God loves you, but is He pleased with you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14 (NLT))

If you have children, no matter the age, what is it about them that pleases you? Please note that I did not ask what is it about them that you love, for love is a natural thing for a parent to have for their children.

What is it about them that pleases you?

I can safely say that what pleases you as a parent are not the things that stir up anger. The things about your children that please you are the positive things in their lives. Things such as love, joy, peace, patience, and other such traits. You are pleased when you see their words and their actions reflecting things that are righteous in nature.

Do you like it when your children do something wrong?

You still love them, but you are not happy with their actions.

God is the same way with each of us. He loves us no matter what we do, yet, He is only pleased with us when we do things that honor Him. Contrary to what the world says, God is not pleased with us when we go against His design.

Think about that for a moment.

If you like to bake and you make a pie, you are pleased with the pie if it tastes good. What happens when you find that the results of your labor is not what you intended? You try to come up with a way to fix the results, such as adding ice cream, and if that doesn’t work, you throw it out.

God came up with a way to fix our sinful nature so that He could be pleased with us once again. He sent His Son, Jesus, to bring that fix, to bring salvation. It is up to us to accept that fix so that we can be pleasing in the eyes of God.

Do I even need to go to the end result if we do not accept the fix that God has sent?

Are your words and your thoughts pleasing to God?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Fight the good fight. Keep the faith!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The strength of a horse does not impress him; how puny in his sight is the strength of man. Rather, the Lord’s delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.
(Psalms 147:10-11 (NLT))

All of our accomplishments are nothing. We strive and strive for a whole lifetime in hope of making a strong name for ourselves. We want this strong name so that we will be remembered by men.

As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
(Psalm 103:15-16 (NIV))

How foolish is the strength that we seek. We will not be remembered for very long. Even if we are remembered, the memory will change or it will be questioned as time wears on. All that we have to do is take a look at the history of this nation. What once was accepted as fact, is now bitterly argued as a lie. What am I speaking of? The recent and vehement removal of any reference to God in our government because some people alive today are reinventing the memory of why this country was founded and upon what principles.

Only one strength will have eternal meaning. That strength is the inner strength to call upon Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Once we do this, we must be prepared to fight in His strength and tell all who will listen of His grace and His mercy.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
(1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV))

If we accept Jesus, then God will remember us through Jesus’ strength. Then we will be able to proclaim:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
(2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV))

Rely on the strength of Jesus and proclaim that you have kept the faith.

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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We must remember those who have gone before

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Also at your times of rejoicing–your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals–you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God.
(Numbers 10:10 (NIV))

It is good to remember those who have fallen in the line of duty to country. They have paid the ultimate sacrifice so that others may know the freedoms that we enjoy and all too often that we take for granted.

Do you know someone who has laid down their life for you? Whether we know them personally or we only know of them, they have done this for each of us. They have laid down their lives out of a sense of duty, responsibility, gratitude, and love.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
(John 15:13 (NIV))

We owe these people our respect and our thanks for what they have selflessly given. I don’t profess to say that each person gave with perfect intentions, yet, if man, who is sinful can give and we praise them for it, why can’t we praise God for His sacrifice. This sacrifice, through Jesus, bought so much more than physical freedoms. It brought spiritual freedom through grace and mercy. Jesus died so that all may come to salvation. Our country men who have fallen have done so to bring freedom so that we may have the freedom to worship and to profess our faith.

Freedom is a valuable thing to possess. It is so valuable that One died so that all may possess it and others die to defend it.

We must remember. We must never forget!

Freedom is to be cherished and those who bring it are to be remembered. Honor those who have defended our freedoms, but don’t forget who brings ultimate freedom and honor Him.

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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