Be Still: Daily Devotional

Today is January 4th.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy 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 Letter to the Galatians, chapter 4.

Galatians 4:4-7 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.”7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

The Apostle Paul says that sin enslaves us, it deprives us of freedom, of forgiveness, of friendship and intimacy with God. Sin uses and abuses us. When you think about your life, where has sin enslaved you?

Jesus has come to redeem us. By his death on the cross, he purchased us out of slavery—that’s what it means to be redeemed. But not just to go free to go. He says that we become like children, free to come to God. Free to be accepted and loved and cherished, like a special son or daughter. He says that you become an heir of God himself. Think for a moment about your spiritual inheritance—what gifts have you received because you are a child of God?

Because of Jesus, we don’t have to have a distant relationship with God. He wants us to know him intimately, not as “Master” and not even as “Father”, but as “Abba”. It’s a tender name, like “Papa” or “Daddy”. As you hear the passage again, allow the Spirit in you to call out “Abba”.

Galatians 4:4-7 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.”7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

As you walk through your day, pay attention to the nearness of your “Abba, father”. Be reminded that you are a beloved child.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today's worship song:

Sons And Daughters
Kyle Howard
Vineyard Worship


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 3rd.

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 3.

Genesis 3:6-10 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

This is the story of the fall from grace. Two common experiences that accompany us when we sin are shame and fear. In shame, we try to cover ourselves, try to make ourselves presentable, to pretend that everything is fine when really it is not. With fear, we hide. We hide from

ourselves, we hide from others, we hide from God. As you think over your life, where have you experienced shame from sin? Out of fear, how have you tried to hide from yourself, or others, or God?

When we sin, we sometimes think that God has left us, that he has withdrawn his presence from us. But God hadn’t left Adam and Eve. They had left him. He is still there in the Garden, lovingly searching for them. He called out, “Where are you?” As you hear the passage again, consider how God is present to you, even when you haven’t wanted to be present to him.

Genesis 3:6-10 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Today, when you sin as we all do, can you remind yourself that God is seeking you? Can you bring your whole self into his presence, knowing that he covers your shame and forgives your sins?

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today's worship song:

You're All I Need
Heaven & Earth Worship (Spotify)
Vineyard Columbus


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 2nd.

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 John, chapter 1.

John 1:35-42 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).

The first followers of Jesus were seekers. Jesus didn’t call these first two disciples to follow him. Jesus turned around and Andrew and his friend were already following him. They must have been curious whether what was said of Jesus was true—that he was the Son of God. After spending the day with him they were convinced that he was the One. If you could spend a day with Jesus, what would you ask him? How do you think Jesus might respond to your question?

Jesus gave Simon a new name. He called him Peter, which means “rock.” Renaming is a way of saying, “I’ve given you a new identity. I have a purpose for you. As you hear the passage again, consider the new identity has God have given you. What name or word does Christ speak over you to redefine your purpose?

John 1:35-42 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).

Andrew’s encounter with Jesus grew into a contagious faith. He went and told his brother all about it. As we close our time, consider something that has happened recently that you are thankful for. Can you make a commitment to share that with someone today?

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today's worship song:

Draw Me Close/God Is Holding On
Heaven & Earth Worship (Spotify)
Vineyard Worship

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

A sample preview of our daily devotional podcast starting on January 2nd, 2023

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa