Garment of Praise

Simplifying My Life

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:01:00 +0000

I'm trying to bring some disorder into the chaos of my life. I have blogs with Blogger and with Wordpress. In order to simplify things, I'm moving this blog to Wordpress. You can find new posts at www.praisegarment.wordpress.com.

Thank you for understanding.

Lazarus Is Us

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:13:00 +0000

Focus verses: John 11:28-44

The story of raising Lazarus from the dead is familiar to most of us. It seems the ultimate miracle, changing death into life. But this is not the only story of raising the dead in the New Testament.

There was the ruler's daughter, the son of the widow of Nain, and Peter raised Dorcas (Tabitha).

The difference here is that Lazarus had been dead for four days. This didn't happen just immediately after Lazarus died. In the heat of the Holy Land, a body would not "keep" without embalming for that many days.

As his sister said, "He stinks by now." If you have ever come upon old carrion, you know that aroma. It isn't pleasant.

But Lazarus came forth - not smelling, but still bound in the grave clothes. And Jesus tells them to take off the grave clothes and let him go. In other words, free him from the fetters of death.

How does this relate to us?

Well we were dead in our sins before Christ entered our hearts. We had been there long enough to have acquired a lot of stinking habits and patterns of thought. Those habits and thought patterns are exactly like the grave clothes that Jesus told them to remove from Lazarus.

They blind us, like a cloth over the face. They keep us from moving forward, like bound feet. They hinder us from the work of the Lord, like wrapped hands.

We can not bring the habits of death into our new life in Christ. When we surrendered to Jesus, we became new creatures. We may have the same physical characteristics we had before that encounter and commitment, but the inner person has changed radically. What was important in the world before is now a series of minor details.

Instead of living from month to month or with a five-year plan or with nebulous goals for someday, we have the purpose of God in our lives. His purpose and plan is beyond our ken. It's like a carnival ride, you commit yourself and just hang on. It's exciting, and you will see things from a totally new perspective.

Father, God,

Thank You for our resurrection from sin to salvation. Help us to keep our eyes on You at all times and to see things from the perspective of Your plans, not only for our personal lives, but for the world.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Resurrection

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Focus verses: I Corinthians 15:1-34

Paul taught about the resurrection of the dead. But he didn't see Jesus til he was stricken blind on the road to Damascus - after His ascension into heaven. This resurrection sets Jesus apart from every other founder of a major religion. You can see the burial places of other founders of religion. There is only an empty tomb for Jesus.

No other prophet was raised from the dead. It is His resurrection that gives us the hope of life after death as well. Paul lays it out clearly. If there is no resurrection, then Christ cannot have been raised from the dead, either. And our hope is lost entirely. If Christ has not been raised from the dead, we are still dead in our sins.

The line from Handel's Messiah Oratorio says: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." There is a tempo change here from grave at 60 beats per minute to allegro at 84 beats. From a dirge to a lively dance.

This is what Christ does for our lives both here and hereafter. We are dead in sin. It weighs us down and crushes our spirits. But our belief in Christ and His resurrection lifts that burden and lets us dance with joy.

That promise is as much for our lives today as it is for our life after death. Can we live today in Joy?

Father, God,

Help us to understand that time has no meaning for You, that what will be already is in Your kingdom. Teach us to live the resurrected life both before and after death.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Acclamation!

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Focus Verses: John 12:12,13

Today we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. People are caught up in the moment. They are anticipating the entrance of a worldly Messiah. One who will free them from the yoke of Rome. One who will bring God's rule to their kingdom.

But the moment will not last. Their expectations were not God's plan. Within the week they will be disillusioned, disheartened, some even completely turned away from the Christ.

Looking beyond the surface of an event will keep us from being surprised when all is not what it seems to be. Imagine Jesus' feelings at this moment. He's being hailed as a conqueror when he knows that the week will end with his crucifixion. Don't you suppose that the "Hosannahs" rang hollow in his ears?

Yet he allowed the adulation of the crowd. It was part of the learning curve for his disciples. They had a moment in the sun before the darkness of Holy Friday.

It was a foretaste of Resurrection Sunday. No cheering crowd there, just an empty tomb. Wonder. Questions. Elation.

