9 MAG 2024 · Today is May 9th.     The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.        Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy, chapter 10.   Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.  And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.    Justice is hard to come by in our world for many people. There are whole groups of people who are often deprived of justice. The phrase repeated in the scriptures that represents groups of people deprived of justice is found here in Deuteronomy: “the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner among you.” As you look around at our world, what people have you seen experience injustice?      Moses is sharing a difficult word with the Israelites. He chastens them because the source of injustice isn’t just from the outside, it’s from the inside. It’s their attitudes that are the cause of the injustice that God condemns. As you hear the passage again, consider an attitude that you may have, a behavior you may have demonstrated, that has contributed to injustice for someone else.   The antidote is the character of God, Moses says. God doesn’t show partiality. He defends. He loves. He gives. He provides. As we close our time of prayer today, can you make a commitment to give your time, your activity, your money, to someone in need so that they may experience the mercy of God? Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      Music: "All The Same" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fSjfqAOjgM&list=OLAK5uy_lORjIs-fhaoAb6ot2t54vI3oFG2Cvhwms

8 MAG 2024 · Today is May 8th.          The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from 1 Peter, chapter 5.     Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.    Our whole culture, and everything in us, fights against suffering. Seeking comfort and avoiding suffering is one of our highest aims. But the Apostle Peter sets a different expectation of suffering for Christians. Peter says that it’s a normal part of our human experience, and as Christians, we should expect that suffering will come our way. We are not to be surprised by or shocked by suffering when it occurs in our lives. What is your reaction to suffering when it happens to you?     Peter says that we should find encouragement in the midst of our own sufferings by considering the sufferings of others around the world, especially those who are suffering because of their faith in Christ. As you listen to the passage again, call to mind someone who has been a model of Christlikeness in the face of suffering.   Peter encourages us by reminding us that, in light of our eternal glory, our suffering will only last a little while. And Christ himself will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. As we close our time today, can you turn that into a prayer… “Christ, today I pray that you will restore me, make me strong, make me firm, and make me steadfast.” Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      Music: "I Lift My Eyes Up" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_NcxM5Yn8o

7 MAG 2024 · Today is May 7. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from Psalm 93.            The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty;            the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength;            indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.         Your throne was established long ago;            you are from all eternity.         The seas have lifted up, LORD,            the seas have lifted up their voice;            the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.         Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,            mightier than the breakers of the sea—            the LORD on high is mighty.          Your statutes, LORD, stand firm;            holiness adorns your house            for endless days.      The psalmist sounds so certain and full of faith in this text. How are you feeling as you come to prayer today? What handful of words might describe how you are doing?       I love the psalms because they express a full breadth of human experience – from absolute faith to delight to certainty to lament to doubt. Sometimes, all in the same psalm. The psalms are a model for us of how to approach God in worship and prayer: totally vulnerable, emotions and all. Listen to the psalmist again and pay attention to one word picture that stands out to you.      Consider how writing your prayers out might help to deepen your devotional life. Perhaps you could take a few minutes as we end to write out a prayer to the Lord.  Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      Music: "Who Can Compare?" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjLgWZr1nlk

6 MAG 2024 · Today is May 6. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of 1 Timothy, chapter 6.     But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.       Paul is writing to the young man he’s mentoring. He’s calling Timothy to be a ‘man of God’, and to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. As we enter into prayer today, think about a man in your life who you consider a ‘man of God’, who truly reflects these qualities. Thank God for these men- young and old - around you who have demonstrated Christlikeness to you.      The language in this text is pretty directive and strong: flee from sin! Pursue righteousness! Fight the good fight! “take hold of...”. Listen again to the text and pay attention to what word stands out to you.     The early church was made up of women and men who pursued God with passion and strength, as well as with humility and self-sacrifice. Would you take time as we close in prayer – right now - to write a letter, or text, or an email of encouragement to someone in your life who’s inspired you to ‘fight the good fight of faith?’ We all need to hear words of courage as we pursue God.  Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      Music: "Take My Life" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw_s0t-gAhQ

4 MAG 2024 · This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow.

3 MAG 2024 · Today is May 3rd.        May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.          Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 20.   Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them,  “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.They will condemn him to death  and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”   Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.  “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”  “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”      Zebedee’s wife askes Jesus an impertinent question. Right after He speaks about his own humiliating, tragic and tortured death, she leans in to ask if her boys can sit in the places of power next to Christ once it’s all over. She didn’t seem to get the plot. She didn’t seem to understand that power in God’s kingdom comes in upside down sort of ways. Do you ever feel like you ‘lose the plot’ of what it means to be a Christian? Do you ever find yourself surprised at the actual cost of your faith?       Jesus’ reply to her seems to be so kind, and so patient. I would have lost my temper! Or gotten angry at such a selfish, ill-timed question. Instead, he answers her. In the text, it actually says that Jesus answers ‘them’… implying that maybe her sons had convinced mom to ask the question that was actually on their minds! Listen to the passage again, consider each individual in the story and how they are relating to Jesus.      Jesus says to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking”. There are all sorts of questions we bring to the Lord. Some of them probably make less sense than we think. Others are deep, full of meaning for us. As we end our time of prayer today, consider the questions you hold in your heart, and bring them to Jesus – trusting in the kindness of his answer. Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      Music: "Wear The Crown" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pm57Ilj5KE

2 MAG 2024 · Today is May 2nd.     The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from Ezekiel chapter 34.        I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.  I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.   “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.  I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.  The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.  They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.  I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.  You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”      This Old Testament passage is painting a picture for us of God’s shalom: His peace, His sufficiency, His justice, His leadership, and His provision. The world around us is often so fast moving, so full of pain, and so unsettling. Take a moment to examine the state of your soul today. Do you feel at peace? If not, choose some words to describe how you feel.       Sometimes it’s difficult to give space to our emotional reality. Lots of us never learned how to identify our feelings. Some of us prefer to ignore them. As you listen to the passage read again, pay attention to all of the “I” statements. That’s God talking about what He will do, and about who He is. Pay attention to how His “I” statements make you feel.       One of the reasons we do the Be Still podcast is because learning to slow down and abide in God’s Holy presence  - despite our circumstances – is of immeasurable importance to a Christian faith that is mature, emotionally healthy, and sustainable. God’s shalom is present to us through His Holy Spirit, but we are surrounded by so many distractions. As we end, could you consider a few ways to practice ‘being still’ and listening to God’s voice, abiding in God’s shalom, throughout your day. Something as small as taking three slow, deep breaths before each meal can help you learn to continually reorient yourself to God’s shalom.   Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.    Music: "Be Still" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1gofYxnWpE&list=OLAK5uy_lORjIs-fhaoAb6ot2t54vI3oFG2Cvhwms&index=3 

1 MAG 2024 · Today is May 1st.     The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from Psalm 100.        Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness;      come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.      It is he who made us, and we are his[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20100;%20Ezekiel%2034:17-23;%201%20Peter%205:1-5#fen-NIV-15512a];      we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving      and his courts with praise;      give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;      his faithfulness continues through all generations.    The Psalmist refers to God’s goodness and love and faithfulness enduring through all generations. Think about your own faith generations. Who went before you? Who led you to the Lord? And who is coming after you in your spiritual family tree? Who are you leading toward the Lord?      Christians are all called to be a part of a spiritual family tree. None of us are meant to be the last entry…we’re all meant to pass our faith on. Listen to the psalmists worshipful language! Listen to the peace and joy and sense of security he has! Listen… and consider… are those things spiritual truths that you are actively passing on to someone else who’s younger than you are?       The scriptures are clear: Christians are all called to the next generation. We’re called to pass on to others what we ourselves have received. Look for a place this week to invest in the next generation. Look for a place to pass along the truth of what the psalmist is celebrating: that the lord is good, and his love endures forever! Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      Music: "God Of Our Mothers And Fathers" - Vineyard Worship   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCKcSGvj_lQ

30 APR 2024 · Today is April 30. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 32.           The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert,            his righteousness live in the fertile field.         The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;            its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.         My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,            in secure homes,            in undisturbed places of rest.         Though hail flattens the forest            and the city is leveled completely,         how blessed you will be,            sowing your seed by every stream,            and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.      This passage from Isaiah is an image of peace, of shalom. As we enter into prayer, can you bring the state of your heart to the Lord? Are you at peace? Distressed? Talk to God about how you are doing today?      The kingdom of God filled with God’s peace, His mercy, His justice and His righteousness. The passage tells us that ‘the fruit of God’s righteousness will be peace, it’s effects will be quietness and confidence forever.’ So many in the world right now are longing for peace, for quietness and confidence. For undisturbed places of rest. As you listen to the scripture again, intercede for all those in the world who are trapped in oppressive or impossible situations.       My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. Part of our work as kingdom people is to lean toward the ‘not yet’ of God’s kingdom, in order that his kingdom would come in THIS world. Is there one thing you can do to lean toward the kingdom today? Perhaps give your time or finances toward practical acts of justice or mercy? As we close ask God to speak to you about how you can be a kingdom-bringer today. Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.    Music: "Presence and Peace" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZKJy0p7Wuw 

29 APR 2024 · Today is April 29. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of Galatians, chapter 5.     So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.        As we enter into our time of prayer, chose one of the fruits of the spirit to meditate on: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Consider now how that fruit is demonstrated in the life of Jesus. Think of one New Testament story where you remember Christ showing us what it means to live by the fruit of the spirit...      I think of Jesus’ invitation once to some children to come to Him. He was kind, and gentle. The disciples were shooing the kids away, but Jesus took time to switch things up. He seemed to want to use the moment to remind everyone around Him how to walk in the Spirit. Look for a time today to intentionally practice the fruit of God’s spirit. As we end our time of prayer, ask the Lord to lead you into that time, and to give you insight into how you can be like Him in any particular moment. Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.    Music: "Empowered" - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSToEvktXis