Is this why you don’t read your Bible?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12 (NIV))

Have you ever stopped to think about why people don’t read the Bible on a regular basis?

This passage gives us so much insight. For some people, it tells us why they dive into it and study it regularly. They are not afraid of what they will discover about themselves as they discover more and more about the Lord. For others, it tells us why they refuse to read God’s Word. They are afraid of what they will find out about the sin that they don’t want to change in their lives. Basically, it comes down to two very distinct groups. Either you hate the things of this world and you want to seek spiritual maturity and His truth, or you love the things of this world and you are afraid of spiritual maturity and want the lies.

Which end of the spectrum do you find yourself on?

Perhaps you are somewhere in the middle. You want to grow closer to the Lord, but you don’t want to give up your sins, so you pick and choose what you read and what you apply to your life. Is this truly growing closer to the Lord? Is this allowing the word of God to divide soul and spirit in such a way that it leads you to repentance? Is this allowing you to accept the judgment of your thoughts and attitudes of the heart in such a way that you willingly lay down your sins at the foot of the cross?

I, like many of you, have read this passage many, many times. I have always thought about it from the perspective of those who do seek the Lord and are willing to learn from His Word. I had never given it any thought from the perspective of someone who is comfortable in their sin until now. Now I understand why some people are reluctant to spend time in His Word. Now I understand why some people will not even open a Bible or have anything to do with God’s Word. Each of us must be willing to allow the penetrating and dividing judgment of our lives to work God’s Will within us so that we grow closer to Him, so that we may mature into what Jesus has saved us to be.

If you are not willing to allow this, if you are not seeking this, then reading God’s Word is folly.

Are you open to allow God’s Word to work in your life?

Is this why you don’t read your Bible?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What are you prepared for?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
(Ephesians 6:1 (NIV))

How good are you at facing the things of this world on your own strength?

I can almost hear your thoughts on this. Everyone likes to put on a false front and tell the world that they have everything covered, while inside they are falling apart.

Are you like most people and tell everyone that you have everything covered? Do you tell yourself that as well? Do you honestly believe the lies that you tell yourself? What happens at the first sign of trouble?

I realize that I am asking a lot of questions, but in all honesty, what good is reading God’s Word if you don’t feel uncomfortable. It is intended to make you reflect, to make you stop and take a good, long, hard look at your life in relation to the passage in question.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12 (NIV))

With that in mind, are you tired of trying to face things on your own strength? You don’t need to do this. You don’t need to rely on what you can do. You don’t need to lie to the world and to yourself. You don’t need to sacrifice your joy for a false facade. You don’t need to listen to the lies of the enemy. Turn your eyes toward Jesus!

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))

Just how do you have life to the full? How do you rely on the strength of the Lord? How do you rely on His mighty power?

I am sure that you have thought of these questions yourself, but there is something else that came to my mind. The following words are often seen on bumper stickers, on social media, and many other places, but they hold true.

No Jesus. No peace.
Know Jesus! Know peace!

To be strong in the Lord means that you truly know Him. It means that you cling to His every word and to His every promise. It means that you know Jesus so well that you know without a doubt that all of His promises are Yes and Amen! You may recognize that Ephesians 6:1 is the beginning of the passages where we are told to put on the full armor of God. We are to surround ourselves with His Word. We are to understand that His Word is power. We are to understand that His Word is our protection against the enemy. We are to understand that His Word will defeat the enemy. We are to know His Word and His truth so well that we are prepared for anything that the enemy may try to send our way!

What are you prepared for?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Has the Word of God penetrated your life?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12 (NIV))

What are some things that you consider to be sharp?

Perhaps you think of a sword. You might think of a broken piece of glass. If you can find your way around a kitchen, the knives may come to mind. If you have ever had a paper cut, an edge of a sheet of paper can bring on much agony. You may think of sewing needles, or perhaps even medical syringes, but have you ever thought about words being sharp?

Think about words for a moment.

