Have you let down your guard?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
(Proverbs 4:23 (NIV))

God has called people to stand guard, to be watchmen against the attacks of the enemy. Anyone who professes a faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior is called to be ever vigilant and warn others of the lies and deceitful tactics of the enemy. We are to be the proverbial watchmen on the walls for our families, our churches, our communities, and our world. We are called to share the Gospel, but we are also called to stand guard for the sake of the Gospel in much the same manner as the watchmen posted on the walls of the old city of Jerusalem.

We are to be a warning of impending danger!

I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,
(Isaiah 62:6 (NIV))

We have a responsibility, but we must also stand guard over our own hearts. We do not want to see any lies of the enemy change what we treasure as the truth. We must stand guard against the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy our love for the Lord which is our greatest treasure.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:21 (NIV))

What is the current state of your heart?

Is the Lord still your greatest treasure?

We must be diligent. We must be able to protect our own hearts from the attacks of the enemy.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
(Ephesians 6:11 (NIV))

We must make sure that we are fully girded and ever vigilant. We don’t want to ever have to answer this following question.

Have you let down your guard?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Is it worth forfeiting your soul for it?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
(Mark 8:36 (NIV))

What do you possess that has the most value to you?

Does your answer reflect a worldly point of view or an eternal, spiritual point of view?

I hate to say this, but each of us, even those who profess a faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, still have worldly things that we desire. Even if it is as simple as desiring enough to live off of, this is a worldly desire and a worldly focus. We forget what Jesus taught His disciples when they asked Him to teach them how to pray.

Give us each day our daily bread.
(Luke 11:3 (NIV)

I do want to clarify that desiring enough to live off of versus desiring riches are far apart. With that said, back to my original question. What do you possess that has the most value to you? Are you so focused on your bank accounts, your homes, and your cars that you have completely neglected your spiritual soul? To put it another way, there is a saying that we are not physical beings with a soul, but rather, we are eternal beings with a temporary, physical body. How you see yourself will determine what you desire to gain.

The passage in Mark is not the only passage that tells us to not focus on the world!

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV))

What is it that you treasure? If it is not the things of God, I have one important question to ask you. Be truthful with your answer. Your eternity depends upon it!

Is it worth forfeiting your soul for it?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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We need Jesus!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

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 28:19-20 (NIV))

Discipleship is relational. Spreading the Gospel is relational. Loving people is relational.

Neither Jesus nor His disciples developed programs that took the place of true and loving relationships with people. Why do so many churches today push programs over relationships when they are trying to lead people to Jesus? We have men’s programs. We have women’s programs. We have college, youth and children’s programs, but do we truly have Jesus?

We have lead pastors, administrative pastors, youth pastors, senior adult pastors, children’s pastors and worship pastors, but when the focus is the organization instead of people, we lose Jesus. We become like the very Pharisees that Jesus called a brood of vipers.

Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying.

If done correctly, these programs can become great ministry outreaches, but if we lose sight of how Jesus loved people, then all of the programs in the world won’t amount to a hill of beans.

When we stand before the Lord, He is not going to ask you how many programs that you participated in. He will ask you how well you did at sharing the Gospel. He will ask you how well you used the talents that He gave you. He will ask you these questions even though He already knows the answers. He will ask then just as He is asking now, and as He has always asked. He wants each of us to examine our own hearts, our own lives, in the light of the only thing that matters. Did you love the Lord as He loves you and have you loved others as He loves them?

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))

This is what we are called to do.

We don’t need another program.

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))

We need Jesus!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Have you had your daily bread?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
(Matthew 4:4 (NIV))

What do you find yourself living on?

There is an old saying “You are what you eat.” Another way of saying it is “Garbage in, garbage out.” But, to be honest with you, what Jesus was talking about is not physical food.

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
(Matthew 15:11 (NIV))

It is what a person puts into their heart, into their mind, and into their spirit that is the bread that Jesus was speaking about. In this case, it is very true that what you put into your life is what you will get out of your life. You can’t fill your life with garbage and expect to be able to produce something beautiful. You can’t fill your life with sin and expect to be righteous. You can’t fill your life with hatred and expect to be loved.

