Erin Church Devotions: Farmers - Sturdy Examples of Faith

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2 Timothy 2:6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. (NIV)

For the first nine years of my work in ministry, I pastored a beautiful area in the South West of Scotland. The countryside was stunning and as I traveled throughout the area in my car, I often saw the farmers working in their fields. Their lives fascinated me and I was in awe of their work ethic. They do get up before light of day and work long, arduous hours.

Their families are all involved in working the farm. The children are taught responsibility at an early age and given their own areas of the farm to look after. It was a joy to be amongst them, and I sometimes miss visiting with them at the farmhouse, listening to their talk about livestock, crops, and machinery.

It’s no surprise to me that the Christian faith has much to say about farms and farmers, crops and harvests. Our faith grew out of agricultural religious cycles and many of our celebrations and feasts are long associated with the farming year. In Scotland, we used to celebrate Communion twice a year – in April and October. We did this after the lambing season had finished in March, and once the harvest was brought in during the Fall. It gave the farmers a special time to be with God, commune with His Son and people, and give thanks for the blessing of the lambs and the finishing of the harvest.

In many ways, our churches are also like farms. We plant the seeds of belief in the hearts of our children in the hope that those seeds will become fruits of faith. We are also given ministries and missions to tend, so that Christ’s work amongst us can grow and expand in our community. And we are each expected to bring a faithful harvest to God at the end of our lives, showing Him that we have shared our faith with others, and planted new seeds of belief in the hearts and minds of those we leave behind. We are each meant to be hardworking farmers of faith, so that we might expect the bounty of God’s blessings and receive an eternal share in Christ’s Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the work of our farmers and for the food they provide to our people. Bless them at this special time when their harvests are gathered and their work is done. Be with them as they plan ahead for next year’s crops and livestock. May they be respected and appreciated for all that they accomplish amongst us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church devotions: Daniel - An imprisoned pastor in Indonesia

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1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (NIV)

This morning, I’ve been busy hand writing a card to a pastor in Indonesia. His name is Daniel and he is an evangelist in a country that is predominantly Muslim. Daniel was videotaped earlier this year praying for the local madrassa (Islamic school) and its teachers. His prayer was as follows:

“Father, we pray for the leaders of the madrassa, so their hearts would be open to the Gospel.”

What was the outcome of that prayer? Pastor Daniel and forty other pastors were arrested. Whilst we were all celebrating Easter over here, Daniel was sentenced to five years in prison. I was writing to him this morning to let Daniel and his family know that he is in my heart and prayers. I was writing to tell him that God will bless him for his commitment to Christ and the Gospel.

This is one of the reasons why I have been so hard recently on Progressive Christians in America. They want to dilute the Gospel, and diminish Christ’s message throughout the world. Their desire is harmony and peace between all religions, but at a cost that I am not willing to pay. They denigrate Christ and His ministry by casting aside their loyalty to Him and His Kingdom, worshipping instead their own god. They do this from the comfort of their academic beds and theological ivory towers, whereas pastors like Daniel are languishing in prison for preaching, teaching, and praying the true Gospel.

That’s why it is crucial for Christians in America to firmly hold on to our faith, and not be sidetracked into universalism. We may not be persecuted for our faith in our lifetime, but there are millions of Christians throughout the rest of the world who are enduring unjust punishment and unfair prison sentences just for preaching the Gospel and praying for their persecutors.

(If you would like more information about Daniel, please visit the following website: www.prisoneralert.com)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, protect Daniel and his family and keep them safe each day. Let their faith be strong and enable them to persevere. Release him from this unfair captivity and grant him the courage to continue preaching the Gospel amongst those who guard him, and those who are imprisoned with him. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church Devotions: Dealing with Anxiety

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Exodus 14:12 Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (NIV)

When I first became a Christian, I found it tough to try to live up to Christ’s standards. I wanted to remain the same, and for Christ to be different. I wanted Him to accept who I was, instead of me accepting His terms of belief. I wanted Jesus to be my friend, my pal, my best buddy, especially during those times when I wanted to go out and get drunk, paint the town red, and do whatever I desired. In other words, I wanted Christ to save me, but to still let me do what I had always done.

But being double-minded just didn’t work. I was always fighting within myself to overcome temptation, and then when I failed, I fought with my pride to overcome my need to confess. One moment I was happy with the Lord; the very next I was angry with Him. I’m certain that there was some psychological scarring going on, and old wounds that had never been healed were beginning to fester, as well as pester me.

What was occurring was an ancient work of God. I was being convicted and afflicted by the Holy Spirit, but I didn’t understand it at the time. I had given my heart to Jesus, but not my whole life. I was still keeping some things back, some things that I wanted to possess on my own. The trouble was this: the more I held back from Christ, the less able I was to deal with temptation. The more absorbed I became with my my desires, the less faithful I was to God.

At some point, the struggle reached a point when I had to either give up being a Christian, or go forward in faith. I had to let go of the past and move on with Christ. I had to let go of Egypt, and let God lead me through my spiritual wilderness to Christ’s Promised Land. After struggling for months, I eventually surrendered my soul. It wasn’t easy, but it was the best thing that I have ever done in my life.

Perhaps you’re struggling with an issue from the past, or are deeply troubled about your present circumstances. Maybe you’re pining for the good old days, or fearful of what lies ahead. Whatever you are experiencing, it’s time to surrender it all to Christ and place it in His hands. Being depressed about the past or anxious about the future just saps your energy, well-being, and health. Put yourself in Christ’s arms; He’ll embrace you and all of that baggage that you’re carrying. He’ll help you through the emotional wilderness that you’re in, and lead you to a better life, a more hopeful time, and a brighter day. Trust me; I know this to be true.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to surrender our lives to You today. Give us the courage to let go of our fears and worries, so that we can replace them with faith and assurance in You. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

Erin Presbyterian Church Sunday Sermon: Fully Armed & Faithfully Trained

Ephesians 6:10-20

One of the biggest problems that the Church is facing right now is in trying to be nice and pleasing to everyone. We seem to have bought into this mentality that if we’re all nice to each other, God will reward us for being courteous and pleasant, amiable and friendly. If you take a look at most adverts for churches in the newspaper, radio, or TV, you’ll see something to effect that says: “Come and join us, we’re really friendly people.”

Somehow, we’ve managed to become social chameleons who want to fit in with everyone. If someone were to write a motto for the Christian church in America today, it would read something like this: “We love you when you like us.”

I don’t think Paul would have recognized our idea of church with that of his own. He would see us as religious friendship societies or Christian Country Clubs, who go along with the crowd in order to get along in the community. His idea of church was nothing like what we believe it to be today. Churches were not meant to be spiritual candy in the community; the Church was meant to challenge society in order to change it.

That’s why Paul calls upon the Ephesian church to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. The apostle has lived a life of stirring up passions and protests throughout his entire Christian ministry. He knows what persecution and trouble are. And he perfectly understands that the Christian Road is the one less often traveled – a road of radicalism and revolution; a path of persecution and pain; a way of wonder and war at the same time.

1948 Flag of Israel is adopted – The Church is supposed to be like what happened in the world almost sixty years ago today. A white flag with a six pointed blue star and two blue stripes was adopted by a new nation that was struggling to keep its independence. It was of course, the Flag of Israel, and to keep it flying, Israelis have had to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. They wouldn’t exist as a nation today if they just wanted to be liked. They would have been extinguished long ago if all that they had been established for was to be nice.

Now, just as the Israelis have had to fight for every year of their existence, Christianity needs to do the same. We cannot take it for granted that Christ’s message is being preached, taught, and heard in every generation or in every church. We cannot keep wanting to be liked if we wish to remain true to Christ and the Gospel at the same time. If all Jesus had wanted to be was to be nice, He never would have come into conflict with the authorities who executed Him. You don’t crucify nice people – you just simply ignore them. That’s what is happening in Europe right now. The Church has been busy trying to be nice to the population in Europe for the past fifteen years, and what is the outcome? People have stopped going to Church and practically ignore it entirely.


In Paul’s mind, Christianity was a spiritual call to arms to fight against the devil’s schemes. The devil’s ambition is to create chaos and wreak havoc across the world. He preys upon fear and disturbs the faithful. He moves against Christ’s mission wherever it is found in the world. He opposes the kingdom of God all over the universe, so whether or not we like the idea, we are in a global war where godliness opposes godlessness, where faith confronts fear, and where that which is sacred challenges superstition.

