Are you ready to worship in the Spirit and in truth?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
(John 4:24 (NIV))

Is it really this simple?

Humanity has made things so complicated. We go through the motions set before us by other people thinking that is what will bring us closer to the Lord. We have built grand buildings. We have employed elaborate services. We have developed a system of worship, but do these things really draw us closer to the Lord? According to the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew, they don’t.

They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.
(Matthew 15:9 (NIV))

Are we guilty of following human rules, too?

If you are familiar with what is happening on many college campuses right now, you know that God is moving, and the best part is that He is not following human rules. He is doing it when people simply humble themselves and seek Him through prayer and repentance. There is no set ritual. There is no set routine. There is only a true sense of submission. People are kneeling in prayer. People are prostrating themselves at the alter or in the aisles. They don’t care what people think. They only seek God in truth and sincerity.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
(Romans 12:1 (NIV))

We need to open our hearts in this manner. We need to freely and openly come to the Lord with only one thing in mind. That one thing is to be open to whatever the Lord has for us.

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
(1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV))

What builds up the church? Is it man made ritual or Spirit filled leadings?

With that in mind, I want to ask a question. Would you be open to the leadings of the Holy Spirit if at your next church service nothing went as planned and people were praying, weeping tears of joy, and being healed? I pray that this sounds wonderful to you! Are you ready for such a thing?

Are you ready to worship in the Spirit and in truth?

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Come Lord Jesus! Fill the hearts of your faithful!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

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.
(John 3:16 (NIV))

Do you truly believe this passage?

What about the following passage?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
(John 10:10 (NIV))

If we profess that we believe, then why do we act as if we don’t when we gather together to worship?

Why do we stifle the Holy Spirit and prevent Him from being made manifest in our worship and in our lives?

We are at war with the enemy and we act as if we are safe and secure, yet, we are far from prepared. I believe that the recent events of Holy Spirit filled revival are a calling to put on the full armor of God so that we may stand against the schemes of the enemy. Many people believe that the church will be taken out of the picture, raptured, before things get really bad, but we are not called to sit back and do nothing until that day comes. And, if the interpretations that point to this rapture happening first are incorrect, we must be prepared to stand firm in our faith for we will be involved in warfare with the enemy. We will not be able to stand on our own. We must truly believe in Jesus and we must truly believe that abundant life is only available through our faith in Him!

I love that people are excited about revival, yet, I am saddened that believers are not paying attention to the Scriptures and recognizing that the events that are transpiring in this world are more than we are led to believe. The Euphrates River is almost dry, paving the way for the army from the East. Digital currencies, which can be turned off at the will of the government, are almost upon us. Turkey and Syria are seeing destruction and death like never before from the recent earthquakes. Israel is posed to build a third temple.

Do I need to go on listing things, or have I convinced you that now is the time to stand firm in your faith? Now is the time to put on the full armor of God. Now is the time to pray for His presence to be made manifest in ways that we have never seen before in our lifetime!

Can you confidently and faithfully stand firm in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord?

Come Lord Jesus! Fill the hearts of your faithful!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Only through the atoning blood of Jesus!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
(Hebrews 10:3-4 (NIV))

With all of the talk about the Temple Mount and the building of the Third Temple, as followers of Jesus, we must remember that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice!

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
(Hebrews 10:10 (NIV))

We do not worship in a temple. We worship in spirit and in truth. We do not make sacrifices to atone for our sins. Jesus paid the price once for all. We do not need to sacrifice bulls or goats. All that we have to do is sacrifice our sinful pride and accept the gift of salvation freely given through the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross! Through His sacrifice we can have our sins washed white as snow! We can be made holy and righteous by the Blood of Jesus!

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
(Hebrews 10:14 (NIV))

We have been purchased!

We have been redeemed!

We have been made sons and daughters of God through the amazing grace freely given at the cross.

Are you a son or daughter of God? If you have not made this profession of faith, it is as easy as ABC.

A is for admit that you are a sinner in need of a savior.

B is for believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.

C is for call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

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))

Only through the atoning blood of Jesus!

Copyright 1998 – 2023 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Keep your eyes focused on Jesus!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”
(Revelation 14:11 (NIV))

I don’t know about you, but this does not sound very pleasant. It is not something that I would desire, nor can I even imagine anyone wanting this for themselves, their friends or their family. Still, because people reject Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, they will suffer this fate. The sad thing is that no one has to suffer the eternal consequences of their sins.

