What is God saying to you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
(2 Chronicles 33:10-13 (NIV))

Are you stubborn? Has God been trying to get your attention and you ignore Him? Carefully consider Manasseh and what he endured because he paid no attention to God. Manasseh may be an extreme example, for he had a whole nation that he was responsible for. Yet, Manasseh may not be a bad example to consider.

God had a calling on his life that also effected countless others. God did what He had to do in order to get Manasseh to follow Him. Manasseh was bound and led around by a hook in his nose. He realized his dilemma and called out to God. He called out to the very one he had been trying to ignore. God arranged for Manasseh to return to his kingdom.

If God has a calling upon our life, He will get our attention. You may be able to run for a while, but He knows where you are. Don’t be like Manasseh and be led through serious troubles before you come to your senses. Allow God to work within you. Don’t be afraid that you can’t do what He is calling you to do. God does not call the equipped. He equips the called.

What is God saying to you? Are you listening?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Is your decision obvious?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
But the people said nothing.
(1 Kings 18:21 (NIV))

Elijah built an alter and soaked it with water to the point where it would not burn in order to show the people that the Lord was God.

The priests of Baal pleaded with their “god” for hours and nothing happened. Elijah had patience. He knew what would happen. Elijah had faith. Again, he knew what would happen. He knew that the priests of Baal would fail miserably no matter how much time he gave them. He also knew that the one true God would prevail even against seemingly impossible odds. With this in mind, Elijah called the people to make a decision based on the outcome of the days events before they even happened.

The decision was obvious. After God came down and consumed the wet offering, it was impossible to come to any other conclusion. They chose to worship God.

Have each of us come to that same, logical conclusion? We may not have seen the first hand evidence as presented that day, but we have proof of more evidence than these people ever had. There is enough evidence, if you choose to accept it, that there is a God and that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins. If God can consume with fire a thoroughly soaked alter and sacrifice, He can perform an act of salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son. The only difference is the question. God is asking each of us, “How long will you waver between the two options? If you accept Jesus as my Son, accept salvation. If you do not, accept the consequences.”

What do you accept?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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