What will it take for you to believe?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
(John 20:30-31 (NIV))

It has often been speculated that Jesus performed far more miracles than any of the books of the New Testament recorded. These words from John give credence to that idea. Think about it for a moment. Just how many miracles do you need to have documented before you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God? Will it take 10,000 to make you believe? Will you settle for only 1,000 miracles? Will 100 be sufficient to draw you into faith? Perhaps 10 will be enough to make you realize that Jesus is the Son of God?

Could you believe if you were only told of one miracle that Jesus performed?

If so, which one would it be? Turning water into wine? Walking on water? Feeding the 5,000 or would it be raising Lazarus from the dead? Personally, everything that Jesus accomplished when He walked this earth takes a back seat to the ultimate miracle. Everything that He did, even when raising Lazarus from the dead, was a temporary fix to the situation that was presented to Him. The one and only miracle that has an everlasting effect on all of creation was His resurrection from the grave after a brutal death. Through this one miracle, Jesus has ascended to the right hand of God the Father and He has overcome the power of sin and death for all time.

The time for being a skeptic is over. Look at the miracles. Look at the lives impacted. Look at the promises fulfilled. Look at the empty tomb!

What will it take for you to believe?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery
Visit us on facebook

Will you be acquitted or will you be condemned?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
(Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV))

We must be careful of what we say. Every word that we utter has a profound effect on us and everyone around us.

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
(Psalm 5:9)

The tongue is the ultimate weapon that we have against others. We must not wield that weapon. We must hold it in check. God will hold us accountable for all that we say.

What have you said today?

Will you be acquitted or will you be condemned?

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery
Visit us on facebook

We must take a look at our actions

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.
(Romans 14:21 (NIV))

Do we ever stop to think about our actions and how they effect those around us?

We tend to think that our actions only have an impact on us, but that is far from the truth. Most of us realize that our actions have a direct effect on those around us, after all, our outlook on life can impact other people. Have you ever stopped to think that what we do, and what we don’t do, can have a very big impact on people?

Would you have an alcoholic drink in front of someone that you knew was battling this temptation? Would you be so callous as to partake of a very large meal in front of someone who hadn’t eaten in several days? Would you encourage someone to steal something because they can’t afford it?

What if you were battling an eating disorder and someone accidentally tempted you? What if you were a drug addict under control and someone left something at your home?

Would you have the will power to resist? Would you be upset with those who left the temptation there for you?

Why do people sin?

It is a matter of personal addiction to something. If the temptation is removed, many can people can focus enough to ignore the sin. It is the introduction of temptation that leads to the person falling. Not everyone has the same temptation. What may cause one person to sin may not be what will cause another to sin. We, as the Body of Christ, must be careful that our actions do not lead others to sin. Contrary to what society may say, we should not only think of ourselves. We must think of others. We must be observant enough to know what may cause others to sin.

We, as the Body of Christ, have a responsibility to lift each other up. We must not be a hindrance. We must take a look at our actions.

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery