salvation through the blood of Jesus

Daily Devotional for December 4, 2022 – Let the parade begin…celebrating the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ every minute of each day!

Romans 3:20-24
Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law commands. For the more we know of God’s laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them; his laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners.

But now God has shown us a different way to heaven—not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us “not guilty”—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Last night, we met our niece and her family downtown to attend our community’s annual Christmas Parade. This has become a tradition in our family – and a great way to kickstart the holiday season. The crowd last night was possibly the biggest we’ve ever seen at one of these parades. But we were not “crowded” at all. From what I observed, everyone was friendly and orderly, and there was a true sense of “community.”

I observed people of all ages, sizes, shapes and colors. I saw darling toddlers dressed in little red suits with white trim like Santa – and teenagers with brightly colored hair and piercings. I saw grandparents and babies – and every age in between. And we heard a collective gasp of amazement when the courthouse square was lit for the first time this season. When Santa passed by atop a firetruck at the end of the parade, everyone cheered and heralded the bearded guy in the spotlight who was waving to the masses.

Our town’s Christmas parades are generally about 45 minutes in length…and last night’s offering was no exception. And for that time – and the minutes before and after – we all seemed to be “of one accord.” Nobody appeared to care about the social or political status of anyone else. There was no thought given to a person’s sexual orientation – or the contents of his/her wallet. I didn’t observe anyone react differently to one another based on skin or hair color, manner of dress, or any other factor. To my knowledge, no one went through the crowd asking, “Are you Baptist, Methodist, Catholic…Christian, Jew, Muslim or Buddhist?”

I was struck by the thought that we could all come together for a couple of hours to celebrate Christmas – and gleefully herald the appearance of a bearded man depicting Santa Claus…but we cannot seem to offer “the Reason for the Season” this same grace and respect the rest of the time. The One who came to take away our sins did this for every person at the parade last night…and for all of us! The only thing we have to do is trust Jesus to take away our sins…to come to Him and submit fully as His servant in whatever capacity He commands.

It’s time to stop living in the old laws – and condemning and mistreating one another. If we truly believe in the One who we celebrate in this season, we need to start speaking and acting like it! I pictured people walking away from the parade and the community spirit exhibited there – and going back to their old, hateful, selfish ways. In the same manner, many have accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation – then gone right back to operating in the old laws and doing as they please. It is time for us to fully embrace Christ Jesus…His love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and inclusion…and to live every minute of the day like we are at a Christmas parade, celebrating, working together in community, and loving one another. Oh, LORD…make it so among us this day. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for April 29, 2021 – Humble, faithful communication with God – it’s time to open a dialog

2 Chronicles 7:12-16
One night the Lord appeared to Solomon and told him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place where I want you to sacrifice to me. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust swarms to eat up all of your crops, or if I send an epidemic among you, then if my people will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen, wide awake, to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and sanctified it to be my home forever; my eyes and my heart shall always be here.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I would not have done well as an Old Testament woman! Even the thought that God’s love and care would be conditional according to how I behaved – or atoned for my sins – gives me chills. I am forever grateful for Jesus Christ and what He sacrificed on my behalf…and the confidence that I can boldly go before God at any time, from anywhere, and pour out my heart to Him. So why am I sharing this scripture passage from 2 Chronicles? If we no longer have to go to a temple…and if God no longer sends droughts and swarms of locusts as retribution for our sinful ways…why is this passage relevant?

Let me first say that this passage is important to illustrate how much Jesus changed our world – and our relationship with God. We are reminded that God got fed up with this way of doing things and watching us flounder as we tried to make amends and stay in His good graces. So He sacrificed Jesus to pay the price, once and for all. When we confess our sins before Christ Jesus, invite Him to live in our heart and guide our every word and action, and make every effort to follow and serve Him, we don’t have to worry about the wrath of God. Thankfully, our Salvation and faithful discipleship make this null and void. Our goal should be to live and serve in a way that makes every other human being want to be a redeemed believer in Jesus Christ.

The other reason this passage is important comes in verse 14, which is often singled out and quoted as a mantra for Christian believers…“if my people will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.” The “New Testament” takeaway from this is that God is still listening. He still hears our prayers and rewards our humble, faithful obedience. God still wants us to call on Him…to search for Him…and to listen for His voice – and follow His commands.

God answers our prayers when we come before Him with humility, obedience, and complete trust. He wants to “heal our land”…to prosper His children…to repair wrongs and make things better. And He does this and so much more. You and I are asked to surrender to His will and trust His plans…and to talk with Him always – about everything. This is such a critical thing…but also an extraordinarily small “ask” for all that we gain in return.