If you have ever tried to go on a diet, you know very well that it is difficult to change your habits in the physical world. It is also very difficult to change your habits in relationship to spiritual endeavors. Thankfully, we have help. We can turn to Jesus, profess our sins, and accept Him as Lord and Savior of our life. When we make this turn, when we choose to cast away the sin that has held us in bondage, we are professing that we desire to change our habits. We are professing a desire to fill our lives with what is of God. We are professing a desire to feast on the goodness of God.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
(John 6:35 (NIV))

We are to partake of the goodness and mercy that is freely given to us through the cross. We are to partake of the bread of life that is only found in Jesus. It is not just a once and done event. We are to feed on His truth and God’s Word every day of our lives from that moment on. We are to make time to sit in His presence and feast on the goodness of His promises. Are you in the habit of living off of His goodness each and every day? I pray that your answer is a resounding “Yes.”

Have you had your daily bread?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you willing to ask for this in your life?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Search me, God, and know my heart;
     test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
     and lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV))

Powerful words!

Can you truly say them and mean them?

It takes a very strong and secure faith to be able to not only read these words, but to honestly and sincerely claim them as your own. As sinful humanity, we have a bad tendency to want to keep our darkest secrets hidden. We only let them out in the privacy and security of our secret places. Most of us will never even consider letting our darkest secrets out in public. These words take it one step further by willingly opening up to God, asking Him to search, to test and to make known to us anything that is not righteous in His eyes.

In other words, these words show a heart that desires only the Lord and His righteousness.

Do you possess such a heart?

We all like to think that we do, but we all have things that we still like to keep hidden. We all have things that we just don’t want to let go of. It all comes down to a single, important question. Do you love your sin more than you love His righteousness?

These words from the psalmist should be read as a prayer. In fact, they should be personalized and internalized so that they literally become our own desires. We should approach the Lord asking Him to search us so that He can make the hidden desires of our hearts known. We should pray this not so that we can be exposed, but so that we can recognize, repent and mature in all righteousness as we grow in our faith. If we are to stand firm in the face of the enemy, we must be able to know our sins before the enemy makes them his point of attack.

The world is rapidly becoming something that we need to stand firm against. People who profess a faith in Jesus are becoming the ostracized. We are under attack.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
     for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5:10-12 (NIV))

We have a choice to make. We can allow the world to control our hearts, our minds and our actions, or we can seek the Lord and allow Him to lead us and guide us as we face the things of this world.

Are you willing to ask for this in your life?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Let you words and your deeds speak the name of Jesus!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
(1 John 3:18 (NIV))

How much truth do you place in words?

I am sure that there are some people whom you trust to do what they say that they will do, and then there are others whom you know that their word is not worth anything.

What was it that made you learn that you could trust certain people?

Chances are that they earned that trust through their actions. They followed through on what they said that they would do. Perhaps they never even actually said anything. They just simply proved their heart by always being there for you. In essence, talk is cheap. I have known people who can look you in the eye, lie, and make you believe that what they say is true in that moment.

And, then the moment changes!

The truth comes out and you realize that the words that sounded so eloquent and convincing were not spoken in true love.

They were spoken in deceit!

Is that how the world sees people who profess a faith in Jesus? Does the world see us as spouting deceptive words while doing the exact opposite of what we say. In other words, does the world see believers as hypocrites? I think this is the motive behind the words attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. These words mean that we are to love with our actions. We are to share the Gospel through our actions so that the world sees that there is something different about us.

Preach always. When necessary, use words.
(St. Francis of Assisi)

Then, when someone recognizes the difference, tell them why you are different. Tell them about Jesus. Share the Gospel by telling them how Jesus has made a difference in your life. And, one thing that we must always strive for.

Let you words and your deeds speak the name of Jesus!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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The choice to repent is yours!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

“Even now,” declares the Lord,
     “return to me with all your heart,
     with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
(Joel 2:12 (NIV))

Even now!

There is no better time than the present, for we are not promised tomorrow.

We live our lives as if we have all of the time in the world, but we don’t. We live our lives as if we can do whatever we want and then, at the last minute, we can ask God for forgiveness. Most people never have that chance. We live our lives as if we will know when our time on this earth will end, yet we are caught off guard when it does.

