Church Devotional - No Hurry - Revelation 10:6

Revelation 10:6           And he swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and the angel said, “There will be no more delay!”

There’s an old story told about three apprentice devils who were taking their final exam in front of Satan.

“Before I let you loose in the world,” Old Nick said, “I need to know what deceitful message you are going to whisper in the ears of people so that they end up here in hell.”

“That’s easy,” said the first devil. “I’ll tell them there is no heaven.”

“That won’t work,” said Satan. “Whenever people look at the beauty of the earth and feel the wonders of creation, they know that heaven exists. FAIL!”

“I’ll tell them that there’s no hell,” said the second devil.

“That won’t work either,” said Satan. “The world is full of so much pain and suffering, injustice and cruelty that people know hell exists as a place of punishment for the unrepentant and wicked. FAIL!”

The third devil thought for a moment and then said, “I’ll tell them that there’s no hurry.”

“EXCELLENT!” Satan declared. “People will be fooled into believing that there’s plenty of time to change. Hell will overflow with lost souls! PASS!”

And the angel said: “There will be no more delay!”

Are we ready for Christ’s Return if He comes back today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, our lives are precious gifts which are meant to be spent serving God and enjoying His Creation. We get distracted at times by what’s going on around us instead of paying attention to what’s happening inside our souls. Help us to take this day as a means of strengthening our faith, serving You, and sharing Your love, so that we and others will be ready for Your Return. In Your Holy Name, we wait and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make a comment about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is called “Death by Dali” and is John’s crayon depiction of the Crucifixion based upon Salvador Dali’s masterpiece “Christ of St. John of the Cross.” If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5630260156_4cd6a2e7b5_b.jpg

Church Meeting Devotions: Changing the Outcome - Revelation 9:20-21

Revelation 9:20-21     The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

 

When I read the Book of Revelation, I find some parts of it very sad. Today’s chosen verses make me feel that way because, according to John the Visionary, even after the terrible plagues and destruction that falls upon the Earth during the Time of Judgment, people will not repent or change their ways.

You would think that after losing a third of the planet’s population that people would wake up to reality and change their ways; instead they defiantly follow their own sinful ways and foolish paths. In Revelation, Christ’s Return is imminent and God’s wrath is being poured out upon the Earth, but humankind still persists in doing its own thing. In the Last Days idolatry, hedonism, immorality and dishonesty still abound. The human condition still wallows in its own misery despite what God is doing. It’s a last act of free will defiance and lifestyle libertinism. God is powerless to change the proud, stubborn hard-heartedness of sinful, stupid people.

That’s why I find reading Revelation so sad. Even when faced with the ultimate truth and End of Time reality, people are dooming themselves to damnation because they think that they know and are better than God. They tolerate all forms of wickedness and expect God to accept their ways. They brazenly ignore His warnings and reject any signs of Christ’s Return. They glorify themselves and end up in Hell because they do nothing to change their lives.

Yesterday, after Hurricane Irene had passed through the Eastern Seaboard, the Director of FEMA was asked if all of the warnings, evacuations and preparations had been unnecessary. The Director brilliantly answered, “You can’t change the outcome if you’re not ready.” In other words, without any preparations, more lives would have been lost.

My work as a preacher is to try to get people prepared for the End of Days. It gets harder every year because people are becoming more obsessed with their own lifestyle choices rather than choosing what God wants. Community tolerance has replaced Christ’s Teaching. Living for today has overcome looking for God. And getting our own way is more desirable to us instead of following The Way. As a sinful society, we are now more distant from God and more unready for Christ’s Return than we ever have been, despite having the scriptures and the truth of Christ’s Teaching available to us at any second of the night or day.

When Judgment comes, we will only have Christ to thank or ourselves to blame. The final destination for our everlasting souls will depend upon how much we’re willing to change and how ready we will be.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, the Bible gives us many strong warnings to repent of our sinful choices, to change our godless ways, and to prepare ourselves for Your Return. Sadly many of us will not heed Your uncompromising words and will fool ourselves into Hell. Our pride will make us push back against any challenge to our ways. Our love of self will set us adrift from Your salvation. Forgive our foolishness, O Lord, and reclaim our souls before it is too late. In Your Holy Name, we fearfully and faithfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is presently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask any questions or make any comments about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest simple digital glass drawing from the Book of Psalms. It features a verse from Psalm 108. If you would like to view a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6081117737_388de7259d_b.jpg

Opening Devotions: Expecting the Unexpected - Revelation 8:5

Revelation 8:5             Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

This week’s earthquake in Virginia took a lot of people by surprise. People felt high buildings shake and thought it was another terrorist attack. The Washington Monument cracked and was shut down. The National Cathedral in DC suffered millions of dollars of damage. It was completely unexpected and lots of people were left frightened and stunned.

