Church Devotions: Life is a Journey - 1 John 2:15

1 John 2:15      Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

There’s an old folk song called “The Wayfaring Stranger.” Most people assume it’s an Appalachian song, a Melungeon ballad, or an old African-American spiritual. There’s even some speculation that it was first sung in Britain and brought over to these shores during the large scale immigration of the 18^th century. Whatever its origins, the song has been lovingly sung for generations because it expresses a simple truth: we are all just pilgrims on this planet, heading home to Heaven.

I’ve often stated that life is a journey and that it continues until we reach our eternal destination. Jesus Himself told us that He is the Way to God, so our lives can be continued beyond the grave if we place our hearts and hopes in Him. This, of course, means letting go of all that possesses us on this planet, which is why the Apostle John wrote to his fellow Christians about not loving the world. If we grow too attached to the things around us, and even the people, we will never give our hearts to God. The purpose of this life-long journey is to experience the temporary joys of God on Earth, so that we will be attracted towards, and even yearn for, the infinite bliss of Heaven.

When we accept that life is transitory and look forward to being with Christ in Eternity, we discover a peace about who we are, what we are meant to do, and why we are here in the first place.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You have told us that if we seek You first, we will experience an abundant life. You have also claimed to be The Way in which we can be reunited and restored to God in Heaven.  We believe Your words and look forward to the time when we will at last see You face-to-face in glory. Thank You for Your promises and for the gift of Everlasting Life. 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 on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s abstracts. It’s called “Church of the Holy Moon.” If you would like to view a larger version, please visit the following link: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1071/922294289_96d56148da_o.jpg

If you would also like to hear and view a great version of the Wayfaring Stranger song, please visit the following YouTube link which features Trace Adkins singing it at the Grand Ole Opry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXX0S9P1SUo

Church Devotions: Sinful Shadows - 1 John 1:6 & 10

1 John 1:6        If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

1 John 1:10      If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.

The problem with sin is this: we don’t want to recognize that it takes place in our own lives. It’s far easier to point out the sinfulness of others rather than take stock of our own spiritual weaknesses and shameful demons. I know that when I was an active alcoholic I totally believed that I did not have a drinking problem. Other people around me were concerned and voiced their worries, but as far as I was concerned, they were absolutely wrong. I could handle my liquor and if I got wasted every night, then so what? I still managed to get my act together and went to my work every morning.

But no matter how much I deluded myself, the issue was still there. Alcohol was wasting my life, my relationships, and my personality. I had a serious problem, but was unwilling to admit to it.

Some people have the same sort of issue with sin. Within themselves, they know that what they are doing or whatever lifestyle choice they are living is wrong. But rather than surrender their spirits to God and seek Christ’s forgiveness, they aggressively justify their sinful ways and expect everyone else to accept, tolerate, and even celebrate their wrong decisions. In other words, rather than turning to the light of God and love of Christ, they want to glory in their darkness and expect everyone else to embrace their sinful shadows.

There came a day in my life when I had to admit I was an alcoholic. Without that self-admission, I could not be healed of my broken ways. The work of the Church is to help people reach that level of self-awareness and to recognize that God does not always approve of His children’s ways. If He did, then Christ would never have had to die on the Cross.

We are all sinners in need of daily and constant forgiveness, but the work of forgiveness and restoration can only begin when we step outside of our sinful shadows and into the holy light of God.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, save us from our pride and delusions. Open our hearts and minds to God’s Word and Your Way. Keep us from molding You into our own misconceived Messiah; help us instead to be reshaped and restored by Your love and grace. 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 comment on today’s message, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s stained glass designs. It’s called “Crossfull of Promises” and features a wooden cross with a rainbow behind it. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please visit the following link: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/536728152_10feaf58bd_o.jpg

Church Staff Devotions: Scoffers - 2 Peter 3:3

2 Peter 3:3           First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

Being a Christian is never easy, but these days it seems to be a lot harder than it ever used to be. The words “born again” and “evangelical” have been reviled for almost 50 years in our society. I can even recount times in my life when those terms have been sneerfully expressed by church people, as if those who called themselves ‘born again’ or ‘evangelical’ were intellectually limited and spiritually weird. The world never liked those terms, but lately the very word “Christian” is being used pejoratively which doesn’t bode well for the future acceptance of the Church in society.

Peter calls such critics “scoffers” and refers to their prominence in the world as being a sign of the last days. Perhaps this is how Christ finally divides the sheep and the goats. Those who serve Him are saved; those who scoff at Him are cast aside.

I read a great quote this morning from J C Ryle, one of my favorite Bible commentators and teachers. He was writing about the two thieves who were crucified beside Jesus. One asked for Christ’s mercy and the other scoffed at Him. Ryle’s comment on the event is as follows: ‘One thief was converted in his last hour that none might despair. But only one was converted that none might presume.’

