Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Acts 16:2-3 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of [Timothy]. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. This is a fascinating moment. Paul had just come away from the council of Jerusalem, where the decision had been made that it was unnecessary for Christians to obey all the Jewish law. He, more than anyone, passionately believed it was not necessary for men to be circumcised, and in his letters, he was scathing of those who disagreed. So why did Paul then insist that his new companion, Timothy, should go through this ceremony? The answer is that he believed their priority was to preach the gospel, and nothing should be allowed to get in the way of that. If Timothy was to work effectively among Jews, it would be much more helpful if he were circumcised. Timothy’s mother was a Jew, so he already had much in common with the Jewish people. His circumcision would make it much easier for him to gain their respect and trust. Paul was absolutely clear that his priority was to share the good news of Jesus effectively with as many people as possible. Nothing was more important than that. Our situation is very different from Paul’s, but that’s an important challenge for us as well. Question What could you do to reach out more effectively to your family, neighbours or work colleagues with the good news of Jesus? Prayer Lord God, thank you for Paul’s example. Help us to be humble enough to learn from it. Amen

Acts 15:37-39 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. This is a painful moment, but I’m so glad Dr Luke recorded it. He could quite easily have airbrushed it out of his account, but he didn’t. Paul and Barnabas fell out over taking John Mark on the next missionary journey. It’s impossible for us to know exactly why, although we are told that Paul was disappointed by the way John Mark had deserted them on the first missionary journey. Because we know Barnabas was a great encourager, it is easy to presume that he wanted to give John Mark a second chance. However, there may well have been other factors we are unaware of. What we know for sure is that they split up. Splits and disagreements are never easy. I don’t want to make light of this, but it is also important to see them in light of the wider perspective – which is far easier after the event, and almost impossible at the time. What matters is that we live with such prayerfulness, humility and grace that we are able to face these moments in a Christ-like way. Occasional disagreements are inevitable, but they don’t need to have the last word. As we place ourselves in God’s hands, He can bring blessing, even after the most painful splits. Question In what way could you better prepare yourself to face tough times? Prayer Loving God, thank you that You are with us in every moment, however challenging. Amen

Acts 15:28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements. The council of Jerusalem, which we read about in Acts 15, had a massive problem to resolve. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, it came upon a huge gathering of Jews, so the first Christians brought with them the richness of their Jewish traditions. However, very quickly, the gospel spread to people from a non-Jewish background. This set up enormous tensions because there were many Christians from a Jewish tradition who believed that non-Jews were welcome to Christian faith on the condition that they all abided by Jewish law. After careful debate, the council came to the conclusion that those from a non-Jewish background did not need to accept all the law. However, they did need to abide by some sensitive restrictions. In the beautiful words of today’s verse, the settlement that they arrived at “seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us”. We face huge challenges in the Church today and as we make decisions together we need to share in good debate, just as they did in the council of Jerusalem. We need to listen carefully to one another and weigh up the different opinions. And through it all we need to pray that, at the end of the day, we will be able to say with the early Church “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us”. Question In what current issues do we particularly need to be seeking the Spirit’s guidance? Prayer Lord God, we praise You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit and we pray that He will lead us into all truth. Amen

Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Paul’s first missionary journey is incredibly impressive. Having been nearly killed in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went on to Lystra where Paul was stoned so badly that some people thought he was dead. However, he summoned the strength to go on to Derbe, where he and Barnabas preached and got a wonderful response. Then with massive courage they headed back to Lystra and Iconium, where all the problems had been. You wouldn’t have blamed them if they had given those cities a wide berth. Not so. On their return journey, they did what they had failed to do on their first visit and appointed elders. They knew that if these young churches were to flourish, they would desperately need leadership. As we watch the amazing growth of the early Church, there is no question that leadership was an integral part of God’s plan. If you look at the Church today, it is no different. Good, godly leadership is vital in every age. It is all too easy to assume that Christian leadership is the same type of leadership you might find in a business or sport. But while they may undoubtedly share some common elements, Christian leadership is distinctive, in that we are called to be servants of the living God. Jesus served with humility, gentleness and love, and that’s exactly what He looks for in church leaders today. Question What are you able to do to support Christian leaders? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the gift of leaders in Your Church. Help me to love and support them in their demanding work. Amen

Acts 14:14-15 When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you.” After Paul and Barnabas were rudely bundled out of Iconium, they fled 19 miles south to the small Roman city of Lystra. A man who had been lame from birth had been healed while Paul was speaking, and the people were so excited that they concluded Paul and Barnabas must be gods. The missionaries were slow to understand what was going on because the people were speaking in their own local language. Things went from bad to much worse when the local priest of Zeus turned up with bulls and wreaths in order to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. Paul was determined to put the matter straight as soon as possible. He was clearly horrified to be thought of as a god. In his anguish and sadness, he dramatically tore his clothes and assured the crowd that they had totally misunderstood the situation. Every public speaker is well aware of the danger of being misunderstood. This is a particularly dramatic illustration, but the principle is the same for anyone who opens their mouth in public. If you are a public speaker, you need to always have more than a small dose of humility. However carefully you prepare and speak, there will be occasions when you are completely misunderstood. This should prompt us all to pray for preachers and teachers who perform such a vital and challenging role. Question Which preacher or teacher do you need to pray for? Prayer Loving God, I pray that You will give wisdom and grace to all Christian preachers and teachers. Amen

Acts 14:2-3 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. Paul and Barnabas were having an amazing time on their first missionary journey. A large number of people were accepting their message and becoming followers of Jesus. At the same time, they were meeting fierce opposition. At Iconium, in central Turkey, the mob was stirred up against them and, after a while, the situation became so dangerous that they fled the city. There was every possibility that they were going to be stoned to death. But I love the fact that amid the intensity of the opposition, their message was one of grace. It must have been very tempting for them to turn on the crowd and deliver a message of judgement and condemnation, but they chose to speak about the grace of the Lord. Grace is a dominant theme in Paul’s ministry. He taught that there is nothing that we can do to gain salvation. It is completely outside our grasp. But, because God is so incredibly generous, He was willing to do for us what we could never do for ourselves and set us free from our sins. We Christians have many things that we would like to say to our society but, above everything else, we need to ensure that we are declaring boldly the grace of the Lord. Question In what way would you explain the grace of God to someone who had never heard about it before? Prayer Gracious God, thank you for Your generosity to me. Help me to always speak to others with grace. Amen

Acts 13:5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. This is the start of the first missionary journey. It was an incredibly important moment for the Christian gospel. Saul (who from this point on was known by his Roman name, Paul) was happy to preach about Jesus anywhere, but it was his usual practice to start in the synagogue and work outwards from there. I find it fascinating that, on this most sensitive of missions, he and Barnabas took young John Mark with them. We have already met John Mark in the previous chapter. He was clearly well known to Paul and Barnabas, but it was a major initiative to take him on this strategically important missionary journey. You can think of many reasons why it might not be wise to take a young and inexperienced person on such a crucial mission, but they were convinced his presence was important. I am grateful for those leadership teams I have served on where there has been a commitment to have younger people in the group. I can think of some who looked out of their depth when they started, but because they were trusted and encouraged they quickly grew into effective leaders. From a human point of view, Paul and Barnabas were taking a risk, but they gladly took it for the good of the Church. The confidence they placed in Mark might well have been the reason why he later became the author of one of the gospels. Question Does your church encourage younger people to take on leadership roles? Prayer Lord God, help me to encourage young people to grow in the use of their gifts. Amen

Acts 13:2-3 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. This book of the Bible is often referred to as the Acts of the Apostles. A much better title for it would be the Acts of the Holy Spirit. Important as the apostles undoubtedly were, they were powerless without the Spirit. Nothing got going until the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, and as history unfolded, the power, wisdom and guidance of the Spirit shaped every step of the journey. Here in chapter 13, we come to a decisive moment as the Spirit tells the Church to set Barnabas and Saul apart for a new ministry. Nothing has changed. The Church today still completely relies upon the Spirit, but His guidance isn’t forced on anyone. It is perfectly possible for a church to be driven by tradition, human plans and budgets. It is only as a church intentionally and deliberately seeks the guidance of the Spirit that He leads His people. The church in Antioch was absolutely determined to hear what the Spirit was saying to them, and they showed their commitment by spending time in worshipping and fasting. It was in that context that the Spirit spoke to them. They showed that they were completely open to His guidance. Question In what ways have you seen the Holy Spirit lead your church? Have you found fasting helpful? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the gift of your Spirit to the Church today. Help me to listen with care to everything He has to say to me. Amen

Acts 12:14-15 When she recognised Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” What do you expect to happen when you pray? Does it occur to you that God might dramatically and immediately answer your prayer? Clearly, that thought hadn’t occurred to this fervent group of pray-ers! Peter, the leader of the Church, had been imprisoned by King Herod, and the Church was understandably scared. They knew how weak and vulnerable they were in the face of the authority’s power. So when Peter turned up at their door, they couldn’t imagine that it was really him. When Rhoda, the servant girl, ran to the door, she was convinced it was Peter but was so excited that she forgot to open the door! When she insisted that Peter was there, they refused to believe it. How foolish they must have felt when Peter finally stood in front of them. When we pray, we are opening our lives to God, and we need to be ready for any response that He chooses to make. He always hears our prayers, and that should give us confidence as we ask Him to do things. As we pray, we are showing God our willingness to co-operate with whatever He chooses to do, however amazing and miraculous. Question How confident are you that God will answer your prayers? Prayer Loving God, help my confidence in You to grow as I pray. Amen

Acts 12:11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” At this time, the early Church was growing fast, and this was making King Herod increasingly nervous. He was determined to tighten the screws, so he arranged for the killing of James, the brother of John. This went down very well with the Jews, so he decided to arrest Peter, the leader of the Church, and kept him under the closest possible surveillance. He was guarded by four squads of four soldiers each, and at night he was chained as he slept between two of the guards. King Herod must have assumed that nothing could possibly go wrong, but he hadn’t taken God into account! That night, an angel woke Peter up and led him out of the prison. I love the next bit. Having been miraculously set free, Peter suddenly realised that it was all true. Not unreasonably, he had assumed that it was a wonderful and totally unrealistic dream, but now he had to reckon with the fact that the impossible had happened. He really had been set free! One of the biggest challenges of living the Christian life is that you have to get used to the fact that God is in the business of doing miracles. He is doing them all the time. So, rather than assuming that everything is likely to stay more or less the same as it has always been, we need to have open arms to God’s daily miracles. Question What miracle are you praying for today? Prayer Lord God, I worship You for Your miraculous power and Your endless love. Amen

Acts 11:25-26 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch…The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. Barnabas’ famous gift of encouragement was not only expressed in words. He also took action. He could see that the church in Antioch desperately needed a good leader, and he was convinced that he knew the right man. Antioch, in Syria, was a busy commercial centre and it had a very mixed population. There were many Jews in the city and an increasing number of people from a non-Jewish background who were following Christ. It was crucial that a good appointment was made, and Barnabas was sure that Saul had exactly the right qualifications. Having tracked down Saul, Barnabas took him back to Antioch. There, they spent a year working alongside one another in the church, which was to be the springboard for the mission to the Gentile world. It was in cosmopolitan Antioch that the followers of Christ were first called Christians. It is so significant that the title ‘Christian’ is totally focused on a person. We are members of the Church, but it would be horribly misleading if we were known as churchites or churchians. Christian faith is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself. The Church is a large and complex organisation made up of human beings who regularly get a great deal wrong. The Church is often deeply disappointing and embarrassing, and we frequently wince at its many failures and shortcomings. But Jesus never lets us down, and we can be proud to bear His name. Question What does the word Christian mean to you? Prayer Dear Father, thank you for Your son Jesus Christ and for the privilege of being His follower. Amen

Acts 11:22-23 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. When the church leaders in Jerusalem heard about the rapid growth of the church in Antioch, they had lots of questions. Because the church in Jerusalem was strongly Jewish in character, there were some who were deeply suspicious of what was going on in Antioch. Their concern was that the followers of Jesus should follow the Old Testament law. They needed to send someone who would be able to understand the non-Jewish background of most of the new converts in Antioch and who could give them plenty of encouragement. They made a very good choice when they selected Barnabas. Barnabas was well known for his gift of encouragement. When we first meet Barnabas in Acts 4:36-37, Luke notes that his name means “son of encouragement”. That particular gift was crucial at this moment. If one of the other leaders from Jerusalem had visited Antioch and demanded that they should all follow the Jewish law, it could have been incredibly destructive. When Barnabas got to Antioch, all he could do was rejoice! In his joy, he encouraged the church to keep it up and to stay true to the Lord. Making good appointments was crucial in the early Church, and it still is today. We need to pray that God will raise up an army of wise and godly encouragers. Question Who has been the greatest encourager in your Christian life? Prayer Loving God, thank you for all those to whom You have given the special gift of encouragement. Amen

Acts 11:2-3 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticised him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Criticism always stings. It must have been so hard for Peter to face a barrage of criticism when he returned home to Jerusalem. God had given him a vision and opened his eyes to a new world in which He wanted to welcome everyone to Himself, whether or not they were Jews. How discouraging it must have been to face up to his critics, but we can learn a lot from the way that he did so. Peter would have fully understood where his critics were coming from because, before his recent revelation, he would have been saying exactly the same things himself. So he patiently went through his testimony. Peter’s hearers in Jerusalem were silenced by his story and offered no further objections. Instead, they praised God and acknowledged that he was now willing to accept even the Gentiles. It's never pleasant being criticised, but the best response is to do exactly what Peter did. He gave a calm and thoughtful account of his experiences, explaining how he had come to his conclusion. His moving testimony soon won over his critics. It is always a bad response to be defensive and, worst of all, to be rude. We all need to pray for the wisdom, strength and grace to handle all criticisms, however sharp they may be. In that way, God is honoured and people are built up. Question What have you learned from this story about how you could handle criticism in the future? Prayer Lord, please give me Your wisdom so that I may always respond to criticism with love, thoughtfulness and grace. Amen

Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. This has often been described as the Gentile Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in Jerusalem, it was on the occasion of a major Jewish festival. But Jesus made it clear that the good news belonged to the whole world, so it was necessary for it to be firmly established that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon non-Jews. That’s exactly what happened here, to the great astonishment of the Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter. Peter had already learned that God has no favourites and that the doors had been flung open to non-Jews. However, there were many Jews who still struggled to believe that God would do such a thing. The book of Acts tells us how the good news of Jesus moved from its Jewish beginnings in Jerusalem all the way to Rome at the heart of the mighty Roman empire. It wasn’t a simple or straightforward journey, but ultimately nothing could stop the progress of the gospel because it belonged to the whole world. As we meet people today, we need to remind ourselves that the good news is God’s message of love to everyone. His desire is to pour out His Holy Spirit on everyone. Question What would it look like if God poured out His Spirit on the people you meet today? Prayer Lord God, I open my heart to Your Holy Spirit. Give me your wisdom and strength as I live for You today. Amen

Acts 10:34-36 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” This might not sound revolutionary, but we need to understand that Peter’s world had just been turned upside down. He had been brought up with the Old Testament idea that it was only the people of Israel whom God had chosen to be a special people. The Jews had been given very clear rules about what they should and shouldn’t eat. However, Peter had just had a vision in which he had been told to do the unthinkable. He’d seen a large sheet containing all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles and birds and had been told to eat any of them. His response was exactly the right one for any Jew: he said no. But then the voice said to him, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and then the penny dropped. God was telling him that the good of news of Jesus was no longer limited to the Jews. The doors had been flung open to the world. The Christian Church must always have its doors open to everyone. That’s what Jesus came to do. The moment we confine it to a narrow group of people, we have fundamentally missed the point. Question Is your church welcoming to every kind of person? If not, what could you do to make it so? Prayer Lord Jesus, thank you that Your arms are always open to everyone. Amen

Acts 10:1-2 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. Cornelius is a fascinating character. He wasn’t a Jew and neither was he a follower of Jesus. He was a God-fearer, and the most positive things are said about him. He was generous, prayerful and willing that God should use him on this crucial mission to meet up with Peter (v5). Peter was a faithful Jew and struggled to imagine that God could work outside the Jewish nation. Cornelius was going to be the means of helping Peter to see God’s greater plans. It’s interesting that centurions occur on a number of occasions during Jesus’ ministry. It was the centurion on duty for Jesus’ crucifixion who concluded: “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54). When I was young, I got the impression that there were two kinds of people: people who loved God and others who hated Him. But it’s not as simple as that. The Bible introduces us to many people who were not signed-up believers, yet in whose lives God was powerfully at work. Let’s give thanks that God is at work in the lives of many people who know nothing of the Bible or Jesus. We will definitely want to share with them the good news of Jesus, but we shouldn’t be surprised when we find that God is already working in their lives. Question Can you think of anyone you know who is not yet a Christian, but in whose life God is clearly at work? Prayer Dear Lord, thank you that You are at work in so many people’s lives. Amen

Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. The psalmist isn’t merely talking about house building in this famous psalm. He is talking about everything we build – a life, relationship, family, organisation, city or society. There is no point in building anything without God, because it is bound to fail. Throughout the Bible we are introduced to people who tried to go it alone. Adam and Eve are the supreme examples, but they were in fact merely setting the pace for a succession of people who felt they knew better than God and who tried to build their lives without Him. Jesus’ teaching about the vine is very similar to this verse. He concludes “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We simply weren’t created by God to act independently of Him. It doesn’t work. This psalm is entitled a psalm of Solomon, and he was supremely a builder. He had the privilege of building the awesome temple in Jerusalem and, at first, things went well. However, he didn’t remain faithful to God and was particularly disobedient in his sex life. God had warned him that he shouldn’t marry foreign wives because they might turn his heart away from God, and that’s exactly what happened, with disastrous consequences for him and the kingdom. The point is clear. We need to make sure we invite God to be the builder of our lives from day one, and then make sure that we keep close to Him as we continue to build. Question What does Solomon’s life teach you? Prayer Loving Father, thank you that You love me so much that You want to bless every part of my life. Amen

Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. If you know anything about farming, you will know that it is hard work, but just imagine how incredibly tough it was in the psalmist’s day without the help of modern machinery. Planting was back-breaking work, but year by year the farmer would sow his seed with the confidence of knowing that, one day, there would be a harvest. We cannot be sure, but it seems as if this psalm was written in celebration of the return from exile. After years in Babylon, the people finally had the opportunity to return to their homeland. They’d had a tough time but now, at last, they were able to return to their beloved Jerusalem. Of course, we would all choose to avoid the tears and struggles. We would like to find a quick route to blessing, and if we find one, we shouldn’t turn it down! However, experience shows that normally the times of restoration and blessing follow after times of challenge and difficulty. Perhaps that was what was in James’ mind when he wrote: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3). Question What experience do you have of sowing in tears and reaping with joy? Prayer Lord God, thank you that You are with me all the time and that as I pass through tough times, I can be completely confident that You will bring me to a place of blessing and restoration. Amen

Psalm 125:1-2 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore. I love these Psalms of Ascent, which the pilgrims used as they travelled to Jerusalem. In this particular psalm, we almost get the feeling that we are travelling with them as they gaze at the mountains around Jerusalem. Even the mountains themselves spoke to them of the security that they had in God. I don’t find it surprising that Christians throughout the centuries have found pilgrimages helpful as a way of encouraging them to focus on God. The psalmists were always incredibly honest about the threats of life. There never seemed to be a shortage of enemies, and there were also internal threats and doubts. However, the psalmists were confident of their God, and time and again they spoke about God as their rock, fortress and high tower. The threats might have been real and scary, but God was always stronger. I am repeatedly struck by the speed with which people’s lives can change. It might be a heart attack, a road accident, a business collapse or the breakdown of a relationship. However strong one might be, such challenges are shaking moments. They test whether our foundations are secure or not. The psalmists’ world would have looked completely different from our own, and yet we share a similar need to be secure. We need to know that when the worst happens, God will still be by our side. Question In what ways does God’s security bless your life? Prayer Lord God, I thank you that You are my rock and that I can always be confident in You, however tough life might be. Amen

Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. I wonder if you ever have “what if” conversations. You know the sort of thing: “What if I’d had a different career? What if I’d gone to a different school? What if we’d moved to a different town?” In this psalm, David reflected on an even bigger question: “What if the Lord had not been on our side?” As the pilgrims made their way up to Jerusalem, he encouraged them to think about how terrible life would have been without God. It might seem a strange thing to do, but perhaps all of us, from time to time, should stand back from life and just imagine what it would be like if God had not been with us. This should fuel two responses. Firstly, it should strengthen our gratitude for all that God has done for us. It is so easy for us to take God for granted, especially if we have been Christians for many years. But there is a second reason why it is good to have “what if” thoughts: they can help us to focus our thoughts and prayers on those around us who do not know the Lord. They live their days without the security of knowing God’s love and care. Let’s allow our “what if” thinking to spur us in our prayers for them. Question What would your life be like if you hadn’t given your life to Christ? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the security that You have given me, for time and eternity. Amen

Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. Friends are a precious gift, and we all need them. Saul found himself in a delicate position when he visited Jerusalem for the first time after his conversion and he desperately needed a really good friend. His visit came a couple of years after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, and many people in Jerusalem would have remembered what kind of man he used to be. Barnabas took it upon himself to introduce Saul to the apostles. This was a crucial moment and Barnabas, whose name meant son of encouragement, was just the friend Saul needed. We all face difficult times in life, and those are the moments that reveal who our true friends are. The fair-weather friends rush for cover at such times. They are nowhere to be seen. However, true friends stand with us whatever the circumstances. I’m sure you, like me, can immediately think of people who have shown that kind of solid friendship. The most wonderful example of friendship in the Bible was between David and Jonathan. They lived with constant danger and appalling pressures but, right to the end, they were completely faithful to one another. Thank God for the amazing gift of friendship! Question In what ways have friends been a blessing in your life? Prayer Loving God, help me to be like Barnabas by being faithful and encouraging to my friends. Amen

Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said: “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” I consider this to be one of the most moving sentences in the whole of the Bible. Ananias had been asked by God to go and meet Saul. He was fully aware of Saul’s reputation and was bound to think that there must be some mistake, but the Lord informed him that Saul had been appointed to take the gospel to the non-Jewish world. In obedience to the Lord, and with considerable courage, Ananias headed off to the house on Straight Street, placed his hands on Saul and called him brother. How amazing! The story of Saul’s conversion should be a warning to us all not to put a limit on what God can do. I invite you to think of people you know who are completely dismissive of Christian faith. Perhaps they laugh at you for your faith or think of it as just a lot of sentimental nonsense. It is very tempting to assume that it is a waste of time sharing our faith with them, and that we should focus our attention on the people who show some interest. I suggest that we need to pray for everyone we know – God loves everyone and invites them all to follow Him, however antagonistic they may be. Question Are you willing to share your Christian faith with people who are opposed to it? Prayer Dear Father, thank you that You are a God of miracles and want to welcome everyone to Yourself. Amen

Acts 9:3 As Saul neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Saul was a deeply committed Jew and his mission was quite simply to destroy the Church. He was acting with the authority of the high priest in Jerusalem to search out any followers of Jesus and take them as prisoners. But suddenly everything changed as he travelled on the road to Damascus. A brilliant light flashed around him and he heard a voice asking: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (v 4). Saul was familiar enough with the scriptures to know that this must be God, and he asked: “Who are you, Lord?” The reply was not the one he wanted to hear. He was sure there was nothing in this new-fangled Jesus religion. How shocked he must have been to hear the voice saying: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” We know the rest. We know that this moment changed everything. Saul’s life was turned upside down and inside out. He would never be the same again, and neither would the Church. Most of us will never have had an experience quite like Saul’s. If you have, I am delighted for you and praise God for this blessing, but for most people, coming to faith in Christ is a slow and gradual process which often takes place over a number of years through spending time with Christians and learning more about God. Whether your experience has been sudden or gradual, meeting with God is a miracle, and we need to praise Him for it. Question How did you come to faith in Christ? Prayer Dear Lord, thank you that You meet with me in all sorts of ways, and that You want to walk with me today. Amen

Acts 7:59-60 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Stephen was one of the seven men who were appointed to handle the distribution of food to the widows. Chapter 7 reveals that he was also a very fine preacher. He delivered a careful exposition of Old Testament history, which showed that God had repeatedly raised up deliverers of His people and the Jews had systematically rejected them. Now, they had murdered the righteous one, Jesus Himself. The sermon did not go down well. Stephen’s Jewish audience was infuriated and shook their fists at him. They covered their ears, yelled at the top of their voices and rushed at him, dragging him out of the city where they stoned him to death. He was the first Christian martyr. As he died, Stephen used words that remind us of what Jesus had said as He’d breathed His last. However, his words were interestingly different. Jesus had placed Himself in His Father’s hands, and now Stephen asked Jesus to receive his spirit. He clearly recognised that Jesus was God Himself. His final words were to ask the Lord not to charge his murderers with their sin. They were words of mercy and grace, which are further evidence of how wise and full of the Holy Spirit Stephen was. Question What do you learn from Stephen’s example? Prayer Lord God our Father, I pray today for those who risk their lives out of their love for You. Fill them with Your Spirit and give them the strength to face every challenge. Amen

Acts 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. From time to time, every human organisation will experience rumblings of discontent. They are simply a part of life; exhausting but inevitable. It isn’t open warfare, but it isn’t something that can be brushed to one side either. The problem on this occasion was a practical one, and it was clearly causing great unhappiness. The church in Jerusalem was composed of Jews from different backgrounds. Some of them had always lived in the Jerusalem area and spoke Hebrew or Aramaic, but there were others who were from neighbouring countries and largely spoke Greek. Some of the latter had come to live in Jerusalem towards the end of their lives and were far from their families, so they were particularly vulnerable. The response of the apostles gives us a good model as to how to handle rumblings of discontent. Firstly, they acted quickly. So often, in my experience, people live with the hope that if they ignore a problem, it will go away. This very rarely happens. The action they took was to appoint seven people to oversee the distribution of the food, to ensure that fairness prevailed. The crucial qualifications that these people had was being full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit. Question Why is it so crucial that Church work should be done by people who are full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit? Prayer Lord God our Father, help me to be wise whenever I need to respond to rumblings of discontent. Fill me with Your Spirit as I serve You. Amen

Acts 5:38-39 Gamaliel said: “I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” The success of Peter and John’s healing and preaching ministry was deeply irritating to the Jewish authorities. They were anxious to silence the apostles, but nothing seemed to be working. They tried imprisoning them, but even that didn’t work, as the apostles miraculously managed to escape and carry on their preaching ministry in the temple. So, once again, they were hauled before the Jewish leaders. Gamaliel was one of the most prominent rabbis of the time and was greatly respected by everyone. He suggested that it would be wise not to take action against the apostles for the simple reason that if the new movement was not of God, it would fizzle out anyway. The decision was to flog the apostles and let them go. Wise Gamaliel got it right. It is impossible to stop God. Take China as an example. In 1960, there were about 1 million Christians in the country. During the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, thousands of Christians were imprisoned and subjected to humiliation, but the Church was merely driven underground, and since that time it has grown enormously. It’s impossible to know how many Christians there are in China today, but it is likely to be about 100 million! When God is at work it is impossible to stop Him, however hard people try. Question In what way do Gamaliel’s words encourage you? Prayer I praise You loving God that ultimately no one can stand in the way of Your plans. Amen

Acts 5:1-2 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. This is a chilling story. Ananias and Sapphira were not obliged to give all the money from their property sale to the apostles, but they made the false claim that they had done so. They lied. They conspired together to trick the apostles and the result was that, when confronted with their lies, they both, one after the other, dropped dead. Given that everything seemed to have been going so well for the infant Church, this must have been a shattering moment. No wonder Dr Luke concluded the story by saying that great fear gripped the Church and everyone else who heard what had happened. Lying is always serious. Facing up to what we have done may be painful, but massaging the truth for our own convenience is always destructive. It undermines trust, and a relationship that is built on lies cannot possibly last long. Above all, we need to be truthful in our relationship with God. Nothing could possibly be more foolish than lying to Him, because He already knows the whole truth about us. However, amazingly, if we are willing to confess our sins, He is always willing to forgive us. This chilling account of Ananias and Sapphira’s deaths doesn’t need to worry us if we stick to the truth. But if we don’t, then their story is a timely warning. Question Have you ever struggled to tell the truth? Prayer Lord God, I own up to the fact that I have sinned. Thank you that You are willing to set me free from my sins. Amen

Acts 4:29-30 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Having been ordered by the Jewish council to keep quiet, Peter and John returned to their Christian friends to update them. Their response was to pray, and what a beautiful prayer it is. You would have understood if they had asked God to sort out their opponents, but they didn’t. They simply asked God for more boldness so that they could continue their ministry, and they prayed for yet more miraculous signs and wonders. The pressure of the authorities wasn’t going to silence them for a moment. I have had the privilege of meeting with a number of Christians who have suffered greatly for their faith. During the communist era, I visited Romania and met Christians who faced repeated threats because of their faith. In Pakistan, I recall meeting a man who had been rejected by his family and thrown out of his village when he became a Christian. He had been threatened with death if he returned. I have so much respect for those who have had to exhibit real courage and boldness to maintain their Christian witness. Such threats are not typical of our society, but it still requires considerable boldness to speak up for Jesus when people are instinctively suspicious and even nervous of those who have strong religious convictions. We need to pray for godly boldness so that we speak up for the Lord, whatever reaction we face. Question Do you consider that you need more boldness to speak about your faith? Prayer Loving God, help me to share the good news with grace and boldness. Amen

Acts 4:18-20 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied: “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” The miraculous healing of the lame man attracted great attention, so Peter found himself with a further opportunity to speak to the crowd. He explained that the healing had been done in the name of Jesus. This was too much for the Jewish authorities, who were desperate to find a way to shut Peter up. He responded by making it clear that if it was a choice between obeying the Jewish council or obeying God, he would choose God. Nothing would be able to stop him from witnessing about his faith in Jesus. It is worth reminding ourselves that this bold, confident speaker is the Peter who only a few weeks before had denied ever knowing Jesus. He was clearly a changed man and his pathetic denials were a thing of the past. In Romans 13, Paul teaches that we should all submit to the governing authorities which derive their authority from God. However, when rulers abuse their power and stand in the way of God, our duty is to obey God. In many countries today, to obey God is to stand in opposition to the government. May God grant them and us the boldness to obey Him, however great the cost might be. Question What would you do if you were told to disobey God? Pray Lord God, help all Christians today to stand strongly for You, however high the price. Amen

Acts 3:4-6 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said: “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” At 3pm one afternoon, Peter and John went up to the temple for the service at which one of the daily sacrifices was made. As they walked through one of the city gates, they met a beggar who was strategically placed to receive people’s money as they came to worship. Peter told him that he didn’t have any money, but in the name of Jesus he healed the man. With these few words, Peter made it plain that what he was doing was continuing the ministry of Jesus who, only a few weeks before, had walked through these same streets. Nearly 2,000 years have passed, but it is still our privilege to continue the ministry of Jesus on earth. In the name of Jesus, we can pray for people and seek their salvation and healing. We need to find a new boldness to speak out in the name of Jesus and to offer them the life that He came to bring. So often the Church has hidden away its message of good news, which is the exact opposite of what Jesus asked us to do! Jesus is still telling us to go, with His risen authority, and share His life with others. Question In what way does Peter’s boldness challenge you? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for Peter’s example. Help me to find many opportunities to bring Your healing and salvation to others. Amen

Proverbs 21:26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. Longing for more money and possessions is a terrible disease, but our materialistic society is built on the assumption that this is how we should all live. Long ago, the Greek philosopher Epicurus wrote: “Nothing is enough to the man for whom enough is too little.” The place of true peace and contentment is where you know you have enough and have no desire to find more. God’s desire for us is that our focus should never be upon seeking to acquire more, but to become better at giving. I love seeing generosity, and I hope that I am always learning from the example of others. I have a friend who always carries a significant number of bank notes with him. The explanation he gave me was this: “You never know when the Lord might give you the opportunity to bless another person.” I love that! He not only has a generous heart but has the money in the right place to be able to act. Of course, generosity isn’t all about money, but the way in which we use our money will often reveal what is going on in our hearts. What is exciting is that God makes it possible for us to always be generous. Paul wrote: “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11). Living generously is the most exciting way to live. It may or may not involve money, but we can be sure that God will always make it possible for us to be generous. Question In what ways can you be generous today? Prayer Loving Father, help me to live more generously as I get to know You better. Amen