So, we’re asked to put on the full armor of God – not just some of it, but all of it. And we’re going to need every piece of armory that we can put on because the devil will be relentless in attacking our bodies and minds, hearts and spirits.


Now let’s get this straight in our hearts and minds once and for all: the devil exists. He isn’t a mythical character or a horror movie star. He isn’t something that was made up to frighten people into faith or to make bad children get to sleep. The devil exists and his biggest weapon is in making himself invisible to our society. He wants us to believe that he doesn’t exist. He wants us to think that he’s the product of a bygone age of superstitions and fear. He wants us to accept that science has managed to explain him away, and that the History channel can make a two hour special about his past. There are evil forces in existence that seek to destroy our souls and sanity, our faith and free will. As mere creatures, we are helpless against such cosmic forces; but as fully armored Christians, the Church becomes the One True Earthly Army of Christ that can confront evil and win people for God’s Kingdom. That’s why we’re called the Church Militant in the Reformed Tradition, and on this Sunday of all Sundays in the year, Reformation Sunday, we should be prepared to take on that title and take on the world.

And why to we call this day Reformation Sunday? Because this is the anniversary weekend of the day that Martin Luther in Germany pinned on a church door 95 protests against the wicked ways in which the Roman Catholic Church was presenting Christ, Christianity and the Gospel to the people. If he wanted to be nice, Martin Luther could have stayed in his bed that morning and forget all about his opposition to his Church, which had been seduced by worldly ways. Instead, Martin Luther chose to put on the full armor of God, be strong in the Lord, and confront the devil in the Church itself!

This should be a warning for all of us: when the Church woos the world, instead of being wedded to Christ, it dances to the devil’s tune. We have been dancing with the devil for so long in our society that we have lost our direction and let go of our grasp of God. In our narcissistic meandering, we have forgotten to love Christ and be loyal to Him alone. Of all cultures and generations of Christians, we are the least effective because we have let go of the truth in order to accommodate the world, the flesh, and the devil.


Paul was facing the same challenges and he knew that he had to rally the Ephesian Church to fight for their faith. Paul also recognized that the devil wouldn’t allow him to live a life of peace and prosperity. By standing out in the Empire and standing up for Christ, Paul would eventually have to lay down his own life. In fact a couple of years after writing this letter, he would be beheaded in Rome. His message would be silenced, but his ministry would continue, especially at Ephesus.

The Christians of that great, prosperous city would face persecution from the general population and the Roman authorities. Their allegiance to Christ and public declaration of Jesus being their only Lord, would cause them to be charged with treason against Caesar. Their dogged determination in continuing to spread Christ’s Gospel would lead to martyrdom and their numbers would be decimated. And yet they were willing to stand firm, to hold on to the higher ground, to maintain their faith, and to continue to pester the world with Christ’s challenges.

A couple of years after pinning his 95 protests to the church door, Martin Luther was brought before politicians and magistrates, church dignitaries and local rulers. He was told to recant of his ways, to give up his protests, and to seek the Church’s forgiveness. In an act of defiance and great faith, he boldly told this to the powerful assembly:” I will not recant. Here I stand, I can do no other.” In other words, he was not willing to be nice; he was not going to give in to worldly standards. He held fast to the true faith and protested against the DEVIL IN the Church. And that is why we celebrate the Reformation this day; that is why we are called Protestants.


Truth, righteousness, peace, and faith are part of our defensive armory defensive against the devil’s way. The devil can’t stand truth because it exposes him as a liar. He doesn’t like righteousness because it confronts his unholiness. He hates peace in the Church because all he wants is conflict and divisions, separations and schism. And he can’t stand faith in Christ because he cannot use fear as a means to destroy people’s hopes and dreams.


Two other things are given to us to enable Christians to overcome evil in the world. The first is the helmet of salvation which protects our head. It’s there for this reason: heresy in the Church begins in the mind, not the heart. There are more people damaged in God’s Kingdom by what they think about God, rather than what they experience about God. That’s why I keep asking us to be careful about what we allow ourselves to read, hear, and see in the movies, on television, or in books. It all ends up as baggage in our minds and if we are not praying throughout the day, or reading and pondering the Bible on a daily basis, or worshipping at church every week, then we are allowing ourselves to clutter up our mind with filth, greed, and pride that the devil uses to weaken our faith and let go of our grasp of God.

Remember, God gives us free will to choose to love and believe in Him. But the devil also uses free will against when we choose to fill our minds with ludicrous ideas, superstitious beliefs, and unholy thoughts. That’s why we need a helmet of salvation and not just for ourselves, but for the whole church. There are debates and discussions taking place across America in PCUSA churches about whether or not we should ask people to make a membership vow that stipulates Jesus Christ as being their personal Lord and Savior. And this is taking place in the Church!

Some pastors and elders, church members and congregations don’t want people to make this statement of faith because it’s too personal, too private, and too contentious. Of course it’s contentious. It’s always meant to be that way. When we confess that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we’re telling the Church and the world that we are His unworthy servants, who cannot escape God’s wrath unless we take an oath of fealty, allegiance and loyalty to Jesus Christ. Anything else is non-Christian – it’s our belief in Christ as Savior of the World and Lord of the Universe that makes us Christians!

And in the end, this is where the sword of the Spirit comes in. We’ve got to cut through the cultural pressures that try to make us nice, neutered, and non-effective to become the radical, revolutionary and Reformed Christians that we are meant to be in the Church, in our community, and throughout the world. We don’t come to Church just because it’s something nice at the end of the week: we are called to Church to be equipped by the Spirit, in order to go out into the community and make an impact for Christ, and prepare it for His return - because when He comes back it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy or Gentle Jesus, meek and Mild. He comes back to us as the Lord of all Creation and the Judge of the entire World.

Christ saves us from Himself! He is our Lord and God, which is why we need to be fully armed and faithfully trained.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, the world tempts us with its wicked ways and unholy truths. Even in the Church, we face heresy and apostasy, unbelief and superstition. Sometimes we don’t know what is the wrong way or the right way, so keep us following Your way, keep us on Your side. In Your Holy Name, we faithfully and fearlessly pray. Amen.

If God be for us, who or what can stand against us?

Weekend Screensaver: Take back the Night

Candles in a church window bringing light in the midst of winter darkness

Erin Church daily devotional : Finding Real Joy

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John 16:22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. (NIV)

One of the very first Sunday school lessons that I can remember was all about Joy. My teacher asked our class what joy was and we all answered with the usual “being happy,” “smiling,” and “laughing out loud.” She then asked us if we knew what real joy was, which puzzled the class. Hadn’t we just explained it to her?

Our teacher put up the letters J-O-Y on her flannel graph board. “Real joy,” she continued, “happens when you put Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last.” It was a simple lesson, a beautiful truth, and a life-long message. I’ve never forgotten what she said, and I’ve tried to put it into practice throughout my life. And when I do, I rediscover that simple truth again and again.

When Jesus was talking to his disciples about joy, He was referring to the joy of the Resurrection. They didn’t know it yet, but they were going to be a part of a glorious event that would change their lives and the whole world forever. They would have a short time of grief when Jesus died, but through the miracle of Resurrection, their lives would be joyously transformed. They would know of a new joy that would be with them throughout their entire lives – a joy that would last for all of eternity.

These days, some so-called biblical scholars and progressive theologians are trying to take away that joy. They explain the Resurrection in terms of symbolism and refute it as an actual reality. They make Jesus out to be a great teacher, but not the Savior and Lord that you and I know. Because of their own academic disillusionment, they have become joy suckers of the Faith that once inspired them. The sad thing is this: the more they try to rationalize the Gospels, they less joy they feel in their hearts. They sour the sacred scriptures and end up academically alone. Instead of putting Jesus first, they have given their own research the priority. In the process, they lose their joy in Christ and let go of their faith in God.

So what’s the lesson for today? The same as it was for me almost 45 years ago. If you want real joy in your life, put Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. Try it. You’ll find it really works!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, in the midst of all our busy-ness, help us to put You first in our lives. Teach us to take care of others second, and give us the will to put ourselves last. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church daily devotional: Picking Blackberries in Scotland

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2 Corinthians 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (NIV)

Years ago, I used to go bramble picking with my brothers, usually during the Fall. I think that you call brambles ‘blackberries’ over here. They look like dark colored raspberries and they grow wild in Scotland. They have a bitter sweet taste to them, but you can make a delicious jelly with them, which our mum used to do when we brought them home.

To get to the biggest and sweetest brambles, you have to be willing to fight your way through some really nasty thorns. In order to pick the brambles off the thorns, you cannot use gloves. Inevitably, my brothers and I would all come home with painful thorns stuck in the palm of our hands. So as well as making jelly, sewing our ripped clothes, mum had to be our nurse by removing the thorns with tweezers. In the end it was worth all of the discomfort, trouble, and pain. The jelly she made was delicious, especially on buttered slices of toast.

Paul writes about a ‘thorn in the flesh’ that he experienced in his life. As a preacher, he could easily have become conceited by the amount of power and esteem he was given by his listeners. But God gave him some sort of impediment, which caused him a great deal of discomfort. He does not mention what this thorn was precisely, but it was enough of a problem for Paul to ask God to remove it. God, however, says “no” to Paul’s prayer and so he has to learn to live with it.

Sometimes as Christians, we think that we’re entitled to live our lives free from worries, stress, or attack. We think that just because we follow Christ then our lives should be free from trouble. The advocates of the heretical prosperity Gospel have caused Christians throughout the world to believe that God is a great genie in the sky that supplies all of our wants and removes all of our burdens. But this is not the case. God gives us the ability to cope with our problems and to adapt our lives accordingly. He never promises to remove them, otherwise saints like Paul would never have had to live with their thorns in the flesh.

If you’re carrying a burden in your heart or mind, and it seems like a thorn in your flesh which is always troubling you, take it to God. He may not remove it from you, but He will give you his strength to enable you to cope.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all have thorns in our sides and troubles in our lives. Sometimes we just want them to go away, so that we can live our lives peace and prosperity. Remind us that we have faith in You to help us through those times when we struggle. Grant us the courage to face our fears and enable to cope with the pressures we experience. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church Devotional : Backsliding in Faith - How to return to God

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Jeremiah 3:22 "Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding."
"Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God.” (NIV)

Recently, our Celtic band Glenfinnan played at a Scots-Irish festival in Dandridge, Tennessee. We performed from the front porch of an old inn, right in the heart of the town. As well as listening to our music, people were walking around the various craft and food stalls, all of which had Celtic connections.

At the end of the street, there was a high hill. It was the back end of the dam wall and it was very steep. Children were slowly walking up the hill carrying sheets of cardboard with them. Once they reached the top of the hill, they slid down it by sitting on the cardboard. It looked wonderful and all the kids were having great fun.

This reminded me of my own childhood days. Just around the corner from my own home, there was a steep hill and we also used to slide down it on sheets of cardboard. There was one major difference from Dandridge. At the bottom of the hill in Scotland were railway tracks. We used to play “chicken” by sliding down as fast as we could to reach the tracks just as a train was passing by. We were young, fearless, and stupid. You wouldn’t catch me doing the same today as I did way back then.

Although sliding was great fun, walking back up the steep hill was agony. It took ages and after a while, it was all too much. No matter how much we looked forward to sliding, we were just too tired to do anymore.

Backsliding in faith can be fun, too. People slack off from going to church or turning up to Sunday School. They want to do something exciting or haven’t got the time to give of themselves to God. They believe that they’ll get back to church soon, but it becomes too much of a chore, too much of a task to organize. Backsliding is no longer just fun; it becomes a feature of their lives.

But God and God’s people are just waiting for them to return. Backsliders are not going to be condemned or criticized, chastised or challenged. Instead, they are going to be welcomed and embraced, encouraged and loved. Instead of backsliding, they are back praising God. Instead of being away, they are shown the Way. Instead of fearing God’s wrath, they receive His grace. Backsliding can be fun, but homecoming is even more wonderful.

Perhaps you’ve been away from church for a while and don’t know how to get back. Don’t worry about it – just walk through the church door, and you’ll receive a hundred thousand welcomes. You’re back where you belong. You’re back in God’s place.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all backslide occasionally and find it hard to return. Faith is such a steep hill at times, so we pray that You will reach down and help us climb it. Grant us the courage to return home to You, so that we may re-experience Your love, grace, and welcome. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Tertullian Revisited: Chapter 7: Modern Heresy is only paganism revisited.

Chapter 7: Heresy is paganism revisited.

The world is wise in its own eyes. It has always chosen to be blinded by its own reason and to shut out God. The world is man’s attempt to build for himself a Garden of Eden. If he can shut out God, he thinks he can be happy; but all that he will become is isolated and deluded – in other words, man’s Eden becomes a living hell.

Man uses his mind to sever himself from God. He concocts words and makes mighty manuscripts to rid himself of God’s penetrating presence. Sadly, he forgets that God is both the Original Spirit and the Progenitor of the Living Word. No matter how excellently man crafts his words and creates his ideas, he can never separate himself from the One, True and Living God, for man’s existence and thought is dependent upon the benevolent sovereignty and favor of God.

Each generation produces its unholy band of heretics. Today’s world is not protected from the foolish prognostications of false prophets and deluded philosophers. As each century passes, the attempts of universalists and atheists to attack the Church become more puerile, belligerent, and bellicose. They attempt to lure the masses away from Church by talking of the death of God, the decline of Christianity, and the irrelevance of Christ. But this is the mere buzzing of flies and biting of gnats. Their personal philosophies will not outlive them by more than a few decades. The Church, however, will grow stronger each day until the promised end of Time.

Rational modern and post-modern men are both the same: existentialists who dream that their own generation is the finest and most able to pull apart the Church. They do not believe that the soul can be eternal and that death extinguishes everything. Were they to admit to the immortality of their souls, they would have to accept that a Higher Being exists. Were they to accept a Higher Being, then they would have to admit that their own reasoning is limited. Thus they opt to believe that the soul dies, but they cannot say how it decays unless the soul is actually the mind, in which case it dies with the brain, but where and when does the soul begin or end, they do not know.

Heretics deal with the same questions that the Church provides answers: why is there evil in the world? Why is it permitted by God? Where did Man originate? What is His purpose? What is the meaning of Life?

Rather than accept the Church’s teaching on these matters, the heretic pursues his own answers. He does not ask for discernment, but expects enlightenment. He does not seek God’s guidance, but believes he is following a godly path. He rejects the wisdom of the Church and the ancient wisdom of God; instead he embraces popular myths, superstitions, and philosophies in order to be embraced by the world in return. In other words, the heretic is no prophet; he is a populist.

Heretics are stimulated by debate and seek to glorify words and phrases, ideas and opinions that enhance their reputations. Modern heretics of prosperity gospel reject humility gospel and squander their talents on gaining gain and making more. Any who confront them are treated as idiots and any who contest their sincerity are vehemently attacked. The Christian who stands up to these enemies of the Church may experience hatred and venom, especially from those heretics who abide within the Church.

Using sweet words and respected research, heretics maintain that their ideas and interpretations of scripture are the ones that current man should adopt. The past is treated as being non-essential and traditional history is meaningless. They seek to find the historical Christ, bleeding Him dry of His words and diminishing His ministry. They reinterpret scripture to fit their own lifestyle choices and brand Christ the Great Universalist, whose toleration and compassion knew no exclusivity. In other words, they reinvent the Gospel by becoming modern day Marcionites and Theological termites.

To the heretic, truth is no longer absolute and Christ’s words have no absolute meaning. Christ’s ministry is localized to those who believe Him in certain areas of the world. Salvation is found all over the earth in the purity of religious fervor. Whoever believes sincerely in what he or she sincerely believes is saved by their sincere desire to believe in their own god. This is not Gospel, for in Gospel Christ says “Believe in me and also in God.”

What is there that separates Christians from heretics? Both believe in truth: for the Christian, truth is found in Christ; for the heretic, truth is found inside himself.

Christianity is too simplistic for the heretic. He wants to rationalize, complicate, and complement his faith and uses his own mind to do so. He does not realize that he is idolizing his own insights, instead of Christ’s teachings.

The Church’s role is to remain true to Christ: all others goals are incidental.

To be possessed by Christ is to know His endearing and eternal love. To be possessed by heresy is to callously reject Christ’s embrace, and instead, to choose to be seduced by spiritual narcissism.

Our faith in Christ should be enough. If it isn’t, then we haven’t faith in Him, only in ourselves.

Erin Church Devotional - Jesus is Lord - or how being PC ain't being PCUSA

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Psalm 69:13 But I pray to You, O LORD, in the time of Your favor; in Your great love, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation. (NIV)

There’s a debate taking place across the Presbyterian Church as to whether or not it is still appropriate to call Jesus “Lord.” The argument goes like this: we are no longer part of a medieval feudal system or a society that depends upon slavery. Terms like “Lord”, “Master” and “King” denigrate people around the world by making them feel subservient and worthless. Instead of being made to feel inferior, we need to know that we are special, chosen, and favored by God, therefore terms like Creator, Friend, and Encourager should be used when we refer to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In other words, we want God to be shaped and molded, created and contained by our descriptions; we want to be treated as equals and not as servants.

At the recent meeting of Mission Presbytery in Texas, a commissioner complained that the use of the word “Lord” should be outlawed across the church because it reeks of Western imperialism. “After all,” the commissioner concluded, “Jesus never used the term to describe Himself.”

This is where Biblical ignorance rears its ugly head: the speaker obviously hadn’t read the following verse:
"You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am." John 13:13

Fortunately, someone was there to remind everyone of that verse. An Hispanic pastor also stood up to say that for some Hispanic communities in South America, the Lordship of Christ is a life or death issue, especially in areas where drug barons or military juntas wickedly rule the community. Christians, who firmly believe in the Lordship of Christ, do everything in their power to confront evil in their community, even if it costs them their lives. And the same could be said for Christians in China, Myanmar, the Middle East, and Africa.

We Western Christians have become so obsessed with political correctness that we have forgotten what it means to pledge our allegiance to Christ. We are creatures of God, called to be servants of the Kingdom and slaves to the Gospel. We are all unworthy, and none of us can claim equality to Christ or God. If the Presbyterian Church keeps following this blind alley, then we’ll end up falling into the pits of despair and desperation. We’ll do anything to woo the world, instead of being wedded to Christ. We’ll sell our souls to the loudest lobbyists, instead of giving our lives to our Lord.

I, for one, am not willing to surrender anymore, or to follow the maddening crowd. Jesus is my Lord. I am only His servant.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach us why we must become subservient to Your ways and words. Release us from our arrogance and sinful pride. Help us to accept our role as servants in Your Kingdom. Give us the courage to stand up against those who would tear You down. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church Devotional - A Real Treasure

Audio version here

Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

It’s almost Halloween and the stores are full of costumes. I like the pirate ones that come out every year. They’re not as scary as some ugly ones which glorify gore and violence. Pirates are like your lovable rogues who say “ooooh” and “aaaargh” a lot. They might have once been the scourge of the seven seas, but these days pirates are funny and outrageous.

Ever since I read “Treasure Island” by the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson, I’ve been fascinated with pirates. And then when I saw Robert Newton play Long John Silver on the silver screen, that clinched it for me. I dearly loved his acting – it was way over the top.

In the movies and books, pirates are motivated by two things: plunder and treasure. They’re either battling it out with galleons filled with Spanish doubloons or looking for a deserted isle to bury their sought after treasure. I guess that we have R L Stevenson to thank for that! And all pirates are totally committed to protecting their treasure. It means everything to them and they will risk their lives trying to keep it.

But what’s all of this got to do with today’s passage? Well, it seems Jesus wanted us think of the kingdom of heaven as a great treasure that we discover in our lives, which has to be protected. It’s a gift from God that we should cherish and not take for granted. Far too often people think that the Kingdom of Heaven is a ‘given’ in their lives, something that will be bestowed upon them no matter who they are or what they’ve done. But it isn’t – the Kingdom of Heaven is a priceless treasure and unless we look after it, we can lose it.

Jesus wants all of us to find this treasure in our lives. He’s given us clues in the Holy Scriptures and Gospel teachings about how to find it. We have to dig it out for ourselves and discover His Truth, His Way, and His Life. If we think for a moment that we can make up our own truth, go our own way, and live our own life and then receive the Kingdom of Heaven, we haven’t been listening to Him or reading His clues properly.

To receive this treasure, we’ve got to give Christ our hearts. To enjoy His Kingdom, we’ve got to submit to His will and become His servants. Any other way is false and only ends up shipwrecking souls.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant us the priceless gift of Your Kingdom in our lives. Help us to look beyond our own thinking in order to take that leap of faith, that time of transformation which will lead us to Your treasure. Give us the courage to talk to our families and friends, so that they will also receive this eternal and exclusive gift. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Tertullian Revisited: Chapter 6: Heresy is sinfully chosen over the will of Christ.

To reject a heretic is to disarm him of any credibility. The task of the Church is not only to neutralize the ideas and opinions of heretics, but also to enhance and edify orthodox beliefs. The unity of the Church across the centuries depends upon its ability to confront heresy and maintain the authority of Christ’s message at the same time. Too harsh a condemnation will result in people rooting for the underdog and taking up with heresy. Too much indifference and heresy will grow like a theological tumor on the body of Christ.

A person chooses to be heretical and accepts false teachings because of the power, esteem and assurance it gives him. The teachings of Christ are diminished and His sovereignty is questioned. A typical heretic will not be able to give Christ the proper respect and authority that He has. Christ’s sovereignty is denigrated by the heretic through not being able to express Christ’s absolute power of salvation. The heretic chooses to not believe that Christ is the Only Savior of the world, despite what the Bible reveals to us. Rather than accept the traditions of scripture and the historical authority of the Church, the heretic chooses to accept the false utterances of his teachers, or his own voice.

Heretics are therefore self-condemned because they individually choose to defy God’s Word and accept their own understanding. They allow the secular culture to mold their views and will not accept the unchangeable truths of the Gospel values. Heretics contend with the church and advocate on behalf of the world. They have forgotten once again that the Church is not empowered by their wishes, beliefs or ideas. The Church is established and rooted in the total word of God.

Our example comes from the words of the first disciples and apostles of the Church. They chose to simply accept Christ’s words and ways. Their devotion to Him after the resurrection was absolute. Their words are witnesses to who Christ was and what He still is today. Heretics put themselves above the witness of the disciples. They believe that their own life experiences are more relevant to their beliefs today. They refuse to accept the simple truth – that the first apostles expressed an absolute confidence in the message of the Gospel and pledged their total allegiance to Jesus Christ.

Any gospel which is contrary to the true Gospel is heresy. Religious Universalism, prosperity gospel, divine entitlement and pluralistic salvation are common heresies in the Church today. And remember, heresy exists in the Church, not outside of it!

The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to reveal to us the truth of Christ’s Gospel. When we spurn the Living Words of Christ and denigrate His sovereignty, we oppose the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus heresy is a direct confrontation with God. The Bride of Christ needs to appear before Christ as worthy and unblemished. The rooting out of heresy has to come from within the Church.

Erin Church devotional : Speak the Faith

Audio version here

2 Corinthians 4:13 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak. (NIV)

It was Billy Hunter who believed in Christ and spoke words of faith to me. I know that God speaks to our hearts in order to receive Christ, but He also uses people as vessels to convey that faith as something that is alive, relevant, and real. Billy Hunter was the first Sunday School teacher that I can remember, and his faith connected with my heart.

At the time, our family lived in Saracen, Glasgow, Scotland. We didn’t know it then, but it was a deprived area where families from the slum housing in the city were supposed to make a new start. The city fathers thought that by putting people in newer tenements/ apartments, Glasgow would flourish and everyone would take advantage of the new opportunities.

But the traps of poverty – alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence and gang warfare, loan sharks and protection rackets followed the people. We came out of the frying pan and into the fire. Deprivation and disillusionment set in. Within a couple of years, depression – both economic and psychological – overshadowed the new community. Hopes and dreams were shattered, and Glasgow floundered instead of flourishing.

And yet there were still people like Billy Hunter who chose to teach Christianity and speak words of faith to the children in the community. He had the heart of an evangelist, but was as gentle as a shepherd. He made Christ real to me and taught me that there was something more to life. He showed me the light of Christ in the midst of the darkness and squalor of poverty. He put hope in my soul and faith in my heart. I owe all that I know and have today to Jesus, but Billy Hunter was the faithful servant Christ used to get me here.

Christianity is not a personal lifestyle choice or a private religion. It has to be spoken in order to be shared; it has to be heard in order to be received. Every one of us will be given opportunities this day to believe in Christ’s work and to speak faith to others. Let’s prepare our hearts and minds even now as we read and hear this message, to be ready to share Christ’s Gospel today.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we believe in You – Your words, Your ways, Your works. Help us this day to make the most of the opportunities that You give us, to share our beliefs and speak faith to those who need to hear about Your life and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church Devotional: Making a Bethel (House of God) in our Hearts

Genesis 28:19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.

I’ve always loved the story of Jacob because he is just so human. He tricks his brother and father. He ends up being a fugitive. He outsmarts his father-in-law and ends up becoming one of the most important people in the Bible. I guess if Jacob were alive today, he would either be the most successful broker on Wall Street, or even the front runner in a presidential campaign!

In this part of his life, he is fleeing the wrath of his brother. Jacob doesn’t want to be killed, so he high-tails it out of town and runs away as fast as he can. When he eventually stops to rest, he has nowhere to stay but out in the open. And using a stone as a pillow does not sound as though he was in cozy surroundings.

In the midst of all his anxiety, Jacob receives a glorious vision from God. This assures him that God is with Jacob, and that he shall overcome his troubles. Fear is replaced with faith; helplessness is changed into hope. Jacob is so delighted with God’s presence that he makes the place into a shrine, and promises to give a tithe of all that he has to God. His relief and thankfulness are sincere. His devotion and dedication to God are strengthened.

We all go through troubled times and we each entertain fears and worries. In the midst of our crises, God wants to be our strength, savior and deliverer. When we turn over our concerns to Him, He helps us through the worst of times. When we make a Bethel (house of God) in our hearts, He supports and guides us. And, after the crisis has ended, we should make and take time to thank God in a fitting and appropriate manner.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the stories of faith from people like Jacob in the past. Thank You for their ability to depend upon You when they were weak, lost, and fearful. Grant us Your blessing of assurance and presence in the midst of our own troubles and concerns. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Tertullian Revisited: Chapter 5 - Every Generation in the Church needs to be aware of Heresy

Chapter 5 - Every Generation in the Church needs to be aware of Heresy.

Apart from confronting heresy, the Church also needs to use it as a means of fortifying the faith. The Gospel message has to be purely preached in every generation, otherwise the values of the past, which belong to Christ, will degenerate and faith will diminish. Popular slogans such as “getting back to the basics” or “what would Jesus do?” have lost their appeal because they have been used too often and treated glibly by Christians. What the Church requires is a long term plan for each generation to be nurtured and grown in the faith from birth to death. Biblical ignorance feeds heresy; Christian education destroys it.

Heresy seeks out the young and the lost. It looks for immaturity of faith and disappointment in the Church. It preys upon dissension and division, uncertainty and unholiness. It is cultic and tantalizing, hypnotic and intriguing. Souls are lost to heresy in people that seek flattery, importance and esteem, instead of humility, service, and devotion to God.

The degrees of heresy manifest themselves in arrogance, petulance, belligerence, and indifference. Instead of supporting the life, work, and mission of the Church, heretics have their own agenda to which all else must submit. They thrive on the silent and impassive nature of the sheepish majority. Where churches seek to keep the peace amongst the faithful, heresies abound because courtesy builds a hedge around confrontation. Where churches seek to make peace with God, heresy is confronted and exposed.

The real damage that heresies make in the Church is the amount of divisions that can occur in any one group. Fragmentation of the faithful community and severing traditional ways are given a high priority by heretics. They don’t want to be chained to the past, because this would make them mere servants of God. They want to emerge as a dominant force amongst the faithful, instead of merging with past generations. In short, they seek to glorify themselves and be exalted above all past generations. They see their movement as essential to the Church of tomorrow, forgetting that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Past leaders of the Christ’s Church have tackled heresy by pointing out its failures to submit to the will of God and be subservient to Jesus. The tragedy of today’s Church is that it wants to be all inclusive at the expense of being faithful to God’s Kingdom. The Gospel values of the past are jettisoned, whilst the ever-present culture is engaged. Instead of being wed to Christ, the Church wants to be wooed by the world. Heresy, therefore, is a departure from all that has been revered in the past. It seeks to be falsely revered for its own sake, instead of being willing to be scorned for Christ’s sake.

Dawn Patrol :Tennessee Sunrise Photo

Sometimes getting up early is worth it...



...taken from my back door, Knoxville, Tennessee

Preaching Heresy - Mega Churches & the Prosperity Gospel

Luke 12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

A lot of Americans are buying into what has been coined as “the prosperity gospel.” Its message goes something like this: God will be good to you, if you believe in His promises; God will make you successful, if you ask Him. It ties up the American dream with the Christian faith, and a lot of mega-churches are promoting this rags-to-riches, gospel-to-glory type of message.

It sounds like a good idea and certainly makes for great marketing, but it’s not what Christianity is all about. The promoters of the ‘prosperity gospel’ are actually peddling a heresy. In other words, they’re twisting the truth of the gospel into something that it was never meant to become. I mean think about it: can you imagine Jesus telling the folks of His day that their debt would be taken care of, just by giving money to His Galilean ministry? Do we really think that Christ, who told the rich young man to give up all of his possessions, would preach a message saying that God would supply everything we ever wanted? If we all read the Gospels properly, we find that Jesus talks more about giving than getting.

It’s very easy to get caught up in a cycle of fulfilling our desires and meeting our wants than it is to sacrificially give and be content with what we need. The world tells us to fulfill our goals and not to deny our dreams. Jesus, on the other hand, tells us to seek God’s kingdom and find all that we need in Him. Instead of a prosperity or property gospel, Christ preaches and teaches an uncomplicated, uncompromising message about self-denial, self-sacrifice, and selflessness. The old adage of “God helps those who help themselves” was never spoken by Jesus. You won’t find it in the Bible either; it was first uttered by Benjamin Franklin.

The danger of this prosperity heresy is that we can become envious of those who succeed in life by applying this false teaching. And that in itself becomes a subtle temptation to give up on what we know to be the truth, and turn to populist teachings to fulfill our lives. If you take time to read all of Psalm 73, you will discover how one person goes through this temptation, but eventually turns away from it and seeks God’s presence instead.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are many who preach Your words today and use them for their own profit. Help us to discern between those who remain faithful to Your lessons for life, as opposed to those who peddle Your Gospel and Holy words for their own wealth and success. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

Tertullian Revisited: Chapter 4: Tolerating Heretics destroys the Church

Some people find it difficult to call others in their midst, “heretics.” We live in a culture where tolerance is the panacea to all our troubles, and intolerance is anathema to peace and unity. But it was Jesus Himself who pointed out that heretics would be in our midst. We delude ourselves if we believe that He is totally tolerant of those who would twist His words and bend the truth of the Gospel. Heresy happens because we are phobic about being called “intolerant.” We have believed the world’s propaganda that we are narrow-minded, conservative reactionaries instead of faithful servants of Christ. We are not Torquemada and the Inquisition; we are followers of Christ and of His Kingdom. The world crucified Christ – are we so deluded that we think it will deal with us without hostility?

Those who are heretics often present themselves in the noblest of terms. They are seeking to be inclusive and non-judgmental. They want peace in the world and equality for everyone. They preach a message of tolerance, yet beneath their words there is a deep intolerance of those who keep to the old ways, the lasting virtues, and Gospel values. They want to devour the Church and make it bend to their universalistic will. They forget that the Church is Christ’s Bride – it submits to no will but His own.

It is both sad and shocking to realize that most heretics come from the ranks of the clergy. They have their own personal agenda to make the Church what they want it to be. They lead with deceit and seek to make more followers of themselves. They preach their own gospel and set aside Christ’s words, work, and ways. They look for weak-minded people and lovers of selves, hoping to bring them into their pack by disguising it as a flock. On the outside, their congregations look like a church, but on the inside false teaching, narcissistic nurturing, and worldly views are treated and presented as being Christian.

The heretics proclaim a rosier future where all people can live in peace throughout the world – a utopian place where all thoughts are acceptable, all notions are tolerated, and all religions are the same. They seek a perfect world, but not the perfect kingdom; they want a united world, but not a united faith; they seek the glory of God for themselves and look to plunder the Church. Heretics are dangerous teachers – they contaminate souls and dismember the body of Christ.

The object of heresy is to make as many disciples as possible to strengthen their ideas and to bolster their opinions. They denounce their opponents as uncaring, unloving, and unchristian people. They seek to divide and conquer. They gloat when some sheep leave the fold. They glory in apostasy and revel in the moral ambivalence of the people. Heretics abound where Biblical ignorance exists. They confound the faithful by willfully misinterpreting the scriptures and questioning Biblical authority. They are more interested in the present times than the past. They are more concerned with things happening now, than those which are still to come. They judge people today, forgetting about the judgment that awaits all of us tomorrow.

The ability of heresy to camouflage itself in the life of the Church is what makes it so dangerous, and needs to be exposed. The choosing of Church leaders needs to be carefully scrutinized; the positioning of teachers in our seminaries needs to be fully recovered by the Church; and the publishing of heretical works under the guise of being academic needs to be halted. Gospel values are undermined when the Church neglects to uphold traditional beliefs and to promote the Gospel. If the Church has become a channel for promulgating Christless studies and false teachings by our preachers, doctors, and professors, then we have become apostate in nature and need to repent. And remember, heretics do not see the need for repentance, nor do they wish to humble themselves before God.

Just because a heretic can present his or her false teachings in a sound and studious manner, does not mean that their heresy is any less. The arch advocate for apostasy eloquently argued with Christ in the wilderness, using scripture and doctrine, flattery and logic to present his case. Christ, however badly He was tempted, did not succumb to the heretic from hell’s words. Christ resolutely remained loyal to God and stuck to the Truth. He did not compromise His beliefs; He did not yield to false arguments in order to be accommodate His opponent, nor did Christ respect the devil’s research and knowledge. In order to remain faithful to Christ, we must be ready to do the same.

Erin Church Devotional - One Hour: Choosing to use our time for God

Audio Version here

Luke 12:25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (NIV)

“So much to do, so little time to do it in.”

Do you ever have the feeling that time is running out and all the things that you have planned are never going to be accomplished? I guess I’m at that stage in my life right now, when I have to decide what I am going to specialize in for the rest of my days. I love writing, painting, singing, song-writing, doing crafts, fishing, going places, reading books, planning lessons, leading studies, telling stories to kids, watching movies, etc, etc, etc. The list is endless and I’ve only so much time to cram it all in.

I’m sure that we’re all like that. We want our lives to make a difference in the world, so we hope that what we choose to do will make an impact in our churches, community, and world. We want to make the best use of our allotted days, but Time is like a river, it moves on regardless of how much we try to slow it down or extend our lives. As Robert Burns, Scotland’s greatest poet once wrote, “Time and tide wait for no man.”

Jesus reminds us that we are all finite creatures. We can’t add anything to our years, not even a single hour. We come and go as God wills, and that is sometimes pretty hard to accept. We all want to live forever, but our times are in God’s hands, so no matter what we do, there will be a moment when we leave earth and enter into eternity.

That’s where making good use of our lives is very important. We all want to make a difference, we all want to make an impact – but is that only for ourselves or is it to glorify Christ? Our lives are in His hands, but our choices are our own. Do we choose Christ and eternal bliss, or do we choose ourselves with no everlasting hope?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to weigh our lives in eternal terms and to understand that the choices we make here on earth affect our future in eternity. Grant us the courage to reach out to You and take You into our hearts. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Weekend Screensaver - Arthur's Holy Fayre

merchants, mendicants, & musicians; jousters, alchemists and pilgrims - all depicted here.

Tertullian revisited; Chapter 3 - Heretics Makes Themselves Unwelcome in the Church

Chapter 3: Heretics make themselves unwelcome in the Church

False assurance and a smug attitude bedevil the heretic. He is so enchanted by his own twisted logic that he loses the ability to doubt his feelings, turning his faith into a fierce fanaticism that seeks to devour the weak and make more converts to his side.

The Church must ask itself: how does this happen? How could faithful people be so beguiled by their own thoughts that they give up on Christ and set aside Gospel values? What has caused them to fail God?

The shame of the Church is this: that those who once espoused a faithful life are now inclined to berate Christ’s followers and subvert the Gospel. The heretic now has his own agenda to destroy the Church from within, looking to corrupt the body of Christ with a disloyal, agitated, and unloving heart.

The Bible is full of fallen servants, whose desires overcome their devotion to God. They are plagued with envy, guilt, and pride. In order to be restored to God’s community, they need to seek mercy and grace, forgiveness and pardon.

The heretic cannot bring himself to do this. His false integrity and uncompromising pride makes him withhold his contrition and repentance, leading him into the path of perdition.

Only Christ persevered through life to overcome doubt and temptation, selfishness and sin. Christ’s followers, however, cannot claim the same. Christians from all sacred stations and in all walks of life fall from grace. In doing so, does this invalidate the Gospel? Does their hypocrisy diminish Christ’s authority?

Is faith proven only by our avoidance of sin? Is our grasp of God important to others who want to believe in Him? Have we wrested away God’s sovereignty by our inability to remain true at all times? Are we in danger of losing the Faith by losing our faith? Those who complete the journey of life are true Christians. Those who are still on the path to glory are called pilgrims.

We look for evidence of faith on the outside of a man. We judge his faith by his deeds, not his motives. We are blind to the inward struggle that people of faith often experience. We can only see what we want to see, but God sees further still. All hearts are disclosed to His gaze. All thoughts are known by Him alone.

God knows those who are His and He embraces those who belong to Him, even if they have fallen from grace. God loves the sinner without embracing the sin. And the faithful fallen one seeks His clemency and benevolence, favor and restoration.

Not so the heretic. He remains pure in his own eyes and does not seek the Lord’s favor. He makes his own restitution and belittles those who acknowledge their weaknesses. The heretic wallows in his own thoughts and bathes his soul in his own understanding.

Even amongst Christ’s own company, of those who walked and talked with Him, were some who chose to go another way. His message was too hard to endure; His demands were too high to achieve. They chose to make their own religion and follow an easier way. But not all of Christ’s disciples chose this. Some remained with Him until His arrest. The way was hard, but they kept their hope in the Lord.

In every generation, they are those who start on the Lord’s company, but end up taking their own sides. No church, no community of faith, no congregation of the faithful is without its critics or heretics. Even in the Lord’s solemn and sacred company of apostles was one who would choose to betray Him.

We are naïve if we believe that the Church is perfect and free from heresy. The sad thing to note is this: the Church is the breeding ground for heresy. It strikes from within and causes trouble amongst the faithful. Shepherds of the sheep must always be vigilant and look for leaders of the wolf pack.

In the end, heretics choose schism over sanctification, and division instead of devotion. They are not forced out of the church; they separate themselves from the body of Christ. They enforce their own anathema.

Erin Church Devotional: peace prize - for a planet in peril

Isaiah 57:18, 19 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD. "And I will heal them." (NIV)

The world is abuzz today with news of Al Gore winning the International Peace Prize. Whilst I don’t agree with his conclusions about global warming, I’m glad to see him being recognized for his work. For too long, Al Gore remained in the shadows of Bill Clinton and, unfortunately, had his hopes dashed in 2000 because of that connection. He has now emerged as a global warrior on behalf of the planet and it is fitting that he should receive this award because of the awareness that he has brought to this highly controversial subject.

Making peace with the environment is not something that most of us think about, and yet it is a significant part of the stewardship that God has placed upon us. For most of the 20th century, we blighted and blasted the land, sea, and sky with bad industrial processes and weapons of destruction. Instead of living in a clean, peaceable kingdom, we’ve created a polluted monster of a planet that is beginning to grow weary of the demands that we make upon its raw materials and irreplaceable resources.

I am not a geological scientist or educated environmentalist by any means, but I do know that garbage, waste disposal, and pollutants would be a problem in my own home if I didn’t do something about it each week. If Al Gore’s peace prize award gets more people to think about how we can restore the planet, then he deserves all the kudos for this accomplishment. I may not entirely agree with his proposals or politics, but anything that makes this world a cleaner place is better for us all.

Peace, restoration, and healing are important to God – may they also be equally important to us.

Prayer: Father God, forgive us for our foolish ways of taking this planet for granted and ruining some of its irreplaceable beauty. Help us to be better stewards of Your creation. Give us open hearts, educated minds, and willing hands to do all that we can to restore the world and make peace with the environment. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Tertullian Revisted: Chapter 2: Heresy is a Virus that Attacks the Church in Every Generation

Chapter 2: Heresy is a Virus that Attacks the Church from Within.

