What do you ask of God?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
(James 1:5 (NIV))

Too many people take this passage and paraphrase it to read something like, “ask God and it will be given to you.” They literally make it sound like God is in the business of being a genie who simply grants wishes. Upon a closer read of this passage, it becomes clear that God is generous with giving wisdom if you ask for it. We must, however, understand what wisdom is.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
(Psalms 111:10 (NIV))

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
(Proverbs 9:10 (NIV))

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, do you truly desire to be given wisdom?

Most people associate the word fear with a strong emotion caused by an awareness of danger. Do you look upon the Lord as a source of danger? There is another definition that should be applied to the word fear when it is used in conjunction with fearing God. This definition means a profound reverence or sense of awe. Some ever say that it can simply mean a healthy and sincere respect.

Think about the definition of fear with respect to God. I already asked if you look upon the Lord as a source of danger. I want you to ask yourself, and give yourself an honest answer. Do you hold God in reverence? Are you in awe of His majesty and power? Do you respect the Lord enough to desire to not betray Him or to sin against Him? If you are able to truthfully answer these questions in a way that places the Lord God above all else, then you are on your way to possessing the greatest wisdom that you can ever possess. The next time that you begin to feel like God is a genie, remember that what He wants to give you is Godly wisdom.

What do you ask of God?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you ready to walk with God?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
(Revelation 21:2-4 (NIV))

Do you like the way the world is today? Do you think that the bad things that happen in this world are God’s desires for His creation? Do you think that God simply sits back and lets anything and everything happen? More importantly, do you think that God just doesn’t care what happens to His creation?

We must take heart, for the words written in Revelation tell of a time when God will restore His creation to the glory that He intended from the beginning. God did not create the world and everything in it to be separated from Him. He created this world and us to have fellowship with Him.

Do you find it hard to believe that God created this world and us so that He could fellowship with us?

When Jesus came to earth, that was not the first time that God chose to walk with man and to seek out those who would follow Him.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
(Genesis 3:8-9 (NIV))

God’s original order will be restored. The old order that we know where sin runs rampant will be replaced. Once again, God will walk among His creation!

Are you ready to walk with God?

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
(Matthew 21:9 (NIV))

Have you ever really stopped to think about this passage? To be specific, let’s focus on, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

What does that mean to you?

Be honest with yourself.

Obviously, it refers to Jesus, but what about this passage makes you envision Jesus? What blessings does He have and does He share these blessings?

Jesus was not only blessed, He brought blessings. The Lord God sent Him into this world to fulfill the promises that God had made. God’s promises are not empty. Jesus fulfilled many and will fulfill even more upon His return.

I want you to think about this passage from another perspective. Let me lay the groundwork.

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
(John 14:12-14 (NIV))

Jesus was blessed because He came in the name of the Lord.

Think about that. Is it possible that we, too, “come in the name of the Lord?” We profess a faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. If our actions truly reflect what God desires of us, and we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, it is not too difficult to consider that we do come in the name of the Lord, just not in the same way that Jesus did.

There is a disclaimer to what I suggest, and that is that when we place anything before God we are no longer following His will. At that point, we are there in our name and not in the name of the Lord.

When was the last time that you totally surrendered to what God was calling you to do? When you walked in His Will, things went great. God opened up opportunities for you to be His witness and, as a result, just like Jabez, you were blesses so that others could be blessed.

What happens when you take your eyes off of Jesus? Do things go anywhere near how you envisioned them going?

I am not saying that we are anywhere near Jesus, but what I am saying is that when we totally surrender to God, and follow His Will, we are blessed so that others will be blessed.

Have you been a blessing to others?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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