Make this the day that you renew your efforts to humbly and obediently begin a dialog with God. This can happen anytime, anywhere…you just have to open your heart and mind and start talking – and listening! And remember to thank God for making it so easy to connect with Him in direct prayer and communication – and for His amazing sacrifice of Jesus. Because of Christ, all things are possible…glory to God, now and forever!

Daily Devotional for October 30, 2020 – God’s new name for us…what will yours be?

Revelation 3:12
Everyone who wins the victory will be made into a pillar in the temple of my God, and they will stay there forever. I will write on each of them the name of my God and the name of his city. It is the new Jerusalem that my God will send down from heaven. I will also write on them my own new name.

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

A few months ago, I was texting with my nephew, Timothy. I don’t remember what I said to him, but he replied to the effect of, “Okay, DEBRA!” I knew that Timothy was aware of my given name…but he had never really used it before, and in this context, it made me laugh out loud. When the children were toddlers, I was “DebDeb”…and now, they just call me “Debbie” or “Aunt Debbie”.

The way I know that someone has known me since childhood is if they refer to me as “Debra”. I used this given name all throughout my childhood, as a college student – and into my first years of teaching. But “Debra Robus” was a mouthful…and my kindergarten students and their parents could never seem to get it right. So I just became “Mrs. Debbie”. My family has always called me “Debbie” or “Deb” – and now, most people know me by these nicknames.

Recently, I was discussing our cat, Mabel, with someone – specifically how we came to name her this, and how we chose the name “Lucy” for her sister. As their “parents”, we chose the names for our cats…just as our own parents gave us the names by which we are known. When I read this scripture passage today, I thought about the new name that God will give me…His name for me. This is the name that will be written in God’s temple forever and ever…the name I will know for all Eternity.

I have to say, this humbled and excited me. God cares so deeply for you and me that He is going to give us new, everlasting names that will be written on the pillars of the temple of New Jerusalem. Even more amazing – our name will be written right beside the name of God! I want my name written on a temple pillar. I want to be included on God’s list of those who are given a new name!

How does this happen? Read the first few words of this verse again…”Everyone who wins the victory will be made into a pillar in the temple of my God…” We “win the victory” by surrendering our sinful nature to God’s will and following Jesus Christ. We “win the victory” by listening to God, praying His will, and serving with faithful obedience. Today, my name is “Debbie”, “Debra”, “DebDeb”, or just “Deb”. But someday, God will give me a new name. It will be perfect, singular, and everlasting. Hallelujah!

Daily Devotional for June 27, 2020 – Choosing the right “leadership” – serving God with reverence and obedience

Psalm 103:13-18
He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him. For he knows we are but dust and that our days are few and brief, like grass, like flowers, blown by the wind and gone forever.

But the loving-kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to those who reverence him; his salvation is to children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant and remember to obey him!

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

My cousin Carolyn has a new baby – born in February. Sam is her whole world, as well he should be. In a recent message exchange, I noted how fast the time goes – especially the first year. Babies change every single day. She said, “I love watching him grow and mourn for his last stage, but am excited for the next. I never anticipated that roller coaster.” She speaks for most who have loved a child – especially a baby. We know the days will go lightning fast. But then we wake up and our “babies” are 8, 9, and 11 – or 23, 30, or almost 50 – and we wonder how it happened so quickly!

God is more than the father who delights in watching His babies grow. He loves us like an earthly parent…but He cares for us like our Creator and Heavenly Father. He wants the best for us and stands ready to guide us – and correct us as necessary. But God also stands ready to forgive us, scatter our sins to the ends of the earth, and set us upright again. For all of the love, protection, nurture and guidance that earthly parents can provide, they cannot offer Salvation and Eternal Life. Only God can do this, through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

There are some things that earthly parents and mentors simply cannot control – or fix. With God, nothing is impossible. And when we put our trust in Him and continually seek His will and guidance, He always meets our needs. When we reverence God and acknowledge His endless love and power, we feel His presence in a profound, incomparable way. No one will ever love us like God does!

Yesterday, MSNBC news anchor Chuck Todd asked Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson whether it would help convince Arkansans to wear a mask if the White House would make a statement of encouragement/endorsement on this matter. In his answer, the governor said, “Nothing beats leadership”. The key is…whose leadership we are following? Who are you listening to…who do you revere and obey? Are you putting your stock in mere mortals, or are you seeking God’s leadership? Are you trusting human beings – even those in positions of supposed “authority” – to determine how you think and act? Or are you prayerfully asking God to send you GOOD, SOLID, RELIABLE information…to place expert information in front of you so that you can make safe and wise decisions? Are you asking God to give you common sense and a peace about your actions?

