Do you long for Godly wisdom?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
(Romans 1:22 (NIV))

Do you remember what we are told is God’s definition of a fool?

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))

In essence, it is rejecting God. This can mean that someone never believed. It can also mean that this can come about from those who claim to know Him and then reject or turn away from Him.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
(Romans 1:21-23 (NIV))

We seem to be living in a time when fools are increasing in number. People are looking at the world as if they are in control. People feel as if they have all of the answers and all of the knowledge.

I want to let you in on a little secret. I have all of the answers.

To the world, that last statement may sound arrogant. It may sound just like all of the power hungry people all throughout history, but if you profess a faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then you also have all of the answers!

I can proclaim this with complete certainty due to the following facts.

– We are all sinners
– We all are in need of a Savior

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
(Acts 4:12 (NIV))

I have come to realize that it takes faith to be a fool, to say that there is no God. People who make this profession see themselves as wise, but in all honesty, they are suffering from something that many people confuse for wisdom. They have been educated, they have been given false knowledge that makes them believe that there is no God. Personally, I don’t want the type of faith that it takes to be a fool. I long for Godly wisdom!

Do you long for Godly wisdom?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Don’t be a fool!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

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

Is it just me, or do you think that we are seeing an overabundance of fools in the world right now?

Based on God’s definition from this passage, there are far too many fools in the world and they just seem to be increasing in numbers daily! Is it possible to equate God’s definition of a fool and the concept that evil will increase in the last days? We know that the wheat and the weeds will grow up evenly during these times. Are we seeing a growth spurt of weeds right in front of our eyes?

Every person who has ever lived has had a choice to make. Adam and Eve believed a lie from the serpent and fell from grace. They made the wrong choice. Cain and Abel had a choice to make. Cain made the wrong choice. All of the people alive except Noah and his family made the wrong choice. I could go on and on with example after example of how fallen humanity has constantly made the wrong choice.

Even after God sent His Son Jesus to redeem us from our sin, people still make the wrong choice!

I can’t stress this enough. Every single one of us has a choice to make. We can accept God’s grace as freely given through the gift of His Son Jesus or we can reject that gift. There are many reasons why people reject God’s grace. Some believe one of many lies from the enemy such as God won’t save them or that they have plenty of time to accept Jesus. These are the people that have a misunderstanding about God. It is a slippery slope from there to denying God. Sadly, many will fall into the group that God calls foolish.

Do you know anyone in this category?

Are you in this category?

What do you think of Jesus and the cross?

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
(1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV))

If you look at the passages that talk about being a fool or being foolish, they reference a hardened heart that rejects God and/or His plan of salvation through Jesus.

Don’t be a fool!

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What do you allow into your house?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.
(Deuteronomy 7:26 (NIV))

Would you bring a wild, rabid animal into your house?

Would you allow a thief into your house?

Would you allow an elephant into your house?

I think that it is safe to assume that the answer to all of these questions is a resounding “No!”

No one in their right mind would allow such destruction, such danger, into their homes. Ironically, we think nothing of doing just that with respect to our lives and to our bodies. Our bodies are our earthly shell, our earthly home, while we walk this earth. In addition, if we have invited Jesus into our lives, our bodies are much more than just our earthly shell.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
(1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV))

If this is the case, why do we bring detestable things into our lives when we claim to be followers of Jesus?

We rightly turn away from murder and stealing. We turn away from drugs and alcohol. We turn away from many detestable things that are clearly visible, but yet, we allow many detestable things into our lives that are just as dangerous, but are not glaringly obvious. Why do we allow greed, envy, anger, and lust to take up residence? Why do we allow hate, pride and ego to have free reign in our lives when there is something so different that we should be letting in?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22 (NIV))

What do you allow into your house?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Is the cross the power of God or is it foolishness?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
(1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV))

Do you consider yourself to be a fool?

I realize that is a loaded question, for I have never met anyone who considered themselves to be a fool. I don’t like to judge, but I have met some people who have left me wondering about their status. To be honest with you, I would probably bet that there are some people who question my status.

Still, I find it is much better to have people think that you are foolish than to have God think that you are foolish. God’s definition of being a fool is completely different from man’s.

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 only stands to reason that anything that comes from God would be considered foolish by man. The ultimate foolishness in the eyes of man is the message of redemption through Jesus and the cross. A fool says that there is no God. A fool thinks that they are good and do not need anyone to save them. Since they think that there is no God and that they are good, the idea that God sent His Son to die for them makes no sense to them at all. To these people, that is the ultimate foolishness and they think that anyone who believes otherwise is a fool.

To quote a very old saying, that is the pot calling the kettle black.

The fool thinks that their foolishness is wisdom and that the true wisdom of God is foolishness.

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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What are you doing to confront the strutters?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.
(Psalms 12:8 (NIV))

Far too many things are no longer looked upon as they should be. Police are in our schools because weapons are there. Those who take the weapons strut around as if they are important. Marriages end in divorce far too often because people no longer are willing to honor their word and their commitment. Unborn children never get to see life because they are looked upon as a choice and not a unique individual created by God. Thousands of innocent people are killed simply because someone does not like the freedoms that we have in this country. Some abuse those freedoms, but the freedoms are there so that we have the right to worship God as we want and not as someone else dictates. In certain parts of the world, these people are looked upon as heroes.

It certainly appears that the wicked are strutting more in recent years. What does that say about our world? Even the very weather seems to protest. Severe floods, fires and droughts seem to be taking over, and that is just in this country. Take a look at the incidents world wide. It seems that all of creation is groaning under the weight of the vile things that are happening. How do we answer this vileness and arrogance? We must turn to God. We must pray.

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NIV))

We may not know what is coming tomorrow. We do know that God tells us it will get worse. Even so, we must pray. I honestly do not believe that God placed us here to simply sit back and wait. We can be active for His glory no matter what may come.

What are you doing to confront the strutters?

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