Are you focused on the task that all of us have been given?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
(Acts 20:24 (NIV))

Do you think that Paul’s task was any different from the one that each of us have?

If you say “Yes,” what is the task that God has given to you? Why do you feel that you are exempt from what He told His disciples to do and what we have inherited by becoming His disciples?

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 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 28:16-20 (NIV))

If you say “No,” are you fulfilling that task? Are you telling others about Jesus? Are you living a life that reflects Jesus in all that you do? Are you boldly proclaiming the good news of God’s grace and mercy as it was made manifest through Jesus’ birth, His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension? Are you boldly sharing that He will come again?

Paul’s only desire was to be faithful to the one task that the Lord had given him. Paul wanted to be found faithful in sharing the Gospel with the world. That is also our task. Just like Paul, we are not called to simply tell one person. We are called to tell everyone we meet. There are numerous ways that we can fulfill our task, but no matter how we do it, we are all called to share the good news of Jesus. Think of this as your full time employment. What we do for a living in this world is not our true calling. It is a means to an end. Paul used his skills as a tent maker to finance his evangelism. What skills do you have that can be the basis of your evangelism?

Paul was focused. He had one goal in mind.

Are you focused on the task that all of us have been given?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you a new creation?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
(2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV))

Anyone who has accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior has a tremendous reason to celebrate!

We like to celebrate the passage of time by having a major event at the transition from the last day of one year to the first day of a new year. In all honesty, this celebration is nothing more than a time to celebrate the fact that we made it through another year. For this simple fact, the whole world celebrates and then within just a few hours, we are back to the very same things as before the celebration.

What if we could celebrate something that would leave us completely different? What if we could celebrate receiving a gift so magnificent that it changes our eternal destiny? What if we could discard our sinful nature and replace it with the very nature of God through the gift of His Son, Jesus?

Each one of us was physically born into a sinful world and we inherited a sinful nature. That nature has condemned us. That nature has destined us for eternal separation from God. Through the gift that God gave us in Jesus, we can replace that condemnation and that destiny with a grace filled rebirth. We can be made new! We can repent and take hold of the promises of God. We can be made better than new! We can be made new in the image of Christ!

Are you a new creation?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you able to be content in all things?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
(Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV))

Sadly, this is a lesson that I am still learning just as I would venture to say that many of you are also still learning.

Have you ever considered what it means to be content? Basically, it means satisfied or pleased. If you stop to look up the word satisfied, one definition means paid in full! Where have we heard that proclamation before? Is your life paid in full?

If we have accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, our sin debt has been paid in full. Our debt has been satisfied and we should be content, for we have inherited so much more than the things in this world that can bring discontentment! Things like jobs, money, relationships, difficult times and ignorant people may get to us in the moment, but we have to keep our focus on Jesus. Our eternity with Him is not dictated by the things of this world. In fact, the things of this world should draw us closer to Him.

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))

We, as members of the Body of Christ, should find eternal contentment in His arms no matter the situation!

Are you able to be content in all things?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you truly set free?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(John 8:31b-32 (NIV))

This is probably the easiest saying of Jesus to comprehend, yet the most difficult to actually fulfill. Each of us wants to hold onto Jesus’ teachings, yet, we are only human, and are not capable of the perfection that Jesus modeled. Luckily, we are not held to this perfection. This perfection was modeled through the Law of Moses. We are still to model ourselves after this law, but, God knows that this law is impossible to perfectly keep by people who have inherited imperfection. This imperfection is due to the introduction of sin into the world by Adam and Eve.

Jesus was and is the perfect person. The ONLY perfect person to have ever lived. Since He was perfect in God’s eyes, He is the perfect Lamb of God who was sacrificed for atonement for all sin, EVER! How awesome to have someone perfect in God’s eyes on our side!

If we accept that Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God, then we must accept His teachings. If we accept His teachings, then we must accept the truth that Jesus brought to earth. This truth truly does set you free.

Free from sin and death!

Are you truly set free?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you accepted your inherited righteousness?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
(Romans 5:18-19 (NIV))

Don’t you hate when people say that one person cant make a difference?

History has countless examples of how one individual was able to turn the tide and make things different as a result of their actions. It is not impossible for one individual to make a difference.

Dare I say that the best examples of this are the two individuals referenced in this passage from Romans. Through the sin that Adam committed as the very first man to have ever lived, all of humanity was destined to live out lives cast away from God the Father. Billions of people have felt the consequences of the disobedience of one man. Billions were born into sin because of one man! These billions of people inherited a sinful nature as a result of the sin that Adam committed. I would venture to say that deep down, none of these people truly wanted this nature, but they had no choice in the matter.

As time unfolded, God saw fit to send at His perfect time, another individual man. God sent one singular person who would obey God and provide something that no other man had been able to provide or will ever be able to provide. God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save humanity from the consequences of what one man had done. Just as all of humanity inherited sin from Adam, we have the ability to inherit righteousness through Jesus. Adam’s actions made us all sinners. God sent Jesus to give each of us a choice. We can deny Jesus and choose to stay in the sin that we inherited from Adam, or we can accept Jesus and inherit His righteousness and a restored relationship with God.

It is you choice! All that you have to do is accept.

Have you accepted your inherited righteousness?

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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