Memorial Day Poem: Memorial by John Stuart

Memorial

Silently,

I will remember the host
Of men and women
Who paid the cost
For the Freedom I enjoy.

Respectfully,

I will remind
The next generations
Of the sacrifice
That previous generations
Gave to preserve our Liberty.

Tearfully,

I will recall those still living,
Whose hopes and dreams,
Lives and loves
Were completely altered
By unavoidable war
And selective service.

Proudly,

I will stand with them
And embrace the Stars and Stripes
In my heart and soul,
Feeling strongly connected
To its past, present, and future.

Thankfully,

I will honor those
Who selflessly gave of their youth,
And those who are still giving of their lives,
So that I and all others
May have a Freedom worth living,
A Hope worth advancing,
And a Life secured by Liberty.

(c) John Stuart 2013

Church meeting devotion: Essentials Daniel 3:17-18

Daniel 3:17-18            “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Some people might have said they were being disrespectful and disloyal to the king. Others could have condemned them for being ornery and unfaithful. Whatever was said against them at the time, the audacious faith that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had in God was undiminished and unswerving. And even when they faced a fiery execution, they still did not turn away from the God of their people, not even if God failed to deliver them.

That’s what made their faith so audacious. No matter what happened to them, whether for better or for ill, they still held on to their essential belief that there was only One God. No matter how many threats were made against them or how hot the fiery furnace was raised, they did not swerve from their devotion to the LORD. It must have been both perplexing and infuriating to King Nebuchadnezzar. He wanted to save them – all they had to do was bow down to a golden image – but they would not adhere to the king’s commands. There was a Higher Power active in their lives and a greater authority than that of the earthly king. The three men would not surrender their faith in order to save their lives.

            In these contentious times for the Church, it can be very easy to let go of some essential beliefs in order to accommodate everyone’s ideas and notions about God. However well intended, if we stray too far from the truth, then we are in danger of losing our faith for the sake of keeping up with the world. We could even end up with a belief system that is not worth dying for, nor even living by.

            Within each of ourselves, we have to work out what is important to Christ and His Church. Perhaps we can do no better than to practice a favorite saying of the 17^th century English Puritan Richard Baxter: “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.” Now that would be a faith worth living by and dying for.

Questions for personal reflection

What beliefs are essential to my Christian faith? Do I live according to those essentials?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, grant us the gift of spiritual discernment in order to truthfully know what is important to You, Your Kingdom, and Your Church. Grant us an audacious faith that will not compromise the essentials, but will also maintain a spirit of charity to those with whom we disagree. 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 traqair@aol.com.

 

Today’s image is one of John’s Pentecost drawings called “The Coming One.” It’s a stained glass design for children. You can view a larger version at the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7312/8734328860_763c4691c0_h.jpg

Devotion for Pentecost: Traditional or Transitional? - Acts 15:8-9

Acts 15:8-9      God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for He purified their hearts by faith.

Acceptance is currently a big issue in the lives of many churches around the world. It involves a serious review of what is acceptable to the 21^st century Christian community. It’s an important component of who we are and how we effectively witness to the wider world around us. Every generation has to wrestle and struggle with this; every congregation has to work through these tough issues.

Sometimes we get so busy defining the rules and regulations that we neglect to see where the Holy Spirit is actually working in our communities. We get so caught up in the theological civil war that is going on, that we forget about the healing work that the Holy Spirit is ministering to a much greater broken world.

This is not new or unique to our current generation. It happened in the First Century in Jerusalem where the Christian Church was initially started. The fifteenth chapter of Acts reveals to us the dilemma between Traditionalists and Transitionalists. Some Jewish Christians insisted that all male Gentile converts needed to be circumcised. Others, like Paul and Barnabas, fiercely argued that Christianity had progressively moved on from adhering to Jewish traditions.

Eventually, it was Peter who settled the dispute which threatened to divide and destroy the Young Church. Instead of looking back to the past or seeking a new paradigm, the Big Fisherman reminded everybody to look for the Holy Spirit and to seek to come alongside wherever the Holy Spirit was working among the people. Grace and salvation, acceptance and mission were meant to be discovered, encouraged, and supported wherever, whenever, and however the Holy Spirit chose. It was not a matter of keeping up with tradition; it was essential to keep in step with the Holy Spirit.

As we celebrate Pentecost this coming Sunday in our churches, congregations, and Christian communities, we should ask ourselves these important questions: where is the Holy Spirit working in my community? How can I serve alongside the Holy Spirit in my community?

Prayer:            Holy Spirit, help us to seek Your Presence in our communities. Enable us to truly know Your works and to support them fully. Grant us a new spirit of discernment and give us the courage to face the challenges and apply the changes that we need to embrace and employ. In the Sacred Name of Christ, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings called ‘Caingis.’ Caingis is the Gaelic word for Pentecost, so the image features the Holy Spirit descending to Earth at dawn beside a Celtic Cross. If you would like to view a larger version, then please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7432/8724021938_12912b6f54_b.jpg

Pentecost art by Stushie

Some of the best clip art for Pentecost can be found on my flickr page. It's unique and specially created by me. If you would like to use it for church bulletins, websites, worship screens or newsletters, please let me know and I'll be delighted to let you have my permission.