Father, God,

Help us to see beyond the surface of events. Grant us the privilege of seeing through your eyes, understanding your plans. Let us always be grounded in your truth.

In Jesus' most precious name. Amen

Grief And Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:43:00 +0000

Focus verses: I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Grief comes to all of us from time to time. The loss of a friend or family member, loss of a job or precious possession, or wayward children can grieve us. Somehow, I seem always to have known that such grief is temporary - a reflection of our personal emotions at a specific moment in time - not a permanent condition.

It might have been Doctor G. who quoted the phrase "grieve not as them who have no hope." I was absolutely certain that it came from this passage of scripture. But I could not find those exact words in any of the translations on biblegateway.com. That quote might just have been a paraphrase rather than a quote. At any rate, the sense is certainly from this passage.

Doctor G. stood as godfather at my baptism in the Lutheran church. He was a rock-solid foundation in my life. A spiritually wise man, he taught me many things. But more than that, he infected me with the joy of the Lord and an educated faith in Jesus.

He was a bible scholar, a student of the word, and a poet. On my twelfth birthday, he gave me a scrapbook which he had put together with his own hands. And he wrote this poem about him and me and heaven. It's long, so I'll just quote the pertinent verses here.

You are twelve years old today, dear,
And I'm past seventy-three.
With back to back we're dreaming,
But it's different things we see.

You look AT the golden sunrise,
See dream castle in the mist:
It's the road ahead for you, dear -
Life at its borning best.
___

I look THROUGH the golden sunset,
With its beckoning promise bright
To a day without a sundown,
Where it's always day - not night.
___

And when you have passed the Sunset
To the day without Sundown,
When Life's pilgrimage is over,
And you've won your victor's crown;

I'll be at the gate of heaven,
With glad heart to see you come;
Glad to welcome you, my daughter,
Into our Eternal Home.

- HWG

His knowledge of the word and my faith in his always telling me the exact truth - pleasant or unpleasant - gave me the assurance that this life is not all there is. I can grieve a loss, but it doesn't decimate me.

My friend was the sister in a family with two brothers. She lost first one and then the other. At the funeral of the second brother, I went to hug her. Her grief was not only obvious, but it was painful to see. There was an element of hopelessness in it that I had never seen before. She could not be comforted.

Paul doesn't say here that we don't grieve. We simply do not grieve as those people who have no hope of Christ and the resurrection - no hope of heaven.

Father, God,

Grant that we may always keep our eyes upon You, not on the attractions of this world. Let us see with the eternal perspective the ultimate good in Your will, no matter how it looks from an earthly perspective.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Jars Of Clay

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:01:00 +0000

Focus verses: II Corinthians 4:7-12

The metaphor of clay in the life of the Christian has always been a source of comfort for me, but I didn't fully realize what it meant until I became involved with my daughter's pottery class.

Clay is malleable. It can be rolled, stretched, incised, imprinted, and watered down and worked again. I love working with clay.

The clay became even more special to me when I took classes in precious metal clays. You see, the "clay" part is just a binder to hold the tiny fragments of the metal together. The clay burns off when you fire the piece to harden the metal clay. If you are working with silver clay, you come out with a product called "fine" silver. It is more nearly pure silver than sterling.

But handling this clay takes special care. First it must be kept moist or wet. If you let it dry out, you cannot work with it as you should.

Then you must oil both your hands and any surface that it touches to keep it from sticking in places where you don't want it and ruining the piece you are making.

Once the piece is completed, you let it dry - sort of like a desert experience.

When it is dry, you file any rough edges or accidental protrusions.

Then you put it in a kiln - or in the flame of a torch to fire.

Once it is fired, you polish it by putting it in a tumbler with shot.

If you want special effects, you treat it with chemicals to change the color or give it the appearance of age.

Eventually you have a piece of jewelry that is 99% fine silver, a thing of beauty and a joy to wear.

We have the treasure of the gospel in our jars of clay. Only if we keep it watered with the Word, oiled by the Holy Spirit, will it fit for molding by the Lord.

We may go through desert experiences and have abrasives applied to refine our shape. We will most certainly be proved in fire of one kind or another. Then we will be thrust into a world that tumbles us with grit or shot to polish us to a high shine so that we reflect the light of Christ. In fact, the dross of us will have been burnt away, leaving only the pure spirit of Christ in us.

