“Nothing in or of this world measures up to the simple pleasure of experiencing the presence of God.” – Aiden Wilson Tozer.

No spiritual practice or discipline is easier or more accessible to everyone than God’s presence. There are probably a few people reading this who are thinking, “I’m not so sure I agree with that.” Experiencing the presence of God seems like a profound mystery. It sounds like a wonderful yet evasive experience that some people occasionally have, but it is not something concrete to rely on continuously. We tend to associate God’s presence with emotions and worship music as if it were a byproduct of a Hillsong United song.

We know that is not true. One of the greatest gifts we can experience is the presence of God. His presence is essential to experiencing and knowing Him. God has made Himself available to us through all that Jesus accomplished. God’s presence is as simple as being in the presence of a friend or spouse. It’s as simple and concrete as being around a spouse or good friend, except for the fact that God never leaves. We can experience God’s presence just by reminding ourselves that His love redeems us and that the Holy Spirit’s presence is a constant, daily reality for believers. This presence is not a fleeting feeling, but a continuous, indwelling reality that empowers, guides, and comforts believers. No matter where we may turn or which road we follow, He is there. Living in God’s presence isn’t reserved for special moments or specific places.

Psalm 139:7 says, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” His presence is always available. He is there in the chaos of the day, just as much as He is in the serene moments of morning quiet.

Being aware of God’s presence doesn’t require grand gestures or significant time commitments; it simply requires an open heart. It’s about finding Him in the small, everyday moments. By recognizing God’s presence in daily activities, starting your mornings with intention, viewing your work as a calling, practicing gratitude, and incorporating prayer throughout the day, you cultivate a rich, continuous awareness of God. Your ability to meet with God is as simple as turning your attention toward Him and allowing yourself to be known.

There is no checklist of calm or solitude required for God’s presence. He is here now. He is with you, always. No matter what you’re facing. No matter the sorrow, past or present, He is here.

“I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.”― Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God.

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you define God’s presence? Is it a feeling, a location, a relationship, or something else?
2. How does the concept of God’s presence influence your daily life and choices?
3. What does it mean to you that God is always present, even when you don’t feel it?

“Fasting reduces the power of self so that the Holy Spirit can do a more intense work within us.” – Bill Bright.

Oh no, not another devotional on fasting. I’m not good at it probably because I don’t like to fast. My stomach doesn’t like it. It makes me cranky. Is it that important to my spiritual well-being? Most people view fasting as the hardest spiritual practice.

In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says when you fast, not if you fast: “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Fasting is a practice where believers abstain from food or other physical desires for a specific period to deepen their connection with God. It’s a discipline that involves intentionally abstaining from something regularly enjoyed, like food or other things, to focus on spiritual matters. Fasting is a secret declaration to yourself and God that you want more of the abundant life that can only be found in more of God and less of the world.

There’s something powerful that takes place when we willingly surrender our satisfaction in life and activities to make space for more of God. Whether you’re fasting from food, entertainment, relationships, or anything else to make space for more of God, the intention of God for fasting is to realign your life to position you to receive all He has for you.

We are not trying to make such a significant sacrifice that God will take notice of us. God did not design fasting as a burden to be borne or a rule to be followed in an attempt to earn divine favor; instead, the intent was that in denying ourselves that which usually satisfies our appetites, we might turn instead to God – expressing our dependence on Him, our desire for Him, and our delight in Him. There is nothing we can do to gain God’s favor besides what Jesus did on the cross.

In Psalm 63:1, David writes that his deepest needs can be met only through God: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” David wrote Psalm 63 to express his longing for God. He craved God’s presence as he craved food and drink. Just as David yearned for God in the wilderness, we too can acknowledge our dependence on God and develop a deep longing for God. By applying spiritual practices, we can cultivate a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God, just as David did in Psalm 63.

