Be Still And Know

Acts 2:42-43 NLT 'All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.' Pentecost is the birth of the Church, the missional bridgehead across which a God-fearing group of individuals are transformed into an empowered community and entrusted with a mandate to express God’s kingdom throughout the world. Jesus initially gathered twelve apostles, symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel. (This number is significantly re-established with Judas’ replacement during the Jerusalem Novena.) Jesus then commissioned the 70 to go out to gather in the harvest, 70 (or 72) being symbolic of what was then understood to represent all the people groups in the world. The kingdom available to all who seek it. At the Last Supper, Jesus introduced the new covenant of his body and blood, before he himself became the sacrificial lamb cr

Acts 2:39-41 NLT 'This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away – all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time…Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day – about 3,000 in all.' The spread of Christianity is a remarkable story. From persecuted sect to state stakeholder, the Church emerged from the shadows within 300 years of Christ's death and resurrection. As those first disciples gathered in obedient uncertainty in the upper room in Jerusalem, no one could have imagined the future influence of the spiritual transformation that awaited society. Despite setbacks and continued persecution, a faith born in the Middle East somehow spread to embrace the whole world. According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey, there were 2.18 billion Christians around the world in 2010. The growth continues. Where once St Paul had to travel throughout the known Mediterranean world at great personal risk to carry the gospel

Acts 2:1-2 NLT 'On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.' It is remarkable what can grow from such small, inconspicuous beginnings. A group of disciples, huddled together for safety, wait for a promised visitation from God. All faith ventures require obedience to God and great personal courage. From a seed planted and resourced through prayer and financial donations in 1994, a platform to carry God’s word was born. Initially, like the disciples in Jerusalem, it was focused on one city, London. But as the Holy Spirit blessed and nurtured this seed, it grew to broadcast nationwide. From a small team of pioneers, Premier has grown to a larger team that now includes regional producers who daily gather news stories from across the UK about all God is doing nationwide. Like the early disciples, we must engage in faithful prayer to see the word of God sp

Ephesians 1:6-8 NLT 'So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.' ‘Grace’ is a short, one syllable word. But like my wife (who is small in stature) says, the best presents come in the smallest packages! But there is a great truth here when we consider grace. It is God’s undeserved favour which each of us enjoys as a follower of Jesus. We can celebrate and share that grace with others in many ways, including through digital interconnectedness. Using social media platforms to communicate optimism and hope carries a message of grace to the furthest corners of the earth, into spaces we may never know exist. Every year Premier hosts a digital conference in London. Its mission is to help the Christian community take hold of all the opportunities offered by the ongoing digital revo

2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT 'For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.' Last year, my wife, Jayne, and I were invited to attend a London-based church event. We knew little about it, but arrived to discover a sea of young people engaging together in exploring scripture. Our hearts were stirred as we were reminded of when our own journey of faith started. I was 19, Jayne 14. Both of us came from completely unchurched backgrounds. It’s easy to forget just how much support and encouragement we needed. It’s wonderful that today there are such a range of resources both to encourage and affirm all of us in our faith. Children’s and youth ministry remain critical to nurturing the forward mission of the Church. Premier encourages and supports this critical ministry of the Church through publication of Youth and Children’s Work magazine (YCW). This encourages growing in godline

Luke 12:22-24 NLT Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!” I am in the stage of life when my yesterdays far outnumber my tomorrows. For some this is a cause of angst. However, I must say that my life of contemplation has enabled me to look forward to these days that will lead to my eventual death with a peace that God alone can provide. I can look back and acknowledge that God has provided generously for me every step that has brought me to today. I tell God both how grateful I am and also just how surprised I am that at times a wave of anxiety about the tomorrows can unsettle me. Faith is fragile and subject to doubt. In reality, most of us worry less about death than the path that

Exodus 16:4 NLT Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.” Israel has surrendered the food security it enjoyed under slavery in Egypt for the huge uncertainty of the desert. Regular life rhythms are disturbed and prove ineffective within this new landscape. Life under the starlit skies of the wilderness is completely different to the carefully structured life within urban Egypt. It will require a completely new skill-set and a massive change of perspective. One aspect of this change is the people’s view of God. Under Moses’ leadership and with God’s guidance, this people can expect to discover the skills required to live in a new, alien environment. Over the past 25 years, Premier has invested in training volunteers and making them available to answer calls to Premier Lifeline – our national helpline offer

