How is your body and your mind?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Romans 12:1-2 (NIV))

We like to think that we are the ones in charge, that we are the masters of our own destiny, but in all honesty, are we?

It is human nature to rebel against submission to others, for it sounds too much like slavery to us.

Think about those statements and then think about the fallen, sinful nature that we, as humanity, have inherited. We believed a lie from the father of lies, and now, if God says one thing, our deceived nature automatically tells us to believe the opposite. In order to break this trend, we must make a conscious effort to do so. We must decide to not follow the world, but follow God. We must decide to offer God all of ourselves. That means physically and spiritually. We must deliberately make a choice to go against the world for the world has become the domain of the enemy. The world is very good at calling good evil and evil good. In order to break out of this mindset, we must transform our minds. We must spend time in God’s Word. We must seek God in all things and break the bonds that hold us captive to the lies of the enemy.

We must be willing to sacrifice our natural selves and offer up ourselves to God in humility and sincerity. We must humble ourselves and admit that we are nothing without God. We must seek only what makes us righteous in the eyes of God. That means removing anything that tempts us in body or in mind.

How is your body and your mind?

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Don’t face the consequences of rejecting God!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

They grumbled in their tents
and did not obey the LORD.
So he swore to them with uplifted hand
that he would make them fall in the desert,
(Psalms 106:25-26 (NIV))

Moses had a lot to deal with when you consider how quickly the Israelites fell into disobedience. Just a few short verses before this passage, we hear that Moses interceded for the people to keep God from destroying them because of the things that they had done.

Think about that for a moment.

Think back on all that the Israelites had done since they left Egypt. Are we guilty of any less than what they did? Are we guilty of grumbling against God? Are we guilty of building false gods and idols and placing them before the one true God? Individually, we may not all be guilty of these things, but collectively, our society, our world, is very guilty of these sins and more!

It doesn’t take a genius to come to the conclusion that, because of our collective sin, God has something unfolding before us that will bring people to repentance or it will drive people to curse God. With all that is going on in the world right now, it appears to be unfolding very rapidly. The things that I see in the world today were not even a consideration in the society and in the world twenty of thirty years ago.

We have prophesy that tells us of things to come. We know that God’s Will is unfolding. It is my earnest and fervent prayer that we, as the Body of Christ, stay focused on Jesus and that we don’t lose sight that we can’t save ourselves.

We need the Lord!

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you really want God’s Will?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, `As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say:
(Numbers 14:26-28 (NIV))

Imagine a country that says that God doesn’t belong in our schools. What do you think God will do? What happens when we say that God doesn’t belong in our government? What happens when we say that God doesn’t belong in our daily lives? What happens when we say that God only belongs in our churches and then only if He follows our schedule and agenda?

Based on what He told Moses and Aaron, we know exactly what will happen.

He will give us exactly what we ask for!

Think about that for a moment as you take a serious look at the current state of our society. We are reaping what we have sown. We are getting exactly what we have asked for, or, in the case of the Body of Christ, what we have not prayed to stop.

God has a timeline for things that He is unfolding that cannot be stopped. I am not sure where we are on that timeline, but I do know that the Body of Christ needs to pray for God’s will more than ever before. We like to pray for things that fit our will, such as a new job, a happy marriage, and a life free from trouble, but are we willing to truly pray for God’s will to be done?

Think about that last question as you read Daniel! Think about that last question as you read Revelation!

Do we really want God’s will or do we want our version of God’s will?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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We must make sure that we worship the Creator!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies, or the moon walking down its silver pathway, and been secretly enticed to worship them? If so, I should be punished by the judges, for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.
(Job 31:26-28 (NLT))

The earth and all of creation are things of beauty, but we must not forget that that they are a part of God’s creation.

We are to hold His creation in respect. We are to be good stewards of His creation. We are not to worship the creation as some people have become prone to do. We are to worship the Creator who made the sun shining in the skies, the moon walking its silver pathway, and our own magnificently created bodies.

