Have you let down your guard?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
(Mark 13:33 (NIV))

This is from when Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Jesus when the temple would be destroyed, and when the Son of Man would come in the clouds.

They were ready for His kingdom to be established then. Are we still eager and ready for His kingdom to be established now?

Those who profess a faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior have been looking for these events and His return for over two thousand years.

What happens when you are waiting for something and it takes much longer than you had hoped? Do you stay vigilant or do you begin to fall asleep? Do you begin to be not as alert and ready as you should be?

The world doesn’t understand how we, as believers in Jesus, can still cling to the promises that He will return. The problem is that far too many believers are too comfortable while we wait. Have we lost the ability to be on our guard? Have we lost the ability to remain alert? Now, more than ever, is the time to stay on guard. Now is the time to be alert.

Now is not the time to let down our guard!

Have you let down your guard?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Do you long to be this close to the Lord?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Jesus wept.
(John 11:35 (NIV))

Do you think that Jesus weeps only for Lazarus?

We all know the story. Lazarus, who was a friend of Jesus, dies and is buried. Jesus shows up four days later. Jesus is so moved by the pain that Martha and Mary felt, as well as the pain that He felt for His friends, that He wept. Jesus wept, even knowing that He was going to raise Lazarus from the grave. Is it possible that He also wept because His friends did not realize exactly what He could do? Did He weep because they had placed His abilities into a box that was of their own making. In other words, if Lazarus was still alive, they thought that Jesus could heal him. In their minds, because Lazarus had died, they felt that there was nothing left that Jesus could do.

I want you to think about this for a moment. This story, and these two words, shows the human side of Jesus. He also knows the limitations of our human understanding. Personally, I believe that Jesus wept because his friends thought that the Creator of all things was too late. I think that Jesus wept because of His love. Even though He is fully God, He is also fully human, and because of this, He knows hurt.

He also knows compassion!

Do you think that Jesus doesn’t care about what hurts you? Do you think that Jesus is too busy and too important to worry about the things that break your heart?

When Jesus first walked this earth, everything that He did was to show compassion. If you find that hard to believe, simply read why He came!

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 they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
(John 3:16-18 (NIV))

If this doesn’t sound like compassion and love, I don’t know what does.

Now, back to us. Back to the world that exists today. Do you think that Jesus weeps at our pain and at our failure to understand just who He is? Do you think that Jesus weeps when He sees the broken hearted? Do you think that Jesus weeps when He sees the unbelief? Do you think that Jesus weeps when He sees the state of the world?

Jesus experienced the whole range of human emotions, yet, He did not sin. He not only knows sadness, He knows joy.

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
(Luke 15:4-7 (NIV))

I don’t know about you, but these two stories paint a picture of Jesus where He cries with us and comforts us when we are hurting, and He rejoices with us when we are happy.

Jesus knows us intimately. He knows us so much more that we know ourselves.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
(Proverbs 18:24 (NIV))

Do you long to be this close to the Lord?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Is His kingdom your priority?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Matthew 6:33 (NIV))

How do you see the world?

How do you set your priorities?

These are two very simple, yet, very difficult questions. You answers to these tell a great deal about your relationship with the world, and more importantly, they tell a great deal about your relationship with the Lord!

If you aren’t aware of what has been happening in the world, it is time to crawl out from under your rock. It is time to pay attention to more than you small circle of influence. It is time to open your eyes and see what is unfolding practically everywhere. I could spend hours going into details, but suffice it to say that these words say it better.

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
(Mark 13:7-8 (NIV))

There is war in Ukraine. Israel was blatantly attacked and is fighting a war to eliminate the threat of further terrorist attacks. Our federal government is at war with Texas over the right of Texas to defend itself from invasion. Nation is rising against nation. Kingdom is rising against kingdom. There are many other things that are going on, but how many people actually know this and how many are looking at these events from an eternal perspective?

So, once again, I want to ask how do you see the world?

Do you see it from a worldly perspective where humanity will figure it all out and rise above all of the things that we are seeing, or do you see it from a Biblical perspective where things are unfolding exactly as we were told that they would?

Do you seek the sinful, fallen world, or do you seek His kingdom and His righteousness?

Does the thought of artificial intelligence get you excited about humanity’s future, or does the Creator God give you the assurance and hope that only He can give? Does the return of Jesus make you laugh, or do you long for that day? Does worldly knowledge exit you or does Godly wisdom make you rejoice?

I could go on and on with examples, but it all comes down to one simple question.

Is His kingdom your priority?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you confident that God hears you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
(1 John 5:14 (NIV))

Do you think that you know God’s will?

