What is in your wardrobe?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
(Colossians 3:12 (NIV))

We all like to look our best. We all like to dress for success. I will admit that some of us are better at it than others, but in the big picture, no one deliberately tries to look bad.

If you profess a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you are also called to “dress the part.”

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(Ephesians 6:11-17 (NIV))

It sounds like we are to be prepared for battle, as we should be, for the enemy prowls around seeking to devour.

Yet, at the same time, we are called to do something that seems contradictory to this. The following words that Jesus spoke to His disciples tells the story.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
(Matthew 10:16 (NIV))

We are to be shrewd in that we are to be constantly on our guard, dressed in the full armor of God for protection against the attacks of the enemy. At the same time, we are to be innocent by clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. In other words, we are to be weak because He is strong. We are to love as Jesus loved while fully relying on His strength to fight off the attacks of the enemy. We are to clothe ourselves with His love, but we must not forget that we also have the authority and power of the Lord with us no matter what we may face in this world.

Even though I walk
     through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
     for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
     they comfort me.
(Psalm 23:4 (NIV))

Too many of us are dressed for one extreme or the other. Some are still fully clothed in the things of this world. Too many of us forget that we are called to clothe ourselves with innocence and love, while, at the same time, we are fully clothed with the full armor of God. We desire compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, but we must not shrink away from the attacks of the enemy.

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))

Have you fully clothed yourself according to His desires?

What is in your wardrobe?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Pray for God’s righteousness to be made manifest!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
     the Lord detests them both.
(Proverbs 17:15 (NIV))

Can you imagine what the Lord thinks about our current society?

I’m not going to go into any examples, for I am confident that you can come up with your own examples that fit this passage from Proverbs. All that I will say is that based on recent events, the Lord is probably not very happy with the way things are going. I will also take a moment to remind everyone that everything that is happening has not caught Him off guard. He has told us what would happen before it has happened. With that in mind, do you recognize the events that are transpiring in the world as prophetically significant? Do you even pay any attention to the things that are happening, or are you so engrossed in your own life that you can’t see the proverbial forest for the trees?

When governments don’t do what is right in the eyes of God, we have problems. When the courts don’t do what is right in the eyes of God, wee have problems. When the media pushes an unholy agenda, we have problems. And, the one that gets me agitated the most is when the churches espouse a different gospel, or they don’t follow Biblical principles, then we have problems.

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
     when the wicked rule, the people groan.
(Proverbs 29:2 (NIV))

Are you groaning?

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
(Romans 8:26 (NIV))

Rest assured that the Lord sees and hears what is transpiring. When we see things in this world that go against what God calls good, we feel it in our spirit. We groan in agony over the wickedness that seems to get worse every day. We groan in agony over those who are lost in their sin. We groan in agony over the lies that the enemy has convinced far too many people that it is truth. We groan in agony over the churches who have bought into the lies.

But, we have another option to consider when we groan.

The Lord understands these groans as prayers, and they are as incense lifting up to Him. All that we need to remember is that everything is in His timing and not ours. We are called to be patient. We are called to be prayerful, and we are always called to share the Gospel with anyone and everyone who will listen. I have a challenge for you the next time that you see the guilty acquitted and the innocent condemned. I have a challenge for you when you see anything that is not righteous in the eyes of the Lord. Pray! Pray in agreement with what you know that the Lord desires, and never forget that groans are acceptable.

Pray for God’s righteousness to be made manifest!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Why are you still stumbling in the darkness?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12 (NIV))

Now is not the time to be living your life walking in the darkness!

What happens when you walk in darkness in the physical world?

You trip, stumble, fall and get injured!

What happens when you walk in spiritual darkness?

We know that spiritual darkness is sin. We now that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We know that the wages of sin is death. Do I need to go any further with this, especially with all that we see going on in the world?

Each of us has a choice to make. We can continue to walk in our sin, in our darkness, or we can repent and follow Jesus who is the bringer of light. Don’t wait until it is too late! The darkness makes you stumble and fall, and you never know just what will happen to you in the darkness. Too many people never make it out. They die in their sin. They never accepted the free offer of mercy and grace that would have lifted them out of darkness into His glorious light. If you haven’t accepted this offer of amazing grace, I have but one question for you.

Why are you still stumbling in the darkness?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Lord, we need you to revive us!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Will you not revive us again,
     that your people may rejoice in you?
(Psalms 85:6 (NIV))

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the weight of the world?

Perhaps it is health related. Perhaps it is finances. Perhaps it is a job, or lack thereof. Each of us have many potential reasons to feel overwhelmed.

But, . . .

Each of us has a singularly amazing reason to feel joy even in the midst of all that we may face. If you have professed a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you simply need to shift your focus from what the world is sending your way to what Jesus has done for you to overcome the world.

Each of us needs to have our faith revived periodically. We may profess a faith in Jesus, but we are only human and human nature is easily distracted by the physical world. Currently, there is so much going on in this sinful, fallen world that we can lose sight of the glorious promises that we have been given. Some people are saying that what we have been seeing on many college campuses and other various places are not revival, but I want to present some questions for your consideration.

