We must make sure that we worship the Creator!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies, or the moon walking down its silver pathway, and been secretly enticed to worship them? If so, I should be punished by the judges, for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.
(Job 31:26-28 (NLT))

The earth and all of creation are things of beauty, but we must not forget that that they are a part of God’s creation.

We are to hold His creation in respect. We are to be good stewards of His creation. We are not to worship the creation as some people have become prone to do. We are to worship the Creator who made the sun shining in the skies, the moon walking its silver pathway, and our own magnificently created bodies.

We must not allow ourselves to be tricked into worshipping the creation. We must not allow the creation to become our god.

Jesus answered, “It is written: `Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ”
(Luke 4:8 (NIV))

It is true that God’s creation is a thing of majestic beauty, but it can be re-created at God’s will. In fact, the earth will be made anew. We have been promised that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. God will remake the earth as He originally intended for it to be.

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
(2 Peter 3:13 (NIV))

Don’t get caught up in the trap of worshipping the creation when the Creator is calling out to you. God’s creations are for our pleasure and ultimately His pleasure. Ultimately, we are His greatest pleasure.

Worship God !

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you been rejuvenated by the water?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
(John 4:14 (NIV))

It is certain that no matter what you do in this world – eat, drink, sleep, or rest, it will not suffice for more than a few hours. The hot summer sun makes us thirsty. We need food to sustain us physically. We need sleep when we are worn out by the toils of this world.

There is only one sure thing in this world that will sustain us. Jesus Christ is that sustenance. He is the Word of God made flesh. He offers us something that comes from God and does not know the worldly laws that say nothing lasts forever. Jesus offers us grace and mercy and a peace that passes all understanding.

Water is said to be able to rejuvenate someone when they are weak, yet this rejuvenation does not last. The gift that Jesus Christ has brought to us is the Water of Life for salvation which never loses its ability to rejuvenate. Once you drink from this fountain, your eternal life is promised and you will never thirst for salvation again.

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Christmas is only the beginning of God’s promise!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
(Psalms 57:9-11 (NIV))

The Psalmist spoke truth and wisdom when these words where written. What was true then is still very true today.

In this Christmas season, we are constantly reminded of how great God’s love for us is. Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is a constant reminder of God’s love. God is faithful in keeping His Word. All throughout the Old Testament, God promised to send a Savior to reconcile man with Himself. In this season, we are witness to the promise kept. It is a yearly celebration of that promise. At the same time, we must keep our eyes focused on the other promises of God, especially the one that says that Jesus will come again.

In this holy season of new birth, we must not forget that Jesus grew up and died on the cross, was resurrected and will come again.

Christmas is only the beginning of God’s promise and not the culmination.

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What is it that tempts you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
(James 1:12 (NKJV))

Many of you may remember the comedy routine of Flip Wilson and his “The devil made me do it,” but where does temptation really come from?

It is true that Satan tempts us, just as he tempted Jesus, but what makes us give in to this temptation when Jesus was able to stay strong? I know that human nature is weak, but there is more to this than a weak character. We cannot be tempted by things that we are not fascinated with to begin with.

Think about that last statement!

What is the one thing that causes you to shudder? What is the one thing that makes you literally turn away in disgust?

Could you honestly ever be tempted by that?

Now, what is the one thing that you long for? Is it money? Is it fame? Is it power? What if someone offered you a million dollars to do the one thing that disgusts you? Which would win out?

Satan uses our innermost desires to tempt us. He finds out what they are and then he turns the lies up full blast until we give in to his lies.

We must stand firm! We must stand strong on the promises that God has given to us. We must focus on God’s Word and on Jesus! If we make these things our innermost desires, what desires do we have that Satan can use to tempt us?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you walking hand in hand with Jesus through your trials?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
(James 1:12 (NIV))

Over the last few years, I have faced situations that at every turn were becoming more and more frustrating. No matter what I did, the situation never would resolve itself in a way that was needed. I found myself in a daze and was not able to function. I found myself simply resigning to what appeared to be the overwhelming obstacles that I faced. I had no idea how to persevere. I had no idea why the situation was presenting itself in the manner that it was. I simply felt like giving up.

Does this sound familiar?

I am sure that all of us have faced similar situations in the past. I am also sure that we will all face similar situations again in the future. These types of situations are the very trials that are written of in James. Satan will find anything and everything that can be used against us in an effort to defeat us.

It is so easy to simply give in, to simply say that we cannot handle the trials. It is at these very moments when we must remember that we are not expected to endure them on our own. We simply need to remember that God is with us. We must remember that we have a brother sitting at the right hand of God who will intervene on our behalf. Jesus will walk with us. In fact, if we have accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, then He always walks with us. It is a matter of our perception that makes us think that He is not with us. It is at these times that we look at our trials through human eyes and not through the promises that we have been given.

These situations can be depressing and overwhelming, but we must remember that we do not have to face them on our own. Jesus is walking with us. Simply stop and take His hand. He will guide you. He will give you peace.

