Lent devotion: 700 Years - Isaiah 53:11

Isaiah 53:11    After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 

I am constantly amazed at how much the descriptions of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 are perfectly matched with Christ’s suffering and execution. There’s about seven hundred years between the prophet’s writing and the crucifixion of Jesus. It’s more than just coincidental; it’s divinely predestined and appointed by God.

I like the sacred and spiritual lead up to Easter. It’s a whole lot more meaningful than the commercial chaos that we now call Christmas. Believers get time to focus on their Christian faith and when it is done properly and consistently, the season of Lent helps us to lean upon God in the midst of our own issues and crises, pressures and problems. It’s a wonderful way to draw nearer to God. It’s a special time to commit ourselves to His Suffering Servant, the Crucified Christ.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You suffered because You served God completely. Your agonizing death paid the absolute price of our sins. Because of Your obedience and sacrifice, we can be among the many that will be restored to God. Help us to draw nearer to You each day. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is part of a Good Friday drawing that John is working on, which is based upon the Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6923675459_89c9fd470b_b.jpg

Lent Devotions: Faith for Life

Matthew 27:1  Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 

Today in Iran, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is awaiting execution. He was found guilty of apostasy by an Iranian Sharia Court because he converted to Christianity from Islam and preached the Gospel. His appeal was rejected and the rest of the world is waiting to see if the Iranian government will carry out the sentence. A good and godly man may die unjustly for believing in Christ and applying his faith.

C.S. Lewis once said, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”  Our faith is not a cozy system of beliefs, it’s a costly one. Christians all over the world are losing everything – family, homes, churches, careers, and even their lives – for sharing the same beliefs that we possess. The difference is that our beliefs tend to be influenced by our life-style choices; for others like Youcef, their beliefs involve the choice between life and death.

When the decision was made by the chief priests and elders to have Jesus executed, did they ever regret what they chose to do? Christ’s death did not put an end to His ministry; it only expanded it beyond Jerusalem and out into the whole world. They thought that they were saving their own religion, but in historical reality, they were giving birth to a brand new faith which would eclipse their own.

As we focus upon Christ and His mission throughout Lent, let’s also remember that the persecution of His Church still takes place in other lands. May we never take our faith for granted or look for it to be comfortable.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have open our hearts to You and call ourselves Christians. At times, we bear an uncomfortable cross and find that our faith confronts our most cherished choices. Help us to be aware of the cost of our beliefs and keep us from compromising Your sacred commands. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings based upon the PCUSA symbol. It’s entitled “A New Day.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7186/6857135507_2823395f41_b.jpg

Lent Devotions: Lent Begins at 40 - Isaiah 51:11

Isaiah 51:11    The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Millions of Christians around the world will attend worship services to have the sign of the Cross placed upon their forehead using the ashes of last year’s Palm branches. They do this as an act of penance, beginning a forty day journey of humility and contrition, in order to prepare their hearts and souls, bodies and minds for Holy Week and Easter.

It’s also a time when self-importance gives way to a focus upon God. Self-centered sin is cast side, to be replaced with a deeply spiritual awareness of who Jesus was, is, and ever shall be.

Lent begins at 40. The ashes represent sorrow and shame. The forty days are symbolic of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness just before He began His incredible three year journey of preaching, teaching, and healing. The whole season of Lent is meant to bring us closer to God by aligning our thoughts and acts, our words and ways with those of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. If we are successful in maintaining this focus, then Holy Week and Easter will become incredible too.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, as we begin this forty day journey of Lent, be with us step by step and day by day. Allow us the blessing of Your presence and guidance over everything that we think, do, or say. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is a bulletin cover designed by John for Lent and/or Holy Week. It is called “Purple Reign.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7050/6913397537_14e0996d59_b.jpg

Shrove Tuesday devotion: Reveling and rebuilding - Isaiah 51:3

Isaiah 51:3      The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. 

Tonight the streets of New Orleans will be full of party goers, revelers, and celebrants. People will be singing loudly, joyfully, and drunkenly because Mardi Gras has come to the Big Easy. It’s a remarkable occasion and amazing turnaround for a city that was left devastated and desolate when the levees broke after Hurricane Katrina. What was once a city of destruction has now become a place of re-construction. The people have a right to make merry and be joyful; they have worked hard to rebuild and to restore.

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day always takes on the eve before Lent begins. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday when Christians all over the world are supposed to begin a six week season of penance and sacrifice, humility and contrition. It’s a time to remember that we sin constantly and because of that Christ has to die for us. It’s meant to be a somber time and a quiet month and a half of sobriety, steadfastness, and sanctification.

But Lent is also a time of rebuilding our faith and restoring our confidence in God’s salvation. It’s a wonderful season of redemption and liberation, reconnection and love through Christ. Yes, we all sorrowfully know that we are sinners, but we also rejoice that Jesus is our Savior and that He alone can bring us back to God’s kingdom, favor, and love.

Sin may have wrecked our lives, but Christ can reclaim our souls.

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for this special time of year, which is celebratory and somber, full of self-reflection and divine compassion. Open our hearts to Your ways and help us to meaningfully prepare ourselves for the passion and the pain, as well as the joy and jubilation of Easter. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest images for Mardi Gras. It’s called “Mardi Gras Masks.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6806639485_cee4d33105_b.jpg

Lent Devotions: Lent Devotions e-book Kindle Your Spirit

2 days until Lent begins. Get ready for Easter with "Kindle Your Spirit"...40 daily devotions and unique religious artwork to inspire you. Can be read on Kindles and other mobile devices with Kindle app. Go on, treat yourself to an incredible spiritual journey.

Only $1.99! http://tinyurl.com/6rel33z

Lenten devotions: Always Around - Matthew 26:11

Matthew 26:11   The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.

Years ago, when I first became a Christian, I attended a Youth Fellowship program at a church where most of my friends worshipped. It was at the other side of town which meant that I had to get two buses to travel there.

Most of the young people there belonged to the same mid-week evangelical Gospel club that I attended in the heart of Glasgow. There were a few who didn’t and they remained skeptical about giving your life to Jesus. One young guy always used today’s verse as his spiritual barrier from accepting Christ as his Savior. He argued that Jesus was being insensitive and uncaring when He stated that the poor would always be around.

“Instead of just healing the sick,” he often argued, “why couldn’t Jesus get rid of poverty? Helping the poor would have made Him my Savior in my life.”

It was hard to argue against that statement. We really didn’t know then that the Church is truly engaged in the world trying to alleviate poverty every day. We also didn’t understand what Jesus was really saying: ‘help the poor as much as you can because they’ll always be there, but also make and take time to honor me.’

I think Mother Theresa of Calcutta said it best when she talked about helping the poor and serving Christ. “Do something beautiful for God,” she often declared when she addressed church conferences in other countries. In other words, we can help the poor as much as we are able and feel good about ourselves, but when we do it for Christ, we have the added bonus of pleasing God.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, each week You present us with opportunities to help people in need and to serve You. Enable us to do both of these together, as ministry and mission, as well as outreach and worship. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Psalm drawings. It depicts Psalm 115 and features the verse where God is described as the Maker of Heaven and Earth. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6855709255_a7d20b81df_b.jpg

Lenten Devotions: God's Smiley Face - Isaiah 49:13

Isaiah 49:13    Shout for joy, O Heavens; rejoice O Earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. 

Like most people, sometimes all that I need are a few kind words and a smile to get me through the day. A little kindness, mixed in with some encouragement, goes a long way. In the busy-ness of our own activities and careers, it’s nice to be applauded and appreciated once in a while.

Sometimes when I’m writing emails, I put one of those smiley faces at the end of what I’ve written. Emails are great, but they often don’t communicate gratitude and grace very well. A little yellow smiley face or even the typed equivalent J helps the recipient to understand that you are pleased with what they are doing and encouraged by what they have written.

I like today’s verse from Isaiah because seeks to bless His people with comfort and compassion. They have endured a lot of suffering through the years of exile in Babylon. Their faith has been stretched to its limit and their beliefs have been battered and bruised. God wants them to know that in the midst of their struggles, He is still with them.

Perhaps today you need a kind word and a smile from God. Through the grace that Jesus Christ brought into the world, we are given God’s comfort and compassion. Come to Him today with your worries and woes, your problems and pressures. His promises will help you; His love will sustain you…. J

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are the instrument of God’s blessing to the world and the channel of His cherished love. Grant us comfort in the midst of all that unsettles us, and compassion in all that worries us. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is my latest chess drawing called “Indian King,” featuring Indian designed chess pieces. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/6854840939_1a83f370e8_b.jpg

Church devotions: Peace Like a River - Isaiah 48:18

Isaiah 48:18    If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 

I love singing the old spirituals that the African slaves once composed. In spite of the suffering, inhumanity, and injustice that they experienced, they had a deeper faith in God than most of the people of their times. They knew what it felt to be humiliated and oppressed, harshly treated and cruelly kept. Despite those terrible and terrifying experiences, they held on to a truer relationship with God that many of us today will never know.

Today’s verse reminded me of the spiritual “I’ve Got Peace like a River.” It’s a simple song which expresses a simple steadfast faith in God. Both the song and the Bible verse were written during times of oppression for both the Jewish people in Babylon and the African slaves in America. They depict an absolute trust and complete assurance in God to rescue and deliver both communities. In both circumstances, freedom comes through an inner faith which cannot be destroyed by the whip or wickedness. God’s people are liberated by His enduring love. Both races are rescued by their Redeemer.

Sometimes I wonder if our faith would be able to survive similar circumstances. We are blessed with many freedoms, wonderful opportunities, and great advantages compared to those two historical communities. Is our faith real or only convenient? Could we endure persecution and pain, injustice and calamity?

I hope that we will never be tried or troubled in those ways, but I also fervently hope that if ever we do, we will dearly hold on to God and find that inward pervasive peace that does indeed flow like a river.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have been greatly blessed by God throughout our days. Our faith is rarely tested and our beliefs are hardly ever beleaguered by injustice or inhumanity. We are fortunate to live in a place and at a time when we feel safe and secure. Help us to use these blessings to support other people in need, as well as other Christians in distress. 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 a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest winter drawings. It’s called “Amid the Winter Snow” and features the Cades Cove Church, in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, covered under a blanket of snow and glistening in the light of a winter moon. If you would like to see a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6828228349_28319f48f3_b.jpg

Lent Devotions: Lent Devotions e-book Kindle Your Spirit

A lot of Christians use devotional material to help prepare their hearts and minds for Easter during Lent. This year, I've written a new 40 day devotional e-book to help them through the sacred season.

Anyone who uses a Kindle will be able to download the e-book in seconds. PC people, Android users, and even Mac owners can download the free Kindle app from Amazon.com and then download the book too!

The e-book is full of personal reflections, challenging meditations, and scriptural devotions. Each day also contains one of my art images. Each devotion can be read within 5 minutes. The cost is only $1.99. Most devotional books cost around $9.99 these days.

Click on the box below and enjoy a sample of what the book has to offer...:)

Church Staff devotions: Down to The Wire - Isaiah 46:4

Isaiah 46:4      Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

It was one of the best Super Bowls that I have ever seen in my life. The game could have gone to either team. The New York Giants and the New England Patriots played fiercely against each other until the very last second. It was a nail biting finish and I enjoyed every second of it. If those two teams played every Sunday night for a year, I would continue to watch them because neither side gave in. American football was the grand winner last night and I can’t wait for next season to begin!

The tenacity that both teams displayed last night is a quality that God shows to His people time after time. He will always be there for His chosen people. He will always sustain and carry them. His covenant will never be broken by God. His faithfulness will endure to the end of Time.

As Christians, we have been given that blessing from God through Jesus Christ. He came to save the world by dying on the Cross. He kept faithful with God right down to the last breath of His life. He remained loyal to God’s plan even when God’s people were disloyal to Him.

Perhaps you are feeling vulnerable, weak, isolated or anxious. Maybe you’re going through a tough time, a family crisis, or some problems at work. It could be that you’ve been strong for too long and need to let God be God in your life. He has the strength to sustain you. He has the power to carry you. Just let God do what God does best.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we carry crosses of our own making and bear burdens that we have built. Remind us today of how much God loves us and how strong He can be for us. Enable us to lay down our burdens and allow ourselves to be carried by Your grace. 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, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest winter drawings. It’s called “Northern Lights” and features the beautiful colors of the Aurora Borealis. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6773836733_67954361dc_b.jpg

John has also just published his fourth devotional e-book called “Kindle Your Faith.” It contains 40 daily devotions for the upcoming season of Lent, as well as 40 of his art images. You can view and sample a part of the book at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/7ooct66

Church Halftime devotions: I AM - Isaiah 45:5-6

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 45:1-7 and Matthew 23:1-12

Isaiah 45:5-6  I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 

How clear does God have to be? What more does He have to say that will convince the world that He is God alone? How long will we go on thinking to ourselves that this does not matter?

The scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, are consistently clear about God’s exclusiveness. If we believe otherwise, then from where did we garner that belief? Certainly not the scriptures.

Maybe we have to seriously think about our world view and personal philosophies again. Maybe we’ve got it wrong and God, as always, has it right.

Prayer:                        Lord God, You are almighty, unique, and exceptional. There are no other gods. Give us the courage to surrender our hearts and minds in faith to You alone, instead of giving in to the ways of the world. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently 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 image is John’s latest winter drawing of the beautiful Northern Lights. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6773836733_67954361dc_b.jpg