Heresy’s existence in the church is not a cause for alarm, but of pity. Just like a computer virus, the heretic has been contaminated with bad theology and wayward faith. He or she has supplanted humility with pride, faith with arrogance, and belief with obstinacy. The heretic believes that he or she is expressing their freedom and free will. The trouble is this: they become ensnared by their own folly; they become captive to their own confused hearts.

Heresy’s power lies in its ability to intrigue the dilapidated soul into thinking it has discovered a mysterious secret. It entwines the spirit by seducing thought, suppressing doubt, and casting God aside. All answers to life’s mysteries are found from within and each time a spiritual solution is uncovered, Christ is diminished whilst the heretic is glorified. It is a pleasant process of self-idolization and personal enlightenment. The soul is hypnotized by the merest flicker of light from within. The utter grandeur of God is forgotten and the obsession to fuel the heretical spirit with spiritual self-devotion is no longer a temptation. The heretic, therefore, cannibalizes his or her own spirit, not realizing that he or she is emptying their precious soul.

Christian heresy, if there is such a thing, is not to be admired nor accepted. Its power to deceive is subtle and over the years a gradual loss of traditional Gospel values gives way to a flood of inconsistent standards and self-deceptive doctrine. To guard against it, the Christian believer needs to daily bathe his or her spirit in prayer, meditation, thanksgiving, and supplication. Surrendering to God’s authority and reminding oneself of being a creature, guards against a multitude of heresies and protects the believer from wandering off the true path.

Curiosity and a morbid fascination with heresy, disrespect for boundaries and an over indulgent self can lead one down the path to heresy. What begins as an intriguing journey ends up in an entangled wilderness of abandoned faith and lost hope. The heretic deludes her or himself that everyone else is wrong and that they are ultimately right, forgetting that the Only One who is completely right is God.

To counter heresy, the believer has to avoid its charms. All heresies begin with a kernel of truth that becomes warped and worms its way into the heart and soul of a spiritually shallow person. Most heretics are unaware that they are toying with heresy or that their spirits are endangered. They spurn all help to set them on the right path and end up down a blind alley. What begins as a journey to discover the secret of truth and light becomes a pathway to self-delusion and an inward darkness of the soul.

Heresies have no power of their own. Like the demons of the past, they are only empowered by what credence or acceptance we give to them. Superficiality, superstition, and slothfulness are key ingredients in perpetuating heretical myths, theories, and doctrine. Short cut theology and cultic behavior attract infantile spirits and shallow souls.

Heresies abound where dogmatic confrontation is avoided. Heresies slowly smother traditional values by displacing long held components of the Gospels and Christian beliefs. Heretics bully people into adopting their ways and attack the Church in order to create disorder. A Church divided is easily invaded. A Church that is weary is easily won over.

Heresy worms its way into the Church through the weakest walls and over broken boundaries. The Church must ever be vigilant in every generation, for without having sentinels, the sacred will be usurped, faith will be depleted, and the people will be dispersed.

Erin Church Daily Devotional: Tertullian - A Braveheart Warrior in Heretical Times

Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (NIV)

For a long time, I have wanted to read the works of an ancient presbyter called Tertullian. He lived during the second century AD and spent most of his life fighting the heresies that were prevalent in the Early Church. His writings laid the foundation of much that we believe in the church today. He was a warrior for the faith and he influenced a whole new generation of church leaders, who went on to strengthen Christianity and protect it from the false teachings of the Gnostics.

In my heart, I feel that there is something gravely wrong with the Western Church today. We have gone down a path that leads to a dead end. For decades, I have heard people say that the church needs to be more inclusive, politically correct, and tolerant of other people’s life styles in order to be accepted by the world. But if this is the case, then why is Western Christianity dying?

Even in our own denomination, the PCUSA, diversity is worshipped and glorified as the best way to keep us relevant in society. But if this is true, then why has our denomination declined by over 15% in the last ten years? If embracing the new culture is meant to be the panacea to keep us strong, then why are PCUSA congregations diminishing in size, influence, and relevance?

This is why I am reading Tertullian. He was a man of his times who confronted the heretical threats to the church. In reading his works, I personally hope to find a way to counter our Christless culture and find the right path for the church to grow, be more influential, and make a positive impact in society.

I am working on an online study series of Tertullian’s works, as well as a parallel 21st century apologetic to confront the new heresies in the church today. If you would like to sign up for the online study, then send me an email at Traqair@aol.com . Write Tertullian in the subject line and I will get you signed up via the church’s webmail. If you would like to see what the apologetic looks like, then please visit my wordpress blog at

http://stushie.wordpress.com/

Prayer: Lord Jesus, these are confusing and conflicting days for Your Church. We are being crushed by society and ignored by our culture. We are trying to please everybody, forgetting that we should only please You. Forgive us for taking the wrong path and help us to return to Your Highway. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Tertullian Revisited: Chapter 1 - Heresy in the Church

Tertullian Revisited

Chapter 1: Heresies Exist

The character of the beginning of the 21st century is such that people everywhere declare their own truths to be self-evident in their own lives. Institutional truth is rejected, but individual truth is revered. Traditional values are mocked, whilst brazen boldness is idolized. In his search for ultimate pleasure and unrestricted delight, 21st century man leaves himself wide open to fascist extremes and oppressive regimes. Unless the Church is willing to confront and check this sordid tide of unfettered secularism, humankind is doomed to enter into another Dark Age.

Heresy in the Church manifests in an uber-utopian view that all religions are the same. Inter-faith dialogue becomes a vehicle of un-vetted tolerance and acceptance which leads to a diminishing of Gospel values. The relentless pursuit of inter-faith narcissism causes many to syncretise their beliefs into a melted mush of manufactured meanderings, where the Christian beliefs of the pilgrim are set aside in order to welcome a New Age of Christless cooperation and godless junk.

The existence of heresy in the 21st century Church has occurred because of the blurring of boundaries and the slothful surrendering of sacred values by its leaders. Instead of being gatekeepers and shepherds, they have become innkeepers and goatherds. Their lack of faithful parameters has permitted a wide diverse community to penetrate the Church and destroy it from within. The old ways have folded and the new ways have been anointed. Everlasting Titles of Father, Savior and Lord are being hedonistically set aside because they reduce humankind to helpless, servile children. God no longer has the monopoly over omnipotence and omniscience – 21st century man seeks to steal both those apples and claim them for his own.

Erin Church Devotional - Making an impact for Christ in the Community

Ezekiel 33:30 "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' (NIV)

I’ve just started to read a new book which is called “The Externally Focused Church,” written by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson. It’s about transforming congregations from being inwardly focused to becoming externally focused on what’s happening in their communities. I’ve just read two chapters and already my mind is buzzing with excitement about how our wee church at Erin can be positively charged and effectively changed. There’s one sentence that has jumped out to me from the book: “Nearly everything that is done inside the church should prepare and equip people not only for personal growth but also for personal impact.” I’m thinking that a new mission statement for our church could be written along those lines like “Erin Church equips members to make an impact for Christ in the local community.”

The book is full of good examples of how churches across America are transforming their communities. Instead of worrying about finances, counting attendance, and perpetuating traditions, local congregations are being revived through intentionally reaching out to the people on their doorstep. Churches are becoming more aware of what their neighborhood’s needs are, and then doing everything in their power to supply them. It’s as if congregations have rediscovered the old ‘parish’ system where a church is assigned a certain geographical area to look after spiritually and benevolently.

About ten years ago, I produced a document for our church to adopt a parish system. As usual, we talked about it for a while and then set it aside in order to deal with internal issues. I’m beginning to feel that now is the right time to review, revise, and represent this to the elders and members of our congregation. If what I’m reading in this book is true, then this is the direction that our church has been looking for.

I know that some of you who read and hear this devotional belong to other congregations. I’ll try to keep you posted on what we decide here at Erin. In the meantime, you should perhaps purchase a copy of this book for yourself and your pastor. It may just give your own congregation the jump start that you need to begin a new journey of faith in your own community.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You impacted Your own community with a compelling message that was backed up with acts of compassion, healing, and support. Re-teach to us this vital lesson, and enable our churches to embrace the communities around us. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

Erin Church Daily Devotional - Working for the Lord

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (NIV)

Sometimes I think that I have the best of both worlds. I enjoy my career and at the same time I get to serve the Lord in all that I do. The last time that I worked for myself was about thirty years ago when I was a clerk for a housing association. I earned my pay by doing as much as I could for the company and its customers. These days, I work for the Lord in creative ways that hopefully helps other people to come closer to Jesus.