I don’t know if these are the Last Days that Peter writes about, but this I do know – Christ is the only Way to salvation and that without being a Christian, there is no other earthly way to get into heaven. Today’s world may revile the term ‘Christian’ as it has done for centuries, but those who honestly claim to follow and serve Jesus Christ will be with Him forever, long after this planet and all its people are merely space dust.

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, You are the Christ and we are united in Your Spirit. Sometimes we are mocked because of our beliefs and throughout the world many Christians are still experiencing persecution. Keep us faithful to Your words and sustain our spirits as we follow Your Way. 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 drawing is one of John’s digital glass images of the Seven Last Words of Christ. It depicts Jesus and the good thief. This series of drawings was used by a symphony orchestra in Vancouver, Canada on Good Friday as a backdrop to their playing of Haydn’s “Seven Last Words of Christ.” If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/3413043726_56183fb191_b.jpg

Church meeting Devotions: Caylee's Case - 2 Peter 2:22

2 Peter 2:22    Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

In the Scottish legal system, three verdicts can be given at a trial. The first two are ‘not guilty’ and ‘guilty.’ The third one is unique to the Scottish system and it’s where we get the phrase “Scot Free.” The third verdict that can be reached by judge or jury in a Scottish trial is this: ‘not proven.’

Usually, the ‘not proven’ verdict means that the defendant is strongly believed to have committed the crime, but that there is insufficient evidence to get a guilty verdict. The trial makes the public aware of the shady character of the defendant, but he or she cannot be incarcerated. In most cases, the defendant goes back to living his or her life in the same precarious or wicked way. It’s only a matter of time before they commit something wrong that will see them back in court and on that occasion, the prosecutors ensure that they have an airtight case.

This morning, there’s a lot of talk, debate, and even anger about yesterday’s verdict in the Casey Anthony trial. Many people believe that she killed her two year old daughter Caylee, or at least caused her accidental death. The media has covered this case for so long in a prejudicial manner that mostly everyone expected Casey to be found guilty and put on Death Row. The judicial system, however, thankfully worked as it should. The case against Casey was not proven and no matter what people think of her as a person or a mother, the juried verdict was the right one.

Now Casey will go free, but whether or not she will remain free will depend upon her behavior. If she has committed an unproven murder or abuse, it will surface in different ways and we can expect to see her back in court again. As it states in today’s scripture, "A sow that is washed, goes back to her wallowing in the mud." Only time will tell.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You see and know all things. You are completely aware of the truth of this harrowing tragedy. We pray that one day, the whole truth will be known and that wee Caylee can rest in peace. We thank You for our judicial system and for the presumption of innocence being maintained, whether or not we agree or disagree with the verdict in this case. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Church meeting devotions: Same Kind of Suffering? 1 Peter 5:9

1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Sometimes I wonder if we as Western Christians really do know about the sufferings of  our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Compared to 99% of the Earth’s population, we live in the lap of luxury. All we need to do is turn the tap on to get cold running water. Our stores are filled with goods and groceries. We can practically go anywhere we want to across our land. These blessings we take for granted.

However, billions of people on this planet have limited access to water which is usually not clean. If there are any stores, most of them have depleted shelves. And as for going anywhere they want, billions of people are trapped in areas of poverty and oppression, enslaved from the moment they were born to the very second that they die.

This morning I want to tell you about a brave brother in our faith who is suffering in Iran. His name is Youcef Nadarkhani, a 34 year old Christian pastor who has been in prison since October of 2009. He was arrested for objecting to the Iranian policy that all children, including his own 8 & 9 year old sons, would be required to study the Quran at school. Youcef protested that the constitution of Iran allows for the freedom of religion. Originally he was charged with protesting, but then the local secret police and Iranian revolutionary court amended the charges to apostasy and evangelism. He was sentenced to death in November 2010.

Yesterday, the appeals court upheld that Youcef was guilty of these charges and should be sentenced to death. His family is being cared for by relatives. His execution may take place today because the Iranian government does not want an international outcry, which may bring unrest among the Iranian people. If Youcef is executed, he will be the first Christian in twenty years to be hanged for his faith.

So now we are aware of the suffering of one of our brothers. How does our faith then, compare to Youcef’s? Are we really Christians who are ready to give all for The Way? Or are we just spiritual people, stumbling along in our own way?

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, we say that we love You because it’s easy to think, say, and do that. If our circumstances were different, if our lifestyles were more restricted, if our faith was being persecuted, would we still love You? The blessings that we experience and often take for granted are gifts from God. Forgive us for being ungrateful and pardon us for being ignorant about what’s happening to real Christians around the world.