Proverbs 21:23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. Speaking is such a huge part of our daily lives that we need all the wisdom we can find to guide us. The book of Proverbs comes back to the subject time and again, precisely because it is so important. We need to be constantly learning how to use our tongues more effectively, and part of that is to learn when to speak and when to be silent. Benjamin Franklin wrote: “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” Those are wise words. The trouble with speaking is that we do so much of it, and it just happens. It normally isn’t the product of a long process of reflection – we just open our mouths and the words flow out. The writer of the Proverbs is clearly encouraging us to put more thinking into our talking. He commands us to watch our tongue, and that clearly involves reflecting on what we are saying and how we are saying it. This is undoubtedly best done prayerfully, before God. As we do so, we need to reflect not only on our choice of words but also on those times when not saying anything at all would have been the best response! Questions What might help you to use your tongue more effectively, and can you think of times when silence would have been the better response? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the gift of my tongue. Help me to use it in a way that will constantly be helpful and encouraging to other people. Amen

Proverbs 21:3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. The offering of sacrifices lay right at the heart of Old Testament worship. Strange as it may seem to us, it was what God wanted from His people. This led many to conclude that all they needed to do was offer sacrifices, and they could then act in whatever way they wanted. Time and again, God had to remind His people that the mere offering of sacrifices and worship was not enough. He was looking for them to act justly and fairly in their business relationships and with their neighbours, and if He didn’t see it, He wasn’t interested in receiving their sacrifices. In any age it is possible for our worship to be merely an act. Almost anyone can sing hymns and songs and even raise their hands in worship. What God is looking for is people who live out their faith in the cut and thrust of everyday life. In James’ letter, he is supremely concerned about people living out their Christian faith in a practical and down-to-earth way. He wrote: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). I believe that God wants us to enjoy worshipping Him and having fellowship with other Christians, but if our faith never leads to action then we have totally missed the point. Question In what way is God calling you to fight for what is just and right? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the privilege of worshipping. Please help me to ensure that my worship always leads to actions that will please You. Amen

1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 1 Corinthians 13 is a really famous chapter, and rightly so, but Paul didn’t write in chapters. Chapter divisions arrived about 1,200 years later! Whenever we see a chapter division, we need to at least peer at what happens next. This is really important in this particular letter, because if you only look at chapter 13 you might think love is so important that you can forget about the gifts of the Spirit. After all, they have a limited shelf life, as Paul has just explained. But here at the start of chapter 14, he makes it plain that we all need to make love the goal of our lives while also seeking after the wonderful gifts the Holy Spirit wants to give us. The church in Corinth had got into a horrible muddle on so many fronts. Paul knew that if they were to thrive they would need to focus their church life on love at the same time as using and enjoying the gifts of the Spirit. Churches are made up of sinners, so we shouldn’t be surprised that they can still get in a muddle and slip up. The answer hasn’t changed. We need to be full of love and seek to use the gifts that the Spirit has given us to build the Church. Question What gift has God given you to build up the Church? Prayer Thank you Lord for the gifts that You have given to Your Church. Help me to use my own gift enthusiastically and wisely so that it will help to build Your Church. Amen

1 Corinthians 13:8-9,13 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like throwing things away. Whether it’s a kettle, iron, car or laptop, I’m always inclined to hang on to it for as long as possible. However, the truth is, of course, that all our possessions have a limited life. Much as we might love them, they don’t last for ever. The same principle exists in the spiritual realm. Our spiritual gifts are a wonderful blessing, but they come to an end. Speaking in tongues, prophecy, preaching and words of knowledge are all amazing gifts of God, but the day will come when they are silent. There will be no more need for them. However, some things do last forever. Paul lists them as faith, hope and love. One shines above them all, and that’s love. Isn’t it a wonderful thought that the love we show day by day never comes to an end? It is a reflection of God’s eternal nature, so every time we reach out to another person and truly love them, we are sharing in the stream of His eternal love. There is, therefore, nothing more important that we can ever do than love. Question In what way are you encouraged by the fact that love never ends? Prayer Thank you Lord that Your love never ends. Help me to devote more of my life to sharing the eternal gift of love. Amen

1 Corinthians 13:11-12 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. When I was young, I was very confused when I met new people. I presumed that they had just been made, because I had never seen them before! I came up with a theory that God probably took the bits of dead people and used them to make the new people I had just met. It was all very logical and, in its way, quite impressive. It just happened to be wrong! When we are children, our minds struggle to understand the world around us, and that’s absolutely fine – we are children! If I told you that it is still my view that God makes people out of those who have passed away, you wouldn’t think that was fine at all. You would, in your kindness, feel desperately sorry for me and, I trust, start praying for me. I draw two conclusions from this. Firstly, we need to be humble, because we’ve all got more to learn. And, secondly, we need to be excited by the thought that one day we will understand the whole picture. We will see God face to face. Question What new things have you learned about God over the last month? Prayer Lord God our Father, thank you that You are constantly revealing more of Yourself to me. Amen

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I am sure you have often heard these famous words. They give us the most beautiful description of love and, understandably, they are often read at weddings. Love sounds incredibly attractive, doesn’t it? We all long to be as loving as this. But there’s a problem – a very big problem – and we won’t make any progress until we have recognised it: no amount of human effort will enable us to be as loving as this. However hard we try, we are bound to fail. Because the only way to show perfect love is by enabling God to work through us. By our own effort, we will never succeed in being truly loving without God’s daily strength. The way to become more loving is to focus more on God. As we get to know God better, and allow our lives to be shaped by Him, His love will naturally flow through us. Every relationship and every part of our lives will be shaped by it. There will be no stopping it! Question Which of Paul’s descriptions of love do you find most challenging? Prayer Lord God, thank you that You have always shown me perfect love. Help me to get to know You better so that Your love will constantly flow from my life. Amen

