Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

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Bring some Spirit-filled peace into your hectic schedule every weekday morning with this new Daily Devotional.

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Jul 3, 2025 · 3 min
July 3rd - John 9:24-25
John 9:24-25 For the second time [the Pharisees] called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” The Pharisees were fuming. Jesus had just healed a blind man, and they were determined to prove that he hadn’t. First of all, they interviewed the man, and he confirmed that Jesus had given him back his sight. They were still unconvinced, so they interviewed the man’s parents. They duly confirmed that he had been born blind, but had no idea how he had received his sight. John adds that the parents were fearful of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. The parents tried to brush off the Pharisees by encouraging them to have a word with their son. “He is old enough. Ask him,” they said (John 9:23). The Pharisees were clearly starting to realise that the healing had indeed taken place. Because it had occurred on the Sabbath, according to their strict rules, it proved that Jesus was a sinner. No faithful Jew, and certainly no rabbi, would think of doing such work on the Sabbath. They asked the man for a second time about the healing. Wisely, he wasn’t willing to engage with them on exactly who Jesus was, but what he knew for sure was that he used to be blind and now he could see. Nothing in the world could persuade him to say otherwise. I love this man’s simple, clear testimony. He didn’t want to get mixed up in the Pharisees’ religious battles. All he knew was that Jesus had transformed his life. He was a new man. If you have given your life to Jesus, you will have your account of what God has done in your life. You may be able to speak of the way that God has walked with you through difficult times, and given you his peace and security. You may not know how to answer tough theological questions, but you know what God has done for you and, like this man, you need to share it. Question What would be your quick summary of what Jesus has done for you? Prayer Lord Jesus, thank you for the way in which you have blessed my life. Help me to be ready to share my story, however questioning and dubious others might be. Amen
Jul 2, 2025 · 4 min
July 2nd - John 8:12
John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Jesus spoke these words during the Festival of Tabernacles, which was a seven-day holiday at the end of the harvest. It was one of three pilgrimage festivals, so Jerusalem would have been heaving with people. On the first evening, there was a ceremony called The Illumination of the Temple. Four great candelabra were placed in the centre of the Court of the Women and, when darkness came, they were lit. It is said that the light from them was so great that every courtyard in the city was illuminated by their brilliance! This was a powerful backdrop to Jesus’ claim that he himself was the light of the world. In the Old Testament, God is repeatedly identified as light, so there is no doubt that in this bold statement, Jesus was claiming to be the Son of God. The great candelabra were impressive, but however amazing a candle might be, there comes a time when it runs out. Jesus offers himself as the light that will never go out. Whatever difficulties and challenges we face, he will continue to shine. All we need to do is follow him and keep our eyes fixed upon him because the darkness is never far away. At any moment if we head out into the dark we are likely to stumble and fall. When I lived in a village in India, I often experienced deep darkness. It was dark by about 6pm, and the Indian family with whom I lived rarely ventured out after that time. They knew it was too dangerous. However, I sometimes needed to go out after dark, and I remember running across our compound fearful of the snakes and huge rats that were lurking all around. It was all so very different in the daylight when I could walk with confidence. That’s exactly what Jesus offers to us. We don’t need to fear the darkness when we allow his light to shine in our lives. Question In what specific ways are you conscious of the need for Jesus’ light in your life? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, light of the world, help me to follow you more and more closely each day. Amen
Jul 1, 2025 · 4 min
July 1st - John 8:7
John 8:7 [Jesus said:] “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” By this time, Jesus had become a deeply controversial person in Jerusalem. The teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees were always looking for ways to trip him up. On this particular day, they brought a woman to him who had been caught in the act of adultery. They reminded Jesus that, according to the Law of Moses, anyone who committed adultery should be stoned to death. This was a clever trap – if Jesus suggested he disagreed with the Mosaic Law, they would have all the proof they needed that he was a heretic, and if he took a hard line and encouraged the stoning of this woman, his reputation for kindness and compassion would be shattered. He would also have run into difficulties with the Romans who were proud of their exclusive right to execute people. Jesus’ response was incredibly wise. He said nothing at first but stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. We have no idea what he wrote, but his response clearly frustrated the religious leaders. His brilliant final answer was that the one who was sinless should throw the first stone. Then, one by one, her