Is it your desire to prove faithful?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
(1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV))

Have you been given a trust?

Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth. He was explaining to them that he had a responsibility to share the Gospel, to share the mysteries that God had revealed. He let it be known that since he knew of these mysteries, he was required to share with others. His choice of words also indicated that once he had shared those mysteries, the ones who had received such knowledge were also required to share with others.

I hope that this concept sounds very familiar to you!

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV))

If we know the truth and the power of the Gospel, then we are to share it!

If we, as believers, had a job description, then sharing the Gospel is our only duty. It goes hand in hand with how Jesus answered when He was asked what is the greatest commandment.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV))

Loving the Lord in this manner requires surrendering your will to His. It means that you cherish Him above all others. It means that you trust and believe. It means that you have faith! If you understand just who the Lord is, then you desire to share this understanding with others. To put it clearly, you love others enough to share with them the love that the Lord shared with you through the cross.

You have been given a Great Commission. You have been given an explanation of how God loves and how we are to love others.

In other words, you have been given a trust!

We who have accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior are called to prove faithful in sharing what we have been given.

Is it your desire to prove faithful?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Everything hinges on one important word!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9 (NIV))

IF . . .

Two little letters that far too many people simply overlook.

If you have ever done any programming or have ever created a formula in a spreadsheet, you may be familiar with an IF > THEN statement. In essence, IF something happens, THEN something else can be expected. In all honesty, this concept makes perfect sense, but why do so many people bypass the IF and still expect the THEN?

IF you work hard, THEN you will be rewarded. Too many people want the reward without the work.

IF you get good grades, THEN you can do anything that you put your mind to. Too many people want the end result without the commitment required to get there.

IF you show compassion, THEN you will be shown compassion. Too many people still have a double standard when it comes to what they do and what they expect others to do for them.

IF you confess your sins, THEN . . .

IF you profess a faith in Jesus, THEN . . .

What do you expect for the THEN when you think of these two IF statements?

Even the passage that nonbelievers know contains an IF > THEN statement. You have to look closely, but it is there!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16 (NIV))

IF you believe in Jesus, THEN you shall not perish but have eternal life.

Society has adopted a false Gospel. They have left off the IF and gone straight to the THEN where everyone is saved because God is love. It is our responsibility as believers to share the Gospel in its true form. We are to make disciples and teach them correctly. We are to show people the importance of two little letters.

Everything hinges on one important word!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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We must always focus on Jesus!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
(Romans 12:12 (NIV))

This would be so much easier to accept if it had a few less words.

Be joyful, patient and faithful!

Be honest with yourself. Doesn’t this sound so much better and easier, especially when you consider that it is human nature to take the easy way in all things?

But, we are told that following Jesus will not be easy. If you have made that profession of faith, you have accepted the fact that we will face persecution.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
(John 15:18-20 (NIV))

We are to be joyful in hope, for our hope is in Jesus!

We are to be patient in affliction, for the affliction comes from the sinful, fallen world that hates Him and our faith in Him.

We are to be faithful in prayer, for our prayers keep us focused on Jesus and what He desires in our lives and in this world.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
(James 5:16b (NIV))

Following Jesus is not an easy thing to do. The modern church espouses a faith that has lost its power. It espouses a faith that has been changed by the world instead of changing the world. We are called to change the world by sharing the Gospel with all whom we encounter. Are you afraid of what the world will send back your way? What if Paul ran from affliction? What if he had lost hope in Jesus? What if he never prayed?

Think about that!

What if the man whom the Lord sent to share the Gospel with the Gentiles cowered in fear? Where would your faith be today? We must remind ourselves of what the Disciples knew.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
(1 John 4:4 (NIV))

We must always focus on Jesus!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do these words describe your faith?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
(Romans 12:12 (NIV))

I have read this passage numerous times, and each time that I have read it, I have stopped to reflect on my life and whether I am living up to these commands.