Are people turning to the Lord?

Are people rejoicing in the Lord?

Are people repenting of their sins?

Revival is a personal increase in faith, and since it is personal, we can’t truly know the hearts of those who are involved. With that in mind, I want you to consider these words.

“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
(Luke 9:49-50 (NIV))

In other words, those who are involved may not be part of your group, but as long as they are truthfully lifting up the name of Jesus, we should not be quick to condemn. We may even find that they are seeing things anew. We need to be cautious to not become Pharisees simply because things go against our preconceived rituals. With that said, I have but one thing to say.

Lord, we need you to revive us!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Set the world aside and focus on the Lord!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
(Psalms 46:10a (NIV))

This has been my life verse for over twenty-five years. I have been on a faith journey, and it has been one that I have documented with those who are willing to read. I do this because I have been given a calling, and I do this because what I write is not solely for me. Everyone goes through things in their lives that we can all relate to. I have been called to be open and to share my faith journey in anticipation that God will use these writings to reach people in their time of need, their time of curiosity, or their time of seeking. Even so, I am only human, and I am subject to human limitations and human frailties.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
(Mark 14:38b (NIV))

I have chosen to leave out the first part of this passage, for it was not temptation that sidelined me. A family pet turned on me and rendered me incapable of doing much of anything. I know that thumbs are important to our daily lives, but you never truly understand how important until you have lost the ability to use either thumb for almost two weeks. I couldn’t even hold my Bible without pain, or read on my phone or tablet in one of the many Bible apps that I have. Add to that the IV antibiotics on a schedule that seemed to be every two hours for almost five days, and I was left with only my prayer time. I had to learn to be still in His presence all over again. All of my normal quiet time that I spend daily in prayer, reading, studying, and writing had to be set aside. All that I had was my time to just talk to the Lord. To be honest with you, I did not spend as much time as I should have in prayer, but it was a start. I have come away with a renewed sense of peace.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:7 (NIV))

I came away completely knowing that whatever happens to me, He is there.

This is only the second time that I have had to be admitted to the hospital, and both times I was in complete peace. Six years ago as I laid in the cardiology ICU with sever blood clots, I never once feared what could have happened. The same held true for this time as well. It is such a comforting feeling to have complete peace in and through your faith in Jesus even when your world is being completely turned upside down.

Do you have that complete peace in your life?

It starts with admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and that Jesus is that Savior. Once you do this, I highly recommend spending time in His presence. Take the time to be still and get to know the one who already knows you intimately. I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

Set the world aside and focus on the Lord!

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What will you be crowned with?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For the Lord takes delight in his people;
     he crowns the humble with victory.
(Psalms 149:4 (NIV))

The most obvious questions after reading this passage leads us to the polar opposites that we read about in this passage.

What does the Lord do with the arrogant and prideful? How does the Lord feel about those who reject Him?

I know that we can find many passages that give us very detailed answers to those two questions. Suffice it to say that the answers are not something that anyone in their right mind would willingly call upon themselves. If that is the case, then why do people do the things that they do? Why do people desire to rebel against the Lord? Why do people think that they can do a better job of directing their lives when every single attempt has ended badly?

It takes strength to admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. It takes admitting that you are weak and that you cannot do it on your own. It takes strength to admit that you are weak! The strength that I speak of is the strength to step away from our sinful, fallen nature. It is the strength to face the Lord, the world, and yourself and admit that you are not capable of making it without Him. The world sees humility as a lowly self-attitude, but in all honesty, it is probably the bravest attribute that a person can have. It allows a person to take a stand against the ways of the world and publicly proclaim that they have made a conscience decision to go against the ways of the world. Humility allows a person to stop seeing themselves as the king of their world and it allows a person to see themselves as servants, as friends, as equals to other members of God’s creation. It allows a person to see themselves for what they are – a sinner in need of a savior!

If you stop to reflect on the characteristics of humility, it becomes clear how the Lord sees those who aren’t humble. It becomes clear how He will deal with those who aren’t humble.

How does the Lord see you?

What will you be crowned with?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What sustains you in your hunger?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
(Matthew 4:4 (NIV))

People are hungry!

People are starving for the grace and truth that can only be found in God, and the sad part is that they don’t realize it. They try to satisfy their hunger with anything and everything that catches their attention, while ignoring the only thing that can truly satisfy their longings. It is said that we have a God-shaped hole within us and I honestly believe that to be true. We try to fill this hole, this void, with anything and with everything that we can possibly imagine. Some turn to alcohol. Some turn to drugs. Others turn to money, and still others will turn to the lusts of the flesh. Nothing that this world can offer can fill this void. Nothing that this world can offer can satisfy this hunger.

