Be Still: Daily Devotional

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.

Today is November 21.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 56.         3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.           4   In God, whose word I praise—           in God I trust and am not afraid.           What can mere mortals do to me?       10 In God, whose word I praise,           in the LORD, whose word I praise—        11 in God I trust and am not afraid.           What can man do to me?    Scripture so often talks about fear, one of the most basic of human emotions. Fear can be acute – being afraid in a frightening situation – or chronic – being afraid in an ongoing way where fear or anxiety becomes a chronic part of our emotional landscape, even if there’s nothing in front of us to be afraid of. Do you struggle with fear, or anxiety, or worry? Is there a situation right now that makes you feel afraid? Bring that to the Lord.  Now take whatever situation that has come into your mind… perhaps a specific thing you are worried about? Or a fear you have? Or chronic anxiety? And as you listen again to the words of this psalm, imagine offering it to the Lord, laying it down at His feet.  What can man do to me? One the one hand, we might answer: A LOT! Humanity does horrific things, mankind can be cruel. On the other hand, we might consider what the Psalmist is pointing toward: that regardless of what happens in this mortal world, God is trustworthy. We can remember that in this mortal world we will have trouble. And there are things to fear. AND we can ask God for the power to trust in his eternal love, His eternal justice and mercy, and His eternal shalom. This is not a simple thing. As we end, I have two encouragements for you. First, if you are afraid of a particular situation or person… and if you have reason to be afraid, if anyone is hurting or harming you… please reach out to a pastor, counselor, or safe friend and talk to them… so that someone else knows and can help you. Second, if you know that you are safe… but yet struggle with fear or anxiety or worry… take time through your day to offer it – over and over – to the feet of Jesus.  Music: "Be Still" - Vineyard Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1gofYxnWpE&list=OLAK5uy_lORjIs-fhaoAb6ot2t54vI3oFG2Cvhwms&index=3

Today is November 20.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 Acts, chapter 19.   While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”  “John’s baptism,” they replied.  4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.        Paul tells the church in Corinth to Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. Here, Paul traveled to Ephesus and prayed that they may be filled by the spirit. These believers had heard the Gospel message and were baptized into that knowledge by John… and now they experienced the presence and the power of God through the spirit. As you come to prayer today, do you feel the presence and power of God’s spirit?     We know that God is near to us always – He is behind and before, above and beneath. Wherever you are, God is. At the same time, scriptures like these remind us that there is also an experience of God’s spirit… not just an intellectual assent, but an actual experience, of the truth in the nearness of God. As you listen to the passage again, imagine this group new disciples moving from a head knowledge about God, to an actual experience of God.   Paul traveled in order to pray over these new believers, to impart God’s spirit to them, and to encourage them. Imagine how their faith was built up by Paul’s willingness to be present to them. As you go through your day today, pray that God would bring someone across your path that you can encourage through the Holy Spirit. Look for ways this week to be one like Paul, who is intentionally blessing others, and praying over them: Come Holy Spirit.   Music: "Fall Afresh" - Vineyard Worship/Samuel Lane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YUirsQjXmU

Today is November 19.  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 Hebrews, chapter 10.     32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,  “In just a little while,      he who is coming will come      and will not delay.”   38 And,  “But my righteous one will live by faith.      And I take no pleasure      in the one who shrinks back.”   39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.    The writer of Hebrew is exhorting the Christians following a sobering caution for those who fall away from faith in Jesus. Then, he turns toward encouragement for those who are hanging on in their faith through obedience. As you come to prayer today, take a moment to reflect on the condition of your faith. Are you demonstrating the fruits of the spirit? Are you practicing obedience to the way of Christ? Are there areas where you are shrinking back?      A major theme of the letter to the Hebrews have been the need to "hold fast" during suffering and hardships. The original audience of this letter were most likely persecuted Jewish Christians of the early church. Most had already experienced some level of hardship for the sake of their faith. Sometimes we listen to scripture and forget the real suffering and persecution the early church lived through. Listen again and consider how these words would sound if you were suffering for your faith in prison.      Are you facing such challenges? Hardships? Even suffering for your faith in Jesus today? If not now, do you remember facing such opposition for your faith in the past? We don’t need to look far than the very grace of God which carried us through those challenging moments. Recount them today as you come to the Lord in prayer today.     Thank God for the grace given to us. Pray for those who might be suffering for their faith today. If someone comes to mind today, would you reach out to them and share an encouraging word? Music: "You Don't Have to Lose Heart" - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Today is November 18.  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 3.   1 Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!  2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”  3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.  4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.  5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.  6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.  7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.  8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.    This Psalm is David’s heart cry to God as his own son, Absalom, began a violent revolution sending a 12,000-man army to kill his father David and take his throne. Imagine the deep pain of betrayal that David felt in that moment. Have you ever experienced a personal betrayal? Consider what you felt like in that moment?       In David’s moment of deep pain and betrayal, when he was most exasperated about his circumstances, he cried out to God. Not only does he cry out to God, but he declares his faith that God will rescue him, God will deliver him. As you listen to the passage again, listen for David’s faith in God and ask God to increase your own faith.  What challenges are you facing today? Even if it’s not tens of thousands people are assailing you, sometimes if can feel like ten thousand challenges are assailing you. Today, can you respond like David to the growing opposition you face? Today, can you call out to the Lord and as for his protection and deliverance?  Music: "My Soul Depends on You" - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Today is November 17.May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 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 30. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” If you are a follower of Jesus, scripture tells you that you can hear his voice. Does that give you confidence? Do it feel confusing? Does God’s voice feel near to you today? Or perhaps far?   When we pray, “Come Holy Spirit”, we are inviting the spirit of God to increase His presence with us. We are praying: More! We are praying that we would become aware of, and attentive to, the fact that He is with us, He will lead us. God sees you, and God loves you. A friend of mine says it like this: “God is just crazy about you!”. Sometimes we forget that. Sometimes we don’t feel it to be true. But nevertheless… the Lord is near to you… I am going to pray for you right now…. Lord, would you increase your presence with my sister, my brother? God, show yourself as the good father who you are. Spirit, fill them with your power, your life, and your vision. Jesus… would you lead this one? You are their good shepherd. Would you encounter them with a new infilling of your power and your love? In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Music Credit:"Breathe On Us" - Heaven and Earth (YouTube)

