Is God your refuge and strength?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
(Psalms 46:1 (NIV))

Today’s world seems to be spiraling ever downward away from God’s Will. The events of the last several years seem to be leading us into the wars and rumors of wars that are written of in Matthew 24:6.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
(Matthew 24:6-8 (NIV))

I may be naive, but I don’t remember a period in my lifetime that seemed so much on edge. I know that all throughout history, there have been periods where all seemed to be turmoil. I originally wrote and sent this out almost ten years ago based on what was happening in the world at that point. With what is happening in the world now, it seems very appropriate to be reminded about where our refuge and strength come from. It is not time to sit on the fence. It is not time to be indecisive. It is time to proclaim a faith in the Lord. Then we can truly claim that no matter what the world may have in store for us, God is truly our refuge. He is Creator. He is Lord of all. He is our Father. He is our hope.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31 (NIV))

God is our refuge. He longs to have us draw close to Him. If we will only turn away from our sin and turn toward Him, He is our strength. He is an ever-present help in trouble. No matter what the world may send our way, we have the faith and assurance that God is there.

Is God your refuge and strength?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you able to proclaim the same?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
(Psalms 91:2 (NIV))

Sadly, it is human nature to say things that aren’t exactly true. Every single one of us has stretched the truth at least one time in the last twenty-four hours. Human nature makes us do things that are less than accurate. This easily comes out in the things that we say, after all, words flow far too easily. We say things we don’t mean to say. We sound sarcastic when saying something with sincerity, and we can sound honest when we are telling an outright lie. We may not intend to do these things, but we all do them. We are all guilty.

whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
(Psalms 15:3 (NIV))

We must learn to be diligent with our words. We must not allow our mouths to utter things that are not true. We must strive to speak of only what is good.

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.
(Psalms 35:28 (NIV))

Even Jesus redirected goodness to the Father! Everything that He did was done to bring glory to the Father.

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
(Mark 10:18 (NIV))

Do your words bring glory to the Father? The psalmist claimed that he finds refuge in God. He claimed that God is his fortress. He claimed that he trusts in God. Since the Lord God sees the heart, I want these words to be my honest proclamation!

Are you able to proclaim the same?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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When do you turn to the Lord?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
     a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name will trust in you,
     for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
     proclaim among the nations what he has done.
(Psalms 9:9-11 (NIV))

Do you seek the Lord?

Do you seek Him at all times or only when things are not going the way that you want them to go?

He is a refuge for the oppressed and a stronghold in times of trouble, but, if those are the only times that you seek the Lord, then are you truly seeking Him?

It is human nature to turn to someone when you feel that you cannot handle things on your own, but when things seem to be going our way, it is human nature to take the credit. We seem to want God in our lives only when we fail on our own.

Is that how you see God? Is that the only time that you honestly seek the Lord?

Let me pose a question.

For those of you who are married, do you honestly think that the relationship is strong and that you honestly know you spouse if the only time that you turn to them is when you want something from them? Can you honestly say that you know the very heart and desires of your spouse if you never spend time with them?

God is the same way. If we only turn to Him in times of trouble, how do you think the relationship is going? Can you honestly say that you have spent time at the feet of the Lord? Can you honestly say that you know the heart of God and what makes Him rejoice and what makes Him sad?

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, but He is so much more than that if you will simply spend time in His presence. In order to know someone, you must spend time with them. You must learn what makes them happy and what makes them sad. You must learn what they love. You cannot learn this when you are seeking refuge. You learn it when the focus is off of you.

Be still, and know that I am God
(Psalm 46:10a (NIV))

When do you turn to the Lord?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Where would you be if the Lord hadn’t waited for you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9 (NIV))

It is human nature to not like to wait. With the state of the nation and the world as it is today, many members of the Body of Christ are longing for Jesus to come and take His church out of this world. With the state of the world, there are many who believe that it could happen at any time.

What if it happens tonight?

What if it happens tomorrow?

What if it happens a week from now, or a month from now?

What if we still have to wait even if we long to be with Jesus?

Have you ever stopped to truly reflect on this passage from 2 Peter?

Let me present a scenario to you and perhaps this will help you think about this passage in a different light. Think about the one person in your life that you fervently pray comes to a knowledge of the saving grace that is theirs through Jesus. Wouldn’t you want the Lord to wait for this person to accept His grace and mercy? Think about your own path to salvation. Was there someone who was fervently praying for you?

Where would you be if the Lord hadn’t waited for you?

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Lord, lead me to the rock!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
(Psalms 61:2 (NIV))

Lord, lead me to the rock!

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
(Psalms 18:2 (NIV))

In all that you say and in all that you do, are you calling out to God to lead you to Him?

We like to think that we are, yet, each of us have times when we are facing things where we feel that we have been abandoned. Stop to think about that for a moment. If we can claim that God is our rock, our fortress and our deliverer, do the definitions of these words have anything in them that portrays these as anything other than solid and faithful? We can rely on these types of places to be there to protect us, to hide us in the storms, and to give us strength when we have no strength on our own.

Think about what a rock, a fortress and a deliverer mean to you.

Why would anyone run from such a place? Why would anyone not seek shelter in these places? Why would someone not build their house, their life, upon such a place?

There is only one place where you can find such a rock, such a fortress and such a deliverer! Place you faith in Jesus and the salvation that is yours through His atoning blood.

Lord, lead me to the rock!

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