We pray for Youcef and his family. We ask for mercy and clemency. We hope for a way to be found for Youcef to be set free and to return to his family Allow him to be a pastor of Your people again. 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 comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

If you would like more information about Youcef Nadarkhani and other Christians who are in prison for their faith, please visit the following website at www.prisoneralert.com

Church Meeting Devotions: Making a Difference - 1 Peter 4:10

1 Peter 4:10    Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,  faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Tonight, on NBC news (6:30PM EST), several of our church members will be highlighted on the “Making a Difference” spot. Steve and Tracy Foster formed a non-profit organization several years ago called “Project Being There.” The focus of the organization is to help orphaned children, some of whom are severely handicapped, in Vietnam. It’s an amazing project and very worthy of national attention.

Tracy and Steve adopted three Vietnamese children years ago to give them a loving home and better opportunities in their lives. But the Fosters wanted to do even more for the many children in Vietnam who live in the orphanages that the Fosters visited. They have dedicated much of their lives to the well-being of St Ans Orphanage and have also given their children an amazing way of how to serve other people. Many of our church folks generously support this project and it’s great to see Steve and Tracy get national recognition for what they seek to accomplish over there.

They are a wonderful example of people using their God-given gifts to serve the needs and better the lives of other people. God’s grace is being faithfully administered to those young children in Vietnam. Their lives are significantly and positively changed through the work, care, and focus of the Fosters and their friends. Those orphaned and handicapped children were once set aside and forgotten by their communities. Now they have better opportunities of care and education, nurture and love.

I heartily recommend that you watch the “Making a Difference” segment on NBC tonight. You can also read about, view, and support some of the work that the Fosters are currently proposing on the “Project Being There” website – just click on the following link: https://projectbeingthere.org/Home_Page.html

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the generous hearts and minds that You inspire in people every day. Thank You for the gracious work of organizations like Project Being There which seek to help the most helpless in our world. Bless them with support and enable them to truly make significant differences in the lives of those they seek to aid. 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.

Church Staff devotions: Intervention - James 5:20

James 5:20     Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

“Don’t be judgmental!” “Only God can judge!” “You Christians are always judging others.”

If I had a dollar for every time that I’ve heard or read that somewhere, then I’d be a rich person today. People want to live their own lives and make their own choices, but when a pastor, a church member, or a faithful Christian points out the foolishness or danger of such decisions, they’re often met with those kinds of aggressive answers.

Now people can say what they want against Christians, but Christians do have a responsibility of helping and encouraging people to change their lives, especially when their life style choices are self-destructive, sinful and selfish. The world may criticize Christians for being judgmental, but in many cases Christians are actually displaying discernment and trying to help sinners turn from the error of their ways. It may not be popular, but sometimes Christian intervention stops a person from further injury, addiction, or isolation.

I know that for me it took Christ’s intervention and real supportive Christian people to enable me to overcome my alcohol addiction. They knew that I was an alcoholic, even although I would not admit it to myself. But rather than say or do nothing, my Christian friends held me accountable for my foolish decisions and eventually enabled me to win my battle against drinking alcohol. I may have thought that they were judgmental at first, but when I overcame my addiction I realized how much their tough love, confrontational care, and true discernment of my self-inflicted situation had challenged and changed me.

Christians should not be afraid of being called ‘judgmental’ when dealing with self-destructive sinners or sinful behavior. Sometimes God places us in-between those people – family & friends especially – and the negative consequences of their selfish choices. Intervention is not easy to do or maintain, but if it is successful (as in my case) then it does indeed save the sinner from death and covers over a multitude of sins.

Perhaps there’s someone in your life who’s near and dear to you but their lifestyle decisions are drastically affecting their relationships, work, and future. Evil triumphs and addictions destroy when good people say and do nothing. Don’t be afraid to speak out and ask the Holy Spirit to grant you the right time, place, and words to say what needs to be said. In years to come, that very same person you are confronting may truly thank you for turning his or her life around.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we let the world diminish our gifts of discernment because we don’t like to be thought of as being judgmental. You however dealt with people straight-forwardly and candidly when it came to confronting sin. Help us to help those who need to be challenged in order to change. Grant us the presence of Your Holy Spirit in our lives to lovingly and compassionately intervene. In Your Holy Name, we steadfastly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is of a poster that I designed with regard to overcoming alcoholism. It’s entitled “Alcoholic Aurora” and depicts empty drinking glasses against the back ground of the rising sun. The message reads: “ALCOHOLIC AURORA – when the Sun rises and your spirit doesn’t.”

You can view a larger version of the poster here: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1292/1071957099_1c477987be_o.jpg