Daily Devotional
Are You Able to Smile at Death?
“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.”
Hebrews 11:22
November 13, 2023
Ponder This
Do you want to smile at death? Do you want to practice the presence of God in the time of death? There’s no way you can do it without faith. And what is faith? Faith is not positive thinking. Faith is not following a hunch. Faith is not hoping for the best. I love optimists, but that’s not faith. Faith is not self-confidence. Self-confidence is all right if your confidence is first in the Lord. Faith is not wishing upon a star. What is faith? Faith is getting a word from God and believing it.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us what faith is. It says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That word hope does not mean maybe so, perhaps so. Hope in the Bible means rock-ribbed assurance based on the Word of God. God had made a promise to Abram. God cannot lie. Joseph, therefore, in the time of death, could smile at death because he had the unbreakable promises of God. Faith is not naming it and claiming it. You can’t claim it until God names it. Faith is standing on the promises of God.
- What has God said that you need to put faith in this week?
- What would it look like to have faith when you think about death? What would change?
Practice This
Spend some time reading the Bible to learn about the promises of God from the Word of God. Consider Hebrews 11.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