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I will never forget Sheila. She was in her early 70s when I first met her, and every Friday evening, without fail, she helped out with her church’s youth club. The church was on a rough housing estate and the evenings were full of action. The young people were rarely appreciative and at times violent. The language they used was normally rude and often deeply offensive. I could go on, but I am clearly not describing a relaxing evening, to put it mildly! And yet, Friday after Friday, Sheila would faithfully go and support the youth club with the hope that it might be a blessing to the young people and possibly even lead them closer to finding faith in Jesus. I only know one word that would explain why someone would act in that way: love. Sheila truly loved those young people and nothing would stop her seeking to help them. I’ve started with a personal example because we all know how to speak and sing about love, but the real test is whether we can turn our words into action. In this amazing chapter on love, Paul draws the picture of a person who seems to have collected every spiritual gift, and yet without love they are completely lost. Just a lot of hot air. The only conclusion that you can draw from this is that love needs to take the first place in our lives. Question Who has shown you the most powerful example of love? Prayer God of love, I worship You. Help me to reflect Your love to those I meet today. Amen

1 Corinthians 12:14, 16-17 The body is not made up of one part but of many…If the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? I love Paul’s sense of humour! He imagines a conversation going on within the body, which is plainly ridiculous. It would be crazy if the ear were to complain that it wasn’t a proper part of the body because it wasn’t an eye. But, funny as it is, Paul is making a very serious point. He is talking about inferiority complexes, and they get everywhere. Many people in churches look down on themselves. Some think they don’t count because they are only a Sunday school teacher, or only a cleaner, or have only just arrived. Paul wants to make it clear that, so far as God is concerned, there are no “only” people in the Church. Every single person is vital. Paul recognises that there is another problem as well: having a superiority complex, which is just as ridiculous. No part of the body can afford to look down on another part. We need to learn to treasure everybody and to value them highly because God has placed them within the Church, and without them the Church would be unable to function. Question Have you ever suffered from an inferiority complex or a superiority complex? If so, how does this passage help you? Prayer Lord, help me to value the members of my church in the way that You do. Amen

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I often hear people being described as gifted. They may be referred to as a gifted pianist, flower arranger or speaker. I totally understand what is being said, but it could be very misleading. It seems to suggest that there are two types of people – those who are gifted and those who are, sadly, not gifted at all. This passage makes it clear that every one of us is gifted. Whatever your age, strength, ability or disability, background or temperament, you have got a unique gift that God, in His generosity, has given to you. Our task is therefore to discover the gift that God has given us, and here are five simple steps we can take. Firstly, thank God for your gift, since we know that He has given you one. Secondly, ask God what your gift is. Thirdly, open your eyes. Look around you and see if you can spot what your gift is, because it is often completely obvious. Fourthly, if you still haven’t worked out what your gift is, ask someone who knows you well. I suspect that they will be very clear about what it is. Finally, use this gift and remember to keep thanking God for it. Question What is your gift and how are you using it? Prayer Dear Lord, thank you for the gift that You have given me. Help me to use it effectively. Amen

1 Corinthians 11:27-28 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. If you are employed, you probably have the delight of an annual appraisal. The intention is to stand back from how things are going in order to acknowledge what went well and what went not so well, and to reflect on how things could be strengthened for the year ahead. Conducted well, appraisals can be a great blessing, and I have always been grateful for the ones I’ve had. Here, Paul is suggesting that we need to conduct a self-appraisal on a regular basis before we meet together to remember Christ’s death for us on the cross. The Corinthian church had clearly made a huge mess of their services. When they had a meal together to celebrate Jesus’ death, some of them ate so much that there was nothing left for others. It makes their services sound like a riot! Paul concluded that their services actually did more harm than good, so he urged the church to have a time of self-examination before coming to worship. When we examine ourselves, we need to be ruthlessly honest. We are all sinners, so as we shine the light on our lives, we need to acknowledge our failings and seek God’s forgiveness and renewal as we rededicate our lives to Him. We come with empty hands so that He may fill us again with his blessings. Question When and how do you examine yourself before God? Prayer Dear Lord, help me to be totally honest with You as I look at my life. I seek Your forgiveness and ask You to fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit. Amen

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Life throws up many challenges for us in the 21st century, and it was no different in Paul’s day. One of the issues he had to face was that sometimes meat was taken to pagan temples as an act of worship before being sold by the butchers. Paul was quite clear that pagan gods were not true gods, so it really didn’t matter if the meat had been waved in front of them. But if someone were to point out that the meat had been presented in the temple, he concluded that it would be better not to eat it, out of respect for the informant’s conscience. It was a tricky issue but clearly a live one in Paul’s day, and he had to find a careful way of handling it. The key principle in all of this was that whatever you do, it needs to be done for the glory of God. Every day we have to make decisions. Most of them are simple and straightforward but, like Paul, the key question is: “What will be most pleasing to God?” On the face of it this might sound restricting and limiting, but, because of the nature of God, it is in fact the opposite of that. As we discover God’s will for our lives, we find true liberty. God’s desire is always to enable us to be more alive. Question As you make decisions today, how will you test whether the outcome will be for the glory of God? Prayer Lord, help me to share every decision with You so that I might bring glory to You today. Amen

1 Corinthians 9:19,22-23 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible…To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. I love meeting people who are passionate about something, whatever it is. It may be their love of horses or of a particular football club, or their devotion to gardening. You sense that their whole life is tuned into their passion. Paul was clearly passionate about people finding salvation in Jesus, and here he gives us a very clear insight into how he was wired. He lets us see his strategy for spreading this amazing message: getting alongside people whatever their background or their way of life. Whether they were a Jew or a Gentile, weak or strong, he would look for the common ground as a starting point for him to share the good news of Jesus. It's always the most incredible privilege to talk with other people about Jesus, but the conversation will never get anywhere unless we can find common ground. Paul’s intention was never to force his faith on another person, and it should not be ours. But he was passionate about giving everyone a chance to hear just how great God is, and that would surely be a great objective for all of us. Question In what way can you find common ground with the people you see regularly who don’t know Christ? Prayer Thank you, Lord, that we have such good news to share. Amen

1 Corinthians 4:16-17 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. The disciples learned how to follow Jesus by looking at His example. They saw how He responded to the constant demands of His ministry. They saw His kindness and patience and how He welcomed every kind of person. They were often shocked by the things that He said and by the sorts of people with whom He spent His time. Paul didn’t have the privilege of observing Jesus’ ministry, but he recognised the crucial importance of people learning by example, and he offered his life as one to be imitated. How else would people learn how to put Christian teaching into practice? In our verses today, he tells the Corinthian church that he is sending his young friend Timothy to them so he can remind them of Paul’s example. I suspect that we would all become rather coy at the thought of people copying our example. But every day, as we live for Christ, we are being watched. There is no way in which we can hide away, so we need to ensure that we are setting a good example which is well worth following. Question Who will be looking at your life today, and what example will you be setting? Prayer Dear Lord, thank you for all the people who have set a good example for me to follow. Help me live a life which will help others to follow You. Amen