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

Who or what guards you heart in times of trial?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you tormented for your faith?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
(Acts 16:16-18 (NIV))

Are you troubled by a nagging “spirit” that will not leave you alone? One that torments you day and night?

Paul was tormented by a slave girl who was possessed. The demon would not leave her alone, and, consequently, would not leave Paul alone. He recognized the work that God was using Paul to complete and he tried everything that he could to divert and distract Paul so that God’s purpose would not be completed.

We all face similar circumstances in our lives. There is something that will simply not leave us alone. Something that, if we let it, will distract us from God. Do not let anything distract you from earnestly seeking God! Do not let greed, ego, ambition, lust, power, envy, or anything else that the world has to offer stand between you and God. Paul continually walked away from this girl, but she followed him. Is sin following you like this slave girl followed Paul, tormenting you every step of the way?

Take a lesson from what Paul did. He called upon the name of Jesus to rebuke the tormentor. Paul’s faith was strong enough to rely on the name of Jesus to do what was promised!

Is yours?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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God’s love stands faithful!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all
generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
(Psalms 89:1-2 (NIV))

Even before Jesus came to earth, people were singing the praises of God. They were preaching the good news before they knew what that news was. All they knew was that God had promised, and that was sufficient for them. What faith they had!

Today, we have the benefit of history to look back at and see that:
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.
(2 Corinthians 1:20a)

Is it no less appropriate to realize that what God has promised that has not yet happened, will happen. God has promised that His people would know the season for things to come. Even to the end, He is faithful and His love does stand firm forever.

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you received what had been promised?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
(Hebrews 11:39-40 (NIV))

Before Jesus came into this world, no one was capable of achieving God’s perfect Will. Even those who had the faith to follow God when no one else was, such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, did not have what we have been granted today. No matter how faithful they may have been, no one was perfect in the eyes of God. They could not be allowed to stand before the Throne of God due to their sin.

God could not allow sin in His presence, therefore, before Jesus came to be a living sacrifice for atonement for our sins, the people that we read about in the Old Testament could not enter into God’s Glorious Kingdom after their death. God did take some people directly to heaven without allowing them to see death, but It is through our physical death that sin has control over us.

We, as the human race, have suffered the spiritual death through Adam and Eve. Through this death, sin was allowed into the world. Through sin, we suffer a physical death. Perhaps it is for this reason that God allowed Elijah to be taken directly to Heaven without experiencing an actual physical death.

Unfortunately, this has only happened a very few times. The rest of us are bound by the law of sin and physical death, but Jesus came to provide a way for us to break that law. Through the sacrifice that God planned through His Son, Jesus Christ, we have the only way available to defeat sin and death. All it takes is a simple act of faith and claim that Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and Savior.

The odds are much better this way than with God taking you directly to Heaven.

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you endure or do you give in?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
(James 1:12 (NKJV))

Temptation is everywhere. Is it really possible for anyone to resist the temptation that they see everywhere they look? Even those who follow God have given in to temptation at some point in their lives.

Take a look at David. The Bible says that he was a man after God’s own heart, yet, in a moment of weakness, he did something that was a direct result of temptation. Even Jesus was tempted. When he was in the desert, Satan tempted Him, yet, Jesus held firm. What was the difference then between David and Jesus?

Only Jesus, as God’s Son, could perfectly resist all temptation. Frail humanity does not have the wisdom and insight that Jesus had due to His direct communication with God the Father. Jesus was perfect. No one else can ever be perfect in this world because of the sin introduced through Adam and Eve.

But, we have the power of forgiveness! God, through His infinite wisdom and mercy gave us His Son, Jesus Christ as a way to wash away the sins of this world. All we have to do is call upon the name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior and the sin results of temptation will be as far from us as the east is from the west.

Do you endure or do you give in?

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you believe that God will provide?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
(Genesis 22:14 (NIV))

Do you believe that God will provide?

In the midst of the turmoil and uncertainty in this world, do you believe that God will provide for your needs?

In the midst of the despair and heartbreak over a failed marriage, do you believe that God will provide?

Do your circumstances overwhelm you to the point where you simply can’t believe that God could possibly do anything to help you?

Abraham was probably at this point. Think about that statement and the rest of the story. God had told Abraham to go and sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham had waited for a very long lifetime to be a father. He was a very old man. Isaac was probably his pride and joy. Abraham truly loved Isaac. Imagine how he felt when God told him to go and sacrifice his son. How desperate do you think that Abraham felt at this point?

Still, Abraham exhibited something that I would have a problem showing under those circumstances. His obedience was unshakable. His faith was unwavering. I would have a big problem with obeying a command like this. Still, we must learn from Abraham. In the midst of what seemed like an impossible situation, God provided just what was needed. He did not provide it early. He did not provide it late. He was just in time. God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would be as many as the stars. Abraham had faith that God would fulfill His promises.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
(Hebrews 11:1 (NIV))

On the days that seem darkest, do you have the faith to know beyond any doubts that God will provide? When you feel that you have no possible way to change your circumstances, God will provide. Remember Abraham. Remember his faith. Remember God’s response. You are not alone. God is with you.

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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