The old saying that sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me is not entirely true. Words, if you let them, can penetrate deeper than almost anything. This is true because words can penetrate the soul. A wrong word can scar someone for life while the right word will change a life for the better. The Word of God does just that. The Word of God can and will change you if you will simply let it.

Many things that we consider to be sharp only penetrate our lives by accident. You will not deliberately cut yourself with a sword, a piece of glass, or a knife. A paper cut is never deliberate. Sticking yourself with a sewing needle is always by accident, and even medical syringes are introduced because of an accident or medical condition that must be addresses. I realize that there are exceptions to each of these, but for the most part, sharp objects are not willingly introduced into a person’s life.

If that is the case, then why do we introduce things into our lives through words that can cause just as much damage as a physical sharp object? What we watch, what we listen to, what we read and what we mindlessly fill our minds with penetrates deeply into our lives. If words can penetrate so deeply, then we must focus on words that will tear down our sinful nature and rebuild within us a righteous nature. We must make a decision to deliberately focus on the Word of God and allow it to penetrate our soul and spirit, joint and marrow, and judge our thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

It is a choice. It is our decision. What penetrates our lives is up to us.

Has the Word of God penetrated your life?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Would you be counted as alive in Christ?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
(Romans 6:11-14 (NIV))

I am sure that we have all seen people who attend church regularly every Sunday, but once they leave the church building, they act as if they do not know Jesus. They do whatever they want to do and are able to justify it in their mind that since they attend church they are forgiven for whatever they do. The Bible says that these people will have a surprise awaiting them.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

“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 7:15-23 (NIV))

If you are truly a disciple of Jesus, then you will desire not to sin. You will want to bear good fruit. Those who attend church but still bear bad fruit are not part of the branch that Jesus has allowed to be grafted into Israel.

Look at it from a worldly perspective. If you were an employer who had someone who constantly created trouble and did bad things against you, what would you do? Think of God doing a performance evaluation on you in which the only questions consisted of whether you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and whether you are bearing fruit accordingly. Would you be promoted or fired?

Would you be counted as alive in Christ?

Copyright 1998 – 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you long to do as He says?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
(James 1:22 (NIV))

Does that passage hit you in the same way that it hits me?

Far too many times it convicts me, for I know that no matter how hard I try, there will be times that I fail. I listen to the word. I long to do what it says. And still I fail.

Failure is not deliberate. Failure is not my goal. Failure is a setback and an obstacle to overcome.

God’s word is alive. It is the truth and it is how we should live our lives. It is a choice and it is one that I take very seriously. I desire to live my life the way that God desires me to live. Yet, I find myself in the same predicament as Paul when he wrote to the Romans.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
(Romans 7:14-20 (NIV))

We all have times when we do what we know we shouldn’t. It is our recognition of these times that helps us to mature in our faith. If we desire to do what God’s word says, then we will hate our failures. We will long to be obedient. If we only listen and do not have a desire to do, then we do not hold God’s word in our heart. We do not long to be what God calls us to be.

We can listen to God’s word in the same way that we listen to the radio. When you turn off the radio, do you honestly remember the songs that you heard? Or, we can listen to God’s word in the way that you listen to things that are close to your heart. It is a matter of priorities.

When you listen to God, do you long to do as He says?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you waiting patiently?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV))

This passage stirs up controversy!

What do you interpret this passage to be talking about? Do you see this as an indication of what has become known as the Rapture? I realize that some people say that this word is not in this passage and not in the Bible at all. Some believe that the Rapture is a concept that was first introduced only about one hundred years ago. If you look at the original Greek from two thousand years ago, the word that is used is harpazo and it literally means catching away. Still, I understand that many people are leery of believing in something that is not that clearly defined or explained.

I ran across something today that I have read many times over, yet, something clicked today that I had never paid attention to before.

