Church Staff Devotions: Shifting Sands - Matthew 7:24

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 19:9-17 and Matthew 7:24-29

Matthew 7:24              “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” 

Sadly for all of us, we’re not listening to Jesus anymore and this may be why our civilization is crumbling. The world is broken, but the compassionate voice of healing and wholeness is being ignored. Christ’s words and ways have helped our churches and communities for centuries, even during the most troubling of times. To call God ‘Father’ was once a comforting expression of hope. To call Jesus ‘Lord’ was to place Him at the center of our lives. Unfortunately we have wandered so far from God and compartmentalized our faith so much that we don’t what’s right or wrong, real or unreal, or true or trustworthy anymore.

It’s obvious that society is becoming more fearful, injured, and wounded each year. Violence and greed, anger and anarchy, immorality and insensitivity are becoming the hallmarks of our sad generation and we are wallowing in a mire of wasted lives, wasted resources, and wasted potential. The sinking sands of our self-centered ways are ruining this beautiful planet, and the Church, which used to be the bedrock of wisdom, strength, and faith, has become a hapless caricature of what it once was, and at times a helpless creature to our restless world.

To replant our feet on solid ground, we’ve got to patiently hear Christ’s message again and faithfully apply His words. If we truly want the world to be healed and transformed, then that positive change has to begin within our own individual souls. We have to get right with God and get tight with Christ. We have to intentionally rebuild our hopes on the promises of God and the teachings of Jesus. Everything else is just shifting sands.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have tried to be good Christians in the world, but sometimes we have been misled by our good intentions into building our faith atop of shifting sands. We have listened to ourselves too much and we have forgotten how to truly listen to You. Forgive our foolish and reckless ways. Lead us back to the solid rock of faith and hope, so that we may glorify You with our lives, our choices, and our ways. 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 “Winter Mill” and features the Glade Creek Mill in West Virginia during snowfall. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6323857053_990bded2f2_b.jpg

John’s drawings are becoming collectible and make unique & inexpensive Christmas gifts. If you would like to view his entire collection online, please visit his website at www.stushieart.com

Church Staff Devotions: Mother's Favorite Bible verse - Matthew 6 v 26

Today’s Bible readings are: Isaiah 17:1-6 and Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 6:26                         Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

This was my mother’s favorite verse from scripture. She used quote it to me when I was a teenager. Like any other young person, I was worried about what the future would bring and anxious about the direction my life was already taking.

I can still see my mom sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea and smoking a cigarette as she patiently listened to my worries and woes. It was one of those precious moments when her mind was clear and her spirit was calm.

“Consider the birds of the air,” she softly said, “and how God feeds them.” Her words reassured me each time because, although we were a large family with limited resources, there was always food on the table at teatime and we never went hungry.

These days, we are all anxious about our lives, especially in hard economic times. We worry about our finances, our families, and our futures. During these moments, it’s good to go back to the Gospel to read the words of Jesus. He speaks to us across the centuries and reassures us that God continues to provide for His people. The birds of the air do not starve and we still have food on the table.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, these are anxious times and most of us are burdened by our worries. Help us to rely upon Your promises and to live according to Your words. Be with us this day and guide our decisions. 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 verse or ask a question, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s popular bird drawings. It’s called “Hungry Hummingbird.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4400739464_fbcc5af539_b.jpg

Church Devotions: Church Weary - Isaiah 16:12

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 16:6-13 and Matthew 6:16-24

Isaiah 16:12 When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail.

One of the saddest events that I’ve sometimes seen over 25 years of being a pastor occurs when people give up on church. It happens in every congregation, in every community, and in every country across the world. People leave the community of faith because they are sometimes spiritually weary and burned out.

They leave for different reasons; sometimes it’s because the pastor hasn’t visited them enough or has said or done something which displeased them. Sometimes they leave because they’ve been asked to do too much or more is expected of them than they want to give. Sometimes they just drift away because life takes them on a different journey. And sometimes they leave because their faith is shallow, so they don’t have any real and substantial roots to keep them in church. Just like Moab of old, their faith is futile and their prayers are left unanswered.

Every institution goes through this sifting out of members; even Jesus faced this in His ministry. If you don’t believe me, then please read John 6:60-68 – at that time, many walked away from Christ, never to return.

I sometimes wonder what happens inside of people who have left the church when they are faced with a terminal illness, sudden disaster, or even death itself. Do they regret what they have done and seek forgiveness, or do they justify their staying away from church and hope that Christ will be merciful? This puzzles me and I guess I will never know the answer.