Completely yielded, we can be of service to the Lord. It's not a quick process. It takes time. Let us yield with patience to the Lord's shaping.

Father, God,

Help us to be soft, malleable clay in Your hands. Give us the grace to endure the process so that we may come out refined and useful to Your kingdom. Less of us and more of you.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Almost Is Not Good Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:41:00 +0000

Focus verses: Acts 25:23-26:29

Paul tells his story time and again. In fact, from the testimony in his trials, we should be able to assume that this is the message he preaches when he talks to the people. Conversion after conversion follows Paul in all his travels.

But in Jerusalem, he is prosecuted as a trouble maker. He stands trial three times, before Felix, before Agrippa, and before Festus. Each time he tells the same story of his life as a Pharisee, his encounter on the road to Damascus, and his life after his encounter with Jesus.

In fact, Agrippa is so moved by his testimony that he says he is almost persuaded (KJV) to become as Paul is.

Paul's reason for appealing to Rome for his trial is not told here, but it would seem reasonable that he was playing for time, more opportunities to speak his piece in front of gentiles. At least that is the effect it had.

But what has this to do with us? Today there are people with a nebulous sense of God. Many people pray in times of crisis. But whether we have had a dramatic encounter like Paul's on the road to Damascus, or simply a growing in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, some of us are not truly Christian.

We are almost persuaded by our intellect, but we have not made the commitment that Paul has made. We have not put telling the story of Jesus at the head of our to-do list each day. We are his witnesses in this world. Our need to defend our faith in Him should be the motivation for all we do and say.

We cannot be a sometimes Christian. We must not be a pseudo-Christian. We must be fully committed to Christ alone. Our fidelity to Him must be foremost in our lives.

Father, God,

Help us to put You first in our lives. Keep us from being distracted by this world. Grant that we may serve You completely, wholly committed to spreading the good news of Jesus and Your love for us.

In Jesus' most precious name.

The Insidious Sin of Forgetfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:39:00 +0000

Focus Verses: Jude 1: 3-5 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

The history of God's people is spotty. Sometimes they were filled with faith. Other times, they forgot his benefits and were drawn to the things of the world. When those times came, the Lord was patient with them until they went beyond the point of no return. Then he allowed the other nations to chastise them.

Those who had lost the faith eventually remembered or died. And a new generation began believing again. But the destruction between the loss of faith and its rebirth was costly.

But how did it happen that the nation lost its faith? "Certain men crept in unawares.." The disbelief comes in slowly through people who water down the word of God. Look at the original deceiver. He began with a question: Did God really say...?

Then he started rationalizing. He explained away God's direction to Adam and Eve.

When we start believing that we know better than God what is needful, we are in danger of being led into disbelief and infidelity. That is why we must earnestly contend for the faith.

We must be on the alert to the minor deviations from God's word that, if followed for any length, will lead even the believer totally astray.

Father, God,
Help us to stay on the straight and narrow. Keep us mindful of your fidelity and your promises. Remind us of your mercies from the past. Shield us from the wiles of the enemy. Help us to guard our minds.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Unfailing Love

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Focus verses: Psalm 44

"Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love."

The hand of the Lord reaches to His people because of His love, not because of anything we have or have not done. There is none pure enough to stand righteous in the face of God on his own merits.

We are a weak and sinful creation. Left to our own devices, we fall into sin and wantonness. We tend to follow the lust of the flesh rather than the love of God. We satisfy our immediate appetites regardless of the consequences. We behave as if there were no consequences.

This psalm should be our prayer for our nation today. Look at all the things we've done.

We've allowed prayer to be stripped from our schools.

We have gagged the word of God and removed symbols of our faith from public lands.

We've misconstrued our own Constitution and the amendments thereto, twisting them to read that not only can government not interfere with religion (which was the original intent), but religion can have no say in government (which was not true even when the constitution was written).

The Declaration of Independence refers to a Supreme Being three times. Look for these three phrases: "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" - "endowed by their Creator" - "the Supreme Judge of the world."

The foundation of our freedoms lies in our understanding of God and His moral laws. Having flouted those laws and turned our backs on the Author of those laws, we are now reaping the consequences of His disfavor.

