Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

• December 13th - Revelation 4:8

  Revelation 4:8 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty – the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” During the last few days, we have been challenged by the risen Lord’s messages to the seven churches. They have been extremely down-to-earth and have spoken directly into the lives of those very different churches. We have been given a very clear insight into their strengths and weaknesses and the sharp challenges that they had to face. Now, our attention is moved from earth to heaven, and the language is dramatic and amazing. In this chapter, we meet the risen Christ sitting on a throne, surrounded by 24 thrones on which sat 24 elders. We are then introduced to four living beings, which had eyes both back and front. They had the appearance of a lion, an ox, a human face and an eagle, and they each had six wings. It’s all utterly amazing and quite unlike being on earth, but what matters is that they spent all day and night declaring: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come”. Through the years, people have struggled with the book of Revelation because they have wanted to know exactly who all the different people and creatures represent. John had a deeper message than that. He wanted the Church to know that however wicked people and regimes might be, and however desperate the situation might appear, God would never be defeated. He would continue to be holy for time and eternity, and he would always endure, unlike human empires and governments, which pass through the pages of history at astonishing speed. Life can be bewildering and challenging for all of us. Our own circumstances are often uncertain and difficult, and we live in a world where there are constant tragedies and disasters. We need to hear John’s word of encouragement that whatever happens, however terrible, however destructive and however bleak, the Lord continues to be holy, and nothing will ever change that. Rejoice, my friends, for the Lord is King. He rules for ever and ever. Question In what way does the holiness of God encourage you in our very unholy and fast-changing world? Prayer Lord God Almighty, I praise you that I can join with the elders in declaring that you were holy, you are holy and you will always be holy. Amen

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  3:42
• December 12th - Revelation 3:20

  Revelation 3:20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Holman Hunt’s painting [itals]Light of the World[end itals] is probably the best known of all biblical pictures. Jesus stands outside a door which is overgrown and clearly hasn’t been opened for a long time. Hunt painted no handle on the door. Jesus has to wait for the person inside to open it up. The risen Lord was standing outside the church in Laodicea. Although the people were self-confident and believed that everything was fine, Jesus hadn’t been admitted to the church. He had to ask to be let in. Could there be a greater tragedy than this? The whole point of a church is that it is the community where people can meet Jesus, but this powerful letter tells us that it is actually possible for a church to exclude Jesus. Churches can degenerate into being nothing more than a social club, or a social action organisation. There’s nothing wrong with these groups, but a church is different. It is a gathering of those who love and worship Jesus, and who are committed to sharing life with him. This letter is incredibly challenging but full of hope. The self-confident and arrogant Laodiceans needed to face up to their failure because, if they did so and welcomed Jesus into their church, everything could be changed. How typical of Jesus that he asked to be admitted to the church so that he could come for a meal! Meals had a central place in Jesus’ ministry. When he met with the tax collector Zacchaeus, he showed his acceptance and forgiveness by sharing a meal with him. Jesus comes to each of us and invites us to open the door of our life. He won’t force his way in. If we leave him outside, that’s where he stays, but to everyone who will open the door, we need to get ready for a party with others who love him and want to live for him. Question Will you open the door of your life to Jesus today? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, I open up my life to you right now. Forgive me for those times when I have arrogantly assumed that I could cope by myself. I welcome you wholeheartedly into my life. Amen

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  3:29

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  3:29
• December 11th - Revelation 3:19