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.
(John 3:16-18 (NIV))

If you have been following these devotionals for very long, you have probably noticed a shift from living according to God’s Word to a more urgent nature. There is something unsettling in my spirit and the events of the world support what I, and many others, are sensing. I have numerous trustworthy sources that I read and watch every day. What I am seeing is not being reported, and it is amazing. If I did not know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, I would be completely and utterly scared of what I see. It is my desire to “fly under the radar” so that my posts are not blocked on social media. For this reason, I will not provide sources for these comments, but rest assured that the comments are legitimate. With this in mind, I want to present some of the things that I have recently read or heard.

• The culling of humanity is about to accelerate taking many children and young adults, as the doctors, politicians and preachers remain silent.
• History began with humans inventing gods and will end when humans become gods.
• The resurrection of Jesus is fake news.
• Humans are now hackable animals no longer subject to the intelligent design of some fictional god above the clouds but our intelligent design.
• The idea of humans having free will is over. Today, we have the technology to hack human beings on a massive scale.
• You will own nothing and be happy.

Do you believe the Bible? Do you believe in the prophecies that foretold of Jesus’ first appearance on this earth? If you say that you believe the Bible, then you have to believe the prophecies that it contains. It is said that somewhere between 20-30% is prophecy. God’s track record is perfect when you look at what has been fulfilled so far. Why do we even venture to think that what has not been fulfilled will be any different?

God created us to have free will. Once we take the mark, based on the comments above, our free will is gone forever! There is no turning back. If the few comments that I have included do not unsettle your spirit, then perhaps you need to take a long, hard look at your priorities. You should also take a long, hard look at the 20-30% of the Bible that you have ignored before it is too late. Just for reference, just in case you did not know, digital tracking technology is already in place! If you don’t believe me, take a look at the face recognition on your phone. Do you honestly believe your face scan stays on your phone? Do a search for something and then log into one of your social media accounts. I am positive you will immediately see ads for what you just searched for. If this can be done, what will this technology be used for in the hands of the antichrist?

Keep your eyes open to the world. We are told to watch and recognize the signs.

There is even one more important thing that we are told to do.

Keep your eyes focused on Jesus!

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Do you participate in true and proper worship?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
(Romans 12:1 (NIV))

I want you to read that passage again and let it sink in.

If we profess a faith in Jesus, we are called to leave behind the things of this world. We are called to leave behind the sin that had us enslaved. We are called to repent and follow Jesus in all that we do!

Have you ever truly considered what that looks like in relation to this passage?

When the sacrificial system was in place at the temple in Jerusalem, the animals that were to be sacrificed were to be spotless. They were to be perfect with no blemishes or defects. How do we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice if we are to offer our best to God?

Do we let our bodies get obese if we can control it?

Do we fill our bodies with alcohol and drugs?

Do we abuse our bodies in ways that cause harm?

Take a look at your life and how you treat your body. Is it pleasing to God?

Do you participate in true and proper worship?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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This is a must do!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
(John 4:24 (NIV))

All throughout human history since the fall from grace, man has wanted to be able to visualize what he has worshipped. Perhaps this is due to the limited capabilities of humanity to understand what he cannot see. Whatever the reason may be, God cannot be limited to physical dimensions such as time and place, size and shape. God is exactly what John told us. He is Spirit. We cannot see Him in our physical limitations. We must learn to see beyond what we are and learn to see God with our hearts and our spirits, and not with our limited physical bodies.

There is a saying that there is more to this world than meets the eye. How true this statement is. All around us is a spiritual world that we cannot see, but it interacts with us on a daily basis. God has reached out to us from this world that we cannot see by sending His Son, Jesus.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
(John 1:1-4 (NIV))

Jesus taught us how to worship God in spirit and in truth. He came as the ultimate example of God’s love to make it possible for us to make it back to God even from our sinful, fallen nature.

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.
(John 3:16-18 (NIV))

Only through Jesus will we be able to stand before God. Only through Jesus are we made righteous to be able to stand before a righteous God. Until that day, we must keep our eyes on Jesus as the only way to the Father.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
(John 14:6-7 (NIV))

In all things that Jesus did, He always pointed to the Father. He came to earth to show us the way to the Father. How well have you learned the truth of that lesson that Jesus taught?