Fasting is a powerful practice that can help individuals deepen their relationship with God, cultivate spiritual disciplines, and experience personal transformation, even though it can seem challenging to do.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your initial reaction to the idea of fasting? Is it positive, negative, or neutral? Why? 
2. What do you see as the purpose of fasting in the Christian life? 
3. What are the potential benefits of fasting, both for personal spiritual growth and for engaging with God’s work in the world? 

“Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” – 1 Timothy 4:7-8.

Baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr. is an example of a player who exhibited a deep love and obsession for the game from a young age. He didn’t just like baseball; he lived, breathed, and ate baseball.   When you love something, no one has to tell you to engage in activities that cultivate your passion. I’m sure Ken Griffey never said, “I should work on my swing” or “I should read a book on hitting from one of the great hitters before me.”

If we love God, what activities, or maybe we should say, what spiritual practices do we love engaging in to cultivate our passion for God? If we sat and thought about it, we would probably come up with a list of “shoulds.” “ I should pray more,” and “I should probably spend more time in scripture.” Another one of us may say, “ I need to spend more time in solitude.” Still another person may pause for a second and say,”I should fast… well, maybe I should try the other ones first because that whole fasting thing seems complicated.”  A lot of us can point to at least one “should” when it comes to spiritual practices.

But rather than ask yourself not what you should do, ask yourself what spiritual practices will bring you closer to God. What practices cultivate your experience of intimacy with God? What helps you feel God is near? What practices fill you with a sense of His peace?

Jesus was committed to spiritual practices. He had a regular practice of spending time with His Father in prayer. As He prepared for a significant season of ministry, Jesus engaged in the spiritual practice of fasting. No doubt, Jesus engaged regularly in the practice of serving others. While Jesus engaged in spiritual practices, the relationship with His Father was the source of His strength, the foundation of His life, and the purpose of those practices.

This is what the practices are intended for us and why they are so important. They are conduits through which we can experience intimacy with God. The challenge for every believer is to identify the practices that nourish intimacy with God, regardless of the season of life or the circumstances we face. These exercises aren’t a quick fix for your spirituality. However, as you develop a habit of incorporating these practices, you will find yourself closer to God and more spiritually empowered.

Like Ken Griffey Jr., who trained himself to hone his baseball skills, spiritual practices enable us to do what we’re unable to do by our own effort. As we invest our energy into developing spiritual practices, we partner with God in our growth and transformation.

And that is so important.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to you to “train for godliness” as mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:7-8? What specific habits or practices can you implement to grow in this area?
2. How do you currently incorporate practices like prayer, fasting, simplicity, silence, solitude, service, giving, or scripture study into your life?
   

“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 6:11.

If someone asked you to define your relationship with sin, what would be your answer? Do you see it as an ongoing battle: a battle that involves a struggle against temptation, evil desires, and the influence of opposing forces, both internal and external? You may see it, for example, in the story of David and Goliath. Sin is Goliath, and you’re David, and you have to defeat sin using nothing but a smooth rock to fight with. Or maybe it is something more dramatic, like an out-of-control train heading toward a canyon? Sin is the engine, and you’re the passenger car desperately trying to unhitch yourself from it before it takes you over the edge.

However you define it, the Bible is clear: all people have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard. This truth, while uncomfortable, is the starting point for understanding our need for a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Paul, in his letter to a church in Rome instructs believers to “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (6:11). Being “dead to sin and alive in Jesus” means recognizing that through Christ’s sacrifice, believers have died to their old life of sin and are now empowered to live a new life in fellowship with God. The good news is that sin no longer has power over us. At the moment of conversion, God works to change our motives, goals, and desires one by one. God reveals what we were and points us toward the person we are meant to become.

Being dead to sin and alive in Christ is not merely a theological concept but a transformative reality for believers. It means recognizing the freedom from sin’s dominion and actively choosing to live a life of righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit. This shift from old to new means that we have a different life ahead of us, one marked by a love for God and others, repentance, mercy, grace, benevolence, humility, generosity, forgiveness, justice, and faithfulness.

