Have you been encouraged and strengthened?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV))

At first read, this passage seems wordy and long, but if you stop and truly consider what is being said, everything comes into focus. In fact, this passage should become the prayer that we all pray for every member of the Body of Christ!

These words bless the person to whom they are directed.

These words identify from whom that blessing flows.

These words give glory to whom the blessings flow from.

These words describe the power and authority of Jesus and God our Father.

These words tell us of the great love that is held for us by Jesus and God the Father.

These words tell of the grace that is ours because of this great love.

These words should encourage us because they clearly show that we are His children.

And, because of this encouragement, these words give us strength to face the world.

It is amazing the power that words hold. God spoke everything into existence. Jesus is the Word made flesh. Our words can be used to approach the throne room of God. Our words of acceptance of Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior bring grace. Words can bring blessings. Words can bring encouragement and strength!

Have you been encouraged and strengthened?

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you like-minded?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
(Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV))

It is amazing what God can do!

Saul, who was persecuting the Body of Christ, had such a tremendous change in his life when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was on his way to arrest and kill believers when he had an experience with Jesus that turned him from that task to a task far greater than any other human who has ever lived. He had such a profound change in his attitude that he even changed his name to Paul to reflect that change.

He not only accepted Jesus, he fully embraced Jesus and the task that he was called to complete. He walked away from his former life as a respected man and became united with Jesus in spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles. He had seen the truth and he came away with a purpose. That purpose was to tell as many towns as he could about the love of God and what Jesus willingly did to save them. He was not afraid to face anything for the sake of the Gospel for he knew it to be true!

He asked the church at Philippi if they accepted Jesus in a similar manner. He asked them to be like-minded. Just what does that mean? I honestly believe that Paul was asking the church to stand firm in their faith, to share the Gospel even when it was not conducive to do so. I also believe that he was asking them to be united with each other just as they were united in Jesus and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them individually as well as collectively.

How do you think Paul would address your church and community today? Would he encourage you or would he say that we could all do better? Would he say that your are like-minded as he encouraged the church at Philippi to be like minded?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you honor Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.
(Romans 12:1 (NIV))

Paul is known for encouraging the Body of Christ in addition to spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles. In this passage, we see sound advise even for today.

Think about these words from Paul.

Do you profess that Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior?

We all think of Jesus as our salvation, as our Savior, but do we truly think of Jesus as our Lord? If we truly have turned over lordship of our lives to Jesus, then our bodies, our very lives, are no longer ours. If you were asked to baby-sit, would you treat the child badly? Would you give the child things that were bad for it’s health? Would you put the child in danger?

For the people who have asked Jesus to be their Lord, we are only custodians, caretakers, of our bodies. In essence, we are baby-sitting our bodies. We are to treat them as if they belonged to Jesus. Would you commit sinful behavior? Would you allow Jesus to be compromised and endangered?

We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices in response to and in honor of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us!

Do you honor Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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