We must not allow ourselves to be tricked into worshipping the creation. We must not allow the creation to become our god.

Jesus answered, “It is written: `Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ”
(Luke 4:8 (NIV))

It is true that God’s creation is a thing of majestic beauty, but it can be re-created at God’s will. In fact, the earth will be made anew. We have been promised that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. God will remake the earth as He originally intended for it to be.

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
(2 Peter 3:13 (NIV))

Don’t get caught up in the trap of worshipping the creation when the Creator is calling out to you. God’s creations are for our pleasure and ultimately His pleasure. Ultimately, we are His greatest pleasure.

Worship God !

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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What is in your cup?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
(Mark 14:35-36 (NIV))

How many times have you faced something that you knew you had to complete, yet, you did not want to face it? Perhaps this is the humanity coming out in the divinity that is Jesus.

What distinguishes our desires to abandon what we should do from those that Jesus felt?

Simply put, He realized that He had the responsibility for others beyond himself. His actions would effect untold numbers of people if He did not complete the task that He came to complete. We need to remember that Jesus did have a choice, and because of that choice, we have been given a choice as well. We can choose salvation because of the price that He willingly paid for us.

The next time that you face something that you wish to ignore, remember that others will feel the ramifications of your actions. Will they be good or will they be bad? We may not be able to tell when we are in the middle of our ordeal, but, we must remember that God has a plan for us and we need to be as diligent as possible to follow that plan. We must also remember that we cannot face it on our own. We must rely on the strength that we are given through the blood of Jesus.

Will you give up your cup or will you drink from what God has planned for you?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you ready for a transformation?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Romans 12:2 (NIV))

Do you conform to this world?

Think about this and what it truly means!

Do you do and say things in order to get what you want? Do you steal what is not yours so that you can have it? Do you think about lustful things? Do you want to be rich? Do you watch things that you shouldn’t see?

I could go on and on, but I believe that my point is one that you understand. The things of this fallen, sinful world are things that we, as the Body of Christ, should not seek after. We should seek after things that are righteous in the eyes of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV))

If you seek after something that is contrary to any or all of the fruits of the Spirit, then it should be avoided. Seek to be transformed into a person whose life reflects these characteristics.

Are you ready for a transformation?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you following your will or God’s?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV))

Are you following your will or God’s?

Do you know the difference?

Most people may not know that there is a difference. Too many pray for things to happen because it is their will. All too often, when things don’t work out the way that they think they should, they search for another way to make them happen. Is this truly following God’s will or is it following your own will and your own desires?

I know far too many people who seem to beat their heads against the wall with respect to things in their lives. They never see a blessing and they never see encouragement, yet, they still claim to be following God’s will.

Does this sound like your life?

I realize that God is not slow in keeping His promises and the lack of blessings and the lack of encouragement may be God saying that the time is not right. I know that this is a tough call. What do you do in these circumstances? What do you do when you feel that God is calling you into something, yet you are not seeing anything come to fruition?

Look at David. He was called to be king of Israel, yet he faced many years of persecution. The one thing about David that stands out is that he had a personal relationship with God. He longed to know God and he longed for God to know him.

Can you say the same thing?

Are your thoughts in line with God’s thoughts? Are your actions in line with what God is telling you? Perhaps the best way to say this, to cut to the chase, is to look at your priorities. Do you focus on yourself first and then everything that you claim to do for God is only done so that you can receive the accolades of people? God looks at the heart.

What does your heart long for?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Terror is a tool of the enemy. Ours is prayer!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

`But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
(Leviticus 26:14-17 (NIV))

Terror!

Have we, as the world, gotten to the point where we do not listen to God and do not carry out His commands? We, as a society, definitely seem to abhor God’s laws, especially when we allow same sex marriages and abortion. Is it any wonder that we are facing what we are facing?

How can we turn this nation and this world around?

