Be Still And Know

1 Peter 1:13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. In this opening chapter of his first letter, Peter writes a great deal about salvation. He looks forward to the day when we will see the completeness of our salvation, set free from every trace of sin and all suggestions of death and decay. But he doesn’t intend these wonderful spiritual insights to send his readers into an outer orbit of heavenly worship, but rather to equip them to get ready for action. They need to be prepared to face up to the brutal reality of living for God in a world that is fundamentally opposed to the Christian faith. True worship and Bible study must always have the effect of equipping us to live more faithfully and fruitfully for God in the here and now. They must never be a form of escapism that we use to help us to run away from a challenging and hostile world. God needs us to be fit and ready

1 Peter 1:6-7 Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. Nobody likes going through difficulties or facing challenges. To have to endure violent persecution, such as Peter’s readers experienced, must have been incredibly hard. Peter wasn’t glad about the trials they were facing, but about the outcome from going through such times. He knew that the persecution not only proved the reality of their faith, but would have the effect of refining them and making them even stronger in their Christian lives. I find it fascinating that gold has been highly prized for thousands of years. The world has changed out of all recognition over that time, but gold continues to be eagerly sought after and over the past few years we have seen its price rise enormously. The crucial question with gold is its

1 Peter 1:5 Through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. I wonder how you or I would cope with persecution from the civic authorities. Just imagine what it would be like to live with the knowledge that the police are after you, simply because you are a Christian. This is precisely the experience of thousands of Christians today in many parts of the world, and it was also a reality in many periods of the early Church. Peter wanted to equip the Christians to face up to the fires of persecution with courage and confidence, and so he reminded them that God would protect them. The verb that he used for “protecting” was a military term and the tense made it clear that God was continually protecting them. Whatever happened they could be confident that God would be with them and give them courage to stand for him. Peter encouraged his readers to look forward to the day when they would see the full reality

1 Peter 1:3-4 Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. Many potential inheritances are eaten up by nursing home fees, or are lost through poor investments or changes in market conditions. In short, inheritances in this life are vulnerable and certainly cannot be relied upon. What a joy that this is completely different from our spiritual inheritance, which is absolutely guaranteed. Nothing can ever alter it. Most people fail to enjoy today because they are so overwhelmed by problems from the past and fears about the future. The wonder of the Christian faith is that it enables us to live today to the full, knowing that God has set us free from the sins and failures of the past and given us a secure future. What could be better? In his ministry, Jesus continually sought to give his followers confidence about the future. Just before he was crucified, he told them no

1 Peter 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. When Peter wrote these words the storm clouds were gathering; the early Church was soon going to be facing very sharp and painful persecution. Many Christians were going to die, and Peter was well aware that he needed to equip them for the challenges to come. I love the fact that he does so not by offering them words of comfort or sympathy, but by an outburst of praise! It’s a good reminder to us that it is always the right time to praise God. It is not a way of dodging the challenges or putting a brave face on things, but because even in the harshest and most testing moments of life, God continues to be faithful, gracious and loving. Peter reminds his readers that they have been born again because of God’s mercy. The new life that we have in Christ is never because of anything good that we have done. There is no way in which we cou

1 Peter 1:1 I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. I wonder where home is for you. Perhaps it’s the place where you were born. I left my birthplace when I was 18, but I still look back at it as a place of great importance. Since then, I have lived in many different places. When I lived in India I remember concluding that my home was wherever I happened to have a bed, table, chair, paper and pen! So long as I had those five items, I was content and could feel at home. Every place that I have lived has become very precious to me, but Peter would want to remind me that I am, at the end of the day, a foreigner. This world is not my true home, because I have a permanent home in heaven. In this letter Peter addresses his readers as foreigners and, throughout the letter, he spells out the implications of living in a place which is only a temporary residence. Being a foreigner is an interesting experience. I came to

Proverbs 21:23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. 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 once 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. There are many moments when we could be lured into sharing some juicy gossip or joining in with damaging criticism but God expects us to keep our mouths firmly shut. This isn’t easy, but it is all part of learning to live life to the full and deliberately turning our back on those things that will cause damage and hurt. The trouble with speaking is that we do so much of it, and it

Proverbs 21:3 The LORD is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices. The offering of sacrifices lay right at the heart of Old Testament worship. Strange as it may seem to us, it was the way that God expected people to approach him so that their relationship with him could be put right. This led many people to conclude that all they needed to do was to fulfil their responsibility to 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. They needed to live lives that were in line with his will. God was looking for them to act justly and fairly in their business relationships and with their neighbours; he wasn’t interested in receiving their sacrifices otherwise. It is possible for our worship to be merely an act today too. Almost anyone can sing hymns and songs, and even raise their hands in worship. Merely participating in a service of worship

Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. As this amazing letter comes towards its end, the writer prays a blessing upon his readers. He has written the letter to bring them encouragement and this simple prayer oozes with just that. He reminds them that God is a God of peace. We sense that there was a good deal of tension and difficulty within this church. The believers had not progressed in the way that the writer would have hoped and there were people bringing in unhelpful teaching, which was undermining the church and its leadership. The writer reminds them to keep their eyes fixed on God, who is the source of peace. Although there may be many challenges ahead, the writer is confident that God will always equip his people perfectly. This is a major theme throughout the New Testament. When, at the end of his life, Jesus sent

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. The letter to the Hebrews often refers to the importance of obedience to the word of God. The writer therefore urges his readers to obey their church leaders as they teach God’s word and watch over them. The responsibility of leaders is a huge one as they lead God’s people, and it will only be a joyful experience if people take God’s word seriously and seek to obey it. He wasn’t encouraging a mindless obedience to church leaders but a thoughtful determination to be obedient to God’s will. Having been a Bible teacher for many years I can assure you that I would be terrified if people ever did anything merely because I had said it! It is as leaders faithfully teach the word of God that people need to listen and obey with discernment. I welcome the fact that we live in d

Hebrews 13:15-16 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. The writer to the Hebrews devotes a great deal of attention to the old sacrificial system. He does so in order to make it clear that in Christ it has completely come to an end. Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross and made it unnecessary for any further sacrifices. However, the language of sacrifice is still important and the writer encourages his readers to offer up their sacrifices of praise continually through Jesus as a sign of their commitment to God. This reminds us of the language of the apostle Paul who frequently told his readers to give thanks continually. These New Testament writers thought of thanksgiving not as an occasional religious duty but as a joyful way of life. Living a life of thanksgiving is vital but there is another sacrifice that we are urged t

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yesterday we were encouraged to reflect on our former Christian leaders and to remember the example that they set. Much as we thank God for them the fact is that their life and ministry came to an end. In our verse today, the writer to the Hebrews contrasts them with Jesus, whose ministry never comes to an end. This is undoubtedly the most famous verse in this great letter and it is followed by the writer warning about people being carried away by false teaching. Jesus is the one who we need to focus our attention on, knowing that he will never let us down. Every day gives us continual reminders of the temporary nature of our world. I travel about 35,000 miles by car every year, and I am incredibly grateful for my faithful vehicle. But I am continually reminded of the fact that it is just a temporary blessing! There is a continual process of replacement of tyres, brakes, lights and fluids – to say nothing of the fuel. We live with the ex

Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the USA, wrote: “A good example is the best sermon.” As I think back to those preachers that I have heard over the years, it is undoubtedly their way of life that lives with me. Some of them were brilliant preachers but their excellent exposition and brilliant sermon points have long since been forgotten. It’s all about example, and the writer to the Hebrews encourages his readers to remember their leaders who have taught them from God’s word and to follow the example that they have set. The Greek tense here is a command to keep on remembering them; there is something so precious about their example that it must not be forgotten. I would love to hear about the Christian leaders that you have known. It would be good to make a list of them and against each name to put something that you need to rememb

Hebrews 13:5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” As a little boy it was a fantastic moment when I had enough money to buy a Mars bar. I assumed that the perfect world must be the one in which you could buy lots of Mars Bars. I thought of a friend of ours who had a lot of money and guessed that he would be able to buy a Mars Bar every hour; I thought that must be the very best life! Young as I was I had fallen for the materialist lie that says the objective of life is always to acquire more. But the way to peace and true contentment is to be satisfied with what you have. The advertising industry does everything it can to persuade us that that is not the case; we need to be strong and resolute to stand up against the continual flood of images and words that encourage us to want more of everything. Our verse today gives us a very powerful reason for being content with what we have: unlike money, God will never let us down. Th

Hebrews 13:4 Give honour to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. Faithfulness is crucial to every relationship. Without it, relationships suffer from insecurity and uncertainty and cannot possibly thrive. Faithfulness is also at the heart of God’s relationship with us. There is no moment when you need to wonder whether he loves you or will stay by your side. The Bible is full of amazing reminders of the faithfulness of God. It never suggests that life will necessarily be free from challenges and difficulties, but continually affirms that God will be with us whatever happens. I love the way in which Isaiah celebrated God’s faithfulness: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned up; the fla

Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. I am so grateful that when I was at university I was encouraged to visit the local prison once a week. We visited the young offenders’ wing and so I was meeting people of my own age, which was such a valuable experience. I had never met prisoners before and so I assumed that they would be completely different from me. They weren’t. They were intelligent, interesting and amusing and it was fascinating to hear the story of their lives. Prisons, in the days of the early Church, would have been completely different from anything that I encountered. The Romans normally stripped prisoners naked and flogged them prior to their imprisonment. Their wounds would not have received medical attention and the prisoners were expected to sit in painful leg or wrist chains. Their filthy clothing was not replaced even in winter. Prisons were often underground and would h

Hebrews 13:2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realising it! In Genesis 18 there is a remarkable account of hospitality when Abraham generously welcomed three mysterious visitors. It was the hottest part of the day and as soon as he saw them, Abraham ran to welcome them. He then encouraged them to rest in the shade of an oak tree while he brought water for them and then he went back to his tent to ask Sarah to prepare bread for them. Abraham had no idea who the visitors were but it soon became clear that God himself had sent them, as they informed the couple of the miraculous news that they, old as they were, would have a son. They had welcomed angels without knowing it. In the early Church, Christian travellers faced many challenges. Inns were notoriously filthy and expensive and were well known for being centres of immorality. They also faced hostility from their many opponents. It was therefore essential that Christians were willi

Hebrews 12:28-29 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. It’s important that we never lose a sense of amazement that we are able to worship God at all. When Isaiah entered the temple after the death of King Uzziah (recorded in Isaiah 6) he was completely overwhelmed by the experience. As he saw the holiness of God, he recognised how unholy he was and how unholy his society was. When we worship God, whether quietly by ourselves or in a church service, we should never rush unthinkingly into his presence or think that it is a small matter that we are worshipping the God of creation. In our verses today the writer encourages his readers to worship God with holy fear and awe. Yes, God loves us more completely than we have ever been loved before, but he is also a devouring fire. He is absolutely holy and anything that is not holy is burned up in his presence. We can approach God with great

Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Life can be incredibly hard, and many people experience terribly difficult and painful rejections and brokenness in their relationships. It isn’t difficult to understand why this can lead to bitterness, but the fact is that that is the worst possible response. The only person who is damaged by bitterness is the bitter person. It does nothing to get back at the person who has caused the wrong and is incapable of bringing resolution to the situation. Billy Graham wrote: “Bitterness is anger gone sour, an attitude of deep discontent that poisons our souls and destroys our peace.” In fact, it’s even worse than that because bitterness grows roots and so it keeps on destroying the people and relationships in its path. Bitterness can therefore be incredibly destructive in the life of a church. There is only one way to escape the hide

Hebrews 12:14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. The UK is blessed with a huge number of stately homes which have amazing gardens. As we revel in the beauty of the flowers, shrubs and trees it is absolutely right for us to give thanks to God for the miracle of creation. But the fact is that, normally out of sight, there are large teams of gardeners who have worked incredibly hard to plant, cultivate, weed and water the gardens. Those gardens are a partnership between God and the gardeners. Church life is exactly the same. Without God there would be no church, but he looks to us to work hard to enable the Church to flourish. Here he points to two areas of hard work that are our own responsibility: living at peace and living holy lives. Living at peace is constantly demanding. When you look at a peaceful family or organisation it will give the impression that it all happens with ease and inevitability. But we all know that