Ephesians 2:5 says, “that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”  Being alive in Christ does not mean that you must have your life together. Being alive in Christ does not mean that you are happy all the time. It does not mean that your life is as beautiful and put-together as our Facebook posts. Being alive in Christ means the opposite. Ephesians 2:5 states that even though we were dead in our sins, God made us alive together with Christ. It is in imperfection that grace appears. God is at work in the mundane and the everyday messiness of life..

Being alive in Christ does not mean we will always be in a state of constant smiles and joy. Being alive in Christ means our foundation is so strong that even when storms come, we can weather them. Even when we were dead in our sins, God gave us life through Christ.

Take a moment right now to remember that Christ invites you to live a life in Him. Know that, in Christ, your feet are firmly planted on an unshakable foundation: Christ’s unconditional love for you. In both ordinary and extraordinary ways, Christ invites us to live free from sin and free from guilt.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we practically apply the concept of being “dead to sin” in our daily lives? 
2. What does it mean to “consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus?”
3. How does this understanding of our identity in Christ affect our daily choices and actions?
   

“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” – Psalm 37:3-5.

The Psalm 37 passage begins with the phrase ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good.” But what does that mean to do good? The short answer is doing good is actively engaging in acts of kindness and compassion as an expression of faith and a reflection of God’s character. Doing good is not just a suggestion, but a calling for believers to live out their faith through tangible deeds, serving others, and glorifying God.

The concept of “doing good” was virtually number one on the apostle Paul’s list. In his letter to Titus, he writes that God, in Jesus, “…gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds” (Titus 2:14 ). This emphasis appears several times throughout the letter, culminating in Paul’s closing exhortation: “Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive” (Titus 3:14).

Our ability to do good is a learned behavior as Paul tells us to “learn to do good by meeting the needs of others.” Our actions shouldn’t just be the result of an emotional tide. It should be a daily endeavor to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Being the hands and feet of Jesus means actively living out one’s faith through practical service and love, demonstrating Christ’s compassion and presence in the world. It involves embodying Christ’s love, mercy, and justice in everyday actions, showing kindness and compassion to others, and meeting their needs as Jesus would.

The vulnerable are so close to God’s heart that He considers our care for them to be caring for Himself. In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus praises His followers who saw people in need and responded in love. “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” (vs 40). That’s what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus: observing the needs around us, assessing our resources, and giving what we’re able.

We want to meet the needs of those around us, but where do we start? The starting point is rooting our lives in love. Doing something to help people is ultimately a display of God’s love. Like Jesus said in John 15:12, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” We need to pray and be on the lookout for opportunities to express God’s love to others around the world. By simply taking time to ask God, He can make you aware of ways to serve that you never would’ve come up with on your own.

Jesus reminds us that serving others doesn’t have to be complicated. In Luke 3:11, he says, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” By praying for awareness, God can open our eyes to even the simplest opportunities to demonstrate His love for others.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to “do good” in the context of your daily life? (Consider how this extends beyond simple acts of kindness and includes your work, relationships, and interactions.)
2. How can you identify opportunities to do good that align with your unique skills and passions? 
3. What are some practical ways to overcome the barriers or challenges that might prevent you from doing good?

“Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

What if this kind of humility that Paul showed in this passage defined the church today? What if we were comfortable sharing our weaknesses and embraced vulnerability? What if we didn’t worry about the opinion and approval of others because Jesus has already secured our approval?

This passage reminds us that our weaknesses are canvases for His strength—they are where we see Christ move, work, and transform. We can be open about our weaknesses, for they showcase Christ’s work within us. But how do we embrace vulnerability when every fiber in our being is fighting us to share our weaknesses? And that is understandable: the fear of judgment surfaces whenever we try our hand at being vulnerable.