  Revelation 3:19 [The risen Lord said:] “I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.” This letter to the church in Laodicea was a wake-up call. They were full of self-confidence, but the Lord told them that they had absolutely no reason to feel like that. In a city that prided itself on its wealth, they were told how poor they are. In a region famed for its wool, they were told that they were naked, and there was no humiliation more terrible in the ancient world than that. In an area that was famous for its eye salve for sore eyes, they were told that they were blind. But the Lord hadn’t given up on them. Although he was appalled by their lukewarmness, and shocked by their misplaced self-confidence, he was eager for them to change. His reason for correcting and disciplining them was because he loved them. Discipline is never enjoyable, but when the words are full of love and wisdom, it is a very foolish person who ignores them. I would be intrigued to know what words of discipline you remember from your parents and others who cared for you. My own parents were very loving, but there were some very clear boundaries. If I stepped outside them, I soon knew about it! At the time, I certainly wasn’t thrilled by their discipline, but looking back I realise that they were putting rules in place that have kept me safe and secure ever since. In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer makes some very powerful observations about discipline. He says that if God didn’t discipline us, it would prove that we are not really his children at all. Our legitimacy is proven by God’s intense love for us expressing itself in discipline. He wrote: “Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live for ever?” (Hebrews 12:9). Question In what ways have you experienced God disciplining you? Prayer Loving God, forgive me for those times when I have resented and rejected your discipline. Help me to see that your words of discipline are always words of love. Amen

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• December 10th - Revelation 3:14

  Revelation 3:14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen – the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation.” Nothing is more important in this life than knowing who can be trusted. It is fundamentally important within our family and among our friends, but it is also important with our work colleagues, garage mechanics, plumbers, electricians and all the people who play a crucial part in our lives. This is supremely important when it comes to our faith. Who can we trust with our lives and our eternal future? This letter begins with a firm affirmation that the risen Lord Jesus Christ is totally reliable. He is the Amen, the God of Truth, and he will never let us down. His witness is absolutely true, and he is the one who has ushered in the new creation. For all of these reasons, the Laodicean church needed to listen hard to the words of the risen Lord. What they received certainly weren’t the words they wanted to hear. Laodicea was a successful and wealthy city, and it seems that the church was full of affluent and self-confident people. They thought they had everything they needed, but the Lord told them that they were “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17). In short, they couldn’t have been more wrong. We all need to know the truth about ourselves, and the only one who can be completely relied upon to tell it to us is the Lord himself. We need to open the Bible and let God speak to us, and when we hear what he has to say, we need to let it change us. In his letter, James talks about the person who listens to the word and fails to do it as being like someone who looks in a mirror and immediately walks away and forgets what he looks like (James 1:23-24). We need to ensure that when we listen to God’s voice, we then allow his words to change our lives. Question How are you going to find out the truth about yourself? Prayer Loving Father, thank you that you know everything about me, and that your words are always full of love. Help me to listen carefully to your voice. Amen

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• December 9th - Revelation 3:8

  Revelation 3:8 [The risen Lord said:] “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.” These words were written to the church in the prosperous city of Philadelphia. Most of the seven churches were criticised for some aspect of their life, but not this one. They were probably small in number, but they had persevered in the face of opposition and been faithful. The Lord encouraged them that he had opened a door for them, and because he had opened it, no one would be able to close it. What an encouragement this must have been for them! It was clearly tough going for the Christians in Philadelphia, and the danger at such times is that we turn in on ourselves. We just try to survive. I believe that God wants us to keep our minds and hearts open to new possibilities and opportunities. God is always in the business of opening new doors for his people. I love how the apostle Paul constantly looked and prayed for new opportunities. In his letter to the Colossians, he said: “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains” (Colossians 4:3). Most other people would have seen their chains as the closing down of all opportunities, but not Paul! He was so eager to serve the Lord that even being in prison struck him as offering amazing opportunities for his ministry. I often speak with people who look back at the wonderful opportunities they had to serve God in the past, but now feel that these openings have narrowed down by reason of age or illness. Life constantly changes for all of us. Sometimes it is obvious that we have amazing opportunities open before us, and at others it feels more like staring at a brick wall. We can be sure of this: as we open our lives to God, even today, he is longing to show us new ways to serve him. Question What are the opportunities that God is giving you today to serve him? Prayer Lord God, thank you for this day and for the privilege of serving you. Help me to grasp every opportunity you give me and use them for you. Amen

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