What do you focus on?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
(Psalms 145:17-20 (NIV))

What is your picture of God?

Is He the loving Creator or do you picture Him as a vengeful destroyer?

Out of the eight lines of the passage, only one line refers to God destroying anyone. Seven lines sing praises of God’s love, righteousness and mercy. The only line that speaks of anything other than God’s love talks about how He will deal with the wicked. Unfortunately, too many people ignore God’s love and focus on His promises to judge those who are wicked in His eyes. What is interesting is the fact that He has even offered a way for the wicked to repent.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
(John 3:15-21 (NIV))

Are we, as humanity, so blind to what is being offered to us? Many of us simply chose to focus on what will happen if we do not turn from our sin instead of turning from our sin. Are we so attached to our sins that we don’t want to give them up? Instead, we get angry at the very one who created us and lovingly tells us to turn toward Him. We focus on the repercussions of our actions instead of changing our actions.

What do you focus on?

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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All nations!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
(Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV))

All nations!

It has been almost two thousand years since Jesus gave us these words. I often wonder how He would speak to us about our progress in this task. Would He say well done, or would He rebuke us for our slowness? Would we receive praise or would we receive words like the church at Laodicea?

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
(Revelation 3:16-18 (NIV))

Have we become so comfortable that we have forgotten what we are called to do? Have we become so worried about wordily status that we spend 110% of our time chasing after the elusive prize that will soon fade and rust? What is happening to those nations while we procrastinate? Who is teaching them? Who is baptizing them? Who is God going to hold accountable for their absent witnesses?

I realize that we are only human and that we can only do so much, but are we doing the right things in God’s eyes? Are we responding in the ways that He desires for us to respond? Are we willing to place our own comfort and our comfort zones aside so that we may reach those who need to hear?

This country is a melting pot of nations. Perhaps God has blessed us with an opportunity to witness to those who come here from the different nations. God doesn’t call everyone to be a missionary to a foreign country. Sometimes He brings the countries to us. How can we fulfill God’s command while we are in our own nation?

We must get outside of our comfort zones and reach out to the people that we see every day. Through these people, a whole village in their home country may be reached. Through that village, a whole region may come to the knowledge of Jesus. From that one region, a whole nation may be open to the Gospel. Reach out to the nations that you see represented around you every day. Many people believe that they are here for only a short time, but look what can happen in a short time. Jesus had only a few short years. Look what grew out of those years. Can the love of Jesus be shown to the nations through you so that it will continue to grow? Can you go outside of your comfort zone and becomes friends with someone who is different from you?

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What about your definition of God?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
(Luke 13:10-16 (NIV))

Do you try to put limits on Jesus? Are you guilty of doing what the synagogue ruler did in this situation?

Instead of praising God for what He has done through Jesus, do you find yourself trying to put your own rules and regulations on what He is doing? Do you find yourself trying to put God into the confines of what you believe He should be instead of letting Him be who He is?

This is human nature. We try to define our limited understanding through things that we do understand. We are all guilty of it.

Consider those who believe in evolution. They cling to something because they want a “scientific” explanation for how life came to be. They cling to what they consider to be logic because they do not want to accept the truth. Their only desire is to be able to clearly define everything based on their own understanding. They want to be able to have things so well classified that they can predict what will happen. They ignore faith for a false knowledge that they have defined. Their definition is not God’s definition. They want definitions that clearly state what can be expected only as long as it meets their version of what can be expected.

What about your definition of God? Would Jesus call you a hypocrite because you fail to see beyond your definition of what can be expected?

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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American or not, do not cling to idolatry

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
(1 Corinthians 10:14 (NIV))

The dictionary defines idolatry as the worship of a physical object as a god.

Is there anything in your life that could qualify? Think about that for a moment. We can create our own little gods out of just about anything. Our houses. Our cars. Our jobs. Our recreational vehicles. Our toys of any shape and size. Any of these can become our god if we place them about the true God of this universe. All that has to happen is we become so attached to these things that we begin to believe that we cannot live without them. Perhaps we even begin to believe that they are the very reason that we live.

Is there anything in your life that has taken this place of unmerited worship? Could there be a fine line between washing that new car and having a fit because of a bird’s target practice?

Perhaps there is a human characteristic that simply is trying to fill a void. We long to have someone or something that we focus our existence upon. To some people, it is family. To others, it is God. To far too many of us, that focus is something that is man-made. It is fleeting and can offer nothing in return. The newest, fanciest car will soon grow old and rust. The biggest, most expensive house will soon become run-down. Nothing that we possess can grant us the fulfillment that we long for. Far too often, they soon possess us. We become bound to these idols and forget who truly is worthy of our worship and praise.

Faith is a choice. God does not force us to turn to Him. He allows us to walk down the path of our own making. He offers guidance and repentance, but He allows free will. That free will means that we have choices. We can choose to worship idols of our own creation or we can choose to worship the one who created us.

Have you allowed something to come between you and God? Has it become your idol?

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Lip service or the real thing?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
(James 1:19-27 (NIV))

Perhaps the best way to say what these words say is simply the phrase “Be doers of the Word.”

We cannot honestly expect to “give lip service” to God and then go about our business ignoring Him! When you take wedding vows, do you expect to be able to say “I Do,” and then go about your life as if you were still single? When you accept a job from someone, can you do what you please and not show up when you agreed to? What is different with our promise to God and our acceptance of His only son, Jesus Christ, as our personal Lord and Savior? Is it because we do not see them that we “give lip service” and do not do what we should be doing?