The other day, I read this passage in the Complete Jewish Bible translation and the meaning took on so much more. I have often alluded to how different translators will use different words that mean the same thing, but in this particular instance, I found myself stopped in my tracks. The words came to life! It may simply be the results of reading this with different words, after all, we are creatures of habit. When one translation becomes so familiar that you take it for granted, a fresh perspective is often needed.

Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer.
(Romans 12:12 (CJB))

God’s Word is so much more than any language can accurately convey. Even our own conversations with each other utilize different words to convey the same things. For example, if you ask a group of individuals to all explain the very same sunset, you will receive as many different descriptions as there are people.

In reflecting upon these new words with the same meaning as those that I am familiar with, I realized that we all need a fresh perspective at times. This is especially the case even with what we know to be the truth. This does not change the truth. It simply enhances our understanding of the truth by making us stop and discover anew what we have already known.

After reading this translation, I immediately prayed that these words truly do describe my faith! Perhaps we all need to come to this same conclusion as often as we read Romans 12:12.

With that last statement that I just put forward, I have but one question for you to prayerfully consider.

Do these words describe your faith?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you love the Lord?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
     for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
     and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
(Psalms 97:10 (NIV))

Do you feel safe from danger and wickedness?

I realize that is a very difficult question to answer, especially with all of the things that are going on in the world right now.

Perhaps I should approach that question from a different perspective.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV))

Do you possess the peace of God?

When I read the passage from Psalm 97, I instantly thought of the peace that we are promised through faith in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. When we are assured that the Lord will guard those who profess a faith in Him, I think of peace. When we are assured that the Lord will deliver us from wickedness, I think of peace. When you look at the world and all that is happening, it is comforting to know beyond any doubt that you are guarded and delivered from the evils of the enemy. When you look at your new eternal destination, you have the peace that overcomes, the peace that transcends, the peace that lifts you up, and the peace that gives you life to the fullest.

I want you to take a serious look at your life. Do you hate evil? Is your life guarded because of your faith? Have you been delivered from the hand of the wicked?

Do you love the Lord?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Hold fast to Jesus no matter what may come!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
(Hebrews 10:23 (NIV))

Whether you are following the events of the world in relationship to Bible prophecy, or you are simply uncertain about the coming year, there has never been a better time to keep your eyes on Jesus!

Answer honestly.

Do you have a feeling from within your spirit that tells you that something is not as it should be in the world?

It seems as if things have been increasing in frequency and in magnitude over the last several years. Some people have even implied that they are also converging and the date of the convergence is rapidly approaching.

Needless to say that if you have professed a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you recognize that human nature is sinful. You have also recognized that you, by the fact that you are human, are sinful and in need of a Savior.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(Romans 3:23 (NIV))

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23 (NIV))

No matter whether prophecy is unfolding rapidly or slowly, Jesus is our only hope. No matter if we have abundance or are in need, Jesus is our only hope. No matter if the world sends us joy or pain, Jesus is our only hope. When we place our faith in Jesus, it doesn’t matter what may come in this world, for our hope is not of this world. Our hope is in the Lord God who created this world and in His Son Jesus who came into this world to give us this amazing hope that we now have!

Do you have this hope?

If not – Repent!

Run as fast as you can into the open arms of Jesus!

Hold fast to Jesus no matter what may come!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Jesus is our solid rock and our firm foundation!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8 (NIV))

Unchanging.

Constant.

Steadfast.

Faithful.

Are there any other words that you use to describe something that is always the same?

Do any of these words apply to any person that you know?

To be honest with you, most people, myself included, usually don’t think of people being this way. By nature, we are a sinful, fallen creation and we are prone to change from one moment to the next. We are affected by physical limitations. We get tired. We get hungry. We become sick. Then there are the worldly things that happen to us such as we lose a job or we lose our home. All of these things can make us someone that we would never have imagined we would be. We say and do things that we don’t recognize and we wish that we could rewind time so that they never happened or they never were spoken.