Records, however, show that earthquakes have taken in this region before. In fact, if you look at a map and check out the North Eastern seaboard terrain, you soon realize that earthquakes have been happening in this region for millions of years. Everyone was caught by surprise this week because of a false notion that large earthquakes take place on the West Coast and not the Eastern Seaboard. We have fooled ourselves into believing that the whole region was off limits to substantial seismological activity.

We are good at deluding ourselves biblically too. Take some of the passages in Revelation. We hardly ever think about them and cast them aside as ancient mythology. We reckon that it’s been almost 2000 years since the apocalyptic prophecies were written, so why do we need to bother about them now?

However, we also casually forget that we are almost 2000 years nearer to the day when these events will occur. Just like the “unexpected” earthquake in Virginia, the Lord will return one day and angels will hurl hail and fire which will burn up a third of the Earth. Will we look at one another in deep shock and surprise if it happens in our lifetime? Will we sadly remember that this “unexpected” return was not so unexpected after all? Will we continually live our lives as if these cataclysmic events will happen only after we’re dead and gone?

If we honestly think about it, everyday has the potential of being our last day on Earth. The serious question that we need to ask ourselves is this: will it also be our first day in Christ’s Everlasting Kingdom? The gift of free will still applies, so the choice of where we end up eternally is still ours to make on this side of Life.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, prevent us from fooling ourselves about Your Second Coming. Keep us aware and alert to the signs of the times and the Biblical warnings that You have given to us. Help us to stay focused on our faith in You and enable to attract our loved ones to You before it is too late. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask questions, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image John’s simple stained glass design of Christ’s Return. It’s called “A New Earth.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2432537217_e82364bff8_b.jpg

Church Devotions: Pat Summitt - A Courageous Lady - Ecclesiastes 12:1

Ecclesiastes 12:1         Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"

Like everyone else in Knoxville, Tennessee, I was shocked yesterday to learn the sad news that our Lady Vols basketball coach has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Pat Summitt is a remarkable woman and an exceptionally talented coach. She has risen up from humble beginnings and is one of the most successful leaders in American College Sports. She is a fierce competitor and a magnificent teacher. Tennessee fans adore her and this news has rocked us all.

But Pat Summitt is a courageous person. Yesterday she went on television to broadcast the news to her fans everywhere, in order to personally tell them of her disease. As always, she did this with great dignity and resolve, letting her supporters, players, and team coaches know that she is determined to continue leading the basketball team, while fighting the disease that is progressing within her. In Pat’s words, she intends to do this “as long as the Good Lord is willing.”

I have no doubt that Pat Summitt will prevail. I am also certain that she will become an important spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s Association. If ever a person was destined to become a national advocate to seek a cure for this devastating disease, Pat Summit is truly the one.  

Every true Tennessean and sports fan across the United States supports Pat in her new battle. And our prayers go with her in the hope that the Good Lord will extend her life and diminish this disease.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we pray for families everywhere who are experiencing the effects of Alzheimer’s in their homes and among their loved ones. We ask that You will surround them with supportive and compassionate friends. We pray also for Pat Summitt and thank You for her bravery and tenacity. Grant her the strength that she needs to continue leading her team and give her many opportunities to advocate on behalf of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Pat Summitt’s video announcing the news can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DsXfInhkF8

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is John’s Knoxville picture called “Sunsphere City.” It features the world famous Sunsphere which is situated in the World’s Fair Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5095209018_cf3f00de0f_b.jpg

Church Stewardship devotions: The Swan Pond - Ecclesiastes 11:1

Ecclesiastes 11:1       Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. 

Some of the simplest joys that I can remember of living in Scotland were the times when Evelyn and I would take our two daughters to Culzean Castle to feed the birds at the Swan Pond. It was always wonderful to watch our girls smile, laugh, and be happy as they threw the bread to the beautiful swans.

The swans knew what to expect and they would majestically glide across the water to feast on the bread. Usually a number of mallard and tufted ducks would try to get into the action, but because of their bigger size, the swans would get most of the bread. As the sun shone on the water and we heard the giggles and laughter of our girls, life felt so good.

I wonder what bird-less waters that the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote about. Whenever we threw the bread on the Swan Pond waters, everything was soon eaten. If we went back there in three hours time, we would find nothing left, so this verse puzzles me.

I’ve heard people use this verse, including some preachers, to encourage others to give their money to God because it would be returned to them. I also know that some people claim this to be true, but I wonder about their motive for giving in the first place. If we give to God because we want to get something in return, is that an offering or bargaining? Isn’t it more Christian to give without expecting anything in return, in order to live by Christ’s teaching that “it is far better to give than to receive,” as the Apostle Paul pointed out? (Acts 20:35)

So, by all means, let’s cast our resources upon the living waters of Christ and His Church, but let’s also not look for anything in return. After all, aren’t the complete forgiveness of our sins and the promise of everlasting life more than enough?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for giving everything of Yourself so that we may be restored to God’s eternal love. Help us to give what we can of our time, talents, and money to those needful opportunities that will come our way this week. Enable us to do this selflessly so that You will receive all the glory and honor for the good deeds and charitable giving that we do in Your Name. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s wildlife drawings called “Swan Pond.” If you would like to see a larger version of it, then please click on the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4373092333_3d5cd56d51_b.jpg

Church Meeting Devotions: A Defining Moment - Revelation 5:5

Revelation 5:5            Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

 

If someone were to ask you how to define the Christian faith, would your answer involve anything that Christ is going to do at the End of Time?

Most people would define Christianity in terms of loving one another, making peace in the world, and trying to follow Christ’s teachings. They may also talk about being forgiven for all of their mistakes and being restored to God’s everlasting love. Hardly any of them would mention the Biblical prophecy of Christ’s unfinished work which will only be completed when human history is ended by God. At that last moment in Time, Christ will step forward to lay claim to the Earth and heartily recognize all of His followers. The work of salvation will be complete and our faith will no longer be needed for Jesus will have returned to this world.

The best way to define the Christian faith is to begin by defining Who Jesus actually is. He is the Savior of anybody in the world who, at any time, place, or civilization, believes that He is the Son of God and that Christ has the unique power to pardon their sins and bring them back into favor with God. Faith in Christ means that people trust Him completely by placing their everlasting souls into His hands, so that when the world finally ends, their eternal life with Him actually begins.

Christians have faith in Jesus to bring history to its final completion. All suffering, pain, and evil will be brought to a swift end when He alone opens the sacred sealed scrolls that usher in the Divine Judgment of the whole of humanity. At that time, Jesus will be both Advocate for His followers and Judge for His detractors. He is entrusted with this responsibility because He perfectly obeyed God while He lived on Earth and completely fulfilled the Divine ransom for all sinful souls through His death on the Cross.

Therefore, the Christian faith is defined as a complete trust in Jesus as Redeemer and Savior, Healer and Restorer, Lord and King. Anything else pales into insignificance because in the end, and at The End, only Christ’s power and authority will prevail.

The challenge that faces people in today’s world is this: are they willing to accept Christ and define their faith through Him alone?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we will all witness that last moment in time when You step forward to open the sacred seals. On that Day, we will completely know the truth of all things and the Final destination of our everlasting souls. Remind us that this is not only a new day, but that it could also be the End of Days. Keep us from being distracted and dissuaded of Your concerns. Help us to remain focused and faithful to You alone. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest chess drawing called “Dark Knight.” If you would like to view a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6052095208_108c32b858_b.jpg

Church Meeting devotions: Is Life a Game of Chance? - Ecclesiastes 9:11

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. 

Do you ever play games of chance? I’m not talking about betting on horses or playing casinos. I’m talking about those games that we all see at the fairground or a theme park. The ones I like are skeeball and trying to flick the quarter on to a glass table. Sometimes I win; most of the time I lose, and the stall owner knows this when I put my dollars down to play the game. The other one I like is the claw that you see in stores. I’ve won a lot of stuffed animals over the years and I can remember almost emptying a machine in Scotland before the store owner asked me to leave.

According to Solomon, life is a game of chance with no rhyme or reason to what goes on. His conclusion is to eat, drink, and be merry because tomorrow we may die. It makes me wonder that if Solomon knew Christ, would he have changed his philosophy?

As a Christian, I believe that Christ has a plan for my life and every other Christian under the sun. I believe that Jesus still cares about the world and that His ministry is still effectively taking place across this planet. I believe that hundreds of millions of people will do good things in His Name today that will go unreported, unrecognized, and unvalued. And I believe that life is not a game of chance; it is a predetermined journey which will end in Christ’s Triumphant Return when the gift of everlasting life will be awarded to His followers.