Father, God,

Remember our beginnings. In Your unfailing love, draw our nation back to Yourself. Restore us to the values of our roots and cleanse us from our iniquities.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Immorality

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Focus verses: Romans 1:18-32

There is an agenda in this society to shame Christians with their "intolerance" for immorality. Some things in the Word of God are not debatable.

You are to love God.
You are to love your neighbor.
Jesus is the only way to salvation.
You are to tell the truth at all times.
You are to spread the good news of Jesus.

Here we have the proscription against homosexuality. But not only in this passage, we find it in the Old Testament as well. I really prefer the King James translation of this verse.

But we live in a society which wants us to be quiet. Christians are all right as long as they stay cloistered in their churches and don't make waves for the rest of the world.

Political correctness insists that we not only turn a blind eye to this sin, but we are to support all its perversions. There are laws that could make it illegal for a preacher to read this passage in church. And Heaven fore fend that we should speak of this sin as a sin.

This is the kind of convoluted thinking that leads a criminal to sue his victim for injuries he sustained on the victim's property during the commission of his crime.

Detailed description of sin is not necessary. There is an element in every person that knows right from wrong. We need to be definite about not compromising the principles of moral behavior.

God has no patience with sin. He exacted a price for our sins.

Our only defense is to recognize that price and honor the One Who Paid by conducting ourselves as He would have us behave and by not tolerating legislated misconduct.

Father, God,

Give us the boldness to speak Your truth at all times. Help us to be courageous enough to call wrong "wrong" even when it is dangerous to do so.

In Jesus' most precious name.

Amen

Seeking Ourselves

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:43:00 +0000

Focus verses: Genesis 1:26-30.

Can you identify yourself? Who, exactly, are you? Not your name. Nor your job. Nor your relationship to any another person or persons. What is the essence of who you are?

These verses tell you. You are a being created in the image of God. You are not God. You will never be a god. But you are created to be like Him. And He commissioned you!

He delegated His life-creating powers to the union of male and female. And He commanded that you be fruitful and fill the earth.

And subdue it. Take authority over the earth, an authority that was delegated by God, the Creator of the universe. If you know anything about military or corporate structure, you know that your authority is limited by the person to whom you report. Your authority never exceeds that of the superior officer.

So, too, we need to be aware that while we have been given authority and dominion by God, we are still subordinate to Him. While we rule over the earth and all it's fauna, we are not, ultimately, the One in charge.

You will note, also, that God gave us a vegetarian diet. And this vegetarian diet was not limited to man, but to the animals as well. Animals were not originally intended for food. That came later.

Hmmm... So who am I? I am a child of God, created in the image of my heavenly Father. I was designed to be creative and fruitful. I was given authority over the earth and the living creatures. And I was designed to eat seeds and fruit -- not meat.

Father, God,

As I have questions about myself, my goals, and my endeavors, help me to seek the answers by seeking to know You better.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

A Place of Rest

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I keep remembering the words of the old hymn:

There is a place of quiet rest
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest
Near to the heart of God.

In a world where sin seems rampant and sovereign, I like to reflect on the fact that God keeps a small corner of stillness for our retreat. Some days that retreat is the only place of serenity in the entire universe.

People disappoint us either by accident or by malice. Circumstances frustrate us whether it is technology glitching or traffic jamming.

And we let ourselves down by being less that we could or should be. Most exasperating to me are the times when I come across something I intended to do and didn't. Those are the times I need to remind myself of my worth in God's eyes.

If there had been only one person in the world, Jesus would still have come as Redeemer. If it had only been me, He would still have gone to the cross. He'd have done it for you if you were the only one as well.

When we look at the price God paid for our salvation, we are reminded that we are not important because we are who we are - but because of the value He placed on each of us.

There is another old hymn:

Jesus paid it all.
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.

Look back at some of the older hymns and recognize the validity of the theology contained therein. When we forsake all the old hymns in favor of only new choruses, we lose part of our roots. Find an old hymn this week and think about the words and thoughts it sings.

Father God, I thank you for this place of rest and healing near to your heart. Help me to see through all the miscellany of life to the reality of the one thing that is most important -- my relationship to you. In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Sing Praise

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Focus verses: Psalm 92

Thanksgiving and praise seem to be the feet on which our faith walks. Nearly a hundred verses in the scripture refer to thanks or thanksgiving. More than two hundred refer to praise. And nearly two hundred tell us to "rejoice."