Nobody loves you like God. Nobody will ever give you better advice or direction. No one cares more about your destiny – both earthly and heavenly – than God. And no one can truly give you Eternal Life except our Heavenly Father. Earthly “parents” and leaders can tell you all day long how much they love you or want the best for you – and some genuinely do. But the only One you can ever fully depend upon is God Almighty. If you stay faithful to His covenant and obey Him in all things, He will take care of the rest.

Daily Devotional for February 13, 2020 – We have Jesus…what more do you need?

Deuteronomy 28:63-67
And this is how things will end up: Just as God once enjoyed you, took pleasure in making life good for you, giving you many children, so God will enjoy getting rid of you, clearing you off the Earth. He’ll weed you out of the very soil that you are entering in to possess. He’ll scatter you to the four winds, from one end of the Earth to the other. You’ll worship all kinds of other gods, gods neither you nor your parents ever heard of, wood and stone no-gods. But you won’t find a home there, you’ll not be able to settle down.

God will give you a restless heart, longing eyes, a homesick soul. You will live in constant jeopardy, terrified of every shadow, never knowing what you’ll meet around the next corner.

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.

Context is everything! If you are like me, this scripture passage probably scared the socks off you at first glance. But pay close attention to where these verses are located…Deuteronomy…in the Old Testament. They speak to the people who lived before the birth of Jesus Christ, in an era where life was experienced in terms of rules and punishments. And yes, we have laws and consequences today…and some would do well to start paying close attention to them…but we also have Jesus!

The reason I shared this passage today is to remind us just how blessed we are by God’s gift of Jesus. While God’s rules are just as critical today as they were in the days of the Old Testament, we now have a very different “legal system” to address them. It is vitally important that we follow God’s commands – and these have not changed. But as human beings who will never be perfect, we will make mistakes. And the GOOD NEWS is that God will not get rid of us. He won’t delight in weeding us out of the very soil we possess. God will not scatter us to the four winds.

God sent Jesus, who took ALL of the punishment and burdens, so that we could enjoy our life on this earth – and for all Eternity. We have no need to wish for evening in the morning and morning in the evening – or to be terrorized by what is coming next. We have Jesus! We should be so grateful to God for this amazing blessing and assurance that we desperately want to seek His will with every fiber of our being. We should have so much appreciation for our salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ that we don’t give a second thought to disobedience, or trepidation.

But as I said, you and I are human beings…and we are fallible. So we will worry, we will stew…and we will mess up from time to time. But God will still love us, because the blood of His Precious Son has redeemed us – and we are forgiven. This is reason to celebrate – and to serve obediently. I am a work in progress. What about you?

Daily Devotional for January 9, 2020 – Seeking a “clean record” with God – and giving Him all the glory

Psalm 119:1-6
Happy are all who perfectly follow the laws of God. Happy are all who search for God and always do his will, rejecting compromise with evil and walking only in his paths. You have given us your laws to obey — oh, how I want to follow them consistently. Then I will not be disgraced, for I will have a clean record.

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 are one mistake away from disaster…and one prayer away from redemption. Let that soak in for a minute. We can probably all think of someone who changed his/her life in the blink of an eye because of one poor choice/decision. Perhaps this has happened to you personally. But we can also think of someone (maybe even you) who has prayed for Jesus to forgive all mistakes…and the “record” was wiped clean.

None of us are perfect. But through the blood of Jesus, we can be forgiven and set on the right path – to essentially have a “clean record”. It is up to each of us to consciously choose to stay in the will of God…because we will always be given free will to exercise any and all options that are presented. We must search for God, stay close to Him, and always seek His will in every decision.

I am so thankful for God’s love and care. I am even more thankful for His gift of Jesus – and the sacrifice that He made on my behalf. I know that I have made mistakes…and I am sure that there have been plenty of times that I have been a disgrace. But I also know that I am making every effort to follow God’s laws, to listen to His voice, and to walk in His paths. I am incredibly grateful for the “clean record” that comes with surrender to God’s will…and I cannot stop thanking Him for the incredible gift of His unconditional love and mercy.

This is a good day to stop “living on the edge” and make a choice. Step away from evil and the things that grieve God – and step into His presence and providence. As the old hymn says…”I once was lost, but now I’m found”*. To God be all the glory. What about you?

*Amazing Grace – Public Domain – written by John Newton, 1772

Daily Devotional for August 25, 2018 – Reading the signs and following the rules…there are no excuses!

Deuteronomy 30:11-14
You know God’s laws, and it isn’t impossible to obey them. His commands aren’t in heaven, so you can’t excuse yourselves by saying, “How can we obey the Lord’s commands? They are in heaven, and no one can go up to get them, then bring them down and explain them to us.” And you can’t say, “How can we obey the Lord’s commands? They are across the sea, and someone must go across, then bring them back and explain them to us.” No, these commands are nearby and you know them by heart. All you have to do is obey!