Or, are you like so many others who take their will and try to project it onto God?

We must be very careful that we don’t assume that what we want in our sinful, human nature is what God wants in His righteousness. How many times have you prayed for something that you wanted without asking what God wants for you? How did those prayers get answered? I can attest to the fact that they never worked out for me when I did it, and I am certain that yours did not either.

What happens when you pray for God’s will to be shown to you and for God’s will to be glorified above all else? What happens when you pray for God’s will to be your will? Do your prayers get answered in a different manner than when you try to impose your will on God?

Arrogance and pride are serious problems of our sinful human nature. They were, and still are, serious problems for Satan and his fallen angels. In fact, it is why he was cast out. He wanted to elevate himself to be God.

Think about that for a moment.

Isn’t this exactly what we do when we try to impose our will upon God?

We are saying that we know better than God. We are saying that we don’t trust God. We are saying that we want to be in control.

In other words, just like a little child, we are guilty of throwing a temper tantrum!

When a little child throws a temper tantrum because they don’t get what they want, how do most parents react? Do they give in, or do they ignore the tantrum? When we ask for things because it is our will, how do you think God responds?

As believers, we must strive to know His will. We must know His Word so well that we can tell what we should do. We must be so close to the Lord that we never fail to seek Him first in all things. We must be confident of our relationship with the Lord. We must trust Him to provide what we need and not what our sinful, human nature desires.

Are you confident that God hears you?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Does this describe what we are seeing today?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
(Matthew 12:43-45 (NIV))

When I read this passage, I could not help but think of the condition of the world as we see it unfolding before us.

Do you think that the impure spirits have multiplied in their manifestation in this world?

Do you think that with what we are seeing, this generation has become wicked?

Have the weeds and the wheat grown up in the same field?

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
(Matthew 13:24-26 (NIV))

Can you tell the difference? Can you distinguish good from evil? Are you bothered by the things that you see unfolding in the world?

Personally, I am seeing things that I would have never imagined would happen in my lifetime. I am seeing the weeds growing rapidly amongst the wheat. I am seeing evil rearing its ugly head and far too many people are calling it good. I am seeing wickedness increase daily. Nothing surprises me anymore.

If you have professed a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then now is the time to keep your eyes focused on Jesus. Now is the time to recognize the things you see in this world for what they are.

Does your heart ache when you see all of the confusion and lies that are now being pushed as truth?

Does your spirit long for His righteousness to overcome the evil?

Personally, I believe that this time in history is getting more wicked by the day. What do you think of the world as it is spiraling headlong into a complete rejection of the Lord?

Does this describe what we are seeing today?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you asking God for His wisdom?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
(James 1:5 (NIV))

Do you seek wisdom?

Perhaps I should clarify that question!

Do you seek Godly wisdom?

Far too may people, even those who profess a faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, seek after worldly wisdom. They try to make themselves think that they have God in mind, but it is shrouded in what they can get for themselves.

What kind of wisdom do you seek?

Personally, I find myself getting distracted even when I profess to want to seek after the Lord. I honestly believe that it is part of our fallen human nature, for even Paul experienced the very same thing.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
(Romans 7:15 (NIV))

When this happens, we, like Paul, must focus on Jesus. We must press on toward the prize. We must seek after His righteousness.

With all that is happening in the world, we must have a Godly perspective, a Godly wisdom, to understand what is unfolding right before our eyes. I don’t want to be blind sided because I was focusing on the wisdom of the world. I want to focus on God’s Word and His truth so that I understand what He is doing.

We cannot fathom the greatness of God. We cannot fathom the depth of wisdom that is our God. We simply cannot handle it.

I know a person who said one of the most profound statements that I strive to live by. I may not say this every day, but every day I get up with this attitude.

Lord, give me the wisdom to know what I need to know when I need to know it!

Are you asking God for His wisdom?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you taking action to truly know Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
(Matthew 7:8 (NIV))

Do you see anything within these words?

Look closely!

Asking, seeking and knocking are all actions that we, as believers in Jesus, must do. There is not a single passive verb in this list. In other words, we must be willing to make Jesus our priority. We must be willing to ask for what we desire. We must be willing to seek what we desire, and we must be willing to knock to gain entrance. We just need to make sure that what we are asking for, what we are seeking for, and what we are knocking to gain entrance to is the blessings that are there for those who love Jesus.

We must not be focused on the physical!

We must be focused on Jesus!

What are you focused on when you ask?

What are you seeking?

What lies behind the door that you are knocking on?

