Have you been acting foolishly?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

The way of a fool seems right to him,
    but a wise man listens to advice.
A fool shows his annoyance at once,
    but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
(Proverbs 12:15-16 (NIV))

If everyone lived by this truth, the daytime television shows that thrive on fights and outbursts would soon go away. Unfortunately, instead of thinking first, many in our society seem to act first and never think. This often leads to disastrous results.

I hate to say this, but this current philosophy of society is even beginning to find its way into the church. Nothing seems to be off limits in the eyes of many people. I bet that you can easily recall the last time that you heard someone talking badly about the preacher because a Biblically based message stepped on someone’s toes. Instead of taking the words that God wrote, and the preacher delivered, as an instruction on how to change their life, someone took it as a personal attack by the preacher.

We must pray for our society. We must pray for our churches. We must pray for our families, and we must pray for ourselves. We must pray that we are given discernment so that we never become like the fool who shows his annoyance and his ignorance. We must pray that we never become self-righteous and indignant. We must pray that God grants us wisdom in all that we do.

There is an old saying that “It is better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” Think about this the next time that something begins to annoy you.

keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking lies.
(Psalm 34:13 (NIV))

Focus on God’s Word. Meditate upon it. Let His Word become your words.

May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
(Psalm 119:172 (NIV))

Have you been acting foolishly?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you wise and prudent or foolish and deceptive?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
but the folly of fools is deception.
(Proverbs 14:8 (NIV))

Do you think about your actions? Do you think about what type of an impact that they will have on you? Perhaps you plan your actions so that you benefit from them. If that is the case, do you stop to reflect upon the impact that they will have on other people? This impact can be either positive or negative. The sad question that I must ask after making that last statement is if you honestly care if your actions have a negative impact on others.

Please be honest with yourself!

I realize that human nature has us looking out for ourselves all of the time, but as the Body of Christ, shouldn’t our focus not be on ourselves? Shouldn’t we temper our thoughts and our actions so that we do not lead someone to falter in their faith, or to be hurt by our unconcerned actions.

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
(Matthew 18:6 (NIV))

And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 18:3-4 (NIV))

I realize that Jesus was actually talking about little children, but if we are believers, it requires the faith of a little child. If that is the case, it is not too difficult to realize that Jesus could very easily be talking about making any believer falter in their faith.

That is not something that I want to stand before God and be found guilty of!

If we truly long to be wise in the eyes of God, we need to be prudent about the things that we think, say and do. If we are not prudent, the logical conclusion is that we are fools and guilty of deception.

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do we see the danger?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
(Proverbs 27:12 (NIV))

What do you see in the world today?

I ask myself that every day. I look at the events in the news and wonder how God is using these events to His glory.

Some may consider this pure coincidence, but I need to explain something. Over the course of time I have developed a database of scripture verses that have a meaning to me. I often will sit and pray, asking what God wants me to write about. It is then that I will randomly select a verse. I did this today, and this was the verse. I did not want to write about this because I feel that I may be focusing too much on things that no one knows when they will happen.

So, I randomly selected another verse. This is where I stopped.

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
(John 14:2 (NIV))

God, I get the picture!

When we seek refuge, where do we turn?

What have we been promised for our earnest faith in that refuge?

The world is a dangerous place, and by all study and prayer, many people believe that it is headed toward a danger such as the world has never seen before.

There are two camps, two positions, in this world. One position ignores the true God and the other embraces the true God of Israel through the gift of His Son, Jesus. Which group do you think is the prudent group? What is the difference between the prudent and the simple?

It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. To me, that is what happens when you put your faith in humanity and governments.

Do we, as the Body of Christ, see the danger? Have we taken refuge in Jesus? Are we assured of that refuge?

“Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV))

It is my prayer that all will be prudent and take refuge in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. The offer is open to all. Have you accepted that offer of grace?

We have an inheritance if we are sincere.

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