Faith devotion: Faithful Promises - Isaiah 12:2

Isaiah 12:2      Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

            We all go through fearful and unsettling times. Sometimes, those moments occur when we’re worried about our families or friends; at other times, we may be concerned about our careers or work projects; there may also be times when our health declines or something accidental occurs in our lives. Whatever the circumstances, we feel frail and vulnerable, unprotected and absolutely human.

            When we are fearful, it helps us to understand that God is always faithful. His words and promises from the past become relevant and meaningful to us, especially when we read them in times of trouble or crisis. God’s Spirit reaches to us from the pages of the Holy Scriptures and across the centuries to let us know that He is with us, standing beside us, or even carrying us through painful moments and worrying times. Grace and love are the great gifts He bestows upon us; compassion and comfort are blessings that will sustain us, enabling us to endure and overcome whatever assails us.

            Today’s verse from Isaiah 12 is a beautiful promise that can help us get through our present difficulties and personal problems. As Christians, we receive these words through the blessings of our Savior Jesus Christ, who forgives our sins, guides us through life, and restores us to God’s everlasting favor. Our faith is focused on Him, because in Him we have everything that we will ever need in this life and the next.

Questions for personal reflection

What presently troubles or worries me? How can God’s promise through Isaiah help me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of our souls and the Light of our lives. In You and through You, we experience God’s grace, love, and compassion. Thank You for allowing us to come to You with our prayers and problems. Thank You for being with us every day. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s 2016 drawings for Holy Week. It’s called ‘The Beginning.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Beginning.

Church devotion: Promises, Promises - Genesis 21:1

Genesis 21:1   Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.

My Grandma Stuart had a saying about people who disappointed her: “He’s a great promiser, but a bad fulfiller.” She came from a small Scottish religious community who were known as Rechabites. Her direct family members were all teetotalers who abstained from drinking alcohol and smoking, which is funny because her grandfather, James Doyle, made his money manufacturing clay pipes for tobacco users. She was a strong-willed person who had a lot of gumption and determination. I guess I get most of my stubbornness and religiosity from her side of the family.

Throughout the Bible, God constantly makes promises and never fails to fulfill them. In Sarah’s case, from the events described in Genesis 21, He sees to it that she bears a child even in her old age. The same blessing is also accomplished in Luke 1, when the elderly Elizabeth gives birth to John the Baptist. It’s all part of God’s way of completing the work of His salvation for the people on Earth. God is not only a great promiser; He’s also a great fulfiller.

Every day, we experience the promises of God in our individual lives and across the entire Earth. His promises are both personal and global, as well as being current and historical. In Jesus Christ, we have the greatest promise of salvation that humanity has ever known. In Jesus Christ, we also have the greatest fulfiller of God’s holy words.

Question for personal reflection

When and where have I experienced God’s promises in my life?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, by Your complete obedience to God and the fulfillment of all His promises, we are given the sacred opportunity of being forgiven of our sins and eternally restored to God. We seek to dedicate our lives to You and to Your continuing ministry of salvation throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we serve and 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 chess drawings. It’s called ‘Slavic Knight’ and is a part of his new ‘One of These Knights’ art series. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7411440258_2e934d85a8_b.jpg

Church Staff devotions: Cosmic Collision - Genesis 15:5

Genesis 15:5   God took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

I’ve just read a fascinating article about an inter-galactic collision that will take place 4 billion years from now between our own Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. Billions upon billions of stars will either collide or closely pass by one another over a time period of more than a billion years. The article is based upon a study that NASA has released; to even think about such a cataclysmic event is absolutely staggering to my feeble mind. The astronomers who have completed their observations, done their research, and completed the math are amazing scientists. We certainly won’t be on this side of Life when the collision occurs, so perhaps we will witness it as the equivalent of a divine Fourth of July fireworks display on a Heavenly scale.

When God takes old Abram outside to show him the night sky and tells him that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars, I find that equally amazing and fascinating. It tells me that when God makes a promise, He not only keeps His word, but He also blesses and fulfills it as wonderfully as He possibly can. The majority of the religious people on the Earth today can trace their spiritual roots to this moment of God’s magnificent blessing. Billions of people – Jews, Christians, and Muslims - find their religious ancestry in Abram of old. God’s promise, made thousands of years ago, has found its fulfillment in today’s world. This also tells me that God not only works in mysterious ways, He also has a great patience in fulfilling his work of salvation.

Questions for personal reflection

Where do my religious roots originate? How does my faith sharing with others expand this ancient blessing?

Prayer:                        Almighty Creator, when I gaze upon the stars in the night sky, I am struck with wonder and awe. Your works are amazing and I feel both humbled and privileged to be a creature of Your making. May I continue to bless and praise You throughout the days of my life. In Christ’s Name, I 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 drawings called “Sleepless Sky.” It features a beautifully starlit northern sky illuminated with the aurora borealis. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/7186639110_1bbac69be5_b.jpg