This is a must do!

Copyright 1998 – 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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For this, we should be eternally thankful!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
(Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIV))

The passages leading up to this reference a shaking of the whole earth and the heavens. These are a warning to the earth and its inhabitants, but this passage is a promise to those who believe!

Do you believe in the promises that are fulfilled in Jesus? Do you believe that you will and are receiving a kingdom, His kingdom, because of the promises that have been made to those who believe?

In essence, those who believe have been made sons and daughters of God. We are called to be heirs. We are called to be separate from the world!

Therefore,
“Come out from them
     and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
     and I will receive you.”
And,
“I will be a Father to you,
     and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
(2 Corinthians 6:17-18 (NIV))

Since we are heirs, we know that an heir receives an inheritance. Our inheritance is His kingdom!

For this, we should be eternally thankful!

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you still serving your idols?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.
(2 Kings 17:41 (NIV))

Have you ever looked up the definition of the word “idol”?

I would venture to say that a majority of people know what the word means, but sometimes seeing it written out before you makes you realize just what a word does mean and the full implications of that word. In this particular case, idol means an object or representation of extreme devotion or worship whether a person or a false god. One of the definitions for the word shows that it can also mean a pretender or impostor. With these definitions staring you in the face, why would anyone place a pretender, a false god, an impostor above the one true God?

Do you focus on your job? Do you focus on your house and you cars? Do you focus on the trips that you take? Do you focus on your possessions? Are you glued to your phone even when you are with other people?

Does your life revolve around anything besides the Lord?

Basically, anything that we elevate above our relationship with the Lord is a false god. It is an idol. It is a pretender! Take a serious look at your life. There is an old saying that says where you spend your money tells you what you choose to worship.

Are you still serving your idols?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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Are you ashamed of the power of the Gospel?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
(Romans 1:16 (NIV))

How strong is your faith?

I realize that this sounds like a strange question to be asking someone who is reading something that is based on scripture. I have found that the simpler the questions are concerning spiritual matters, the more difficult that they seem to be to answer. The simple questions seem to require an in-depth look at yourself and most people are afraid of what they will see within themselves. So, with this stated, I want to ask once again, how strong is your faith? What do you see within yourself?

If you were told to deny Jesus or die, what would you do?

If you were told to bow down and worship a statue, what would you do?

If you were told to lie in order to preserve your life, what would you do?

If you were told to take a mark or lose your head, what would you do?

All of us see things going on in the world and we wonder if we are drawing closer to the time of the end when everything that God calls good is called evil and everything that God calls evil is called good. Do you have the strength of faith to hold fast to the goodness and truth that is the Lord even when all around you is proclaiming evil? Think about that for a moment. Consider how rapidly things have changed. Are you prepared to stand firm?

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
(Ephesians 6:13 (NIV))

Is your armor on?

We have been basically told that we cannot go to church. We have been told that we must wear a mask in public. We have been told that we must maintain social distancing. Now, we are being told that there is a plan to require a traceable vaccine in order to be able to resume “normal” life. I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sound like the freedom that we have through the Blood of Jesus. In fact, it sounds like it is an attempt to control those who don’t know Jesus. Myself and countless others may be wrong, but do you want to gamble your eternity if what is happening is as it appears? Some may call this conspiracy theory, but for those who know God’s Word, it is all laid out. Study God’s Word. Look around you!

We must choose!

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
(Joshua 24:15 (NIV))

Now is not the time to be timid!

Now is not the time to be ashamed of the Gospel.

Are you ashamed of the power of the Gospel?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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What do you focus on?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
(Matthew 23:23-24 (NIV))

Does this sound like anyone that you know? Does it sound like you?

Just as in Jesus’ day, too many people pay more attention to the letter of the law and completely ignore the intent of the law. We need to make sure that we do not become like the Pharisees and perform our “worship” out of ritual and tradition. When this happens, it is easy to forget why the ritual and tradition started.

God gave us the Law as a guidance in how to live so that justice, mercy and faithfulness could thrive. It is human nature to forget the reasons and focus on the details.

Don’t let the reasons be hidden or overshadowed by the details. Focus on justice, mercy and faithfulness.

What do you focus on?

Copyright 1998 – 2020 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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