You can find most of my Pentecost drawings at the following link:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Pentecost&w=93141201%40N00&z=t&s=rec

Meeting Devotion: Really Good News - Acts 13:38

Acts 13:38       “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”

We all do things that we later regret. We all make mistakes that can’t be rectified. Each of us lives with guilt on our consciences and shame in our hearts. We are human and fallible, prone to failure and imperfection. It’s a sad and sinful part of who we are; none of us are perfect and not one of us is free from sin.

Left to ourselves, we would have no opportunity of being reconciled to a holy, sacred, sinless, and perfect God. The great fact of history is this: we are not left to ourselves. Through Jesus, we can be forgiven; by Christ, we can be reconciled to God.

Some people talk about the Church as being outdated, old-fashioned, and irrelevant, but so long as people are selfish, sinful, and foolish, the Church will never become irrelevant. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people across the world discover Jesus as their Savior. Every night, billions of people ask for forgiveness and seek His favor. In the eternal scheme of things, the world is already outdated and will become old-fashioned and irrelevant beyond the gates of Heaven.

With Jesus as our gracious Savior, today is the continuing first day in the rest of our eternal lives. That’s what I call really good news – now let’s go out and share it with other people…J

Questions for personal reflection

What has been the gravest mistake of my life? How has Jesus forgiven me?

 Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of the world and the Holy One to whom we belong. Our past mistakes are completely forgiven. Our future hopes rest in Your Kingdom. Help us to share the goodness of Your love and forgiveness to others around us. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is from a new series of church banners that John is currently designing. This drawing is called “Banner 01.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8115/8706417998_4c1a0953e9_b.jpg

Church Growth devotion: Witnesses to Our People - Acts 13:31

Acts 13:31       And for many days Jesus was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

As Christians, we are meant to be Christ’s witnesses to other people. We are called by God to mainly serve Jesus in our local communities, so that others may be attracted to Christ. In churches, congregations, and house groups around the world, Christians are constantly developing programs to go out into the world around them, bringing their neighbors the good news of salvation, and compassionately supporting them in times of trouble, distress, and suffering.

The purpose of any church is to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples. This involves learning about God in worship and Bible study. We build up our knowledge of God’s words and ways, so that we will be confident about what Christ is saying and doing in the local community. We then find practical ways of applying what we learn, so that we can be effective witnesses who care about the critical needs of others. Every community has its different groups of people in need, which is why there are so many different churches in the world. Churches don’t exist to peddle a competitive Christianity. They are alive in order to augment, embrace, and support the constant work of the Holy Spirit, both at home and abroad. We are all called together to be Christ’s witnesses to our people.

Questions for personal reflection

What ministries and missions, both at home and abroad, do I feel called to support? How am I witnessing for Christ in my life?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You have called us into the service of Your Kingdom through the positive words and ways of other people. We are a part of Your Church because someone led us to You through their commitment, service, and devotion. Enable and encourage us to find similar ways to attract other people to You through our witnessing and support. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings. It’s called “Pentecost Mandala” and is a stained glass design of the Holy Spirit as a dove. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8538/8696570270_10fdb48c7d_b.jpg

Church devotions: Teaching the Faith - Acts 13:12

Acts 13:12       When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

I like to teach the Faith. It’s an important part of my calling. I enjoy discussions about Christ and Christianity and the sharing of questions, ideas, and thoughts at my regular Sunday School class. It keeps me on my toes and refreshes my faith each time I enter and exit the classroom. Preaching is meant for the big moment of the week in worship; teaching is an entirely different method of sharing the faith.

The class that I teach is an inter-generational one. People bring their cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and personal questions into the melting pot which, in turn, adds to the whole collective discussion about a Bible passage, faith point, or church issue. Each Sunday that we meet, we add to the theological tapestry that we’re weaving. Faith, hope, and love are shared; encouragement, friendship, and inspiration are experienced.

Teaching about the Lord in philosophical or practical ways always has the potential of strengthening our beliefs and Christian convictions. In today’s passage (Acts 13:6-12), the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus is deeply impressed not just by what Barnabas and Saul say, but what they actually do. Their faith is amazing and fearless in the face of evil and deception. The proconsul becomes a believer because he sees for himself the authenticity and authority of the Christian faith.

Today, we will all be given opportunities to share our faith and be authentic witnesses for Christ. Let’s hope that we are both ready and real about being Christians.

Questions for personal reflection

Where do I go to be constantly taught about the Christian faith? What lessons of faith do I express to others with my words and deeds?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to positively express our faith in You to others this day. Let our witness of Your power and presence in our lives be authentic and sincere. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN. If you would like to comment on today’s passage or ask a question about it, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings. It’s called “Heaven Sent” and features the Holy Spirit as a dove descending to Earth. If you would like to view a larger version of the image, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8536/8683999979_5ab8742e51_b.jpg