Honesty and integrity of faith are what God seeks in us. When we accept Jesus, we also accept the rules of the gift of grace. Some people claim the gift, but deny the rules. God wishes for us to be faithful to Him, and to keep all other “gods” in there places. Anything can become a “god” if we place it above anything else. If money is so important that you would cheat to get more, then money has become your “god.”

Be doers of the Word. Remember, actions always speak louder than words. Do not let other “gods” keep you from God.

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What is your reaction?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
(Romans 10:9-13 (NIV))

Nothing could be clearer!

We do not earn salvation through any works that we do or any offerings that we may make. Our salvation is only assured through our heart. If our heart desires salvation and is willing to confess that Jesus is Lord, then salvation is ours!

Isn’t it wonderful that God does not distinguish by nationality, race or sex. All have the opportunity to call upon the name of Jesus to be saved,

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
(Romans 3:23(NIV))

Salvation is freely given to all who will accept it through Jesus, for there is no other way to earn salvation. Jesus calls everyone to His table no matter what their background. If Jesus can look past our differences and accept us as we are, shouldn’t we be able to accept each other as we are? God did not create everyone with the same backgrounds. He gave each of us a unique life. If others confess that Jesus is Lord, we must embrace them as fellow brothers or sisters in Christ for there is no difference between them and us.

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you test God? Is He testing you through your actions?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

Jesus answered, “It says: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ “
(Luke 4:12 (NIV))

How many times a day do each of us do exactly that? We put God to the test!

We may not fully realize what we are doing, yet, we are doing just that with thoughts like “If you will help me get out of debt, I will do this for you.” We try to make deals with God. We put Him to the test by saying that if He will do something for us first, then we will do something for Him. We want God to prove Himself worthy of our worship before we will worship Him.

We must be careful with our attitude, for it is our attitude that often gets us into situations like this where we put God to the test. If we are selfish, we ask for something for ourselves before we are willing to give anything of ourselves. We will not receive because our heart dictates our true treasures.

When we put God to the test, we are actually failing a test that we have allowed ourselves to take. We have fallen into the trap of the enemy and have used the enemy’s lies and deceptions as a way to be kept away from the truth that God desires to bestow upon each of us. We have failed at what could be classified as reverse psychology. We have been told not to test God, yet, the enemy twists the nature of God around to get us to test Him. We fail God’s test when this happens. We have not developed a faith that will trust in God. We have developed a false relationship based on bartering for what we want.

Faith requires a firm foundation that you can trust. When you test that foundation, you admit that your faith is not strong and that you are self-seeking. Perhaps we should all pray that we should be tested and that we are found suitable to pass the test.

Would you pass?

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What is the one constant yesterday and today and forever?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8 (NIV))

Have you ever come to the realization that life is impossible to make it through, only to be reminded that Jesus is there? He will walk with you. All of a sudden, your whole outlook on life turns again to where it should be.

Perhaps you have been so blessed that everything is going the way that you want it to go. You have a fantastic relationship with Jesus and then Satan blind-sides you. All of a sudden, the bottom falls out of your world. The only thing that you have left is your relationship with Jesus. He will carry you.

Life is full of ups and downs. Some are little and some are not so little. In fact, some can be down right astronomical. One single moment in time can change our future from anything that we may have ever planned. It can leave us devastated.

Where do we turn? Is there anything in this life that is a solid foundation upon which we can build? Is there anything that is unshakable?

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
(Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV))

There is only one firm foundation upon which we can build our lives. He is the same yesterday and today and forever.

How many of us, when building our homes, would choose to use inferior materials for our foundations? Is cost an issues? Salvation is free. Is pride an issue? Pride caused Satan to fall. Satan, who was once a beautiful angel, now is the father of all lies. Is Satan the same yesterday and today and forever? We know that he has changed.

Place you faith in Jesus and prepare to see strength and perseverance, for He never changes.

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(Hebrews 12:1 (NIV))

How do you see your life?

Is it a series of one mishap after another? Do you find yourself never finishing what you have started? Do you always find excuses for the things that you let distract you?

Don’t be discouraged, for that is human nature and we all have faced this at one time or another. The key is to allow the Holy Spirit to work within us to bring to fruition the plans that God has for us.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
(Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV))

God wants to bless us just as He blessed Jabez. God has plans for us. Plans that embrace us being a blessing to those whom we meet. If we don’t embrace those plans for ourselves, then we cannot finish the race that God has laid out before us. We will not persevere. We will not touch the lives that God has planned for us to touch. Our race may very well be the only glimpse of Jesus that some people will ever see. The prize that we may miss out on could be someone else’s salvation.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
(1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV))

Don’t let things of this world hinder your witness. Persevere in the race that God has laid out before you. Someone may depend on your perseverance.

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Is your heart God’s dwelling place?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
(Psalms 84:1 (NIV))

When we think of this, we think of the temple in Heaven in all of its glory.

There is another dwelling place.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV))

We are told that our hearts can be where Jesus will dwell. We are told that we can invite Jesus into our hearts. We are told that the Holy Spirit will come to live within us. God’s Word is very clear about where God, in His Triune majesty, wants to live. He desires a place within each of us.

Think about that. What does that say about the way that God feels about us? We cannot see it through our sinful nature, but the way that God sees us, the way that God designed us, He sees us in this manner. We were created to have God live within us. We were created to be temples of His Holy Spirit.

I don’t feel lovely. After all, I know all of the things that I have ever done. Sin makes us feel anything but lovely, but God sees beyond our sin and sees us for the person He created us to be. Because of this, He desires to dwell with us and to dwell within us.

Do you see yourself as lovely? God does, for He sees beyond your sin. Do you need help to see beyond your sin? Invite Jesus into your heart. He will change your perspective.

Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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