2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT 'For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.' Last year, my wife, Jayne, and I were invited to attend a London-based church event. We knew little about it, but arrived to discover a sea of young people engaging together in exploring scripture. Our hearts were stirred as we were reminded of when our own journey of faith started. I was 19, Jayne 14. Both of us came from completely unchurched backgrounds. It’s easy to forget just how much support and encouragement we needed. It’s wonderful that today there are such a range of resources both to encourage and affirm all of us in our faith. Children’s and youth ministry remain critical to nurturing the forward mission of the Church. Premier encourages and supports this critical ministry of the Church through publication of Youth and Children’s Work magazine (YCW). This encourages growing in godline

2 Peter 1:3 NLT 'By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence.' It is remarkable that surrounded as we are by instant access to a wealth of resources, the Bible as God’s word remains the source of life. While scripture can prove difficult to understand at times, it has been central to the strategic ministry of Premier to ensure that scripture informs everything it envisions and broadcasts. For example, the growing audience for the podcast of Unbelievable? with Justin Brierley, which was downloaded more than 4 million times in 2019, illustrates just how much we want to explore the value and viability of our faith within our contemporary world. And the growing interest and demand for scripture encouraged Premier to produce an Anglicised version of the New Living Translation of the Bible, which has sold out of two imprints offering the scripture

John 6:34-35 NLT “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.” One morning I passed a new bakery in Portsmouth. I stepped inside and, chatting with the young owners, discovered their story. Originally from Poland, they’d arrived in England with little more than a grandmother’s book of bread recipes. Even though they had never baked before, they saw an opportunity, leased a shop, installed a bread oven and became a successful artisan bakery business. Bread is a staple for most national daily diets. However, Jesus recognises that the nourishment we need is twofold: physical and spiritual. Having remarkably fed 5,000 people with five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus reminds people that physical nourishment is insufficient on its own. Humanity’s deepening need for spiritual health remains the greatest challenge across our secularised society. Much like the miracle of the mult

Acts 2:14 NLT Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.” A band of disheartened and frightened disciples, who had just seen Jesus ascend into heaven and had gathered in part out of obedience and part out of fear of what might happen to them is, in a moment, transformed through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is Pentecost! The disturbance as God intervenes, gathers a crowd and Peter steps forward to speak…Peter quickly reassures them that this is no unruly behaviour but a sign of God’s presence and God’s power. It is a moment of witness to the reality of the gospel. God with us. For 25 years, Premier has enjoyed the privilege of broadcasting to the British public. First, across London and then, expanding to broadcast nationally. It took courage and confidence in the Holy Spirit to launch Premier as an initiative to enhance the mission of the Church. It has carried

Acts 1:14 NLT 'They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.' On Ascension Day you are invited to join thousands of others prepare for a Novena of prayer with Premier. Novena is from the Latin for ‘nine’ and describes those days when the disciples, together with Mary, Jesus’ mother, and around 120 believers waited in obedience to Jesus’ instruction, for the promised Holy Spirit. They were together in continuous prayer, as Luke records in Acts. This is the nine days from the ascension to Pentecost. We know it was nine days, because the ascension happened 40 days after the resurrection (Acts 1:3), and Pentecost was always celebrated 50 days after the Passover. In this period, the fledgling Church called out to God for power from on high to fulfil Jesus’ command to witness to the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). They had a specific focus given by Jesus and so these nine days are for intentional prayer. This year, in

Acts 1:8 NLT 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' Like a compass needle locates due north, so prayer directs our gaze towards God and positions us for effective mission. While prayer consists of a number of distinct forms, from confession through to contemplation, it is always our voluntary response to the call of God. The disciples are about to exchange the visible presence of God in Jesus for the invisible, yet equally real, presence of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Yet, even this gift is dependent upon obedience to Jesus’ command and a period of prayer. In an age in which we have grown accustomed to instant answers and products accessible online for next-day delivery, the process of prayer can seem somewhat antiquated. Yet, like a fine meal, prayer is the means by which we are prepared for God’s response to our prayer.