Jesus came into this world to save us from our sins. He came into this world to satisfy our hunger.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
(John 6:35 (NIV))

Jesus satisfies our hunger. Jesus satisfies our soul. Jesus fills the God-shaped hole within each of us.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
(John 1:1-5 (NIV))

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us
(John 1:14a (NIV))

I love how God does things. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means house of bread. Jesus, the Bread of Life, was born in the house of bread. This sheds light on the Passover Seder when Jesus broke the bread and told His disciples to take and eat, for it is His body. It can’t get any clearer than that. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and by doing this, He satisfies the hunger within us.

What sustains you in your hunger?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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It is time to listen to the watchmen!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
(Ezekiel 33:7 (NIV))

Do you feel safe and secure in this world?

In the past, people used to build fortified walls around the perimeter of their cities in order to keep enemies out. They used to lock the gates in order to make it difficult to gain access into the city. They used to post people on the walls as watchmen to keep an eye on the surroundings and sound the alarm if an enemy came to break down the gates. In essence, these watchmen were to keep an eye out for anything that was out of the ordinary that could bring harm and destruction to their homes. They were to sound the alarm if any threat came their way.

Today, we no longer keep our cities behind walls, but we still have need for watchmen. In today’s world, the watchmen employ many more tools but they are still supposed to sound the alarm if an enemy comes near.

As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to be watchmen and alert others to the dangers that come from the enemy. The tools that we use are God’s Word and prayer. We are called to alert people to the times and the seasons as God’s plans unfold. This requires that we truly know and understand God’s Word and what it has to say about the times and the seasons. In my lifetime, I have seen a handful of people saying that the end is near. Typically, these people were on the fringes of society and their comments weren’t based on Scripture. That no longer appears to be the case.

In the last days, God says,
      I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
      your young men will see visions,
      your old men will dream dreams.
(Acts 2:17 (NIV))

You may not claim to be able to prophesy or see visions or dream dreams, but you have a spiritual awareness that something is happening. For those who have felt God’s Spirit, I have seen a tremendous increase in the number of individuals who boldly profess what they have been shown. They may not agree on the doctrines and the interpretations of what they have been shown, but they are letting the Body of Christ know that there is something coming and that we are in great need to prepare.

There are many people who are boldly declaring the warnings. Are you prepared?

It is as easy as ABC.

A is for admit that you are a sinner in need of a savior.

B is for believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.

C is for call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

It is time to listen to the watchmen!

Copyright 1998 – 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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How is your strength?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

He gives strength to the weary
     and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
     and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
     will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
     they will run and not grow weary,
     they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV))

I don’t know about you, but I am weary in my own strength. I don’t have the ability to face the world on my own. I am tired! Perhaps I could even go so far as saying that I am exhausted.

The world in which we live has become so polarized. People rage against anything and everything that God considers good. They openly embrace anything that God considers evil. They mock anyone who clings to the sole source of truth. They censor the name of Jesus who is the source of this truth because they don’t want to offend those who do evil. They don’t want to offend the enemy!

Do you understand why I am weary?

I, like every single person who has ever lived, do not have the strength to face the enemy on my own. Thankfully I can turn to the ultimate source of strength. I can rely on the strength of someone much greater than I. I can rely on the strength of my Lord and Savior. I can rely on the strength of my God! With this strength, I have the ability to face whatever the world may send my way. I have the strength to face whatever the enemy may send my way.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
     my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
     and with my song I praise him.
(Psalms 28:7 (NIV))

He gives us strength by letting us rest in His presence. He gives us strength when we need shelter from the world. He gives us strength by equipping us with His truth. He gives us strength when we are still. When we desire to live out His truth, He fights the battles.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
(Exodus 14:14 (NIV))

When you are on the side of the Lord, that should be enough to give you the strength to overcome the weariness caused by the evil in the world!

How is your strength?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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We must humble ourselves to His desires!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NIV))

The Bible instructs us to pray for those who are in authority over us. The need to pray for the President of the United States and other world leaders has never been more urgent. This country, and the world, are at a strategic point in history. We can turn towards God or turn farther from God.

It is our choice.

Our leaders reflect this choice, and often guide this choice. It is for this reason that we should pray for the President. We must pray for God’s Will in the election. Do we, as a nation, vote for a platform that has removed God or one that has embraced God? All that we have to do is look at Israel. Their ancient history is filled with them not only turning their back on God, but embracing the gods of the world. Every time that they did evil in the eyes of God, they faced wars and captivity. When they embraced the Lord and followed His ways they were blessed. Our choices are not about the individuals who are running. It is about the ideals that they have embraced. Pray for wisdom. Pray for discernment.

I would rather have a brash person who seeks the will of God over a likable person who flaunts corruption and evil.

As we enter the final day of this election, we must pray for God’s guidance. We must pray for His Will. We must act as the Body of Christ and seek to further His kingdom in this world. We must continue to do so until He returns!

We have a choice! We can turn towards God or away from God.

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV))

If we choose to serve the Lord, that means that we must learn to listen. We must learn to discern His Will. We must learn to be obedient to what He calls good and shun what He calls evil. We must stand firmly with Him and not against Him.

I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God.

We must humble ourselves to His desires!

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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