accusers slipped away. Once everyone had left, Jesus asked the woman where her accusers were. “Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” he asked. “No, Lord,” she replied, to which Jesus responded: “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (John 8:10-11). Jesus wasn’t suggesting that what the woman had done was OK. He identified it as sin, and told her not to continue in this way. The woman must have been amazed by the grace and gentleness of Jesus, which stood in such sharp contrast to the harshness of her accusers. Jesus wasn’t condoning her sin or treating it lightly, but he was lovingly encouraging her to live a life in line with God’s will. Question How should we respond to people who flagrantly disobey God’s rules? Prayer Lord Jesus, forgive me for times when I have been harsh and judgemental towards others. Help me to reflect your loving heart in all that I say and do. Amen
Jun 30, 2025 · 3 min
June 30th - John 6:66-69
John 6:66-69 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” Until now, Jesus seemed to have been attracting more and more followers. In chapter four, we hear that he was attracting more disciples than John the Baptist and people were believing in him even in the hostile territory of Samaria. In the Galilean region in the north, he had miraculously fed thousands of people, but the next day, the mood was very different. He spoke seriously to his followers about the nature of the bread that he was offering them, calling it his flesh. They concluded: “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” (John 6:60). As a result, many of his followers turned away and deserted him. Jesus’ question to his remaining disciples is heart-rending. “Are you also going to leave?” he asked. As he often did, Simon Peter spoke up for the others. He bluntly summarised the situation by saying that they had no desire to leave Jesus because there was nowhere else to go. Only Jesus had the words of eternal life. No other philosophies or religions were offering that. In our society, there are so many people and organisations wanting to attract our attention and get us to sign up. They make bold claims and offer glossy publicity for their philosophies, but only Jesus makes the offer of eternal life. If we want to receive this amazing gift, there is nowhere else to turn. When Peter made his response, he wasn’t saying he understood everything. He likely had as many questions as those who had turned away, but he was declaring that he was committed to Jesus himself and that he trusted him for the future. When we make a commitment to follow Jesus, we are not claiming that we have a full understanding of who God is and his plans for our lives. We are simply saying that we trust Jesus and know that he can be entirely relied upon. Question Why are you committed to Jesus? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, I worship you because you have the words of eternal life. Amen
Jun 29, 2025 · 3 min
June 29th - John 6:33-35
John 6:33-35 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said: “give us that bread every day.” Jesus replied: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” When I was a boy, bread was only offered to us in two forms. It was either brown or white! These days, it is offered in a huge variety of ways – brioche, ciabatta, focaccia, multigrain, naan, pitta, rye, sourdough and wholewheat to name but a few – but however interesting it may be, it never ultimately satisfies us. We will always need more! When Jesus identified himself as the bread of life, he was claiming that we would never need to look for anyone else to satisfy us. He could meet all our needs. This is the first time in John’s Gospel that we hear Jesus using the expression “I am”. These words are a clear echo of how God spoke of himself in Exodus 3:14: “I am who I am.” Jesus was acknowledging who he was as the Son of God. Jesus describing himself as bread made it clear that he was for everyone. If he had called himself the caviar of life, we would have got the message that he was reserved for the wealthy and that the majority of people would miss out, but bread is ordinary. Bread is for everyone. Jesus was identifying himself as the one who could satisfy the needs of everyone, whatever their background or circumstances. Today we will need to be nourished and have our thirst quenched, and Jesus offers himself to us. We can come to communion and receive bread and wine to remind us of Jesus’ offering of himself on the cross, but we can also receive him as we pray amid the rush and noise of our lives. As we go to the shops, or eat, or work or play, we can reach out to the bread of life and receive his peace and love. Question In what ways is Jesus the bread of your life? Prayer Lord Jesus, thank you that you offer me bread which will always satisfy my deepest needs. Amen
Jun 28, 2025 · 3 min
June 28th - John 6:8-9
John 6:8-9 Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up: “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” I’m sure we’re all familiar with Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the 5,000. It must have had a profound effect on everyone who witnessed it, but I’m particularly interested in what happened before the miracle took place. Jesus asked Philip where it would be possible to buy food for the people, and then John added that Jesus knew exactly what he was going to do and was merely testing Philip. Philip gave the not unreasonable answer that even if they worked for months, they wouldn’t have sufficient money to pay for enough food. Andrew then emphasised the hopelessness of the situation by pointing out the young boy with his packed lunch. With despair he observed: “what good is that with this huge crowd?” This all feels very familiar. When we look at the problems of our world, or even our local community, it is very easy to get depressed. There is so much to be done. The needs are not only vast but also extremely complicated. We look at our resources and, like the disciples, conclude that there is absolutely nothing that we could do to make a difference. The boy’s packed lunch didn’t contain enough to satisfy the needs of one grown man, let alone a vast crowd of hungry people. Jesus’ miraculous feeding of this enormous crowd was a lesson that the disciples needed to remember throughout their lives. In the years to come, they were all going to face great challenges as they served God, and they needed to keep their eyes on Jesus rather than the problems. We should apply our logical thinking to the challenges that we face, but we must never forget that we are serving a God of miracles who is able “to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). Question In what way do you find Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 an encouragement? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, I place my faith in you. Forgive me for those times when I become overwhelmed by the problems and forget that you are a miracle worker. Amen
Jun 27, 2025 · 3 min
June 27th - John 5:2-6
John 5:2-6 Inside [Jerusalem], near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him: “Would you like to get well?” I loved spending time in Jerusalem, but it is often impossible to know exactly where the events we read about in the Gospels took place. However, we know where the pool of Bethesda is, and you can still see a part of it adjacent to St Anne’s Church near St Stephen’s Gate. The pool had a long reputation for being a place of healing, but Jesus met a man who had been ill for an extremely long time. Jesus asked the man if he would like to get well. On first hearing, this might sound a rather callous question. Surely the answer was obvious. Who wouldn’t want to be healed if they had been sick for 38 years? It is, however, a profoundly caring and important question. No doubt the man’s sickness had become an integral part of his personality. For many years, I suffered with a very bad back, and the typical greeting I would receive during those years was: “Hi Jonathan. How’s your back?” As soon as people saw me, they thought of my back, because it was such a major part of my identity for those years. Jesus’ question showed a deep respect for the man. He needed to make the decision of whether or not he was willing for his life to be turned around. If he was healed, his life would be completely different from that day forward. The Lord still comes to us with that same question. He can give us his forgiveness, peace and joy, but he will ask us whether we want to receive them. Perhaps we are so used to living with unforgiveness, tension and joylessness that we wouldn’t cope with his gifts. I thank God that he doesn’t steamroller his way into our lives but asks us if we want his help. Question Would you like God to bless your life? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your sensitivity and grace. I ask you to come into my life afresh and give me your blessings. Amen
Jun 26, 2025 · 3 min
June 26th - John 4:13-14
John 4:13-14 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” Here, Jesus was talking to a Samaritan woman. Everything about their meeting was surprising. First of all, it would have astonished everyone that he had travelled through Samaria. The rivalry between the Samaritans and the Jews was intense for deep historical reasons. After the breakup of the kingdom, following the death of Solomon, the northern territory was annexed by the Assyrians, who resettled the area with foreigners. As far as the Judaeans in the south were concerned, Samaria had lost its racial and religious purity. The divide was made even deeper when the Samaritans built their own temple at Mount Gerizim around 400 BC. Samaritans and Jews hated one another, so Jews would almost always have made a careful detour around Samaria, but not Jesus. The other astonishing fact is that Jesus was willing to talk to a woman. The rabbis gave very clear guidance on this subject. “One should not talk with a woman on the street, not even with his own wife, and certainly not with somebody else’s wife, because of the gossip of men.” That didn’t stop Jesus. I love how Jesus gladly offered his gift of life to every kind of person. In the previous chapter, he met Nicodemus, who was as different from this woman as could be imagined. He was educated, religious, and utterly respectable, and she was probably illiterate and a social outcast, which would have been why she was collecting water in the hottest part of the day. Jesus came to both of them and made his generous offer of new life, and that’s what he still does. He comes to the wealthy and well-connected and to the homeless and the refugees. He offers the gift of eternal life to all who will receive it. Question What was the water that Jesus came to bring? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for the life-giving water that you offer to me, and all those whom I will meet today. Amen
Jun 25, 2025 · 3 min
June 25th - John 3:29-30
John 3:29-30 [John the Baptist said:] “It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at [Jesus’] success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John the Baptist knew his place. He knew that he was simply the one who was preparing the way, and that all the attention should be on Jesus. He was like a best man whose task is to do everything possible to make the wedding go smoothly, but who should never draw attention to himself. John knew what his God-given role was, and he was clearly happy with it. His goal was to become less and less so that Jesus could become greater and greater. It is never appropriate for Christian leaders to become stars and draw attention to themselves. I thank God for men like Billy Graham who gained considerable fame but who consistently pointed people to Jesus, and did so with amazing effectiveness. It is believed that more than three million responded to his call to accept Jesus as their personal saviour, and that more than two billion people heard him preach, whether at public events or on the radio. Nobody listening to Billy Graham would have concluded that he was trying to draw attention to himself. His focus was on Jesus, and Jesus alone. Today, God calls us to do exactly the same as John the Baptist. We need to be moving increasingly into the shadows so that Jesus gets the attention and worship that is rightfully his. This is not to deny the importance of the gifts and responsibilities that we have, but they have been given to us so that we can draw attention to the bridegroom, Jesus himself. If we turn ourselves into the stars of the show, we have totally missed the point. Question What would it mean for you to become less and less? Prayer Lord Jesus, help me in this and every day to make you the focus of my life. Amen
Jun 24, 2025 · 3 min
June 24th - John 3:16-17
John 3:16-17 For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. I remember well the first time somebody, other than my parents, told me they loved me. I can recall everything about that moment, and it was simply amazing. In these verses, which are probably the most famous in the entire Bible, we hear the wonderful news that God loves us, and that his love is so total that he gladly sent his own Son into the world so that we could have eternal life. There is great emphasis upon God’s love for the people of Israel in the Old Testament, but now we see that the doors are flung open to the whole world. Everyone is welcome. The last thing God wants is for anyone to perish, so he invites everyone to believe in him and find eternal life. In the Old Testament, we meet Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his precious son, Isaac, in obedience to God’s command (Genesis 22). He bound his son, laying him on the altar on top of the wood, and took hold of the knife to kill him. In that terrifying moment, an angel told Abraham not to lay a hand on his son but instead to offer a ram which was caught in a thicket nearby. God’s willingness to offer his son, Jesus, is a clear reminder of Abraham’s obedience long ago, but there is a significant difference because Jesus actually died. God made the complete sacrifice. Whether you are in a secure, loving relationship or not, you need to know that God loves you completely and always will. He has proved that by sending his precious Son into the world, and we can be sure that we can rely on his love for time and eternity. Question What does it mean to you personally to know how much God loves you? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for loving me and opening the door to eternal life Amen
Jun 23, 2025 · 3 min
June 23rd - John 3:3
John 3:3 Jesus replied [to Nicodemus], “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus was an unlikely visitor to Jesus. He was a Pharisee, and Jesus was locked in a constant struggle with this group of Jewish leaders throughout his ministry. Perhaps that’s why he came to Jesus at night. He wanted to ask his questions without being spotted by his fellow Pharisees. Jesus had no formal accreditation as a Jewish teacher, so it was generous of Nicodemus to address him as “Rabbi”. Clearly, he was impressed by Jesus’ teaching and miraculous signs and acknowledged that there was clear evidence that he had been sent by God. Jesus didn’t engage with this but responded to Nicodemus with words which would have rocked his world. He needed to be born again. Nicodemus seemed confused by Jesus’ words. He was baffled by the thought of entering his mother’s womb a second time, so Jesus spelt out exactly what he meant: just as human life starts with a birth, so too does spiritual life. Nicodemus needed to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into him if he was to enter the kingdom of God. Nothing has changed. Two thousand years later, if we are to experience spiritual life, we need to be born again. I sometimes hear people talk about ‘born again Christians’ as if they are something different from normal Christians! That is not the case – the only way to become a Christian is by being born again. Being born into a Christian home, attending church and living in a supposedly Christian country is irrelevant. Without new birth, you cannot start out on the Christian life. The apostle Paul was in complete agreement with this. He wrote: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). No amount of human effort can ever make us into Christians. It is only as we allow the Holy Spirit to take over our lives that we can experience new birth. Question How do you respond when people refer to born again Christians? Prayer Loving Father, thank you that through the power of your Holy Spirit it is possible for people to be born again. Amen
Jun 22, 2025 · 3 min
June 22nd - John 2:23-25
John 2:23-25 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart. Whether we like it or not, the world knows a great deal about us. Organisations go to extraordinary lengths to store information about every aspect of our lives so they can lure us into buying their products and using their services. However, although it might not feel like it at times, there are limits to what they know. They can’t see into the deeper recesses of our minds, but there is one who can. In these verses, John reveals that Jesus knew all about the people of his time. Some were responding to his message because of the miraculous things he was doing, but Jesus knew that for many of them, this was a superficial response which would soon evaporate. He understood human nature completely and knew every person’s heart. When we first hear that Jesus knows everything about us, we might feel concerned and even anxious. We would like to think we have some privacy, and that we’re able to hang on to at least a few secrets, but it cannot be done. However, when we come to realise that Jesus only has love for us and will only ever use the information that he has for loving purposes, we can start to relax. His knowledge of us is nothing like our knowledge of ourselves. We only understand a very limited amount about ourselves, but he knows the whole story. When we put our lives in Jesus’ hands, we are putting them in the most secure and loved place possible. Question How do you respond to the fact that Jesus knows absolutely everything about you and, at the same time, loves you perfectly? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, thank you that you know me and love me completely. I gladly place my life in your hands. Amen
Jun 21, 2025 · 3 min
June 21st - John 2:15-16
John 2:15-16 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” The Gospels generally present Jesus as a calm, compassionate and peaceful person. This account of him clearing the temple forecourts of traders seems to stand in marked contrast. Jesus was clearly angered by what he saw and determined that it should stop. He longed for his Father’s house to be a focus of prayer and worship, yet all he could hear was the noise of sheep, cattle, money and shouting traders. It could be argued that the money changers and the sellers of sacrificial animals were all making a contribution to the people’s worship, but the way they were doing it totally obscured the purpose of the temple. Jesus may not have actually used the whip he made, but the act of making it shows us how determined he was to clear the temple. His anger came from knowing nothing was more important than worshipping God, and the traders were making that impossible. He had to take action, and he did so in an extremely dramatic way. There are times when it is absolutely right for us to be angry. When we see people being abused or discriminated against, we should be angry. It would be sinful for us to look at abuse or discrimination and to accept it. However, unlike Jesus, we are not sinless, so we need to make sure that we never allow our anger to lead us into sin. The apostle Paul was very familiar with anger, and he wrote to the Ephesians: “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27). We will all have times of feeling steamed up about an issue, and Paul’s advice is important. We need always to make sure that, if we are angry, we are letting God control us, not the anger. Question How do you cope with your times of anger? Prayer Lord God, help us live so close to you that our times of anger will not be destructive but a blessing. Amen
Jun 20, 2025 · 3 min
June 20th - John 1:45-46
John 1:45-46 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Wherever you live, there is probably a town not far away with a dodgy reputation. For whatever reason, the place is held in suspicion, and you can’t imagine that anything good would ever come out of it! Nathanael came from Cana, which is not far away from Nazareth, and it appears that a typical town rivalry made Nathanael respond in that way. Philip wasn’t put off by Nathanael’s dismissive response to Jesus. He invited Nathanael to see Jesus for himself. That changed everything. Jesus saw Nathanael and made the amazing statement: “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity” (John 1:47). Within moments, Nathanael had declared that Jesus was the Son of God, the King of Israel. None of that would have happened unless Philip had persisted. He could easily have felt a bit hurt by Nathanael’s cynical response and decided not to push it, but he didn’t. He gave Nathanael the opportunity to meet Jesus for himself. When we speak about Jesus, we will often face a dismissive response. I have found that many people dismiss Christianity because of what they’ve seen of the Church. They will be quick to point out any whiff of hypocrisy that they have picked up, or to tell the story of a rude church minister. We should always listen to those accusations with grace and patience. Their stories may be entirely correct. We Christians are not perfect and are capable of hypocrisy, rudeness and much else besides. Our role is never to point to Christians or the Church, but to encourage them to meet Jesus, knowing that he alone can give them life. Question How do you respond when people are cynical about Christianity? Prayer Loving Father, thank you that we can always point people to Jesus with confidence, knowing that he will never let them down. Amen
Jun 19, 2025 · 3 min
June 19th - John 1:43