There seems to be a correlation between thanksgiving, praise and joy.

To give thanks, one must be aware of a debt of gratitude. How can we give thanks to the Lord for all that he has done for us? What could he possibly want or need from us? He is all powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere at all times. We are puny, self-absorbed, and limited in power and presence. The only things we could give him would be our love and obedience. He will not coerce these responses to his love for us.

As we thank him, we become more and more aware of his power, his might, his majesty, his magnificence, his holiness and his generosity toward us. Those attributes are the focus of our praise. And as we praise him, he fill us with joy.

The joy of the Lord truly is our strength. One cannot praise the Lord and remain unhappy.

Father, God,
Help us to remember your blessings toward us. Grant us grateful hearts that we may thank and praise you in purity. Let us rejoice in you, always.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Majesty

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:59:00 +0000

Focus verses: Revelations 4:1-5:14

We have come close to God. We ask for a closer walk with Him. But we dare not forget His majesty. This picture from the vision of John gives us a glimpse of God's throne.

We will pass over the study of the four living creatures for the moment. If you wish to read more explanation, you'll find some of it here.

But these four creatures begin the praise with "holy, holy, hol y." And the elders around the throne kneel and bow down. When these elders kneel, it is not like when we kneel in church, torso upright. This is the kowtow, the kneeling and bowing low so that the forehead touches the floor or the ground.

This throne is also a judgment seat, like a judges bench only more so. From this throne the pronouncements of God proceed. His judgments, affirmations, condemnations, all are here in the presence of these witnesses.

But for Christ, we cannot know these judgments. It is He who will break the seals on the scroll of judgment. It is through Christ that we can know God without panic. That doesn't mean we don't fear God. It simply means that we accept the sacrifice of the Lamb. We still kneel in awe around the throne of God.

Father, God,

Still the trembling in our hearts. Allow us to love You, adore You, obey You at all times and in all places. Grant us an awareness of Your majesty and our dependence.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Sabbatical

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:49:00 +0000

Focus verses: Genesis 2:2-3

We seem to live in a hurried and harried kind of world. If we are not doing something constructive, we are absorbing inanities from the media world. But we never seem to give ourselves, or anyone else, time simply to sit and think.

God worked for six days on creation and sat down to rest on the seventh. I don't believe it was because he needed to rest, for God is untiring. I think he did it more as an example to us. We need time to think, to ruminate, simply to be, and to be in his presence.

Without time for contemplation and meditation, we lose sight of God and our position with him and our purpose in his plans.

It is a management principle that you can expect 85% efficiency from your staff about 85% of the time. The other 15% is just "wasted?" No, the other 15% is that sabbatical that God ordained at the time of creation.

If you expect 100% effectiveness 100% of the time, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. You need that sabbatical that God set aside for you.

Take your sabbath rest. Revel in God's presence. Let him speak to you. Listen for him. Simply be. You will be amazed at how much more productive your 85% will become.

Father, God,

Remind us that you are the be all and end all of our existence. Help us to focus on you as the source of our lives. Then our work and our responsibilities will not be burdensome, but easy to handle in light of your provision.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

An Attitude of Gratitude

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:27:00 +0000

Focus verses: Psalm 100

This is one of my favorite psalms. In the first place it says "make a joyful noise" not "sing sweetly on key." The criteria for our singing is joy, not musical ability.

But no one can be joyful all the time, can they? That depends on where your joy lies. If the joy of the Lord is your strength, then you can be joyful all the time. God is always with you. If he is the source of your joy, nothing can change it.

When things seem blackest, we can praise the Lord for who and what he is. He inhabits the praises of his people. No matter what circumstances surround us, he is unchanging and always sure. If your security is in him, nothing can shake it.

This truth allows us to be grateful to God for who and what he is, no matter what happens around us or to us.

So at all times and in all seasons, we can bring a sacrifice of praise to him. Blessing his name for who he is.

That sacrifice of praise will hold you together in the roughest of times. It draws you closer to him and reminds you of all his power and righteousness.

In a time when I thought I would drown in grief, the old hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, came bubbling up out of my middle. While the grief was still there, I had an assurance that it would not overwhelm me, that with God's help I could get through it.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

For that I was and am mightily grateful.

Father, God,

Thank you for being our peace and our strength. Remind us at all times to come to you with praise and thanksgiving so that we may always be blessed of you.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Delight and Desire

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:22:00 +0000

Focus verses: Psalm 37

Psalm 37 sets forth a pathway of power. It is filled with things to do and not to do.

Look at the times it says "fret not" and at the imperative sentences that begin with "trust," "commit", and "delight."

¹Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

²For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

³Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

⁴Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

⁵Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

⁶And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

⁷Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

The progression is simple. It mirrors our growth in the Lord. First we come to a saving faith by believing in him. Trust in the Lord.

Then we get so excited about him that thoughts of him take over our lives. We talk about him constantly and find great joy just being in his presence.

Eventually we learn that all we have is not ours, but his. So we commit our lives and our goods and our business dealings to him.

Eventually we learn to rest patiently in him, knowing that all things will come to fruition in his good time, not on our earthly timetable.

Then we can cease from wrath and anger. Those emotions come when we think someone has spoiled something we were entitled to. We are entitled to nothing but a relationship with God. All else is negotiable.

At that point, we can be still and know that he is the sovereign Lord of all the universe.

Father, God,

Help us to move from belief to trust to commitment to rest in you. Grant that we may be swift students and able practitioners. Help us to cease from all futility and know that you are the sovereign Lord, that we can cease our fretting because you have our best interest at heart.

In Jesus' most precious name.

Amen.

Identity and Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 12:15:00 +0000

Focus Verses: Genesis 1:26,27; Genesis 2:19-25

Looking at the first set of focus verses tells us what we are, creations in the image and likeness of God. We were created to have dominion over all the other creations of God. And we were created in two genders. The two genders were, in my view, needed because of our human limitations. God is infinite with infinite capacities for love, tenderness, judgment and wrath. It would be impossible to get all the qualities of God wrapped up into a single human being, unless that human form were God himself in the person of Jesus Christ.

The second set of verses speaks to the creation of woman out of man. She was created to be a companion equal to and fit for him. This places woman at the side of man, not over his head and not under his feet.

The relationships in these two passages are both vertical (with God) and horizontal (with man). Because God is our creator, we are subservient to him, to his purposes and plans. We are not capable of knowing all of those purposes and plans, but we are capable of trusting him to know them and to see them to fruition. We need only supply our obedience to him.

Because woman was created from the rib of man, they are the same flesh. She wasn't created from his head to be dominant over him, nor from his feet to be subservient. She was created to be a companion and helper, fitted to him perfectly. Equal in all things.

This requires being respectful, submissive, kind, and loving. You respect others because they, too, were made in God's image. Being submissive requires letting people see who you are, without pretense or mask, and letting them show you who they are the same way. Being kind means treating each person as if they were your other self. And loving means having their best interest at heart, equal to or even more that your own self-interest.

Those are tall orders, but possible if we remember who we are and whose we are.

Father, God,

Help us always to remember that our beginning is in you. Help us to remember that everyone else has that same beginning. Grant that we may sink our roots deeper in you, so that we are not blown about by every wind nor uprooted by every storm. Keep us firmly grounded in you and your word that we may be about the work you would have us do.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Identity

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 04:54:00 +0000

Focus Verse: Isaiah 43:1

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou are mine.

I can think of no better way to start the new year than by remembering exactly what and whose we are. We belong to God. We are his adopted children. He created us. He has plans for us. He has only our best interests at heart.

If we are his, we should seek to make our lives consonant with his thoughts and plans. Therefore we begin the year seeking him - and him alone. As we seek him, everything we need will be added to us.

We need not make resolutions that are abandoned by February. We won't have to try to force ourselves into molds that he didn't design for us. We need simply to seek to be closer to him, not for what he can do for us, but simply to be near him, in his presence. Or more accurately, to be aware of his presence in our lives.

So this year, my goal is to be more of a Mary and less of a Martha. With Brother Lawrence, I will try to practice the presence of God.

Father, God,

Help me to sit at your feet and listen. Keep me still until I know what you would have me do. Help me to instantaneous obedience when I know what that will is.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

For Such A Time As This

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:20:00 +0000

Focus verses: Esther 2:19-20

Esther is an interesting study. We think of her as a kind of savior of her people because of her position in the palace. But let's look a little further into who she is.

First, she is an orphan, having neither father nor mother. Her guardian is her father's nephew, her cousin, who seems to be substantially older than she. Several times, the book refers to her obedience to Mordecai.

In obedience to Mordecai, she is taken to the palace. In obedience to Mordecai, she says nothing about her background or her people.

She seems to have a submissive spirit because she takes with her to her interview with the king only those things suggested by Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the kings harem. She won the favor of every one who saw her.

The nub of this story, however, is in chapter four. When Esther learns of the plot against her people, she is keenly aware of the price she would have to pay for approaching the king without being summoned.

Mordecai reminds her that her life is forfeit in any case, but that salvation will arise from the Lord for His people. He asks her to consider that she may have been placed in the king's palace for just this purpose.

Esther asks Mordecai to have the people fast and pray for her for three days and nights, and she and her maids will do likewise. Then she will approach the king. We all know the rest of the story. While the king's decree could not be changed, there was another decree that allowed the Jews to defend themselves.

So what does this mean to us? First was Esther's obedient spirit. She obeyed Mordecai without reservation. She didn't know why she was sent to the king's palace. She had no idea whether or why she would be chosen to succeed Vashti.

But God knew. He knows the end before the beginning. Our obedience to Him is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. No matter the trials and tribulations that come to us (and we have Jesus' word that they will come), He is still in charge. That fact give us the confidence to walk through whatever life can hand us.

Father, God,

Keep us ever obedient to You and Your purposes in our lives. Remind us that You know the outcome of every trial before it begins. Help us to rely on You alone.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

What's In A Name

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:19:00 +0000

Focus verses: Ruth 1:6-18

The story is that Naomi and Elimelech went to Moab with their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, during a famine in Judah. And the sons took wives named Orpah and Ruth.

Translating the names into their respective meanings we get: "MyDelight and MyGodIsKing went to Moab with their two sons, Sickly and Pining, during a famine in Judah. And the sons took wives named Gazelle and Friendship.

During their stay in Moab, MyGodIsKing died. And later both Sickly and Pining died as well. So MyDelight and Gazelle and Friendship were left as widows.

MyDelight decided to return to Judah, the home of her God. Both Gazelle and Friendship started back with her, but MyDelight told them to return to their homes in Moab. Gazelle did go back home (to her old gods), but Friendship had tasted the world of MyDelight's God and would not leave.

She loved MyDelight and the ways of MyDelight's God. She would not leave MyDelight's side.

When we cultivate a friendship with God, nothing can induce us to leave that friendship. We can leave all that we ever knew to be close to God. We cannot pine for what is behind us. We only go on with God.

Whatever is in our past that is not of God deserves to be left behind without regret, without remembrance.

Father, God,

Help us to go on with You, leaving all else behind. Let us not be pulled back into our old ways and old habits.

In Jesus most precious name.
Amen.

Dedicate Your Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Focus Verses: I Samuel 1-2:21

Hannah is a model of dedication. She wanted a child desperately. She prayed so fervently that Eli thought she had been drinking. Her emotions were raw and visible.

But the Lord heard her and granted her this son. She nursed him til he was weaned, perhaps the age of two or three, and made good her vow that he would serve the Lord all the days of his life.

Imagine taking your toddler and leaving him in the hands of a man who, if you read on, obviously didn't know how to raise his own sons. Hannah had to be trusting in the faithfulness of God, not the wisdom of Eli, for her son.

So what is most precious to you? What gift can you dedicate completely to the Lord?

There are different kinds of gifts, but all can be put to use in the service of God. If you are brickmaker, you make the best bricks possible. If you are a baker, you bake the finest bread. If you are a janitor, you scrub and clean and chase the dust assiduously.

If your gift is hospitality, or evangelism, or wisdom, you use it gently, graciously, as if the Lord himself were the object of your hospitality.

When you dedicate your gift, the Lord increases it. Look at Hannah. She asked for a son which she gave back to the Lord. Then he gave her five more children, both sons and daughters.