Are you the same person that you were ten years ago? What about twenty, or thirty, or even fifty? Being human means that we should in a constant state of change. We can refuse to admit that we need to change when all around us is demanding that we grow and mature, or we can embrace the path of growth and maturity. As followers of Jesus, we should strive to grow and mature into His image. We should strive to imitate Jesus in all that we do. We should strive to love as He loved. We should strive to live as He lived. We should strive to obey the Father as He obeyed.

Jesus was and is unchanging.

Jesus was and is constant.

Jesus was and is steadfast, and Jesus was and is faithful!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
(John 1:1-2 (NIV))

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:14 (NIV))

If you profess a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then you have accepted these passages as truth. You have accepted that He is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Jesus is our solid rock and our firm foundation!

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you motivated to press on, run the race and overcome?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:14 (NIV))

Have you truly stopped to reflect on all of the action verbs that are used to describe the Christian walk? Words and phrases such as press on, run the race, and overcome are just a few that come to mind. In essence, professing a faith in Jesus and following Jesus are not passive endeavors. It takes commitment. It takes a determination. It takes a desire and a motivation to see Jesus face to face. It takes a desire to be faithful to Jesus as not only your Savior, but also as your Lord and master.

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
(Matthew 25:23 (NIV))

Do you desire to hear Jesus say this to you?

Have you ever truly stopped to think about what motivates you in your walk with Jesus? What makes you put your faith into action? What actions do you take? Do you press on even in the face of adversity and troubles? Do you run the race because quitting the race is not something that you have even considered? Do you overcome because you realize what Simon Peter realized?

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
(John 6:68 (NIV))

My motivation for pressing on comes from my realization that I have no one else to turn to.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 (NIV))

Have you come to that realization? Have you allowed this realization to motivate you to put your faith into action and fully rely on the Lord?

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33 (NIV))

Are you motivated to press on, run the race and overcome?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you faithful during times of temptation?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

     At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
     At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
(Mark 1:9-13 (NIV))

Do you ever feel like you have been sent into the desert and nothing is going right?

You are not alone !

Even Jesus faced this during His time on this earth.

What happened when Jesus faced this? Besides being tempted by Satan, angels attended Him. God did not abandon Him in the desert to face Satan all alone. He faced this experience and He still was surrounded by God’s messengers of hope.

If we follow Jesus, we, too, will face our times in the desert or wilderness. We must not lose sight of the fact that Jesus promised

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
(Matthew 28:20b (NIV))

Jesus does not abandon us when we are in the desert. We simply tend to lose sight of Him. He is always there. It is us who, in our times of temptation, think that we are alone.

We must remember to have faith during these times.

Are you faithful during times of temptation?

Copyright 1998 – 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you truly refreshed?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.
(Jeremiah 31:25 (NIV))

I realize that these words were given to Jeremiah about Judah and Israel, but if you read them in context, they are a promise to the people who are obedient to the Lord. They are a promise to those who are faithful to the Lord that He will be faithful to them.

In the midst of everything that is going on in the world, have you been faithful?

Have you turned to the Lord for your strength when all around you has been chaos? Have you called upon the name of the Lord and asked for guidance and wisdom no matter what the world has sent your way? Have you persevered in your faith even when the world is calling a faith in Jesus evil and racist? Have you fallen to your knees and asked the Lord to show you His Will so you will know His heart during these trying times? Are you ready to stand firm in your faith in Jesus no matter what the world may say?

There is a saying that is often quoted.

I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world than to stand with the world and be judged by God.

Is this your attitude? Are you willing to make this claim no matter what the world may send your way? Are you willing to stand your ground even when facing physical consequences? Can you assuredly make the same claim as Joshua?

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
(Joshua 24:15 (NIV))

If you make this profession and stand firm, the Lord will give you strength. He will walk with you. He will give you the strength to soar above the world.

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:31 (NIV))

To put it simply. You will be refreshed.

Are you truly refreshed?

Copyright 1998 – 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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