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.

Today is November 14  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 37.           3 Trust in the LORD and do good;            dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.         4 Take delight in the LORD,            and he will give you the desires of your heart.          5 Commit your way to the LORD;            trust in him and he will do this:         6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,            your vindication like the noonday sun.      God is faithful, and trustworthy. As you come to prayer today, take a bit of time to reflect on your experience of God’s faithfulness. Can you recall a specific memory where you saw God’s faithfulness to you? Take some time to sit with and remember that experience.     The Psalms remind us time and time again to keep our eyes on God, and His character. We often come to prayer distracted, minds full or anxious. Can you slow down, and focus deeply on your time of prayer? Can you listen to the Psalm again, paying attention to each word. You might want to rewind, and play it back several times today.    God is faithful, and trustworthy! He is our all in all, the bright morning star, the bringer and redeemer of life and truth and beauty and goodness. We can trust in Him. Right now, I sense an invitation for you to ask the Spirit to increase your faith. To deposit in you a faith that is a gift of grace, not something you muster up…… take time as we close to intercede for the church to grow in faith, hope, and love. Pray for your local church, and for other faith communities in your city.    Music: "All The Ways" - Vineyard Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TzLh0Za5jg

Today is November 13  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 Isaiah, chapter 26.           7 The path of the righteous is level;            you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.         8 Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,            we wait for you;            your name and renown            are the desire of our hearts.         9 My soul yearns for you in the night;            in the morning my spirit longs for you...             The people of God have always done the work of walking in His ways, waiting for His presence, and longing for more of Him. This is the way of the ‘now and the not yet’. It is a way of both faithful obedience, and a faithful longing for more of His kingdom to come. What is it that stirs up your sense of longing for God’s kingdom to come?     I feel very aware of the places of violence and pain in our world – the struggle in families – the experience of loneliness that pervades our culture. These realities make me long for the righteousness of God, for His presence, and for the shalom – the peace – that only He can bring. These realities also make me come alive to my own sense of calling to participate in the work of God’s kingdom. Listen to the reading again, and ask God to stir up in you a holy longing for more of Him.      Where the presence of God is, is His power as well. We are called to wait on Him, to walk in His ways, to be people of His kingdom. Take time today to intercede for a new empowering of the church by the spirit of God, and for a fresh wave of his kingdom in the world around us.     Music: "No Rush" - Heaven & Earth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1v0I-02AJA

Today is November 12.  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 Genesis, chapter 24.12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”  15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.  17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”  18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.  19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.”  26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”      The servant in this passage prays to the God of Abraham. He asks Abraham's God to give him success in this mission for Abraham in finding a wife for his Son Isaac. This servant asks that God would, in doing so, show his kindness and faithfulness toward Abraham. Is there something in your life that you would like to ask for God to bless? A situation where you need wisdom, or you need God’s provision for you or someone else?   The prayer that Abraham’s servant prays is so humble, and so full of simple faith. “Lord make me successful today. And show kindness to my master Abraham.” Is that a prayer that you could pray for yourself? And for someone that you love? Do you believe that God would hear your prayer, and answer your prayer? As you hear the passage again, could you pray that prayer for you and for someone you know?       The prayer is not just full of simple, humble faith, but also a prayer that is specific. On a very particular day, in a very particular situation, in a very particular moment, he prayed for particular things to happen. As you go through your day today, look for a very particular situation that you or someone you love are facing, and take a step to pray a very particular prayer for them, and ask for a particular outcome. And watch and see what the Lord does. Music: "Invitacion Fountain" - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Today is November 11.  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 113.1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord.  2 Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.  3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.  4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.  5 Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high,  6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?  7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;  8 he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.  9 He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.    Psalms 113-118 are often known as the Egyptian Hallel, mainly because of their connection with Passover celebrations which commemorate Israel’s deliverance from Egypt in the Exodus narrative. The psalms were sung as part of the Passover ceremony by all the Jews thereafter. There is no doubt that these exact words were sung by Jesus and his disciples during the Passover meals. As you come to prayer today, consider that you are entering into the presence of ‘a great cloud of witnesses’ in the faith. Take a moment to become aware of the long history of our faith.      Listen to this Psalm once again – the very words that Jesus himself sang: consider how Israel – the poor, needy and lowly are lifted by God who is over all things. Think of where you might feel poor, needy and lowly and think of the God who sits enthroned on high above heavens and the earth.      The Psalmist declares that the unchanging God never becomes unworthy of our praise. For the child of God with open eyes, time only reveals even more reasons to praise God. For the Psalmist, what amazes him is that God is exalted so high that he stoops low to see not only the earth but also the heavens, and yet at the same time he cares for the every day person. Can you receive this truth in your heart today? In whatever areas you are feeling poor and needy, express your heart to God and know that this almighty God knows you and cares for you.Music: "You're Worthy of My Praise" - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Today is November 10May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 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 Acts, chapter 13. 36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. 38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. The resurrection of Jesus sets everyone who believes free from the power of sin and death. This is the great “Therefore” of scripture, the great transition from sin to salvation, from death to deliverance, the great message of the kingdom of God… that decay has been overwhelmed and overcome by God’s plan of salvation. Consider what this ‘therefore’ means to you today… The gospel of Jesus interrupts our decay, and the decay of the world. It puts us on a new course, a new trajectory. We are interrupted by freedom from sin, and justification through Christ. Listen to this scripture again and consider how this truth has interrupted your life. Decay is a word that feels resonant to me these days. Even as our society trumpets great progress – we cannot keep ‘decay’ away forever. For that, we need not just progress, or some new technological advancement. We need an interruption into the very nature of things. We need God’s rescue. I need it. You need it. His great Kingdom interruption. As we end our time of prayer, take some time to remind yourself of your great need for God. Music Credit: “When You Come" - Samuel Lane/Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

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.

Today is November 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 the book of Acts, chapter 11.   19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.  22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.  25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.    This is a very encouraging passage, except when we consider the catalytic event that led to this spread of the gospel: the murder of Stephen and persecution that caused the early church to run for their lives. The Bible speaks quite a lot about persecution. The New Testament church is filled with persecution narratives. What feelings does that thought stir up in you?   Listen to the scripture again, paying attention to the end results of the initial scattering that the author speaks of… Barnabas encouraged the believers in Antioch to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. As you end your time of prayer today, can you hear this encouragement as something spoken directly to you? That you would remain true to the Lord with all your heart? Make this your prayer today…  Music: "Nothing Is Too Hard For You" - Vineyard Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv61EA2CW5U

Today is November 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 gospel of Mark, chapter 13.   32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.  35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’  There is so much in this life that we do not know. But we do know this: Jesus tells His followers to stay alert… to stay watchful for Him. Are you feeling particularly, spiritually alert today? Do you feel like you are being attentive to spiritual realities in you, and around you? Or are you feeling sluggish? Or distracted? Talk to the Lord about this.    What emotions does this passage bring up for you? When Jesus says to you: “keep watch!” – what does that bring up? Listen to the passage again and think about how it would really feel to have Jesus speaking these words directly to you, with energy and urgency in His voice.  This text is a part of a longer discourse, where Jesus is explaining with some urgency what is to come. He’s preparing them for what he calls the last days. And he reminds them: you’re not going to know what that is. But you do know what to do, regardless: remain alert, pray, and steward the work before you with faithfulness. A lot of Christians get caught up in conversations about the end times, or the last days. We don’t know the day or the hour. But we do know our posture as we wait: Remain alert. Remain prayerful. Remain faithful. What does this look like for you? What is Christ speaking to you today? Try and keep that front of mind and heart as your walk through your day.  Music: "Everything" - Vineyard Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF3h5wJJ5eA

Today is November 5.  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 18. 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful to the blameless you show yourself blameless,  26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.  27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.  28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.  29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.  30 As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. This reading reminds me of some parts of the Sermon on the Mount: For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. What do you think the psalmist is saying about how God interacts with us, and about how we experience God?       It is not insignificance that this Psalm was written to celebrate David’s victory over Saul. It speaks of David’s trust in the Lord throughout the tough relationship that he had with Saul. Listen again to the Psalm in the light of David’s struggle against a mighty king coming for his life and his utmost trust in God through all the challenges.  What are some challenges you’re facing today? What circumstances seem just impossible to you in this season? Which relationships are bringing pain? If you are navigating some rough waters – will you pray this Psalm over your heart today? Will you turn your trust in the Lord today? Can you work to surrender the temptation to be devious and haughty?Music: When We Call Your Name - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Today is November 4.  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 Romans, chapter 12.   17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.   18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.   19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.   20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.    Today’s reading uses a weighty word, the word evil. The Apostle Paul assumes the reality of evil in our world and in our lives. How do you feel about that word? And where might you see evil in the world around you, or in your life?     Increasingly, our culture makes two mistakes about evil. On the one hand, we deny evil. Things or people aren’t evil, we reason. People are broken, but not bad. Bad things may happen but not evil things. On the other hand our culture wants to make evil things or evil people unredeemable. It’s a way of making something or someone unforgiveable.  But the Apostle Paul denies both approaches. On the one hand, he says, “yes evil things happen, sometimes by evil people.” On the other hand, he says, we are to respond by trusting in God, even showing love and goodness to evil people. As you hear the passage again, consider your own response to evil in the world today.     The word for evil is both personal and moral. When you experience evil, it hurts personally. And we inherently know it’s wrong, it’s bad! It’s normal to respond with hurt and anger when you experience evil or sin. But the Gospel invites us to not allow our hurt and anger to be the final word about those experiences. It invites us to a deeper work of trust in God, of forgiveness, and love. As we close our time of prayer today, consider someone who you may feel hurt or anger toward because of something they have done. Can you move toward a work of trust, forgiveness, and love through the power of Christ? Music: Make Us Like Jesus - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Today is November 3May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.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 9. 7 The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. 8 He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. 9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. 16 The LORD is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. 18 But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.Welcome to prayer. Take a few extra moments right now to quiet yourself a bit more deeply. If you need help staying focused, pray: “the Lord reigns forever” as you breath slowly in, and out. It is good for us to quiet ourselves before the Lord.Listen again to this Psalm, and listen for one phrase that stands out. Write it down, or simply commit that phrase to memory. Regardless, I’m going to invite you to take time through your day today to stop, take a deep breath, and repeat the phrase. In this way, you’ll practice reorienting yourself to God’s word, and to God’s character, throughout your day. The phrase I will be repeating today is: “God will never forget the needy”. This is so different than we are. We forget the needy all the time. The needy are forgotten all the time. Today, I’m going to ask God to remind me of those around me in need. I’m going to pause each hour to stop, take a deep breath, and say “God will never forget the needy”. And then I’m going to look for a way to serve or support or meet the needs of those around me. I’d like to invite you to do the same.Music Credit:"Form Us" - Vineyard Soul (YouTube)

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.

Today is October 31 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 Acts, chapter 8.   14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.   Samaria is north of Jerusalem, a little over 100km away. Googlemaps says it would have taken about 25 hours to walk from one place to the other. And yet, Peter and John set out – walking day and night – so that they could pray for the new believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We often read this passage and think about it in light of baptism of the spirit… but would you instead reflect on their sacrifice for other believers in Jesus. What would it take for you to consider walking 25 hours to lay hands on and pray for someone? What comes to mind as you consider this intentional, encouraging visit from an established church, to a new community of believers?   Listen again, and put yourself in the place of these new believers in Samaria. They’ve given themselves to the name of Jesus… but in some sense, it seems they’ve not yet fully understood the implications of that, or what it meant to be filled with the Spirit. Imagine their joy at seeing Peter and John, walking into town. Consider their increase of faith as they received prayer, and were drawn into this fellowship of believers. Listen to the scripture again, and pay attention not only to the words, but to what the experience itself must have been like.  Because Christians become a part of a new body – the body of Christ – we are called to not only the Lord, but to one another. To walk toward one another, and towards fellowship. As we close our time of prayer, ask yourself, How deeply connected are you to Christ’s body? How often are you praying for others or receiving prayer through others? Speak to the Lord about your own desires or hesitations about being connected to the body of Christ. Some of you may thank God for the relationships you have. Some might feel hurt or wary. Talk to God and ask him to show you your place in the body of Christ.   Music: "Familia" - Vineyard Worship FAMILIA [Official Live In Studio] | Feat. Tina Colón Williams | Vineyard Worship