Today can be the first day in the rest of our eternal lives if we surrender our hearts and submit our spirits to Christ. Chance has got nothing to do with everlasting life; it has everything to do with Christ.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, Your life and ministry were planned long before You came to Earth. Everything was predetermined by God and You fulfilled all that God wanted and needed You to complete. Our lives have been potentially predetermined by You and there is a purpose for our existence. Help us to be aware of what You want and need us to complete in order to continue Your ministry and mission. In Your Holy Name, we wait and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org

Today’s drawing is John’s latest chess prints. It’s called “End Game” and features three old men playing chess in the park on a cold winter’s day. If you would like to see a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6047493889_86ca7e5e66_b.jpg

Church Devotions: God Will Find You

Ecclesiastes 7:29         “This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”

When I was seventeen years old, I can remember deliberately telling God that I was finished with Him. I gruffly told Him thanks for all that He had done, but this was my life and He wasn’t welcome in it any more. I wanted to go my own way, do my own thing, and not be hampered by Bronze Age mythology or ancient morality.

God must have heard me because for the next 3-4 years I was on a path of self-destruction and joylessness. Like the writer of Ecclesiastes once wrote, I tried everything under the sun and found it to be meaningless. I got my fill of untold pleasures but my soul was empty. I ate and drank and made merry practically every night; in the morning, I hated the man in the mirror and just wanted to die, not because I was having a hangover, but because I was wasting my life.

At one time, through various people in my past, God had planted seeds of faith in my arrogant heart. Even as I was in search of many schemes to satisfy my body, mind, heart and soul, God was already making plans. And when He rescued me from my own rotting pit and nasty drunken self, He placed me back on the path that He wanted me to walk. I had dishonorably discarded God in the past, but He did not destroy my future. When I was unfaithful to Him, He remained faithful to His purpose. When I walked away, He kept an eye on me. And when I eventually turned back and surrendered myself to Him, God allowed me to get off my knees and work for His Son Jesus. I had searched many schemes, but Christ’s predestined scheme for my life was not discarded by God.

Perhaps you also have walked away from God. Maybe you have been hurt by the church or wounded by church people. It could be that you don’t want to be burdened by God’s commands or Christ’s demands upon your life. Or perhaps you just feel so far away, that you don’t how to get back into God’s good graces or Christ’s embracing welcome.

Wait for Him to come to you. You don’t have to run away any longer. God knows your weaknesses, your sin, and your secrets. Through Christ, you can be totally forgiven, completely restored and truly loved. Turn and wait. He will find you. He will rescue you. He will redeem you. You are a child of God’s grace and a beloved friend of Christ.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we’ve all gone astray at times and have done foolish things. We carry sinful regrets in our hearts and are burdened with shameful secrets. You have the power to forgive all things and You have the loving grace to grant that mercy to all of us. Thank You for such a wonderful gift! Thank You for such amazing love. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is John’s latest print of the month called “Fall Retreat.” It features a rustic cabin in the heart of the Smoky Mountains during Fall. A limited number (25) of signed prints (8x10 inches) are available. Just email John at the above address for details. You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following location: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/6014988935_76c01bd78d_b.jpg

Church Devotions: Epic Fail - Ecclesiastes 7:18

Ecclesiastes 7:18a       The man who fears God will avoid all extremes. 

I am appalled, but not surprised, at the riots in Britain. It’s shocking to see so much destruction and violence, but I believe this has been festering for a number of years.

The Church has failed an entire generation. We’ve allowed people to follow strange and selfish paths which lead to emptiness, anxiety, and aggression. I saw this happening in Scotland prior to me leaving in 1995. Christian beliefs were beginning to wane and humanism was on the rise. The Church was largely discarded as an anachronism. Traditional beliefs were ridiculed and much of the Calvinist Reformed Theology was mocked. In England, the Church gave in to cultural pressure, so that anyone could live as they liked and believe what they wanted. Eventually, the whole structure of the new society was shaped to disregard the Church and to entirely diminish Christianity.

They succeeded. And now anarchy and atheism have become so entrenched in this new generation that there are no longer any spiritual, ethical, or moral boundaries. Civilization in Europe, which has been held together by Christianity since the 7^th century AD, is beginning to crumble. Those who ignored the warning signs are reaping what was sown. All that the Church can do is stand by the sidelines and watch society destroy itself. Greed and pride, selfishness and brazeness have overtaken the souls of the people. Foolishness and ignorance, poverty and violence are on the increase. Instead of progressing into the 21^st century, Britain and other European nations are stepping back into the Dark Ages. The law of the jungle and the survival of the fittest has taken over from the love of Jesus and the strength of faith.