John 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” I love the simplicity of this verse. Jesus called Philip to follow him, and he did! From this moment onwards, Philip’s life was defined by following Jesus, right up until he was crucified upside down in Hierapolis about 50 years later. Throughout those years, he must have looked back to that initial moment when he responded to the call of Jesus. John’s Gospel is all about following Jesus, so it is no surprise that in the final chapter we hear Jesus inviting Peter to do so. Jesus had just heard Peter telling him how much he loved him, but still Jesus came back to him with the words: “Follow me.” Whoever you are, whether you have followed Jesus for years or haven’t yet made up your mind about it, Jesus says to you: “Follow me.” Christianity is all about a personal relationship with Jesus. Sadly, churches often get in the way, and we make it look as if our commitment is to a particular church. Jesus always needs to be the focus of our attention, and it is only as a result of that relationship that we should commit ourselves to any church. Our experience of following Jesus is obviously not the same as it was for the disciples. They followed him day by day walking, working, relaxing and eating with him. We can’t do those things, but we can live close to the Gospels and continually learn from the Christians around us. We can look for the ways our Christian friends’ lives have been shaped by Jesus. As we see their love, generosity, kindness, peace, faithfulness and gentleness, we learn more about Jesus and are given an example to follow. As we look through John’s Gospel, I hope that every day you will hear the voice of Jesus lovingly saying to you: “Follow me.” Question If you follow Jesus, how could you follow him more closely? If you don’t, what is stopping you from doing so? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, I could never deserve your love and forgiveness. Thank you that you invite me to follow you today. Amen
Jun 18, 2025 · 3 min
June 18th - John 1:40-41
John 1:40-41 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). There used to be a lot of talk about friendship evangelism – bringing people to hear the good news of Jesus through friendship. I never liked the sound of it. It seemed scheming and awkward to me. I would much rather talk simply about friendship, and that’s exactly what we see in this passage. Friendship is the most natural thing in the world. Andrew met Jesus and then he immediately wanted to share the experience with his family and friends, so he went to find his brother Simon to introduce him to Jesus. I remember speaking to a minister who said that his church had recently distributed thousands of leaflets to local homes inviting people to their services. It was a huge effort, and no one came. That doesn’t mean it was wrong to do, but the minister reflected that it would have been so much better if people had simply invited their friends. In our friendships, we naturally talk about the things that matter to us and which we enjoy, so what could be more straightforward than to offer an invitation to a friend to hear about Jesus? These days, there are so many ways in which people can discover more about Jesus and learn what it means to be a Christian, but most people won’t access a Christian book, website, Alpha or other introductory course, radio station or church without a warm introduction from a friend. We’ve all got a role to play. We don’t need to go on a sophisticated course, read loads of books or develop a clever technique. We just need to be friends. Question Who could you introduce to Jesus? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for the way in which you have brought new life to me. Help me find more ways of helping others to meet you. Amen
Jun 17, 2025 · 3 min
June 17th - John 1:26-27
John 1:26-27 John [the Baptist] told them, “I baptise with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognise. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” We are familiar with the stories of Jesus and have probably all seen film portrayals of him. It’s hard for us to imagine that there was a time when people didn’t know who he was. He didn’t stand out in a crowd. It seems that only John the Baptist could spot him; he recognised exactly who Jesus was and why he had come to the world. He knew he had a vital ministry of preparing the way for Jesus but that he himself was not worthy of even being his slave. The New Testament clearly proclaims that Jesus is alive today. In the power of the Holy Spirit, he continues to be present in our world, but most people don’t recognise him. Many people see Church as an irrelevance and, according to some surveys, weekly church attendance has now declined to about 5 per cent of the population. There is still some teaching about Christianity in schools, but it’s likely that the majority of the population knows nothing about Jesus. There is an urgent need for us to give people the opportunity to hear about him, and I’m repeatedly thrilled to hear about imaginative initiatives to do so. Every day for the last 30 years, Premier has been seizing the opportunity to speak about Jesus. Millions of people have heard about him through Premier’s radio stations, podcasts and publications. The role Premier continues to play is crucial, and we need to do everything we can to support it. Everyone must make their own mind up about whether they want to follow Jesus, but it’s absolutely vital that they know about him. Just like John the Baptist, we can all play our part in helping to point people to Jesus. Question In what ways might you be able to help people in your community to hear about Jesus? Prayer Lord God, help me to be imaginative and courageous in helping other people to learn more about Jesus. Amen
Jun 16, 2025 · 3 min
June 16th - John 1:16-17
