Are you filled with God’s new wine?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
(Matthew 9:16-17 (NIV))

This time of year can be a time of renewal. It can be a time of repentance. It can be so much more than the commercialization of the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the beginning of a new year.

Jesus came to bring new life to those who would call upon His name as Lord and Savior.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
(John 10:10 (NIV))

That fullness is celebrated yearly to be thankful for His birth, which brought grace. I am not privy to all of the reasons that December 25th was chosen, but I do like the symbolism that it presents to those who call upon His name. We celebrate the birth of forgiveness, mercy and grace and then we move right in to the celebration of a new year. In essence, we are renewed by grace and then begin a new year on the promises that grace has brought. We shed the old, worn out skins of our lives from that last twelve months and prepare ourselves with newness to face the world and to share His Gospel. Our lives are the wineskins. Sometimes, even the best of us need to have new wine poured into our lives. Sometimes, we need to be remade to accept that new wine.

Are you ready to face the new year?

Are you ready to be filled with the new wine from God?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you want a pure heart and a steadfast spirit!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
(Psalms 51:10-13 (NIV))

A pure heart and a steadfast spirit!

What would each of us do if we truly had that precious gift? Would we long to be in God’s presence and to feel His Holy Spirit with us at all times? I surely pray that each of us would have that burning, that longing desire to be in God’s presence at all times.

Even if it is your desire now, human frailty keeps us from being able to live in His presence with a steadfast spirit all of the time. Physical characteristics such as hunger and exhaustion lead us to drop our guard, which, not so much as lets our desires out, but perhaps it lets our sinful desires back in. Each of us are guilty of moments were we do things that are not Godly in nature and we regret after we have done them.

Luckily, God has forgiven us through the atoning blood of His Son, Jesus. Through this atoning blood, we will not be cast from His presence. Through this atoning blood, we will have our joy restored. We will be granted a willing spirit through the Holy Spirit. We will be sustained.

What do we do with that sustenance? It is too much for us to keep to ourselves. Do we do what Psalms 51:13 tells us?

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
(Psalms 51:13 (NIV))

We have asked for a pure heart and a steadfast spirit so that we may keep on track with our walk with God, but, we must not forget that God has called us to invite others to walk with Him. We must teach others the path of righteousness. We must be willing to lead others where we wish to go. In essence, we must become guides ourselves. Not that we know where to go, but, rather, we know who does.

As someone I know says, we must lead, follow, or get out of the way. Are you willing to lead others to Jesus? Are you willing to follow Jesus all the days of your life? Are you willing to get out of the way and let Jesus do what He has come to do?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What are you focused on?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
(Titus 3:3-8 (NIV))

Yes, they are profitable for everyone.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
(Mark 8:36)

There are some things that are more profitable to man than others. One of these is salvation through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We need to focus on Godly things and not on earthly things, for earthly things are foolish in the site of God. It is by God’s grace and mercy that we no longer are living of the world. We are in the world, but we must set our eyes on higher things.

What are you focused on? What is the prize that you seek?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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I pray that the new year brings a renewed relationship to Jesus.

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
(Mark 13:32-33 (NIV))

I am constantly reading and studying. 2014 looks to be a very interesting year in God’s time table. I do not profess to know the day or the hour, but the season is rapidly changing.

There are things going on in this world and in the heavens that are too numerous to simply be coincidence. Even with this increase, we, as the Body of Christ, must test everything against God’s Word. We must not be found guilty of falsely proclaiming things that do not match what we are told through God’s Word.

None of us know what tomorrow will bring.

Pray for wisdom.

Pray for discernment.

Pray for understanding.

Pray for the strength to follow God.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:31-39 (NIV))

I pray that the new year brings a renewed relationship to Jesus.

Happy New Year!

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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