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
(Revelation 3:10 (NIV))

In this letter to the church in Philadelphia, John was instructed to tell them that Jesus knew their deeds were true to the Gospel and that they waited and endured the world while staying focused on Jesus. John also wrote what the reward would be for fulfilling this command. Jesus had John tell them that they would be kept from facing the hour of trial that is coming to the whole earth!

The hour of trial.

The time of trouble.

Tribulation.

All of these speak of the same period of time in God’s plan.

According to what Jesus told John to write, those who patiently endure will not go through this.

Are you waiting patiently?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you walking with Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
(Luke 24:13-35 (NIV))

I hope and pray that you encountered the risen Lord Jesus during Easter. I also pray that you continue to walk with Him during all the days of your life. He is with us even when we do not recognize Him. With that in mind, how would you want Jesus to see you in your daily actions?

Are you walking with Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Jesus is alive!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
(Matthew 28:6 (NIV))

Looking back at the last several weeks and what the whole world has endured, we need some good news!

There is no better news that we can receive than a heavenly announcement and acknowledgment that Jesus is alive!

When the angels announced that Jesus was not in the tomb, those who followed Jesus probably had been thinking prior to this announcement that their hopes had been shattered at the crucifixion. Can you imagine the joy that these words brought to them? They probably went from a feeling of despair and hopelessness to a feeling of jubilation and a peace that they did not understand.

What type of feelings have you experienced over the last several weeks? Be honest with yourself. Have you focused on the events of this world instead of focusing on God’s promises to those who love Him? If you have focused on God’s promises, I would venture to say that this Resurrection Sunday was probably a unique one as well as a blessed one. We may not have gathered in our church buildings to celebrate, but this reinforces the fact that buildings don’t make the church. People do!

Jesus came into the world to bring salvation to people, to individuals who would place their faith in Him. No matter how many people may be around you, in God’s plan, it doesn’t matter. He can call you in the middle of a large crowd or He can call you in the middle of a desert. If the world tries to keep His people from meeting together, then the Lord can meet with each one of us individually as He sees fit. This can only be done because we have placed our faith in His Son, Jesus, as our personal Lord and Savior. This only matters because of one very important piece of good news!

The grave could not hold Him!

The stone has been rolled away!

He defeated the power of sin and death!

There are many ways to express this absolute truth, but perhaps the one that is best is also the simplest.

Jesus is alive!

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you afraid of anything in this world?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
(2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV))

The Creator of the universe is on our side. If God is for us, then we do not need to be timid about anything that we ask in His name. We do not need to fear anything or anyone. We should face the world with what God has given us through Jesus Christ. We should face the world with hope, faith, love, power, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

It is through the full acceptance of what God has planned for us that we become what God has called us to. If we have accepted God’s gift of grace and mercy, and God is the Creator of all things, why do we need to be timid and fearful of what the world will do to us? God made the world. Through our sin, we have died in the world. Through grace, we are alive in the world, and for eternity! The world can do nothing to us if we look at the “BIG PICTURE” that God has planned. The only danger that we face is the loss of our current life, but we have the assurance of eternal life through Jesus. Satan cannot take that from us. Only when you truly face danger do you really have a spirit of timidity and fear. As long as we trust in Jesus, we have no reason to fear for there is no danger that can separate us from His love!

What danger can overcome us if we have truly accepted the grace of God through Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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He’s alive!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: `The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.
(Luke 24:1-8 (NIV))

Contrary to what the world says.

He’s alive!

Contrary to what the enemy wants.

He’s alive!

Contrary to what doubters proclaim.

He’s alive!

The Body of Christ worldwide just celebrated the resurrection. Millions of people throughout history have proclaimed that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. Millions of people alive today are proclaiming the very same thing.

The doubters can doubt. I am confident in my faith.

The enemy can lie. I will not believe the lies.

The world can make all sorts of claims. I know the truth!

Jesus, who was crucified, dead and buried, is alive!

Nothing can change the truth. Nothing can change my heart. I believe that Jesus is alive and I rejoice in that saving knowledge.

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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