But you don't dedicate your gift hoping to bargain with God for more. You simply dedicate it, and yourself, because that is the right thing to do. Then God is responsible for the outcome. Had Samuel been Hannah's only child, she still would have been satisfied because she had given birth to a great man of God.

Father, God,

Help us to realize that anything we have is yours. Grant us the graciousness to acknowledge that fact and dedicate ourselves and all we have to You.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Don't Help God With His Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Focus verses: Genesis 12:1-7

Abram was seventy-five years old when God told him to leave his homeland. In verse two of this reading He says "I will make of you a great nation." And then again in verse seven he says "To your offspring I will give this land." In these verses, God has twice said Abram would have children.

Abram and Sarai waited. It seemed like they waited forever. Years later, Abram complained to the Lord that he has only Eliezer of Damascus, his steward, as an heir. But the Lord assured Abram that his descendants will be as numerous as the sand on the seashore or the stars in the sky. God made a covenant with Abram. See Genesis Chapter 15.

Ten years passed, and Sarai could hear her biological clock ticking. She knew that she was growing too old for bearing children. She decided to take matters into her own hands and sent Abram in to Hagar to conceive a child for her. In a way, Hagar was the original surrogate mother. At least, that was what Sarai intended. But it didn't work that way.

Sarai was jealous of Hagar and mistreated her. Hagar ran away, only to be found of the Lord and told to come back into her servitude. But the Lord also assured her that her son would have many descendants. He told her to name the child "God Hears" - Ishmael. (Genesis 16)

The prophecy concerning Ishmael in verse twelve, however, forecasts an on-going feud between Ishmael's line and Isaac's line. Look at the middle east today. We have the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Isaac in constant conflict.

So let's play a game of "what if." What if Sarai had not become impatient, Hagar had not become pregnant, and Ishmael had never been born. Would the middle east be peaceful today? We'll never know.

Whenever we try to do God's will our own way, it results in a muddle. God can redeem our messes, but it is never as good as what He had planned originally. It all comes back to the arrogance of the intellect. We think we know how to help God out. We don't.

Our function is to believe His word and obey His commands. We are to do a thing only if God says so, not because we think it's the way to do it.

Father, God,

Help us to remember your wisdom is infinite and our minds are puny in comparison. Remind us that You do not need our assistance, only our faith and obedience.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Surviving On Your Feet

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Focus verses: Job 1 and Ephesians 6:10-20

Jesus promised that in this world we would have troubles. But He also promised that He had overcome the world. You can see in the Book of Job that being a righteous man is no shield from the tragedies and problems of the world.

Job was a righteous man. In the King James Version, it uses the word "upright." Posturally that means standing on your feet. If you read further, you will notice that he continually thinks about the Lord and makes sacrifice for himself and his family, lest any of them had cursed God in their hearts.

Notice it doesn't say aloud. It says "in their hearts." The thoughts of his children were of concern. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Job had already done all that is in our Ephesians 6 passage. He knew the truth. He was righteous. He lived at peace with his world. He had faith in God.

Much of the source of his anguish was in trying to defend himself against the charge that when evil things happen, the person to whom they happen must have done something against God to have God punish him that way.

We can see that this is a battle against principalities and powers. Job's righteousness had built a natural hedge around himself and all that was his. God allowed Satan to penetrate that hedge because God knew that Job would remain faithful to Him under any circumstances.

If we are to survive the troubles promised us by Jesus Himself, we must cling faithfully to God.
As my Papa would have said "anti-un-dis-irregardless" of anything that goes on in this world. It is the rock of God's word upon which we can safely build. Anything else is quicksand.

Father, God,

Keep us always mindful that You are the safe haven in our world. No matter what the worlds says or does, turn our eyes always toward You and Your Word that we might be secure in our knowledge of Your faithfulness.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Apology

noreply@blogger.com (Judith Robl) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:32:00 +0000

Whew!! That's done.

The manuscript for my devotional gift book As Grandma Says is finally off to the publisher, the contract is signed, and all I have to do now is finish the bio, the blurb and provide them publicity pictures.

The book should be available from Harvest House in January of 2011, if all goes well.

We will get back to our weekly posting on Friday of this week, March 20.

Thank you all for your patience and your understanding.

Grace and peace,
Judith