Do you wait patiently for the Lord?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord.
(Psalms 40:1-3 (NLT))

What do you see in this passage? Is it that God rescued David or is it that David waited patiently for God?

All too often we see the first option where God rescues someone and then we impatiently ask why doesn’t He rescue us. What we fail to see is the patience that is exhibited FIRST by those whom God rescues!

There is a consistent message throughout God’s Word. He longs for us to know Him intimately and not just look upon Him as the one to turn to when we need help.

God asks us to seek Him!

Think about one of the things in your life that you worked hard to get. Did you give up after only a few minutes? A few days? A few months? Chances are that it took a long time to achieve what you sought. You desired it more than anything. You did not give up. That is what God desires of us. He wants us to seek Him with all that we are. He wants us to be patient in seeking Him.

Why does God desire patience when we seek Him?

Perhaps this is a test of our true desires. If He answered immediately, would we truly realize how much we desire Him. In addition, God wants us on His timeframe. We have become so fixated on instant gratification as a society that we have lost touch with the fact that we are often told to be still and to be patient.

It is true that God rescues, and when He does, we need to exalt Him, but there is a saying that God’s timing is perfect. He is never early and He is never late. He is always on time. It is we who are impatient.

Do you wait patiently for the Lord?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you yoked by the burden of slavery to sin?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
(Galatians 5:1 (NIV))

If you are caught in a trap and will surely die, how do you react if someone rescues you?

Do you turn away from the trap and promise to never go back there again, or do you fight the one who rescues you and jump right back into the trap?

Human nature is a funny thing!

When the dangers are physical and immediate, we have a tendency to thank the one who rescues us. We have a tendency to embrace the rescue and turn away from the danger, but we seem to be blinded when the danger is not immediate. The danger may be just as real, but because it is not immediately life threatening, we think that we have time to address the issue before it takes its toll.

We also seem to be blinded when the danger is spiritual.

Many times it is a spiritual danger that temps us into the physical dangers. The enemy knows that if he can trick us into believing that the spiritual side of things are not important at the moment then he can subject us to the physical dangers. He knows all too well that the physical dangers can lead to death. He knows that if we have not accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, then our physical death will also mean our spiritual death.

The enemy knows that sin leads to death!

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
(Romans 6:16 (NIV))

Are you yoked by the burden of slavery to sin?

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you honor the Son?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
(John 5:22-23 (NIV))

It is so hard in today’s world to watch the news and see all of the natural disasters that seem to be increasing in frequency and in magnitude. From a worldly point of view, we wonder if it will ever end. From a member of the Body of Christ, I often wonder just how close we are to the beginning of the events foretold of in Revelation.

One thing is certain. Jesus is coming again. We don’t know the hour or the day, but we do know that He is coming, for the signs seem to be upon us.

He replied, “When evening comes, you say, `It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, `Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
(Matthew 16:2-3 (NIV))

What can a person do? What can we hold on to to give us strength in these uncertain times when the signs all seem to be pointing to worldly chaos? How can we, as believers, escape these events?

Many scholars debate over whether there will be a rapture of the church before things get way out of hand, for the rapture is not spoken of directly as an event, but is hinted at in passages such as the following.

if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
(2 Peter 2:9 (NIV))

We MUST place our faith and trust in Jesus, the Son. He is coming again. Whether you believe in a pre-Tribulation rapture, a mid-Tribulation rapture, a post-Tribulation rapture, or no rapture, one thing is certain – Jesus is coming again. He will be the judge. Regardless of when we believe that we will meet HIm, He is coming.

Do you honor the Son?

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

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
(Psalms 145:17-20 (NLT))

What is your image of God? Be honest.

Is it of a Santa Claus type figure who gives you what you want if you are good? Perhaps it is of a life guard type of figure – someone who rescues you when you get in trouble. Maybe you think of God as a kindly old man who is nice to everyone and allows anything because He is too timid to take a stand. Perhaps the one that I find so amusing is the idea that He is so busy that He doesn’t have time for us and that He doesn’t care what we do. Still another image of God that some people have is of a Grandfather Time type of figure who is more concerned with keeping things on schedule than with enjoying the Creation that is at His feet right now.

There are many images of God. Some are true, for all we have to do is look at the many names that God has – deliverer, provider, healer. I could go on and on, but, these images are images from His Word, not from someone’s false understanding.

The psalmist knew God’s character. He knew of God’s righteousness. He knew of God’s mercy, for he had called upon Him sincerely. God did hear his cries and He rescued him.

What is your image of God? Is it taken from God’s Word or is it a false image taken from your imagination and desires?

The true image that God portrays can do all things. What can your image of God do?

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