Do you hold fast to your testimony about Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
(Revelation 12:17 (NIV))

There is a disagreement among believers about the timeline of this event and who will be here when it happens. Regardless of the occurrence and who will be here, I want to ask you a question. If this were to happen today, would you be ignored by the dragon or would the dragon wage war against you?

I realize that this sounds like a simple question, but your honest answer, or should I say the Lord’s honest answer, will determine so much of your future.

Do you keep God’s commands?

I realize that we are only human, and as such, we are not capable in our own strength of achieving this. With that in mind, is it your desire to do what God desires for you? Do you feel remorse and guilt when you fail?

Do you hold fast to your testimony about Jesus?

This testimony is much more than just stating that Jesus was a good man or that He was a prophet. This testimony proclaims that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. This testimony proclaims God’s redemptive plan of salvation.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
(John 3:16-21 (NIV))

Do you hold fast to John 3:16? Do you proclaim this as your testimony? If you do, rest assured that the dragon is waging war against you, but you must also rest assured that God will fulfill His promises and defeat the dragon.

Do you hold fast to your testimony about Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Where does your sorrow lead you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
(2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV))

Have you ever felt remorse or sorrow over something that you have done? Think about this in terms of sin. Have you ever done something that you knew was a sin and felt sorry that you did it?

Did it stop you from doing something similar again?

If you stop to truly think about this, you have to ask yourself a simple question about the source of your sorrow. Did the sorrow come from the fact that someone caught you in your sin or did the sorrow come from within yourself because you knew that something just wasn’t right? If you were sorry because you got caught, the sorrow was probably because you got caught and not because you truly regretted your actions.

In other words, you were sorry that you got caught!

In situations like this, it is human nature to resolve to be better at not getting caught! This simply leads to more sin.

For the wages of sin is death
(Romans 6:23a (NIV))

This is the worldly sorrow that rebels against God. Godly sorrow results in a humble heart and an earnest desire to turn from your sin.

There are two paths where our sorrow can lead us. One is repentance and the other is sin and death.

Where does your sorrow lead you?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you show unwavering and unswerving faith!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
(Hebrews 10:23 (NIV))

Have you ever stopped to think about human nature and how easy it becomes during the Christmas season to profess a faith in Jesus? Even people who normally don’t even think about Jesus the rest of the year will stop and look at a nativity scene or watch movies based on the birth of Jesus. They will pause and some will even be thankful, but what do they do the rest of the year?

Are they consistent in their actions?

Are they consistent in the hope that they profess during Christmas?

Some refer to people who are not consistent in their attention to Jesus as C&E Christians. This name comes from the fact that the only time they show up at church or pay any attention to Jesus is at Christmas and Easter. The rest of the year, they live in the world fully immersed in their sin without any remorse. Is this what Paul calls us to do in this world? Is this a good example of holding unswervingly to the hope that God gave us and that we profess?

We are called to a life of consistency with respect to our faith. We are to focus on Jesus and follow His call. We are to not swerve to the left or to the right when the world temps us. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus for He is the author and perfecter of our faith. We are to look to Jesus every day of the year and not just at certain times of the year. We are to look to Jesus every day of our life and not just the times that are convenient for us to do so.

We are to live our lives in daily relationship with Jesus.

This is how we are to hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.

We are to live out unwavering and unswerving faith!

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Don’t be foolish!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
(Proverbs 17:28 (NIV))

With all that is going on in this country and the world right now, it seems that everyone has an opinion. The sad thing about that is that far too many people feel that they need to voice their opinions even if they know absolutely nothing about the topic. Everyone thinks that they are right and those who possess an opinion contrary to theirs is the enemy. Sadly, the number of people who remove all doubt about being a fool is skyrocketing rapidly.

Not many are keeping silent. Not many are holding their tongues.

We have all been guilty of saying things that we wish we had never said, but it appears that remorse is no longer an emotion that is capable of being felt by many. Instead of being able to accept differing opinions and the truth, far too many people rebel. They get angry. They mock the ones who bring the truth.

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
(Proverbs 9:7 (NIV))

Unfortunately, we see this increasing with every passing day. We also find it hard to truly distinguish what is the truth in the moment. I honestly believe that this is a direct result of the concept put forward in recent years which states that truth is relative. This concept is built upon the false idea that what is true for me is not the same thing that is true for someone else. I believe that those who are so vehemently vocal and angry have been taught that there is no absolute truth and that their version is just as viable as someone else’s version of truth. In particular, they oppose God’s truth, or the idea that God even exists, because they feel that His truth is not their truth.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
(Psalm 14:1 (NIV))

It is clear how God defines a fool.

Don’t be foolish!

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