How great is your love since accepting Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
(John 15:13-14 (NIV))

Jesus must have counted the whole world’s population, before, then and in the future, to be His friends. He did exactly what was stated in John 15:13. He laid down His life, and He did it without any hesitation. He could have easily changed the course of the events that lead up to His crucifixion, yet, He let them play out exactly as God the Father had intended for them to happen.

Why would anyone be willing to do such a thing?

Faith, hope and love!

Faith that you are not ending your existence, but are placing your eternal existence in the hands of God the Father. Hope that those who receive the benefit of your sacrifice will turn from their ways and follow the Will of God. Love of others to such an extent that you do not think of the consequences to yourself if you follow through with your actions.

We think that we would be able to lay down our lives for those whom we love, such as spouse and children, yet, how many of us would be willing to perform the same act for someone we do not know? We may never know the truth about our intentions versus our actual actions, yet, we must be ready to do whatever is called on from us no matter what or who is involved.

Even when we stop to give thanks to all who have willingly made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have the freedoms that we have, do we truly understand the how and why of such great a worldly sacrifice? If we give thanks to those whom we don’t know and many never knew us, why do we have such trouble giving thanks to the Lord for His greater sacrifice, especially when He calls us friends?

What if Jesus had stopped to think? What if He came to the realization that Bob, Joe, Mary, and Sue will never amount to anything? What if He had then drawn the conclusion that he would not do what He needed to do? What if He thought that they, that we, do not deserve it!

But, he did not do this! He went to the cross for all of us. Are we ready to do what we must do when the time comes?

How great is your love since accepting Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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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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What is your house built on?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
(Matthew 7:24 (NIV))

It is important to have a firm foundation!

If you don’t believe this, try standing on a slippery floor in your socks, or try standing on an icy hill.

Stability is important in all aspects of life, both physical and spiritual. Everything that we do must have a firm foundation or it crumbles and falls out from underneath us. Too many of us look at the physical world and focus on our financial stability, yet we fail to even consider out faith as something that requires a firm foundation. We profess a faith in Jesus, yet we don’t act like it. When the least bit of trouble occurs, we start looking at our resources to figure out what to do. We look at our finances. We look at our jobs. We look at our health, but we never look to Jesus when He should be the foundation of all the things that we do.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
(Hebrews 11:1 (NIV))

What we turn to shows where we have placed our confidence. It shows where we have placed our hope. It shows where we have placed our assurance.

Think about that in relationship to the foundation of your house. Unless you were involved in the actual construction of your home, you have never seen its foundation. Yet, you trust that it will hold up your house. You have placed your confidence, your hope and your assurance on something that you have never seen. We trust the physical even when we cannot see what is there, so why do we not trust the spiritual when we also cannot see what is there? We have faith in the people who built our homes, yet we fail to have even that much faith in the One who gave us life, who gave us grace, who gave us mercy. When you don’t look to Jesus’ words and when you don’t put them into practice, you are standing on the slippery floor. You are standing on an icy hill. You are unstable in the very foundations of your life.

If you are reading this, you have probably professed a faith in Jesus, but do you truly live your life firmly rooted in His firm foundation?

What is your house built on?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Does this describe the confidence of your faith?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
(Hebrews 11:1 (NIV))

How is your faith?

Do you truly possess a hope and assurance that is only available through no other name but Jesus?

Depending on your answer, and I hope that it was a resounding “Yes,” just what does that mean to you?

We know that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. We know that the wages of sin is death. We know that there is absolutely nothing that we can do of our own strength that will change any of this. I started to write that there is one thing that we can do of our own strength, but I would be lying. It is not of our own strength, but rather out of our humility that we realize our situation. When we come to this realization, we have but one response!

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
(James 4:10 (NKJV))

It takes a confident person to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. Please don’t confuse this confidence with human arrogance and pride. Human nature tells us that we can do it all on our own. Godly confidence tells us that we have no other option but to put our trust in the Lord. The world, and human nature, tells us that there are many different ways to God. When we cast aside all other ways and fully place our hope and assurance in Jesus as the only way, it shows the world that we are confident in our faith. More importantly, it shows the Lord that we are confident in our faith.

Are you confident in what you hope for in Jesus?

Are you confident in the assurance that you have in Jesus?

Are you able to proclaim His name in confidence no matter what the world may say in response? I sincerely hope that you remember the words of Jesus in response to this.

But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
(Matthew 10:33 (NIV))

With that last passage now presented for your consideration, I have but one more question about the confidence that your faith displays with respect to hope and assurance.

Does this describe the confidence of your faith?

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.
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Are you willing to suffer for your faith?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
(Romans 5:3-4 (NIV))

We also glory in our sufferings!

How many people do you know who can honestly claim this for their lives?

I do not know a single person who likes to suffer let alone glory in the act. However, we look at things from an earthly perspective where suffering means pain, hardship and possibly even death. Paul wrote these words to the body of believers in Rome as a spiritual roadmap knowing that they would suffer physical suffering for their faith. In this particular case, suffering was a choice that these people made simply by professing a faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. They could have stayed with the worldly view and rejected Jesus, but they chose to reject the world and embrace Jesus. They were suffering because they rejected what was considered to be the truth by their society. In other words, they didn’t go along with the idea that they should do what everyone else was doing. They recognized the lies of society and embraced the truth of Jesus.