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14(NIV))

When we turn to God, we are protected. When we turn from God, all things may be turned loose upon us.

We must pray!

Pray for Godly wisdom. Pray for God’s Will to be done. Pray for our nation’s leaders. Pray for our local leaders.

Prayer is a powerful tool. If enough people will pray, God will pour out His power upon our land. This type of prayer calls for more than a simple statement where you ask God to do something and it only takes a few seconds. This type of prayer is a prayer from the heart. It is a prayer from your very soul. Sometimes these types of prayers cannot be put into words. Simply cry out to God in your distress and anguish and He will know your heart.

When your prayers really matter, how will God respond? Will He respond in a manner similar to your few seconds of prayer, or will He respond to the Godly anguish that you feel? After all, God longs for people to be like David who was a man after God’s own heart.

What are you after?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What is it that you pray for?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(Acts 1:7-8 (NIV))

With all that is going on in the world, I know that many people long to know the times and the dates that God is using to unfold His plan. With what happened recently in Charleston and now what has happened in Chattanooga, I know that many people are praying for God’s grace. Many are praying for His mercy.

Are we praying for the right things?

Many of us are praying for peace in our neighborhoods, in our cities, in our nation and in the world, but is peace what we should be praying for?

We are told that certain things must transpire before the return of Jesus. We also know that all of these things are not only not pleasant, but are downright dangerous and evil. Are we seeing these events unfold? Are we praying for peace because we want to get back to the status quo for our lives. Lives that used to be consumed with family, friends, jobs and the future. Should we be praying for peace when we know that God’s plans do not call for peace? Should we possibly be praying for God’s plans to be made manifest among us? Should we be praying that God will use us mightily for His Kingdom?

It is true that we do not know the times or dates, but that does not mean that we simply stick our heads in the sand and ignore what is going on in hopes that it will go away. If all of the things that we see simply went away, would we truly have peace? Would we turn to God during these times? Would we truly have the faith to stand firm in God’s promises?

We must keep our eyes on Jesus! We must keep looking up to the true source of peace. We must earnestly seek God and be willing to discern His true intentions.

What is it that you pray for?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are we a church based on God’s Word or on people’s opinions?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 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.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
(Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV))

I read something last night that I had forgotten about the church in Laodicea. Actually, it was more about the long term meaning of the passage and the translated meaning of the name of the city – Laodicea.

Before we get into the name’s meaning, I want to make sure that everybody understands that the church at Laodicea was one of the worst churches of the seven that are mentioned in Revelation. Many theologians actually believe that the long term prophesy applies to the general church of today. With what I was reminded of in my readings last night, I sadly agree with them.

Laodicea literally translates to something like “People’s opinions,” or “People judged.” Some have even stated that it can be translated as “The will of the people.”

Think about this meaning and the fact that this type of church is considered to be one of the worst.

What do you see when you read about the different denominations. They started because of division and people wanted to change a few things that they didn’t agree with. What about the current issues facing society? Many people who profess a faith in Jesus are ignoring the Bible and are teaching what they want to teach. If I were a betting man, I would venture to say that most people who sit in the pews of the churches around the world don’t actually know what the Bible has to say. They rely on the person in the pulpit and don’t read it for themselves.

I have read the warnings that have been given to the church in Laodicea, the church based on people’s opinions. Frankly, I am scared to death to be outside of God’s Word for I know what awaits those who preach the will of the people instead of God’s Will.

Are we the prophesied church of Laodicea? Can we escape what is to come? Can we repent and turn into a church based on God’s Word?

Thankfully, we know that there will be those who overcome. It will take more than sitting in a pew for an hour and accepting whatever the preacher says as truth. We must read God’s Word. We must live, eat, sleep and breathe God’s Word. We must hold each other accountable and not allow people’s opinions to dictate the truth that we know to be God’s truth.

It is important to remember that God’s Word never changes! People and their opinions do.

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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