My heart bleeds for Britain, but I need to work over here. The signs of the same things are occurring and I am anxious about the younger generation. They are like sheep without a Shepherd and I worry that their society is going to be hardest upon those among them who keep their Christian convictions alive. Persecution seems so far away and is only an extreme possibility; but sometimes I wonder if it’s only a matter of years before committed Christians over here are going to be harassed, harangued, and hunted down as we once were during the Dark Ages.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are seeing the bitter fruits of faithlessness emerge violently and satanically in other places around the world. Your Church has been culpable in planting the seeds of discontent, unhappiness, and meaningless in the hearts, mind, and souls of this 21^st century generation. We have neglected the true message of the Gospel and have allowed it to be replaced by a mythical morality, futile theology, and insipid ideology. Forgive us for being distracted, dishonorable, and disloyal to You. Help us to recover and restore our people through repentance, revival, and redemption. In Your Holy Name, we plead and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s latest Chess series prints. It’s called “Knight takes Rook” and is a pop art image of the game. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6024701992_405a71c6de_b.jpg

Church devotions: Church Mistakes - Revelation 2:1-7

Revelation 2:5            Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 

Even churches can make mistakes and, as the Reformers used to say, “Councils err.”

Revelation Chapters 2 & 3 contain seven indictments against well established churches in the New Testament age. With one exception, each of them had fallen off their original spiritual path by allowing their community and culture to overtake their business and beliefs. Instead of following Christ’s pattern for ministry and mission, they followed their own plans and went their own way. Christ cautions them about this and warns them of the consequences of their decisions and actions. He even calls them to repent of their ways; otherwise His Light and Spirit would be taken from them.

Those prophetic warnings of along ago could so easily have been written today. Christians everywhere are in danger of succumbing to their society. The old word for this process is ‘syncretism.’ Of all the community sins mentioned in the Bible, the act of syncretism, of God’s people submitting to cultural pressures, was the most damning to whichever generation succumbed.

As post-moderns and 21^st century Christians, we are not shielded from this sinful process. In fact, in recent years our churches have turned away from what is acceptable to God towards what is acceptable to the world. It only remains to be seen whether or not Christ will take away his Light and Spirit from those churches which wander away from Him and do not repent. It may be the case, as it was for several of the churches mentioned in Revelation, that a generation of believers was lost before repentance, revival, and restoration were experienced.

The challenging questions for us today are these: Have our Councils erred? Are we in need of church-wide repentance? What signs will indicate that Christ has removed His lampstand from our people?

Prayer:                                 Lord Jesus, help us to review our recent decisions and truly ask whether we are contending for the world or Your Kingdom? Grant us wisdom and keep us on Your path. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask him any questions, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing called “Fall Retreat.” It features a rustic cabin in the heart of the Smokies during the Fall season. You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following link:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/6014988935_76c01bd78d_b.jpg

Church Devotions: Fall Breaker - Jude 1:24

Jude 1:24             To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.

Like everyone else on this planet, I am a sinner in need of saving. I try to be a good person, but usually there are moments each day when I succumb to temptation. Perhaps it’s when someone else upsets me, or something that I selfishly want. Maybe it’s something I’ve neglected to do, or someone that I’ve offended. Whatever the circumstances, I end up with a list of sinful things that I need to confess at the end of each day.

There are even times when I’m too busy or too tired to really pray. I end up taking God’s grace for granted and cheapen Christ’s ability to forgive me. In fact, as I’m writing this, I realize that I’ve forgotten to ask forgiveness for something that happened yesterday. I need to stop what I’m doing and make amends with the Lord right away.

We daily try to be Christians and some days are better than others. We wrestle with life and struggle to be faithful to Christ in all things. It’s never easy, but it can frequently be joyful. I like what Jude has to write at the end of his letter. He refers to Jesus as the One who keeps us from falling and who presents us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy. We all may be great sinners and make mistakes each day, but we have a Great Savior who will forgive us for everything. That’s what makes our faith a joy to experience. That’s what makes Jesus so wonderful to follow.

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing us to confess our mistakes, repent of our sins, and receive Your forgiveness. We know that we are imperfect, foolish, and selfish at times. We praise You for being Perfect, Wise, and Gracious. In Your Holy Name, we joyfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s sunset drawings of Pawley’s Island in South Carolina. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1217/4608181438_01d3daf318_b.jpg