Advent is now upon us and many Christians are looking for devotions to help them through each day of this very special season. Over the past three years, hundreds of people have used my Advent devotions on Kindle. This year, my Kindle Advent devotion book is called "Holding On To Hope."
It contains 25 new daily devotions with Bible verses, prayers, questions for reflection, as well as my own specially created pieces of digital artwork.
The Kindle book only costs 99 cents and, with the new free Kindle app for all laptops and mobile devices now available, any one can get to purchase a copy and join the growing number of people who use these books.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Christmas devotions: The Real Jesus - 2 Corinthians 11:4
For today’s readings:
click on these links – Judges 10:6-18
and 2 Corinthians 11:1-11
2 Corinthians 11:4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than
the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
At this time of year, I
always chuckle at the special programs which some cable channels broadcast
about the Bible and Jesus. They usually advertise the programs with teasing titles
like ‘Secrets of the Bible’ or ‘UFOs in the Bible’ or ‘The Real Jesus.’ I must
admit that I've watched some of them through the years, but what they usually
present are just old obscure ideas that were rejected by the Church ages ago
because their origins were unreliable.
Along with these ‘recently
discovered scriptures,’ the programmers roll out some college lecturers who
want to make a name for themselves by being controversial. They are just like the
paid examiners in high profile trials, who trot out what their legal sponsors
expect of them. In return for their fifteen minutes of fame, these religious
lecturers relish creating a controversy that some people sadly buy into, and
end up causing them to cast aside their simple faith.
Long before cable and
television were invented, the Apostle Paul had to deal with the same sort of
controversial stuff. In today’s passage (2 Corinthians 11:1-11) he deals with a
similar situation where rogue preachers have come into an established Christian
community, preaching a different Gospel and Jesus from what was originally
expressed. Paul gently berates the community of the faithful for embracing
these new and highly questionable ideas about Christ. The Corinthians community
is embracing the novelty of a new Christ, instead of holding on to their faith
in the real Christ that Paul had introduced them.
With so many different
methods of receiving information, people can be easily persuaded to accept
something as Gospel truth these days without questioning either the sources or
the ideas. In every generation, the Church has had to face this problem and
fight for the Truth. And in every situation, the simple answer is still the
best solution: people need to get back to the basics of actually reading the
Bible.
Questions for personal
reflection
What is the source of my knowledge about Jesus? How often do
I actually read the Bible?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your words and ways have
shaped this whole world for almost two thousand years. We thank You for the
Gospels and for the messages which continue to captivate our hearts and minds.
Keep us focused on Your teaching and protect us from those who would divert our
attention, distract our devotion, and diminish our understanding of Who You
really are. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If
you would like to make a comment or ask a question about today’s message,
please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is John’s latest Nativity drawing. It’s called “Mumbai Madonna” and is an
Indian artistic interpretation of Jesus and Mary. If you would like to view a
larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/11039323083_c96ac02b69_b.jpg
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Church devotion: Opening New Doors - 2 Corinthians 2:12
Today’s Readings:
2 Corinthians 2:12 Now
when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that
the Lord had opened a door for me.
Quite
frequently, I get asked to say prayers for church members, families, and
friends when they are considering changing jobs, careers, or homes. It’s very
humbling to be asked because it means that the person making the request trusts
me to pray for what’s best in their situation. Usually, I take time out that
day to say a short prayer and then on the day of an interview or a house
viewing, I pray as close as possible to the time of the event itself.
Sometimes
the person comes back to me with good news, so I can say a quiet ‘thank you,
God’ prayer later on. At other times, I hear nothing else, so I keep praying
for God to give guidance and open up the right door for the person.
I
guess that most of us do the same, especially for our loved ones and dearest of
friends. As we pray, we hope that God will indeed open doors and grant new
opportunities for the person concerned. Prayer becomes a vehicle of God’s
goodness, as well strengthening the bonds of faith and friendship between the
one who prays and the other who is prayed for. It’s a remarkably effective and
personal way to both practice and apply our faith on behalf of other people.
Questions for personal reflection
Has someone
asked me to pray for them? Is there someone that I can be praying for today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You taught us to pray
and showed us the value of being a praying people of God. Help us to make time
today to pray for others, especially those who are looking for new doors of
opportunity to be opened for them. In Your Holy Name, we humbly and cheerfully
pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin
Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. 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 lighthouse drawings called “Guiding Light.” If you would
like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6225/6290707518_a96fd3c801_b.jpg
Friday, November 1, 2013
Prayer devotion: Many Prayers - 2 Corinthians 1:11b
Today’s readings
2 Corinthians 1:11b Then
many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us
in answer to the prayers of many.
I was reading another church’s
newsletter this morning. It contained a special ‘thank you’ note from one of
the members. He was expressing his gratitude for the many prayers that people
in his congregation had given to God, especially when he was undergoing some
serious and complicated surgery.
It’s wonderful to read those kind of
notes. Not only does it help the person express his gratitude to God and His
people, it also encourages others to use prayer as a means of obtaining God’s
help in different situations. As the Poet Laureate Lord Tennyson once wrote, “There is more wrought by prayer than the
world dreams of.”
Perhaps you or someone close to you
is going through a hard time, or some sort of crisis – whether medical,
financial, or relational – is presently occurring. Never underestimate the power
of prayer, especially when those prayers are sent up by a whole host of people.
At the wee church that I serve, we employ an email prayer chain so that
whenever someone is in hospital or experiences something troubling, the
majority of our people are quickly notified and the praying begins.
Even Mahatma Gandhi had this to say
about the efficacy of prayer: “Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly
understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.”
Questions for personal reflection
What type of
prayers do I usually bring to God? When have I seen prayer work in my life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You taught us how to
pray and You also showed the power of prayer. As Your followers, help us to
make prayer a regular part of our lives. Encourage us to see prayer as a sacred
means of being spiritually connected to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If
you would like to make a comment or ask a question of today’s message, please
send him an email to traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s latest bulletin drawings. It’s called “Mackintosh Poppy”
and has been drawn for Remembrance Day (Nov 11th) of this year. If
you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/10594576655_b2f63d3fe3_b.jpg
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