With all that I see transpiring in the world, our own lives are not the only thing that is time sensitive. This world is facing things that seem to parallel end time prophecies, yet not many people are acknowledging this. We see satanic worship on TV, and at the same time, we have thousands of people worshipping Jesus. Is this part of the wheat and the tares happening right in front of us?

We are told that no man can know the hour or the day, but we can recognize the season. We are also told that many will be deceived. We are told that the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. We are told that the enemy is the father of lies. We are told that his lies caused Adam and Eve to fall from grace. We are told much, but how many of us truly pay attention to what we have been told? Are we caught in a delusion?

Time is short!

Jesus may return for His church this very moment. Where would you be? Your life may end this very moment. Where would you be?

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))

We have a choice!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
     and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
     in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
     to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV))

We can return “even now” and experience grace and mercy, or we can bow when it is too late to escape the consequences of our sin.

The choice to repent is yours!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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It is time to recognize His power and presence!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
(John 3:8 (NIV))

What do you think of when someone says that they are born of the Spirit?

What do you think of when someone says that they are led by the Spirit?

It is human nature to think that this is a lie simply because you don’t feel that way about yourself? Still, for anyone who professes a faith in Jesus, this is prayerfully the desire of your heart. As followers of Jesus, we should be listening for that still, small voice. We should be seeking the newness of complete restoration that only comes from God. We should be seeking to know which way the wind is blowing so that we may follow the Holy Spirit!

In order for this to happen, we must be willing to surrender all, and not only what the world can see. We must be willing to confess our sins and repent, to turn away from the very things that weigh us down and keep us away from truly knowing the very heart of God! We must desire to have a heart that seeks after God in all of His majestic goodness, grace and glory. We must desire a pure heart in the eyes of God!

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
     and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
(Psalm 51:10 (NIV))

I have been closely watching the revivals that are ongoing on many college campuses right now. There is a spirit of confession. There is a spirit of repentance. There is a true hunger for God, and He is honoring that.

I have seen pictures and videos of people lined up for blocks waiting to get in. I have seen videos of what appears to be thousands of people standing outside of the chapel praising God while they are watching a large video screen of the events inside. This started as a college student revival. What I am now seeing is people of all ages driving hours on end to be close to God. People are hungry. They desire God. They are worshiping in places and under circumstances that most would have never imagined. They know that there is a hole in their lives that only He can fill.

They are surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit!

Where will this lead?

Only God knows!

How long will this last?

Only God knows!

If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, then it is time to surrender to the Holy Spirit.

It is time to recognize His power and presence!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Do you want more of God?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(Hebrews 11:6 (NIV))

I can’t believe what I just watched!

I may make some people mad, but this sounds like a Pharisee’s teaching to me. A short video was put out by a denominational preacher and he was criticizing what is happening on many college campuses saying that it couldn’t be real because it was not his denomination. Correct me if I am wrong, but Jesus did not come to baptize people into denominations. Denominations didn’t exist until man decided to divide what Jesus came to unite! He also pointed out as another ridiculous reason that it wasn’t real was because they were not preaching from God’s true word, the King James Bible. Correct me if I am wrong, but Jesus DID NOT speak King James English! He also criticized what is happening because they were playing modern music and not hymns. Correct me if I am wrong, but at the time the hymns were created they were considered modern music. They were written to allow the people of that age to worship in song. Another criticism was that the people in attendance were not conducting themselves in a proper manner. He criticized those in attendance for being charismatic. As I recall, David danced before the Lord. He also did many things that went against the traditions of those in authority, yet he was elevated by God.

After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
(Acts 13:22 (NIV))

Do you believe that God exists?

Do you earnestly seek the Lord?

Do you desire to please God?

Take a look back at every time that God moved in some miraculous way. Take a look at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to the believers. To quote the King James Version, God is not a respecter of persons!

For there is no respect of persons with God.
(Romans 2:11 (KJV))

God will use anyone who eagerly desires to seek Him. You do not have to be part of a certain group. He does not care if you are Jew or Gentile, male or female, young or old. All that He desires is a heart that seeks for more of Him in all aspects of your life.

Do you want more of God?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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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.
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