Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Psalm 130:3-4
If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
One day in 1738, John Wesley reluctantly attended a Christian meeting In Aldersgate Street, London. He was feeling thoroughly depressed, but during the meeting someone read from Martin Luther’s Preface to the letter of St Paul to the Romans and Wesley felt that his heart was “strangely warmed”. He saw this as the moment when he truly trusted in Christ alone. What is less well known is that, later that same day, Wesley went to St Paul’s Cathedral where he was deeply moved by this particular psalm. It perfectly expressed his experience of salvation through the forgiveness of his sins.
The psalmist speaks of the completeness of God’s forgiveness. He doesn’t keep a record of our sins. They are wiped out. When someone has done you wrong, the hardest part is often to forget what has happened, but that’s what God does. He chooses to erase our sins completely from His memory.
The psalmist knew that his life was totally distorted by sin. He couldn’t think of standing in God’s presence. But now the door was open to a new life in which he could confidently stand before God and serve Him. This message of forgiveness comes into sharpest focus in the New Testament because it was precisely why Jesus died upon the cross. Through Jesus taking the full weight of our sin upon Himself, He is able to offer us new life.
Question
How do you respond to the fact that God is willing to forgive and forget all your sins?
Prayer
Loving God, thank you for Your willingness to set me free from my sins. Amen

Acts 28:30-31
For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ – with all boldness and without hindrance!
Paul’s journey to Rome was an amazing adventure. It was long and difficult, and during it, he and his companions survived a shipwreck. We would love to know far more details but now, in these final verses of Acts, we find Paul settled into a house in Rome. We are informed that he was guarded by a soldier, so he was being kept under what we would normally call house arrest. However, he was clearly given considerable freedom and was able to continue his ministry. There was no keeping Paul down!
The book of Acts began with a small, frightened and confused group of Jesus followers waiting in Jerusalem. Jesus gave them instructions to take the good news to the ends of the earth, which seemed impossible at the time. The 28 chapters of this amazing book tell us how it became a reality. Now, at last, we find Paul in the great city of Rome, at the heart of the Roman empire.
This should be a great encouragement to us all. There were many times of enormous difficulty and discouragement along the way, but God was at work and His word was fulfilled. As we face our own struggles and problems, we can be confident that God’s Holy Spirit will strengthen us and direct us.
Question
What encouragement do you take personally from the book of Acts?
Prayer
Lord God, in my weakness fill me with the power and wisdom of Your Holy Spirit today. Amen

Acts 24:24-25
Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”
Here we meet Paul on the Mediterranean coast in Caesarea, the regional centre of Roman authority. After the plot to kill Paul in Jerusalem, the apostle was brought before Governor Felix. What I love about our verses today is that they are a beautiful illustration of the fact that, whatever his circumstances, Paul just kept witnessing. You couldn’t stop him! One moment he was happy to share his testimony with an angry crowd and the next we find him sitting down with the most powerful man in the land and his wife, telling them the good news.
Felix didn’t have a great record. He was Governor of Judaea for eight years and had a reputation for cruelty and a love of bribes. It is said that he was hoping to get a bribe from Paul, so frequently asked to speak with the apostle. We have no idea what impact Paul’s testimony had on Felix and his wife, but that isn’t the issue. What is significant is that Paul seized his opportunity. We must leave with God the outcome of our witnessing. What matters is that we are continually seeking opportunities to speak of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
Question
Will you pray for an opportunity to share your faith today?
Prayer
Lord God, thank you for every opportunity that You give me for sharing the good news about Jesus. Amen

Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
Paul was going through an incredibly difficult time. His arrival in Jerusalem had sparked a riot and the Roman authorities struggled to know what to do with him. They didn’t know how to handle religious disputes, so they tried to hand the matter over to the Jewish council. However, when Paul appeared before them, the meeting soon descended into chaos. The Roman commander who was watching the proceedings thought that Paul was in danger of being torn apart, so he ordered his soldiers to take him back into protective custody. By this time, they had discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen, which meant they had to be very careful in how they treated him.
In the midst of this confusing and dangerous situation, God spoke to Paul confirming that his witness would continue and would even take him to Rome itself. Paul could have no idea how that word was going to be fulfilled, but in that moment, he didn’t need to know. All he needed was the encouragement that he was doing God’s will, and the knowledge God would be with him.
I would love to tell you that your future is going to be problem-free, but God doesn’t promise us that. What He does promise is that He will be with us and that He has vital work for us to do. That should be a massive encouragement for us and should enable us to face the future with confidence and peace.
Question
Do you look to the future with confidence?
Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that my future is completely secure in Your hands. Amen

Acts 22:1-2
[Paul said:] “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defence.” When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Paul faced intense hostility when he reached Jerusalem. People had heard reports of his ministry among the Gentiles, and he was accused of telling people to disobey the Jewish laws. A riot broke out and the crowd demanded that Paul should be killed. The commander of the Roman regiment was informed that the city was in uproar, so he sent his troops to get hold of Paul. After some confusion, Paul asked the military commander for the opportunity to speak to the crowd and, interestingly, he agreed.
This was an incredibly sensitive moment. Many in the crowd were going to hate what Paul had to say, and he knew it. He needed to tread with extreme care. He began by addressing them as brothers and fathers, the same way in which Stephen had commenced his final speech. But what really impressed them was that he spoke in Aramaic, their own language. That showed great sensitivity, and the crowd gave him their full attention. Paul launched into his testimony. He went into the details of his conversion on the road to Damascus and his calling to go and share the good news with the Gentiles. This triggered a huge reaction, and the crowd shouted that he wasn’t fit to live.
Paul wouldn’t have been remotely surprised by the crowd’s reaction, but he had achieved what he set out to do. However, he would never have had that opportunity if he hadn’t approached his task with care and sensitivity.
Question
What do you learn from Paul’s example?
Prayer
Lord, help me to be as courageous and sensitive as Paul in sharing my testimony with others. Amen