“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.
(John 15:18-19 (NIV))

They recognized the truth in these words and clung to the hope that was made manifest through their suffering. They clung to the hope that they had in Jesus!

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:5 (NIV))

I love how the writer of Hebrews ties it all together.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
(Hebrews 11:1 (NIV))

Perseverance builds character. Character builds hope, and hope builds faith!

Are you willing to suffer for your faith?

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.
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Do you know this great hope?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
(Ephesians 1:18 (NIV))

What do you see when you see the state of the world?

Unless you cling to the hope that we have in Jesus, what most people see in this world is dark and foreboding. To be honest with you, it is so easy to get wrapped up in the things of this world, especially when prices are escalating while the availability of resources seems to be plummeting. In many parts of the world, governments are expecting large numbers of deaths this winter due to shortages. We see the wars that are still raging and we see false peace being pushed. We see unstable governments all around the world, and we see evil being called good and good being called evil.

In the physical, when I see the state of the world, I am saddened. I am angry, and I am at a loss for what to do!

Thankfully, I know beyond any doubt that this world is not my home. I am a citizen of heaven, and I know that when things look bad here in this world, we are to look up for our redemption is near! As long as I keep my eyes on Jesus, I can rest confidently in the hope that I have in the promises of my Lord and my Savior. I don’t know what I will personally face in this world, but I do know one thing.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
(Romans 8:18 (NIV))

I long to reveal the glory of the Lord in all that I do. Some days I do okay. Other days I fail miserably. Fortunately, since I am not capable of being perfect, I do not have to be perfect. All that I have to do is place my faith in Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. There are times that I will fail miserably, but when that happens, I can seek His face, repent and pray for guidance. I am on a journey. Every step that I take is not going to be perfect, but as long as I keep my eyes focused on Jesus, my destination is clear. He is my hope. He is all the riches and glory that I need. He is my inheritance!

Do you know this great hope?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you truly found rest?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11:28 (NIV))

Weary and burdened!

Do these two words describe you?

To be honest with you, these two words probably describe the majority of people in the world after living through the events of the last several years. Even if you don’t profess a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, it is extremely easy to give recognition to the fact that something is not right in the world today. People used to have common sense. Now, common sense is far from common. People used to be able to agree that the principles conveyed in the Ten Commandments were good and true. Now, if you try to say that stealing is wrong or that murder is wrong, you are blatantly told that what you claim to be truth is not the truth for everyone. We used to be able to disagree on things and still be friends. Now, if you disagree with someone, you are cast away and discarded like you were a mortal enemy. If you try to tell someone about Jesus, you are told to “EXPLETIVE”-off. What happened to our society? What happened to our world?

With all of this, it is so easy to become weary and burdened. In fact, most people do not have any idea just how far things will go and what is rapidly coming. To be honest with you, neither do I, but I do have a peace that passes all understanding. I am at rest because I know who holds the future even when the future is so uncertain.

I have placed my faith in Jesus!

He is my rock. He is my fortress. He is my firm foundation. I have placed all faith, hope and trust in Him alone. I have accepted His offer to trade burdens. He has willingly taken my burdens, my sins and my problems, and I have been given His grace and His mercy. I am no longer yoked with the weight of my sins, this world, or the worries of what is to come.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV))

I hear news stories of things unfolding. I read accounts of the world’s unrighteousness. I witness firsthand the wars and rumors of wars. I see nations rise against nation. I see all of this and so much more, yet, I still have a peace. Even with all that is going on in the world, I know who wins in the end. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow. I have truly found peace and rest.

Have you truly found rest?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Have you found your refuge and shield?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.
(Psalms 119:114 (NIV))

This passage is sandwiched right in the middle of two very interesting passages.

I hate double-minded people,
    but I love your law.
(Psalm 119:113 (NIV))

The Psalmist starts off with what he hates, but quickly counters with what he loves. He lays open his heart to the Lord by describing the things that he wishes were not around him. He then quickly counters this with the very thing that he longs to always be in the midst of.

Away from me, you evildoers,
    that I may keep the commands of my God!
(Psalm 119:113 (NIV))

Again, we see that the Psalmist longs for evil to be completely removed from his presence so that he can focus on God and His Word.

Nestled between these two verses is a passage where the Psalmist opens up his heart completely to the Lord. In the midst of double-minded people, he takes refuge in the Lord. In the midst of evildoers, he keeps the commands of the Lord. He is not swayed by those who are double-minded and those who do evil. He keeps his eyes firmly on the Lord.

With all that is happening in the world today, do you hate those who are double-minded? Do you desire to flee from those who do evil? Do you long to find refuge in what you love? Do you long to walk humbly in obedience to God’s law? Do you turn to the Lord for shelter and protection? Is your only hope found within His word?

Think about what the Psalmist was portraying in these three passages. He is surrounded by evil, yet he finds complete shelter and hope in the midst of these things by focusing only on the Lord. It doesn’t matter what comes before or what comes after. He is safe and secure in the midst of all troubles because he trusts in the Lord. Is that what you desire when you find yourself in the midst of double-mindedness and evil? Is this what you desire when the whole world is falling apart? Is this what you desire even when things are going good? Have you found shelter in what you love?

Have you found your refuge and shield?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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