1 Corinthians 3:5-6 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. Think for a moment about the Christian leaders that you have known. I’ve been a Christian a long time and I could easily come up with a long list of leaders who have helped me to understand the Christian message. I am so grateful to God for them. To be honest, I can remember very few words that they have spoken even though I must have heard thousands of sermons. However, I can easily remember how they lived their lives – their sincerity, kindness, humour, love, compassion, thoughtfulness and their strength of faith. Their godly example still lives with me. It is important that we should love and support our Christian leaders, but it is vital that we don’t exaggerate their importance. Their role is simply to point to the God whom they serve. All leaders are frail and vulnerable like the rest of us. They are on the same rollercoaster of life as us, and they have their ups and down. We need to rejoice in their good days and forgive their bad ones but ensure that our focus continually is supremely on the One whom we all serve. Question What have you learned from the leaders that you have known? Prayer Loving Lord, thank you for all the leaders that You have used to teach and support me in my Christian faith. But most of all I thank you that You are the one who, by Your Spirit, enables me to grow. Amen

1 Corinthians 2:1-3 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. I once heard about a church that regularly visited the houses nearby. They sent out people two by two and many people got involved. A young girl nervously agreed to join in. She went to one house and a large man came to the door asking in a gruff voice what she wanted. She struggled to speak and then, in a quivering voice, she blurted out: “I’ve come to tell you that Jesus loves you.” The man didn’t know what to say, so he slammed the door in her face. He went inside and slumped into a chair weeping. He could hardly believe what had just happened. He thought deeply about the bravery of the young woman and out of curiosity he went to church, where before long he made a commitment to follow Christ. I love that story because God often speaks through our weakness more easily than through our strength. That was certainly Paul’s experience. Most of us feel unsure of ourselves when we are given the opportunity to speak about our faith, but we are often at our most powerful when we are feeling nervous and weak. Question Can you think of a time when God used you particularly powerfully in a time of weakness? Prayer Lord, help me to be willing to speak up for You, even when I am feeling weak and tongue-tied. Amen

1 Corinthians 1:18 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. Paul was absolutely sure that the cross of Jesus stood right at the heart of his life and ministry. Nothing was more important than the fact that God showed His perfect love for us by sending Jesus to die the most excruciatingly painful death for us. It was, if you like, the lens through which Paul saw everything. So Paul was determined to take every opportunity to speak about the cross. But Paul was more than aware that the message of the cross sounded like nonsense to many people. The Greeks were looking for wisdom. They were very happy to listen to carefully reasoned arguments and to enter into learned debate. But the idea of a man dying at the hands of the Romans, showing that He was totally powerless and completely beaten by His enemies, didn’t sound at all wise. It sounded like foolishness. And to the Jews, Jesus’ own people, there was a fundamental problem. In Deuteronomy it was specifically stated that anyone who hung on a tree was cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23). The cross was, therefore, a total stumbling-block for Jews. It made belief almost impossible. Paul was well aware of how foolish and problematic his message appeared. But he didn’t try to change it to make it sound acceptable to his hearers. He simply declared that if you want to know the power and wisdom of God there is only one place to look – to the cross of Jesus. Question What does the cross mean to you personally? Prayer – Thank You Lord that when you went to the cross you showed us the full extent of Your love. Amen

1 Corinthians 1:4-5 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way – with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge. If you know anything at all about the church in Corinth, you will know that it was a disaster area. Everything seemed to be going wrong, but look how Paul starts this letter. He gives thanks for them and for the way in which God has blessed them, and rejoices in the ways that, through Jesus, God has enriched them. I love this! He could have kicked off the letter with a long list of moans, but he doesn’t. He begins with encouragement. My junior school was very small, so I found my huge secondary school a very bewildering place. I had never been a part of anything like it before. I struggled with the work and didn’t do very well at first. I will never forget the piece of work that I did for a Geography teacher when I was twelve, which he marked as “excellent”. Nobody had ever told me I’d done anything excellent before, and his words changed everything. I saw myself in a new light. Words of encouragement don’t normally need to be long. They may be communicated in a quick text or on a card or in a brief email. But they can be of amazing importance. They can turn people’s lives around. I wonder what you might be able to say today which will give solid encouragement to someone else. Question What was the most significant encouragement that you have ever received, and what did you learn from the experience? Prayer Lord, help me to become more encouraging day by day. Amen

Psalm 123:3-4 Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt. We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud. To be treated with contempt is a horrible experience. To be written off as worthless is agonising, and the Bible tells us about many people who knew just how painful it is. Nehemiah certainly had this experience when he worked to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Many scholars think this might be the background to this particular psalm. Nehemiah was convinced that God Himself had commissioned him to undertake the rebuilding of the city, but that cut no ice with Sanballat and Tobiah, who did everything they could think of to ridicule his efforts. If you have ever been treated with contempt, you will know what a depressing and discouraging experience it is. Very easily it can dominate all of our thinking and make life a complete misery. It can happen to any one of us, so it is good to see what the psalmist did: turn his attention to the Lord. The psalm begins with these words: “I lift my eyes to you, O God, to you who sits enthroned in heaven.” The psalmist chose to focus his attention on the Lord, and we need to do the same. He alone, the God of mercy, can set us free from our destructive reactions to life and enable us to face our critics with grace and love. Question How have you responded to those who have treated you badly? Prayer Loving Father, I realise that I need Your loving care every moment of my life. Please grant me Your strength, grace and wisdom today. Amen

Psalm 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” This verse has a very special place in British history. It has been used upon the entrance of the monarch at every coronation since that of King Charles 1. Since 1902, Hubert Parry’s magnificent choral setting of the psalm has been sung. It captures beautifully the joy and celebration of this special occasion. The roots of this psalm go back thousands of years, to the time when pilgrims would use these words as they climbed up the hill to Jerusalem and anticipated the incredible joy of worshipping God in the temple. You can sense their excitement as they got closer and closer to the holy city. There is no building in Christianity which is the equivalent of the temple in Jerusalem. With the coming of Christ, a new covenant was established in which God sought to build a new temple, not with stones or bricks and mortar but in the lives of those who worshipped Him. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Our circumstances are very different from those of the psalmist, but we can still experience the same joy of meeting together with God’s people for worship. We can still look forward to the experience with gladness and anticipation because, as we meet together, God will be there with us. Question What are the things that make you glad to worship with other Christians? Prayer Loving God, I thank You for the blessing and encouragement of worship. Help me never to take this privilege for granted. Amen