Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Psalm 117
Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.
So reads the whole of Psalm 117. It’s the shortest psalm, but it has an enormous message which embraces the whole of the Bible. Every single person needs to join in praising God. Praising Him isn’t confined to a little group of fervent believers. He is God of the world, so He needs to be worshipped by everyone.
I love the fact that all the churches I know draw together people from a number of different nations. Some of them choose to display the flags of the countries that are represented in the congregation and this seems to me a wonderful way of affirming this great psalm. Although God had a very special relationship with the people of Israel, it was never His intention that they alone should worship Him. God’s heart was always for the whole world. In the book of Revelation, we see the climax of history, when a vast crowd will gather together so great that no one could count it: “from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9).
Worship is important because it puts everything and everyone in their right place. When we acknowledge the supremacy of God, our creator and saviour, we see our lives in a true perspective and can then enjoy them to the full.
Question
What has been the importance of worship in your life?
Prayer
Loving God, thank You for the way in which worship blesses and strengthens my life. Amen

Psalm 115:1
Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
It is said that William Wilberforce marked the passing of the bill to abolish slavery in the UK by meditating on this psalm. However great our human successes, it is always our first duty to worship God and to praise Him for His greatness and provision. Everything we have and are comes to us as a gift from God, so we need to make sure He is the first one to get the praise. From our modern perspective, the slave trade appears so obviously evil that it is hard to believe the struggle was so great. However, Wilberforce and his friends fought a very long battle against huge vested interests including, not least, within the Church. He deserves much credit, but he knew that it was God Himself who really deserved the praise.
I really don’t want to detract from your successes in life. If you are an amazing pianist, successful businessperson, fine painter, loving parent, excellent church leader or talented dancer, I would like to congratulate you on what you have achieved. It is right that your successes are recognised and that you receive some praise. However, there is One who deserves recognition and praise in advance of you. Without God, you would be nothing and have nothing.
Question
In what way do you seek to give glory to God day by day?
Prayer
Lord God, I praise You for all that You have given me. Forgive me for the times when I have failed to give You the glory that is rightfully Yours. Amen

Philippians 4:11-13
I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Advertising is a major influence in the modern world. Its deliberate intention is to stir up discontent. We are continually urged to buy newer, trendier, brighter, faster and more efficient products. Being consistently pounded with these messages means it can be difficult to live contentedly with what we already have, but that must surely be the most desirable life of all. To live with contentment is to live a life without strain and stress because we aren’t fixated on trying to get things to change. Epicurus, the Greek philosopher, said: “He who doesn’t find a little enough, will find nothing enough.” There is wisdom in this quotation, but Paul wouldn’t have agreed with it. His contentment didn’t flow from a particular philosophical understanding of life but from his relationship with Christ. Because he was completely secure in his faith it didn’t matter what his personal circumstances were.
Because of the continual pressures of society and of the changing circumstances of our own lives, it is a daily challenge to live with contentment. However, it can be done just so long as we keep our lives focused on Jesus. I have met many people over the years who have been wonderful illustrations of this. For one reason or another, their lives have suddenly changed. Sometimes it is because of a change in their relationships or their finances, but I have been particularly moved by those who have suddenly seen their health taken away from them. This is probably the biggest shock of all. How is it possible to continue to be content after the sudden loss of mobility or of eyesight, for example? Miraculously, it is possible – but only when we have learned to focus on Jesus rather than our circumstances.
Question
Are you content with your present life and, if not, what do you think you could do to become contented?
Prayer
Thank You Lord for the blessing of knowing You. Help me to live so closely to You that I will always be content. Amen

Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Never in history have those words been more important than right now. When Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web in 1989 no one could have foreseen the way in which it would completely transform the way in which we access information. Our mobile phones are the gateway to a world of information and that has incalculable benefits. But the downside is undeniable. It has never been easier to view destructive and depraved information which is able to ruin lives. In such a situation we desperately need to hear Paul’s words. We need to become fixated on those things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Paul lived in the real world. He wasn’t inviting the Philippian Christians to hide away from their society. Being a prisoner, Paul, of all people, knew about the dark side of Roman life. He had no illusions about the world in which he lived, and probably that served to reinforce his conviction that Christians needed deliberately to focus their attention on the true, the pure and the admirable.
This is a big challenge for all of us in modern society. Paul knew that what goes on in a Christian’s mind is the most crucial issue of all. In Romans 12:2 he urged the Roman Christians not to “copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but to let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think”. As we welcome the true, honourable, right, pure, lovely and admirable influences into our minds, God is able to bring about that amazing transformation.
Question
How do you ensure that you are focusing your attention on things that are excellent and praiseworthy?
Prayer
Lord God, I invite You to guide my thoughts by Your Holy Spirit. Help me to become fixated on those things that will make me stronger in living for You. Amen

Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
The most unhelpful thing you can say to a person who is worrying is: “Don’t worry”. I am sure it is meant in a kindly way, but it actually increases the problems of the person who’s worrying. Not only have they got all their worries but they also feel guilty about it now too. Paul doesn’t fall into the trap of giving useless advice because he shows us the way out. He tells the Philippians that there is no need to worry because they can pray about everything. If you place your concerns in God’s hands then you can look to the future with confidence and thanksgiving.
Jesus also recognised that worrying was a significant issue for His followers. He pointed out that it was a waste of time. He asked the question: “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27). Worrying never achieves anything. I rather like the poster which reads: “Worrying is stupid. It’s like walking around with an umbrella up waiting for it to rain.” But Jesus went further and observed that there is absolutely no need to worry because God provides perfectly for all our needs. In Matthew 6, He pointed to the birds and the lilies of the field and reasoned that if God could look after them then He could clearly look after human beings.
The outcome of trusting God is not merely that the worries disappear, but that they are replaced by peace. Those are amazing words and I hope that is your personal experience. I was rushed into hospital a few years ago with sepsis. My blood was poisoned and my heart was racing at an unsustainable speed. As the medics treated me it was clear that I was in serious danger and I thank God that I was overwhelmed with peace. That isn’t something that I could have produced because there was nothing peaceful about the situation. It was God’s gift and I pray that you will experience that peace whatever you face.
Question
How do you deal with the worries that come your way?
Prayer
Loving God, thank You that You can replace our worries with Your miraculous gift of peace. Amen