Acts 1:3 NLT 'During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.' Thursday 21 May 2020 is Ascension Day. It will conclude Jesus’ ministry on earth. Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus will return to the side of his Father in heaven. For Jesus’ contemporaries, the number 40 was significant. Throughout scripture it represents both a long time as well as marking a period of trial. Moses and the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years, while Jesus, following his baptism, fasted for 40 days. As the product of 5 x 8, the number represented grace (signified by the number five) and new beginning or revival (signified by the number eight). Everything within Jesus’ life and ministry contains a clear meaning. The disciples enjoyed 40 days of fellowship with the risen Christ. This dispelled any doubts they had about Jesus’ promise to return from the dead.

Acts 1:6 NLT So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” How many times have you, believing you understood scripture, formed an opinion about what you and others might do in obedience to God? And how often have such judgements proved false, meaning you did not discover God in the way or place you anticipated? This has been my experience more times than I would like! There is nothing wrong with an enquiring heart and mind. However, assuming I can fathom the appropriate answer to my enquiries is sometimes to engage in a wild goose chase. The apostles are excited at being reunited with Jesus following the events of Easter. They may still have failed to appreciate the full relevance of that resurrection. Quickly they adjust to time with the risen Christ, their minds filled with questions about the nature of God’s kingdom. The disciples must have felt they were on the edge of entering a new and exciting time. They had already

Matthew 5:3 NLT 'God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.' Blessing is most easily associated with happiness. Some of the translations of the scripture replace the word “Blessed” for “Happy” in the opening statements of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Governments have also, in recent years, become obsessed with seeking to understand the determinants of happiness, or ‘well-being’ as it is often now called. Government seeks to identify some interventionist mechanism that might increase personal happiness in the hope that it might boost popularity at the polls. Yet, Adam Smith, the great Scottish ‘Father of economics’ in the eighteenth century warned against the person who “seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard”. Here, Jesus presents a series of paradoxical statements. A paradox is a statement that appears to contradict itself. Here Jesus loc

Psalm 34:8-9 NLT 'Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.' I enjoy cooking, working with taste, texture and colour for both plate and palate. My mother likes to remind me of the grey mince pies I made as a child; grey because I failed to wash my hands when turning to baking from playing in the garden. But no one refused these sweet offerings, nor suffered any adverse physical effects! For me, the joy of cooking is twofold: the trialling of a mix of ingredients in a variety of combinations, and the joy of people enjoying what I have prepared. Life is a unique menu prepared for each one of us by God. Many of the ingredients are the same, the standard basics with a collection of unique flavours and additional bespoke elements. Having the ingredients is essential, but no guarantee of a flavoursome dish. It is the precise measures, combination and cooking methods that determines the end p

Jeremiah 17:8 NLT 'They are like trees planted along a river-bank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.' As a new Christian I read a lot of Christian literature. One of the books that impacted me most was, Green Leaf in Drought, by Isobel Kuhn. Based upon this verse from Jeremiah I learned about the faithfulness of God. Reading this book humbled and inspired me as I began to understand the power of scripture as God’s word impacting present-day circumstances. In honesty I’ve struggled to apply the simple message from this book and often looked to my own understanding and ability to navigate life’s difficulties. I have only gradually learned that the principle of scriptural truth in the foothills of life’s challenges must precede any experience of more overwhelming demands. As you ponder this scripture, you recognise that a tree is rooted to the spot. Unlike us, it ca

Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT 'Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.' One of the benefits of ageing is the recognition that life can be taken far too seriously. As a younger person, I was certainly convinced of my need to make some difference in the world. There was what I can only describe as an innate desire for significance. In my early struggles with ego and ambition, I confused significance with fame, the need to be noticed, admired and receive some level of public recognition. I’ve come to see this was just selfish ambition entangled with personal insecurity. It has taken time to appreciate that my total significance lies in the simple fact that I am both recognised and accepted by God. Strangely, my initial reaction was to struggle with an internal dissatisfaction with this defini

Ephesians 1:3 NLT 'All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.' It has taken me too many years to unravel what being united to Jesus is really all about. An enthusiast by nature, and always one who seeks to secure approval through service, I try too hard to please God when, in fact, all God wants from me is my love. There is nothing I can do to secure God’s approval; this was granted through Jesus’ journey of redemption. All that’s required of me is to say yes to God, just like the thief crucified alongside Jesus. My actions, which I determine are a demonstration of my love of God, are most often mere attempts to prove to myself that I love God. My actions add nothing to the salvation story. Only in so far as I surrender to God completely and both acknowledge and enjoy God’s hard-won provision for me do I in fact reveal the truth about God within the spaces I occupy. I am no more than a conta