Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Available Episodes

5 of 1828

June 14th - John 1:6-8
John 1:6-8 God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. John was determined to help people to see that Jesus, and only Jesus, is the Light of the World. John the Baptist had a really important part to play, but he wasn’t the light. He simply prepared people to meet with Jesus. John wanted his readers to make sure that they were only looking for life’s meaning and purpose in Jesus. There is a traditional story from the Middle East which I have always loved. It tells of a man hunting for something in the middle of a dusty road. A stranger approached him and asked what he was looking for. “I’m looking for my key,” replied the man. “Where did you lose it?” asked the stranger. “Oh,” the man replied: “I lost it in my house.” The stranger looked puzzled and asked: “So if you lost it in your house, why are you looking for it here in the middle of the road?” The man replied, “Because there is more light out here.” This sums up what is happening in our society. People want to find meaning and purpose for their lives, but they are looking in the wrong place. They need to look to Jesus and find the true light that he came to bring. The role of John the Baptist was crucial, and his task was not to draw attention to himself but to point to Jesus. John couldn’t save people from their sins or give people eternal life, but he knew a man who could, and his ministry was focused on helping people to meet and follow him. Our role is similar to that of John the Baptist. We are never called to draw attention to ourselves, as if we have the answers to people’s needs. Our task is to point to Jesus so they can find new life in him. Question Where do you think people look to find meaning and purpose in their lives? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for all those people who have helped me to meet Jesus. Help me to be faithful in supporting others to follow him. Amen
--------
3:15
June 13th - John 1:4-5
John 1:4-5 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. There has been darkness on every page of human history, but the last century saw darkness on a colossal scale. During the terrible dictatorships of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao, many tens of millions of people were killed, but we have also seen horrifying amounts of abuse even within the Church. Every day, we hear stories of darkness, and we feel the weight of pain that is borne by so many people, but there is good news amid this terrible darkness – however hard people may have tried, they have failed to extinguish the light of Christ. There have been determined efforts to destroy the Church over the past century, and there still are today. To those brothers and sisters in North Korea, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan who live under the most oppressive regimes, we can declare that the light of Christ will never be put out. None of this is to underestimate or trivialise the suffering which many Christians face this very day. The pain and suffering are all too real, and at times the destroyers might seem to have the upper hand. However, we can be absolutely sure that they cannot and will not win. The situations that you and I face each day may not seem so desperate, but we can all see places where it is hard to live for Christ, and where Christians are marginalised and mocked for their faith. On those days when it all feels too much and the devil seems to be winning, we need to go back to these verses and encourage ourselves with the thought that, hard as they may try, the powers of darkness will not have the final word. Question In what way does it encourage you to know that the darkness will never extinguish the light of Christ? Prayer Loving God, I thank you that the light of Christ will shine forever, however strong the opposition. Amen
--------
3:18
June 12th - John 1:1
John 1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. Can I be honest? I listened to these words for years without really understanding them. They are often used at Christmas carol services, and they seemed very mysterious to me. John would have been saddened by my reaction because for him and his readers, it was obvious. Everyone knew what he meant by ‘the Word’ or the Logos. This was an expression often used in Greek philosophy which shaped the thinking of his day. He was saying that Jesus was nothing less than God himself, and that when God spoke to the world, he did so in the form of his Son Jesus, the Word. This reminds us of the very beginning of the Bible, where we learn that God created the world. When God spoke, something happened. On day one he said: “Let there be light,” and there was light. There isn’t a distinction between the word and the action. When God sent Jesus as the Word, we see him acting in the most powerful way to bring life to the world. John is very clear about the purpose of his Gospel. He isn’t writing a philosophical textbook but offering an introduction to his friend Jesus. He wants his readers to understand that if they want to know what life is all about, they need to meet Jesus. They need to receive the life he came to bring through believing in his name. In the other three Gospels, we hear about Jesus meeting many different people, but these encounters are all told very briefly. John’s Gospel is different. Here, we find Jesus having long conversations with people. We learn that his purpose was to get alongside people, however complicated their circumstances, and to bring them new life. Jesus is doing exactly the same today. He wants to come alongside us, amid all the complexity of our lives, and show us how he can bring us his abundant life today – a life which is so rich and wonderful that it will never come to an end. Question In what ways has meeting with Jesus changed your life? Prayer Loving heavenly Father, I worship you because you spoke to the world by sending Jesus as your Son. Thank you that in him I can find life today. Amen
--------
3:34
June 11th - Acts 2:44-45
Acts 2:44-45 All the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. The Holy Spirit transformed every part of the early Christians’ lives. Yes, they were committed to teaching, fellowship and prayer, but they also looked at their possessions with new eyes. They were eager to find opportunities to share their resources with one another according to people’s needs. This is revolutionary stuff. It is really important to ensure that a church’s teaching, fellowship and prayer life are strong, but if they don’t affect our material possessions, something has gone seriously wrong. I don’t believe that there is just one way of doing this. This very brief description of the early Church gives the impression of all the Christians living together in community. It sounds so simple and straightforward, but I don’t think anyone who has lived in community would describe it like that. I remember a well-known Christian leader using one word to describe living in community: “Painful.” When asked to amplify this, he replied: “Very painful.” That doesn’t mean that living in community is wrong, but I certainly don’t believe it is God’s calling for all of us. What is clear is that God calls us to be good stewards of the resources he has put in our hands. They have been given to us so that we can share them with others, and we will only be able to do that if we are aware of others’ needs. When our love for our Christian brothers and sisters leads us to give sacrificially to support them in their need, the Holy Spirit is at work. When our concern for our communities causes us to reach out and show them compassion and care, the Holy Spirit is clearly at work. However, if the presence of the Holy Spirit is only ever seen in worship, there are some serious questions to ask. Question In what way has the Spirit led you to share your possessions with others? Prayer Loving God, help me to be a good steward of all that you have generously given to me. Amen
--------
3:17
June 10th - Acts 2:42
Acts 2:42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer. The early weeks of the Church must have been amazing. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit had totally transformed everything. From a small group of disappointed and frightened believers, there was now a large number of believers fired up with a determination to change the world. These verses in Acts give us the first clues of what the Church looked like, and this verse spells out three key aspects. Firstly, the believers needed teaching. The Christians in Jerusalem were probably all from a Jewish background, so they needed to be shown how Jesus was the fulfilment of their Scriptures. They also needed to be reminded of Jesus’ teaching, because they had all heard different parts of it. It was decades later that the Gospels were written, although people had almost certainly started to write down some of Jesus’ sayings. Secondly, the Christians got together to eat. Sharing meals is a wonderful way of deepening relationships, and this was a key feature of Church life from day one. At some of these meals, they specifically met to remember the death of Jesus in the way he had commanded at the last supper. Christianity is never just a set of doctrines and beliefs. It is a way of life lived in community, and these first Christians were quite clear about that. Thirdly, the believers met together to pray. They knew they had an enormous challenge in front of them and, although their numbers were growing, they lived in a society which was fundamentally opposed to their beliefs. They needed God’s continual strength and inspiration for the road ahead. Times have changed, and Christianity is no longer brand new, but our needs are just the same as those first believers. Living in a sea of cynicism and materialism, we still desperately need good teaching, deep fellowship and an ever-growing commitment to prayer. Question What should be the priorities for the Church today? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the privilege of being part of your Church. Help us to learn from the faith and commitment of those first Christians. Amen
--------
3:34