John 1:16-17 From God’s abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. People have very different understandings of God. Some see him as being a strict disciplinarian, like a divine policeman. Others see him as a nice old man on a cloud with a flowing beard, very kind but completely cut off from normal life. Then there is the picture of God that we find in John’s Gospel – someone who is unfailingly generous and involved in every part of our daily life. His principal desire is that we should thrive, and he is looking for every possible way of blessing us. That’s what he did long ago when he gave the law to Moses, and then later when he sent Jesus into the world, and that’s still his agenda today. If you head into today with a conviction that God is generous and longing to bless you, it will colour everything that you do. You will be eager to pray, knowing that God loves to hear and respond to your prayers. He doesn’t prevent us from facing the difficulties, disappointments and tragedies which are an integral part of the brokenness of our world, but when you do face challenges, you can be sure that God is present with you and will be working with you to bring blessing to every situation. When Jesus taught his disciples about prayer, he pointed out that it is normal for a human father to give good things to his children. Jesus concluded that if we sinful human beings know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give to us through his Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)? We can be confident that our generous God will always give us the best because his desire is always to be generous. Question In what ways have you experienced God’s generosity? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for your desire to bless every part of my life. Amen
Jun 15, 2025 · 3 min
June 15th - John 1:10-12
John 1:10-12 [Jesus] came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognise him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. Rejection is always painful. If you meet with a new group of people and feel unwelcome, it is an uncomfortable experience, but if you are rejected by people who are close to you, it is particularly agonising. Many people have experienced rejection from their parents, children or spouse. There is no way of simply brushing it off. It hurts deeply and is likely to continue to have an impact for years to come. Our verses today speak of the pain that Jesus experienced in coming to the world that he had created with his Father and being rejected. Even though he came to the Jews, his own much-loved people, they had no time for him. That wasn’t the end of the story. Although many rejected him, there were always some people who believed in him. In the Gospels, we see Jesus in regular conflict with the Pharisees, who were extremely committed Jews. They tried to live according to the letter of the Jewish law. Jesus had some extremely harsh words for them, but even they were not wholly opposed to Jesus. Nicodemus was one of their number and he went to Jesus at night, revealing his profound interest in Jesus’ teaching. Another Pharisee, Joseph of Arimathea, was so devoted to Jesus that after his crucifixion, he asked Pilate for the privilege of giving Jesus a decent burial in his own family tomb. On that day of crucifixion, as the Romans carried out the brutal murder of Jesus, the centurion on duty concluded that Jesus was none other than the Son of God. Most people reject Jesus today, but not all. Even among people who would never think of attending church, there are those who have an interest in Jesus and a respect for his teaching. John says the door is open to anyone who will believe in Jesus. If they do, whatever their background, they become children of God, part of God’s eternal family. Question How do you react to the fact that most people in your local community reject Jesus? Prayer Loving God, thank you that you welcome everyone who believes in Jesus into your family. Amen
Jun 14, 2025 · 3 min
June 14th - John 1:6-8
John 1:6-8 God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. John was determined to help people to see that Jesus, and only Jesus, is the Light of the World. John the Baptist had a really important part to play, but he wasn’t the light. He simply prepared people to meet with Jesus. John wanted his readers to make sure that they were only looking for life’s meaning and purpose in Jesus. There is a traditional story from the Middle East which I have always loved. It tells of a man hunting for something in the middle of a dusty road. A stranger approached him and asked what he was looking for. “I’m looking for my key,” replied the man. “Where did you lose it?” asked the stranger. “Oh,” the man replied: “I lost it in my house.” The stranger looked puzzled and asked: “So if you lost it in your house, why are you looking for it here in the middle of the road?” The man replied, “Because there is more light out here.” This sums up what is happening in our society. People want to find meaning and purpose for their lives, but they are looking in the wrong place. They need to look to Jesus and find the true light that he came to bring. The role of John the Baptist was crucial, and his task was not to draw attention to himself but to point to Jesus. John couldn’t save people from their sins or give people eternal life, but he knew a man who could, and his ministry was focused on helping people to meet and follow him. Our role is similar to that of John the Baptist. We are never called to draw attention to ourselves, as if we have the answers to people’s needs. Our task is to point to Jesus so they can find new life in him. Question Where do you think people look to find meaning and purpose in their lives? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for all those people who have helped me to meet Jesus. Help me to be faithful in supporting others to follow him. Amen