However, this I do know: Christ’s ministry and mission on Earth can only be accomplished by those who remain faithful and who work through the church. To be part of His work is the most important thing we can do with our lives. To support His mission through what we give of our time, talents, and money is a true act of persistent faith. Those who remain in the church, in whatever community or wherever on the planet, will experience a two-fold blessing: the knowledge that they are making a difference in the world through Christ and of knowing that they are pleasing Him too.

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, You ask us not only to be followers, but also to be servants, messengers, and disciples. This takes commitment and perseverance, constancy and faithfulness. Sometimes we get weary of the burdens and obligations that our churches place upon us. Help us to see that these responsibilities and duties are necessary to maintain Your ministry and to sustain Your mission in the world. In Your Holy Name we seek Your favor and 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 or ask a question, please send John an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org

Today’s image is one of John’s stained glass designs. It’s called ‘Lenten Prayer.’ If you would like to see a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3315772938_83ceb0c3f4_b.jpg

Church Staff devotions: Why Debts? - Matthew 6:12

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 16:1-5 and Matthew 6:5-15

Matthew 6:12                         Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

Whenever I’m at a funeral or an ecumenical service where the Lord’s Prayer is spoken by all of the participants, there’s always an awkward moment when some people say debts and debtors or trespasses and trespassers, or sins and sinners. Whichever Christian tradition folks belong to will determine what they recite at that moment in the Lord’s Prayer.

But why do Presbyterians use the word ‘debts’ instead of ‘trespasses’ or ‘sins’? Is it an important distinction or can we all just get along and recite sins and sinners?

Most of what we believe as Presbyterians comes from Scotland. In Scotland, there is no law of trespass, unlike their English counterparts. This meant that when it came to saying the Lord’s Prayer, the words ‘trespass’ and ‘trespasses’ had no meaning for the Scots people. Scots, however, knew all about debts and debtors because it was mainly a merchant economy in the 16^th century. Calvinists also believed in the substitutionary atonement of Christ, which emphasizes the fact that Jesus sacrificially substituted Himself on the Cross for us. This means that we are completely indebted to Him, so when we say ‘ forgive us our debts’ in the Lord’s Prayer, we are actually saying, “Forgive us of the sinful things in our lives that nailed Jesus to the Cross.” And when we add the phrase ‘as we forgive our debtors,’ we are actually asking God to forgive us in the same way that we deal with the personal injuries, wounds, and hurts which other people inflict upon us.

The older I get, the more important it becomes to me to maintain the traditions of the church in a very tradition-less world. But I’ve also come to realize that without the proper historical context, people cannot hold on to something which they do not understand. As a teaching elder, it’s my responsibility to get that information out to the people of God that I serve and love, so that they may confidently hold on to the essential tenets of our Reformed Faith. Substitutionary atonement is one of them.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, we are all indebted to You because You sacrificed Yourself as a ransom for our souls and as a substitute for our atonement. We did not deserve such a loving act of mercy and forgiveness, compassion and everlasting kindness. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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 or ask a question, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s 2011 Christmas drawings. It’s called ‘Heavenly Peace.’ If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6292689266_aab484f86b_b.jpg

Church Meeting Devotions: Stewardship Season

Matthew 6:1   “Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Like most churches, it’s Stewardship Season in our congregation. For six weeks, we are all supposed to focus upon what we give to God through the local church. Each Sunday, church members give testimonies about why they support the congregation and how they feel drawn closer to God by the worship, fellowship, and faithfulness at Erin.

The same sorts of stories are being told all over the land. Churches are gathering centers of like-minded people who pool their resources together in order to become effective vehicles of Christ’s ministry and mission at home and abroad. Stewardship is a key element to the impact that any church makes on the surrounding community. Without the money that people give, without the resources that people offer, Christ’s work could not be done.

At our church, people are given an annual invitation to re-make a personal financial pledge to the congregation. Even in tough economic times, Erin Christians are still willing to make money commitments to sustain the work that Christ has asked us to accomplish. It’s very humbling and uplifting to see the pledges coming in from all different sorts of folk. The people who pledge are making an investment in the future of the church and making a difference in the world. They look for no reward or public recognition; they give for all of the right reasons – to glorify God and to support Christ’s mission.

The challenge for all of us who are reading this today is this: have we prayed about our financial commitment to God’s work this year? Are we willing to invest our money and resources in the future work of our church, so that Christ’s ministry may continue to be worshipped, honored, and supported through our faithful giving and generous love?

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You call us to be disciples of Your way, messengers of Your truth, and stewards of Your life. Open our eyes to Your work in our church; open our minds to Your mission in our community; and open our pockets to Your purposes for our congregation. 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.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Lighthouse drawings called “Guiding Light.” You can view a larger version of this picture at the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6290707518_a96fd3c801_b.jpg

Church Staff devotions: In Christ Alone - Matthew 5:20

Today’s Bible readings: Isaiah 13:14-22  & Matthew 5:17-20

Matthew 5:20                         For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

It’s an essential tenet of the Reformation: justification by faith, not by our works. We cannot earn our way into heaven. We cannot complete a certain number of good deeds or accomplish a predetermined amount of perfect choices to get us through the pearly gates. Our good works are the fruits of our faith, but not one of them gets us into heaven.

That authority is given to Christ alone. Only He can decide whether or not we will be allowed into God’s everlasting presence. There is nothing that we can do on earth to ensure that we will be welcomed in God’s Kingdom. Only Christ can open the gates; only He can restore us to God.

This is why Christianity is a missionary faith. It’s not a private, personal spiritual lifestyle. We are all supposed to engage and confront the world, especially against those who lead people astray with their false ideas, incorrect opinions, and wayward theologies. We are all sinners, separated from God by our daily choices, imperfect ways, and wrong decisions. The gap between us and God is unbridgeable by anything that we could try to build. In Christ alone, we have a Savior. Only in Jesus, we have salvation, only he can bridge that gap. He died for our sins so that we might be offered the opportunity to be fully forgiven and completely restored to God.

His Crucifixion was no accident; it was predetermined. His sacrifice was no aberration; it was intended. His death was not unfortunate; it was providential. And His resurrection was no myth; it is the most profound reality in the history of the universe.

The gospel message is simple: Jesus died for our sins and if we believe in Him, we will be granted life beyond our own deaths. There is no other way; there is no other truth; there is no other life, save that of Christ, to bring us back to God.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, Your own words say it all: we cannot enter heaven unless our righteousness is perfect. We know that we are imperfect and unrighteous, therefore we have no hope of entering God’s Kingdom unless we pin that hope upon Your Cross. Forgive our pride, our indifference, our faithlessness, and our stubborn refusal to accept Who You are, What You have done, and All that You have promised. 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 or ask a question, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Fall drawing. It’s called ‘A Glimpse of Heaven,’ which depicts the famous Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park, West Virginia. If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6119/6278216565_0e22a63fea_b.jpg

Opening devotions: A Great Light - Matthew 4:16

Today’s readings are Isaiah 11:10-16  and  Matthew 4:12-17

Matthew 4:16                         “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

When I first became a minister, I worked for a while in an ophthalmic ward as its part-time chaplain. All the patients in it were recovering from eye surgery. Some of them needed implants, some suffered from glaucoma, and still others had been involved in car accidents which meant that the surgeons had to patiently pick out small fragments of glass and metal from their eyes.

95% of the time, the surgeries were successful. The other five percent had to undergo several different operations before their eye ailments were cured. Sadly, a small number of people each year remained blind. Dealing with those patients was amongst the saddest pastoral experiences I ever had.

For the rest of the patients, recovery took several days. They were gradually brought into the light, so that their eyes would not be permanently damaged by the sudden brightness of daylight. I can remember that large wooden shutters were placed over each window in the ward. The merest ray of sunshine, if prematurely exposed to the patients, could ruin their eyes forever.

The best experiences in the ward were those great days when a patient was wheeled out into the courtyard in full sunlight. Their joy was ecstatic and tears of gladness were often shed by the patients, nurses, as well their families. It was indeed a fulfilling of the old Biblical prophecy – “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”

Spiritual darkness occurs in the hearts and souls of many people in the world today. Sometimes they’ve allowed fear, disbelief and distance from God to take them back into the shadows of doubt and despair. Sometimes painful events, grief, and illnesses cause people to retreat within them, cutting themselves off from God’s love and His people. Whatever the causes or the circumstances, as a pastor I have seen the light of Christ heal, restore, and reclaim people like them for God’s Kingdom, in words and ways that cause them to rejoice in the Lord and delight in His glory.

Perhaps you are currently undergoing some pain, hardship, or trouble. Maybe you feel vulnerable, isolated, and alone. Dark clouds may have almost overwhelmed your soul and you may feel depressed. Know this: Christ has the capacity to bring you back into the light. Allow Him to do what He is best at accomplishing – restoring peoples’ lives and returning them to God’s Love. All you need to do is ask Him to do this for you, even now as you are reading this message.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You know the struggles we are all experiencing and the issues that over-shadow our lives. In the midst of all the darkness that we feel, bring to each of us Your Everlasting Light. Encourage and embrace us; empower and enable us to follow Your Light. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely 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 picture is John’s latest drawing called “Halloween Jack.” If you would like to view a larger version of this drawing, click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6242043547_520bbf2618_b.jpg