Ann Voskamp once said that “Shame dies in safe spaces.” In other words, people will be more open in a forum where they genuinely feel safe. So, creating such a safe space within the church is vital. It’s about creating an environment where people who share freely are met with trust, support, and guaranteed confidentiality.

God modeled vulnerability by becoming human in Jesus Christ, experiencing pain and temptations. Jesus humbled himself, experiencing rejection, loss, disappointment, loneliness, and pain. He knew what it was like to be fully seen and not always understood, sharing His deepest feelings with His closest friends. We are called to imitate this example, showing love and acceptance as Christ did.

Vulnerability can be challenging because we often want to hide our brokenness from others.  But what feels like weakness in admitting our brokenness becomes strength when placed in the redemptive hands of God.

Every community of believers is comprised of a diverse group of people, each on their unique spiritual journey. Most of us find ourselves in that messy in-between space of growth, where we are painfully aware of our weaknesses. The challenge is navigating this journey while fostering an environment where openness and honesty are encouraged and everyone feels safe enough to admit they have things to work on, but want to work on them together.

Discussion Questions:

1. How is vulnerability personally defined? Does it seem like a strength or a weakness?
2. Can someone recall a time when someone demonstrated Christ-like vulnerability? What was the impact on others?
3. What fears or anxieties might hinder vulnerability in a faith community?

What life have you if you have not life together?
There is not life that is not in community,
And no community not lived in praise of God . . .
-Choruses from the Rock: T.S. Eliot.

Poet and playwright T. S. Eliot penned those words in 1934. Although society has undergone significant transformations over the past 90 years, driven by factors such as technological advancements, globalization, and shifts in cultural values, his words remain relevant. Eliot knows what we all know to be true today: a vibrant life needs community.

We were not created to go about this life apart from a relationship with other believers. In community, we discover our place in the body of Christ. In community, we learn what it is to serve out of love, honor, and respect. And in community, we receive the healing and love that can only come from those who share in the same Spirit.

Acts 2:42-47 describes the early Christian community in Jerusalem, highlighting their devotion to the apostles’ teachings, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. This passage describes the community we all strive for. We were made for honest, vulnerable fellowship. We were created to help each other, eat together, worship our God, and love others. The Acts passage describes the result of God’s saving work. When God saves people, God forms those people into a dynamic community whose members share their lives. God’s saving work produces a dynamic community in which those who share in the spiritual life of Christ also share in the everyday stuff of life.

God intends for us to be supported, strengthened, encouraged, and empowered through the community of believers. As we face the storms and temptations of life, we should draw strength from one another.

Scripture is clear that true community requires sacrifice, vulnerability, and accountability. 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 says, “This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”  Accountability within a church community is vital for spiritual growth and maturity. It involves a commitment to transparency, vulnerability, and mutual encouragement, fostering an environment where believers can confess sins, seek guidance, and receive correction from one another. This practice helps believers stay on track, avoid falling into sin, and grow in holiness, reflecting the love and grace of Christ.

Charles Spurgeon once said of the Church, “Imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us… All who have first given themselves to the Lord should, as speedily as possible, also give themselves to the Lord’s people. Being in community, in constant fellowship with other believers, helps refine our lives and intentions so that they more consistently align with Christ. This enables us to spiritually mature to the point where we can confidently encourage others to follow our example as we follow the example of Christ.”

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of the benefits of being part of a strong church community? 
2. What are some of the challenges of maintaining a healthy church community? 
3. How does the church community help us live out our faith in the world? 

Summary: On his way to Rome to appeal to Caesar, and under the supervision of Roman centurions, Paul and company run into a storm on the Mediterranean. After days of tumultuous winds, little food, and constant fear of death, the ship is finally broken apart, and the crew and prisoners need to swim for shore on a nearby island called Malta. Miraculously, everyone survives.

In part 1, we looked at the bad news of Paul’s shipwreck on the way to Rome. In part 2, we will look at the good news. The good news is that we can trust God’s promises.    

