November 4, 2020
Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
(Romans 13:1 (NIV))
As I sit down to write this, I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
I wonder what the weather will be like. I wonder how my day will go. I wonder what the outcome of the election will be, but I do not wonder who is ultimately in charge!
Can you say the same thing?
No matter who may win the election, it will not come as a surprise to God. He will not look down on this nation and say that He didn’t see it coming. In fact, everything that is happening is happening as a part of His plan. The stage has been set. Whether the same players come back for the next act or new people come into the spotlight, the results that God has planned since the beginning will still unfold according to His purpose. If we truly have placed our faith in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, then we know who ultimately wins. Based on world events, many people believe that His victory is closer than we know.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:7 (NIV))
Will you be at peace no matter the outcome of this election?
Will you continue to stand firm in God’s authority?
Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Posted by dailylivingministries
November 8, 2018
Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
(1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV))
It would be so nice to live in peace with all people!
Unfortunately, human history has a track record of exactly opposite of this desire. Once sin was introduced into the world, we have been at each other’s throats nonstop. Adam turned on Eve and placed the blame solely on her. Eve turned to the serpent and placed the blame on him. Cain turned on Abel and killed him because God accepted Abel’s offering and not his own. Ever since then, all of human history has been the never ending story of one group of people trying to control other groups of people. If you stop to think about this, it is actually the power of the enemy to influence one group of people to do harm to another group of people.
There is something about human nature that longs to be in control, to be in charge, to be able to enforce their will over the will of others. Satan knows this and uses this to his advantage. We have appointed people to be in positions of authority. Some people have gone so far as to kill others to end up in positions of authority. All throughout human history, we have had slavery. The conqueror enslaves the conquered. Sin is rampant!
Sinful human nature all too often prevails. People still become violent if they do not get their way!
With all of this history, Jesus came to break that trend and to offer us a new future. We don’t have to turn to anger and bitterness. We don’t have to control. We don’t have to get angry and wage war. We were not created to live in that manner. We were created to live in a loving fellowship with each other and with the Lord. We can live peaceful and quiet lives!
It starts with proclaiming that Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior. It matures through prayer and study. It continues to mature as we become more and more like Jesus.
Think about that last sentence!
When Jesus was facing crucifixion, what did He do?
He prayed!
He prayed for those who were entrusted to Him. When He was on the cross, He prayed for the Father to forgive those who crucified Him. He realized that the power behind the events of the world were not human, but were actually works of the enemy. When He prayed, and when we pray for those in authority, the enemy is bound! Only when the enemy has been bound can we live in peace!
We must pray for the enemy to be bound!
Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Posted by dailylivingministries
February 6, 2015
Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV))
Do you ever feel weak?
Do you like that feeling? Do you want to feel that way? Do you like to be thought of as being weak?
If you are like me, and probably all of the rest of humanity, you like to feel like you have everything under control. You like to feel like you are in charge and capable of handling whatever is thrown your way.
Do you realize that it is this very nature that has convicted us of sin. It is pride! It is the very same thing that brought Satan down. It is the attitude that we can take care of ourselves and that we don’t need anyone to help us that too many people never get over. It is this very thing that causes too many people to never seek salvation, grace and mercy.
I admit that I am weak.
I admit that I can’t do it on my own, even though there are times that I may come across as strong. Perhaps I should change that from strength to arrogance.
What is human strength in the grand scheme of things? Can it bring salvation? can it bring peace? Can it bring joy? Our understanding of strength will not bring any of these things. Our understanding of strength is a false facade that we hide behind in hopes that no one will see our true selves.
Only through surrendering to Jesus allows us to be strong, for we acknowledge our weakness and embrace His strength.
What do you embrace?
Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Posted by dailylivingministries
Daily Living Ministries 