At our community pool, there are signs posted to outline about a dozen rules…including, “No running, no diving, no glass in the pool area…and children under 18 are not allowed in the therapy pool, unless accompanied by a certified swim instructor”. From the beginning, we have read and explained these rules to our little ones when we would go for a swim. The children understand these regulations – even though the youngest two are just beginning to be able to actually read them.

The signs are in plain view, so I always find it interesting when an adult violates one of these rules and then says to the staff member, “I didn’t know!” What is even more amazing is that some people will continue to break these rules, even after a reminder. This might be why one of the items on the list states that after a third “warning”, violators will be asked to leave the building! We are a stubborn lot – and apparently some of us think the rules are for “the other guy”!

You and I know God’s commands. We’ve heard them all of our lives. We’ve read them in the Bible and elsewhere…and they are not hard to understand. There is no “gray area” in “Thou shalt not kill.” The directive to love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul is pretty definitive. Even young children understand the command that “Thou shalt not steal”…and what it means to treat others as you wish to be treated.

Every single one of us has broken a rule at some point. We have all violated God’s commands, which is why I am so grateful for His grace, mercy and forgiveness…and for His gift of Jesus. Because of the blood of Christ sacrificed for our sins, there is no “three strikes” rule. But at the same time…because of this tremendous gift of love, we must make every effort to never violate His commands. We must continually strive to love and serve Him with complete, faithful obedience.

The “signs” outlining God’s commands are everywhere – in plain view. But for those of us who have surrendered to Jesus, they are also written on our heart. We know them well…we have no excuse for breaking God’s laws. Does this mean that we will never, ever sin or break a commandment? Probably not, because we are human – and the devil is incredibly conniving and ever ready to take advantage of our weakness. But we can make a concerted effort to stay on track…to listen for God’s voice…and to follow His commands to the letter.

There is no excuse…at least not one that will hold up to God’s judgment. And none of us is “above the law”. We must all do our best, every minute of the day…and thank God continually for His grace and mercy. The signs are everywhere…we know the rules. Now it is up to us to follow them forever and ever. How well are you doing?

Daily Devotional for August 18, 2017 – How precious is your freedom?

Galatians 5:13-15
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

An older friend of mine recently called her grand-daughter and left a “Happy Birthday” message that said in part…”Just because you are now 21, this doesn’t mean you have to rush out and visit a bar!” Legally, this young woman has the “freedom” to do this…but her grandmother felt that this “liberty” did not necessarily equate with obligation! And let’s be honest…more than one person has taken advantage of this “rite of passage” with less than stellar results! While I have no concern that this young woman will be among them, the “freedom” to purchase alcohol has certainly given some a bit of a “license” to overindulge, drive under the influence, and more.

If you think that I am stretching the point to compare legal-age drinking with freedom in Jesus, you might be right. But consider this…a lot of people claim the name of Jesus and use Him to “endorse” all sorts of words and actions that truly have no place in the life of a Christian. They hide behind their Salvation as they judge and criticize others and decide that “he/she needs Jesus!” They speak and act as they please with the excuse that “Jesus has forgiven me.” In other words, many Christians operate with the “I’d rather ask forgiveness later rather than permission now” mentality.

Let’s be clear…not everyone is going to get a “deathbed opportunity” to turn things around and clear up any “unfinished business” with Jesus. And quite frankly, I don’t believe this is how Salvation is intended to work in the first place! We cannot play fast and loose with the “freedom” that comes from surrendering our hearts to Christ. We cannot say one thing and do another. We cannot claim to love and serve Jesus…then show the world someone who is totally self-absorbed or interested in building “monuments” and accolades – either personally or for those in our midst.

A genuine surrender of self – and commitment to love and serve others in Jesus’ name – does not equate with hatred, discrimination, judgment, bigotry, condescension, or exclusion of any kind. True service to Christ Jesus is rooted in humility and total absorption in bringing His teachings to the forefront…always – and in all ways!

Freedom in every form is a privilege borne of sacrifice and suffering…particularly the freedom that comes with Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must never take this for granted – or use this gift to our advantage. We must make every effort to honor our freedom with our words and actions…and to ensure that we glorify Jesus at each turn with our daily service and representation as one of His children.

To paraphrase a concerned grandmother…”Just because we have surrendered our hearts to Jesus doesn’t mean that we “party hearty” with no concern for the affect we will have on His message – or the hearts and minds of others.” Freedom in Jesus Christ is a precious endowment…how are you treating yours?

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