particularly the charities. When you donate and provide your name, this really may encourage others to participate. But when you tell how MUCH you gave…you’ve “done gone to braggin’!” If you stop and give $20 to an out-of-work mother standing on the corner by the Walmart parking lot, others do not need to know this. If you provide school supplies for a child who has none…this is not Facebook news.
If your heart is warmed by the joy you receive when you do for others and serve the LORD, that’s great! But when you feel compelled to tell others about your good deeds – even in the context of how much God has blessed you – this crosses the line. We don’t need the praise of other people…the applause of Heaven should be more than enough.
In some translations of Matthew 6:1, Jesus seems to go so far as to say that the “good works” you brag about are totally negated in God’s eyes. At the very least, “self-promotion” takes the focus off of God and tries to put it on us…and we should know that this is not good Discipleship. Trust me…the world is watching. If you are operating in the will of God…and serving according to His plans and directives…others will notice. More importantly, God will be pleased and glorified.
We shouldn’t ever have to “toot our own horn.” God’s work in and through us should speak loudly enough. And if nobody ever publicly acknowledges a single thing we do, it won’t matter one bit. Our goal should be to hear God say, ”Well done!” when we arrive at Heaven’s gates. Our “glory” should be HIS glory manifested…His Kingdom furthered…and His purposes completed. Anything else could very well be our own selfish ego getting in the way.
So do all of the “good works” that God calls you to “perform.” But check your ego at the door. Seek only the praise and applause that really matters…His.
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 18, 2016
Matthew 5:44-47
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.”
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.
Let’s be honest…there is at least one person in our lives who rubs us the wrong way. Whether or not we consider him/her an “enemy” may be debatable…but this individual makes us bristle with anxiety – or maybe even anger – every time we hear his/her name mentioned. Perhaps you are bullied at school or in the workplace. Maybe there is a politician or public official who makes your blood boil. There may be people in your church or community who get on your last nerve. You may have a few family members who you avoid at all costs. And maybe other people feel this same way about YOU!
As I read this passage today, I was hit between the eyes with the thought that I seldom pray for my “enemies.” I don’t pray often – or fervently – enough for that person who posts hate-filled political rants on social media. I don’t pray for the terrorists around the world…the gang leaders who are sending members to infiltrate our cities and introduce our children to drugs…the busybody who makes it his/her mission to stir up trouble in the church, school, social circles and the community…the individual who abuses people or pets…and more. I don’t pray for children who may not be nice to my kids…bosses who bully their employees…and people who think they are better than everyone else.
As this passage points out, it’s easy to love those who love us and agree with us. It’s a no-brainer to pray for them and ask God to bless them and meet their every need. But it’s HARD to pray for those who are our “enemies” or upset us in some manner. It’s a real struggle to be nice to the bully…or at the very least, refrain from saying unkind things about hateful and hate-filled people…or to ask God to guard and guide the person who hurt your child or another loved one. But this is exactly what Jesus tells us to do in this passage.
If we want to truly follow Jesus, we have to really follow Him. This means we must obey ALL of His commands…including the one to love those who bring out the worst in us. I can think of a few people that I need to add to my prayer list today. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.”
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.
Let’s be honest…there is at least one person in our lives who rubs us the wrong way. Whether or not we consider him/her an “enemy” may be debatable…but this individual makes us bristle with anxiety – or maybe even anger – every time we hear his/her name mentioned. Perhaps you are bullied at school or in the workplace. Maybe there is a politician or public official who makes your blood boil. There may be people in your church or community who get on your last nerve. You may have a few family members who you avoid at all costs. And maybe other people feel this same way about YOU!
As I read this passage today, I was hit between the eyes with the thought that I seldom pray for my “enemies.” I don’t pray often – or fervently – enough for that person who posts hate-filled political rants on social media. I don’t pray for the terrorists around the world…the gang leaders who are sending members to infiltrate our cities and introduce our children to drugs…the busybody who makes it his/her mission to stir up trouble in the church, school, social circles and the community…the individual who abuses people or pets…and more. I don’t pray for children who may not be nice to my kids…bosses who bully their employees…and people who think they are better than everyone else.
As this passage points out, it’s easy to love those who love us and agree with us. It’s a no-brainer to pray for them and ask God to bless them and meet their every need. But it’s HARD to pray for those who are our “enemies” or upset us in some manner. It’s a real struggle to be nice to the bully…or at the very least, refrain from saying unkind things about hateful and hate-filled people…or to ask God to guard and guide the person who hurt your child or another loved one. But this is exactly what Jesus tells us to do in this passage.
If we want to truly follow Jesus, we have to really follow Him. This means we must obey ALL of His commands…including the one to love those who bring out the worst in us. I can think of a few people that I need to add to my prayer list today. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 17, 2016
Matthew 5:21-22
“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.
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.
If ever there was a profound scripture passage for the present day, this is it! I don’t know about you (and I don’t mean to hold a grudge), but there have been times when people have said things to me that cut me to the bone – and stayed with me. More importantly, I am quite certain that there have been times that I have said things to another person that were like a knife to his/her heart. The unavoidable truth is that “words can kill.”
So what are we to do? Words are also like toothpaste…you can’t put it back in the tube – and you can’t retract what you have said. You can ask forgiveness…and pray that the other person is gracious and merciful enough to grant it. But ultimately, once you have insulted someone or said something hurtful, those words are probably going to resonate for a good while – if not forever.
So we must redouble our efforts to be careful and thoughtful…to stop and measure what we are about to say before we say it! We are to remember that we are speaking of another human being who is equally important in God’s eyes. We must remind ourselves that - to some extent - an insult toward this person is an insult toward God, who created him/her.
This is a stark lesson for us today…a jolt that should make us really stop and think about what we are saying about others – and toward them personally. We should ask God to give us the strength and courage to always operate in love – even when every fiber of our being wants to scream, shout, rant, rave, and call the other person terrible names. Words have the power to kill. How are you using yours?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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