In today’s world, with all that is happening, we must be totally committed to Jesus. We must focus on the things of heaven and not on the things of earth. If we focus on the things of earth, that is our treasure, that is our priority. I have found that human nature only takes action on what we truly want. If that is the case, then it makes perfect sense that we are to take action and ask, seek and knock.

Are you taking action to truly know Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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What type of repayment plan are you on?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
(1 Peter 3:9 (NIV))

What do you do when someone does something bad to you?

How do you react?

Do you instantly seek revenge?

Do you give in to your sinful, human nature and react in a way that mimics how you were treated?

To be honest with you, that is how most people instinctively react, but Jesus tells us of another way. He tells us of a way that goes against our sinful, human nature.

You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
(Matthew 5:38-39 (NIV))

We are in a time in this world where our reactions are under scrutiny by those who seek to discredit a belief in Jesus. Our reactions may be the only glimpse of Jesus that someone may see. Our reactions may be the very thing that the Lord uses to thaw out a frozen heart. Our reactions may be what the Lord uses to shatter a heart of stone.

Stop to think about that the next time that someone mistreats you. How you react, how you repay their actions may either solidify their denial of Jesus or it may be what breaks the ice and lets them begin to see Jesus.

What type of repayment plan are you on?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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This is our new job description!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
(1 Peter 2:9 (NIV))

Do you profess a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?

If you answered “Yes” to this question, then you have a responsibility.

We are to share the Gospel. We are to witness to those in need of hearing the good news. We have been given an assignment. We have been given a job description.

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))

Are you going? Are you making disciples? Is Jesus with you as you go?

As a follower of Jesus, we have been given the same assignment as was given to Peter.

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
(Matthew 4:19 (ESV))

I was recently reminded of this while watching a show that depicted this very moment. Even though I knew what was coming as the events unfolded on screen, I found myself in tears. The idea that the God of all creation has entrusted me to take part in what He has planned is beyond belief. I don’t want to disappoint Him!

The exact way, the exact analogy, the exact parable if you will, is going to be as unique as you are unique in God’s eyes. He has given each of us special talents that He desires for us to use in spreading His Gospel. Everyone who professes a faith in Jesus has the same job description. We are to share, we are to witness, we are to tell others about Jesus. Each of us has a unique circle of influence. Mine is through these devotionals. Yours is what God has called you to do.

Are you being obedient?

Will you hear Jesus speak these words?

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
(Matthew 25:21 (NIV))

Think about all of these passages for a moment.

We are called to be a faithful servant, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and fishers of men. At no point in His teachings did Jesus tell us to sit back and enjoy what He has given to us. In fact, He told us to ask to be sent into the harvest field to help. We have accepted grace, and at the same time, we have accepted a new calling, a new job description.

Our primary task is to share the Gospel!

This is our new job description!

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Have you surrendered to your sinful desires?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.
(1 Peter 2:11 (NIV))

With all that has been happening in the world, do you feel like you simply don’t belong here?

If you have professed a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then you have probably heard the saying that this world is not our home. We are just passing through. Our home is with the Lord.

We are foreigners!

We are to live in the world, but not live, not partake, of the world. The world is a sinful, fallen place that encourages anything and everything that goes against what God calls righteous. We are not to take part in the sinful things of this world. We are to keep our eyes on the promised home that is waiting for us.

I just came back from a week long vacation with my family. As we drove to our destination and back home, I saw all kinds of things pass by our windows along the journey. Billboards trying to temp you to pull over and partake of what had to be offered. Some were normal things such as food and gas, but others advertised such things as sex shops and nude dancers. When we live in this world, we are to be selective, just as I was selective in my travels. We are to focus on what is needed and what is good, and let the things that are bad simply vanish as we navigate by them. We are to keep our eyes on the destination. Just as we now follow GPS maps to get where we are going, we also should follow God’s Word to reach our eternal home. We need to make sure that we do not divert, that we do not make a stop that will lead to our sinful nature taking control.

We are to keep our eyes on Jesus!

When we focus on Jesus, the sinful desires, just like the bad billboards, will simply be an observation when we pass. They will not be a course altering distraction, for we have the promise of something eternally wonderful.

We need to make certain that we are well grounded in God’s Word to the point that we recognize and steer clear of anything that is foreign to God’s Word. Anything that is foreign to His Word is a sin.

I realize that we are only human and that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. We will stumble. Sometimes, we will even fall. The key to staying the course is to keep your eyes on Jesus and make sure that you don’t surrender to your sinful desires as the temptations pass you by.

Have you surrendered to your sinful desires?

Copyright 1998 – 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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