God had promised Paul that He would get to Rome. He told Paul he would stand before Caesar and would be given the opportunity to share God’s truth with him. God sends an angel to Paul to say, “Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you” (Acts 27:24). God fulfills His promises, doesn’t He? Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s promises are true. Even when, in the moment, it makes no sense or little sense from a human perspective, we can trust that God will see us through.

And we don’t need a new promise for a new storm. God promised you will reach your destination safely through Jesus Christ. But in Paul’s case, they were still going to run aground. God didn’t suddenly make everything calm and easy. Storms are still storms, but we can trust in the middle of them that God is faithful to do what He said He would do. Consider the promise He gives us in Philippians 1:6, where Paul wrote, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” The good news is what God already said he would do.

Everybody on the ship is brought safely to land. But we shouldn’t be surprised. We know it is a foregone conclusion that God will keep His promises, because He always does.

The ship itself is part of the story. Acts 27:43-44 says,  “the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.…he (centurion)  ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.” The ship breaking apart provided flotation devices to get everyone safely to land, especially those who couldn’t swim. The whole of the Christian life is characterized by holding onto something when facing our personal shipwrecks.   

So that’s the good and the bad news. The bad news is that discouragement is inevitable. The good is in the midst of that; God is going to show up in big ways. It’s not often how we plan for it, or what we would suggest He do. We need to simply trust God.

The writer of Psalm 112 had this in mind as well as he wrote verse 7, “They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them”  (Psalm 112:7).

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you define “trusting God”? Is it simply a feeling, or is it a choice to believe and obey even when circumstances are difficult? How does trusting in God help you cope with bad news?
2. When have you struggled to believe a promise of God? What was that experience like, and what helped you overcome that struggle?
   

“ But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea… The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. … The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.” – Acts 27:14-19.

Most people have been asked at some point whether they want to hear the good news or the bad news. Most people prefer to hear bad news before good news. This allows them to address the unpleasant information upfront and conclude on a positive note. Nobody wants to hear only bad news.

There is both good and bad news in the story about Paul found in Acts 27-28. The news is good initially, as Paul was going to leave for Rome after waiting for several years. Then there is some bad news in the form of a major storm. Then there was worse news as they sailed for days with no sun, no food, and no hope. Then there was good news: an angel came to Paul to tell him he was still going to get to Rome and that no one would lose their life. So Paul said to the crew, “So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island” (Acts 27:25-26).

So why does God give us 44 verses to tell this story? One possible reason is to remind us He is sovereign. What He does often doesn’t make sense to us, nor does He do things the way we would. But that’s what makes Him God. Yet God is in this story and is in total control of everything, especially the things that don’t make sense.

Let’s look more closely at this “good news, bad news” story. After a long season of waiting, Paul was finally on his way to Rome. This shouldn’t surprise us, because God had told him he would go there. Paul’s confidence in God’s promise was strong, but as usual for him, the process wasn’t an easy one. This story should remind us that what we might see as bad news—difficult and discouraging things—is often the very means God uses to eventually encourage us as we see Him working things out in our lives.

The storm they encountered was bad. We may not have the same type of storms. Day after day went by, and they couldn’t even tell light from darkness. It is hard to imagine what that was like.  Of course, they were discouraged. They were finally heading to the destination God had called them to, to stand before Caesar in Rome, but a trip that should have taken about four or five weeks took four months, with all kinds of twists and turns where things didn’t go their way.

The greatest gift we’ve been given in the face of trials is faith. When problems are staring us head-on, it’s hard to see around them to the beneficial outcome God intends. To face trials as God intends, we must have faith. We must believe that God has a useful outcome in mind, despite the trial being hard. We must have faith that God will guide us through every problem that stands in our way and instill in us a steadfastness that enables us to experience an abundant life.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you react to bad news? How does trusting in God help you cope with bad news?
2. How can you be a source of strength and hope for those who are facing difficult times?