For most of you who are reading or hearing this message, you may not have that option. Your focus has to be on getting the current job or project completed. You’re probably working with a deadline and are trying to get results. You feel the pressure of having to perform at an expected level. And I know that some of you are trying hard to balance work with your home life. Your time is precious and the stress can be unbearable.

But what if I told you that Jesus has called you to do what you are doing, and that your work is important to Him? Whether you’re at home, in school, at the office, or traveling out of town, God can present you with opportunities to express your faith in terms of your abilities. Reliability and dependability, honesty and integrity are highly valued assets that you can bring to your work. If you can mix your faith into your service and productivity, then you will be serving the Lord, as well as your company.

Christ values you as one of His servants in the kingdom of God. By opening up your career to Him and by being an example to others through your diligence, productivity and creativity, you become an effective witness of Christ’s strength, power, and love. No one’s asking you to be a holy roller in the workplace, but be the best worker that you can be. Your effectiveness and efficiency will say more about your faith than spouting Christian viewpoints and quoting Bible verses. Your support of your fellow workers in times of stress, crisis, and illness will mean much more to them than being sanctimonious or spiritually superior.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we want to serve you each day, so we ask that You enable us to do the best we can in our homes, at our schools, and in our workplaces. Grant us a practical faith that will help us to become reliable, amiable, and capable. In Your Holy Name, we work and pray. Amen.

Whose Cup? Playing politics with religion is a dangerous game...

...because God knows the motives inside every politician's heart.

Erin Church Devotionals: Why We Should Still Celebrate Columbus Day

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. (NIV)

Today is Columbus Day but the only way most people are going to notice it, will take place when they look for their mail. The Post Offices are usually closed, although even that may have changed because we just don’t celebrate or commemorate this holiday like we used to. I wonder if the schools even talk about Columbus’ journey to the New World? It seems like we want to forget it ever took place. Some people even think of it in terms of an invasion force, as opposed to a voyage of discovery.

Columbus’ log of the journey reflects a lot of his faith, which he shared with Queen Isabella of Spain. Part of his mission was to try to find a route to China, but he also saw it as a means of spreading the Gospel to people across the world. His journal of the voyage begins with the solemn words “In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He saw himself as being the primary vehicle of bringing Christ’s words across the globe. As Columbus himself put it, "I feel persuaded by the many and wonderful manifestations of Divine Providence in my especial favor, that I am the chosen instrument of God in bringing to pass a great event-no less than the conversion of millions who are now existing in the darkness of sin."

Whatever we think about this special day, there’s no denying the fact that all of us have benefited by his journey. None of us would be here if Columbus hadn’t sailed the ocean blue in 1492. The timeline that we are living under would never have happened without that voyage of perseverance and discovery. His story is our story, too.

Perseverance is something that Columbus had to keep in order for his voyage to succeed. In today’s Bible passage, we also read about Moses’ perseverance in the face of temptation and corruption, which enabled him to break free of the Egyptian court and eventually led him to deliver his people from slavery. Again, his story becomes the story of his people. Without Moses’ perseverance and faith, none of it would have transpired, in which case, none of our faith in Christ would exist today.

I guess what I’m trying to express is that there is a fragile timeline of connectionalism which links us to the past. Without those events, we would not exist. Without Moses or Columbus, our world would be entirely different today. That’s why commemorating Columbus Day should be important to us. That’s why acknowledging the great moments of discovery in the past should help us to appreciate the present and look forward to the future.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Time is a mysterious element which is fundamental to our lives. Past events are all connected to our present conditions and our faith is tied up to moments in history that were world changing events. Grant us an appreciation of how important past discoveries and faithful events have had in shaping our faith, beliefs, and church. In Your Holy Name, we live and pray. Amen.

Columbus Day Stained Glass Design

Stained Glass design celebrating Columbus Day.

Erin Church devotional: When God says "No."

Audio version here

Isaiah 46:10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. (NIV)

For a while, I’ve been praying hard about something that I think is important and I’ve been trying to convince God of the same. My prayers have been carefully spoken and well thought out. I’ve been looking to God to do what I want and I’ve been disappointed that he hasn’t acted sooner.

A couple of days ago, I stopped praying and started to accept that this wasn’t what God wanted. It was hard to let go, but it was important for me to understand that God decides, not me. Instead of being agitated, I have a great peace. Instead of being disappointed, I am content. God’s purposes stand and he chooses to do as He pleases. His sovereignty is supreme. His decisions are final.

It may be that you’ve praying hard for something, too. Perhaps you want God to do you a favor, get rid of an obstacle, or give you a sign. Maybe you’re tired of asking and frustrated by God’s inaction. I know I was until I realized that God was saying “No.” Perhaps it’s time you also surrendered to His will and let God be God. He decides; we serve Him, not the other way around.

I personally know that it can be hard to yield to God’s sovereignty, but this message may be the vehicle that God is using to tell you, “No; not now, never.” Think about it and when you’re ready, take a leap of faith – let it go.

Prayer: Father God, sometimes we want things to work out in ways that are pleasing to us and for our own personal reasons. Sometimes we try to bend Your will and make You serve us with Your power. Forgive us for being focused on things that will never happen. Pardon us for using our faith to fulfill our own needs. Be with us and comfort us as we let go. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church's Daily Devotional : Give without Sparing

Proverbs 21:26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. (NIV)

Recently, we’ve had to fix a major repair over at Erin Presbyterian church. Our current building is about 55 years old, and in this part of the country, that’s almost antique! I know that Scottish churches go back centuries, but over here the extreme weather conditions and heat causes buildings to deteriorate at a much faster rate.

Anyway, we’ve got to raise about $40,000 to pay off the repair and so far we’ve brought in about $14,000. We set aside about $16,000 in our budget to cover the costs, but as usual we didn’t know what the damage was until we started to repair it.

What has amazed me is the response that people have made in the last three weeks. Some of our people who have fixed incomes sent in $130 – a dollar for each year our church has existed. Those givers don’t have a lot to spare, but they have given cheerfully. Others have contributed $400 – one percent of the repair costs – showing their commitment to the upkeep of the church over and above what they give each week. Still others have contributed higher amounts without any fanfare. They just want to see the church ‘get better’ as we grow bigger.

I am truly humbled by these responses, and I know that there are others both in our congregation and from the outside who will make donations (even some people who read these devotionals have given to the church – wow!). It is a joy to serve the Lord and to faithfully give of our resources for the enhancement of His work. Glory be to God for the bounty He has given and the blessings we receive!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, all our churches belong to You and we want them to become mission centers, safe sanctuaries, and ministry headquarters. Grant us the gift of righteousness – to give without sparing and to completely love You through the life, ministry and work of all our churches. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Devotional : Working in Us - letting go and letting God

Hebrews 13:21 (May God) equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (NIV)

Our church has been growing steadily for the past four years. Through God’s blessings, we’ve managed to breathe new life into our congregation and we are beginning to outgrow ourselves. We’re at an awkward stage because of the current transitions that we are experiencing. Change is never easy, even when it comes as a reward from the Lord.

My struggle with this is how to be the leader of the pack and shepherd to the fold at the same time. Wolves and sheep don’t get on very well, so I’m constantly trying to keep ahead of the changes, whilst at the same time helping others to keep up with the transitions. Like the church, I feel as though my own ministry is changing, so I need to develop new skills of leadership, whilst making sure that I don’t neglect the pastoral gifts God has given to me.

Sometimes I lay awake at night worrying about how to complete and accomplish all of the programs and projects that need to be done. Then I come across a verse like today’s chosen text and realize that God is up ahead preparing the way, equipping the church and myself with all that we need, in order to work in us what is pleasing to Him. In other words, God is the leader of this pack and Christ is the true Shepherd of this fold.

Perhaps you’re involved in a ministry or a mission and you’re wondering how to keep it going. Maybe you’re part of a church team, Bible study, or a small group that is looking for direction. Like me, you might be trying too hard to steer the course and supply the remedies to the problems you’re encountering. My advice to you is this: let it go and let God equip you. As I’ve recently discovered, it’s far better to let God do the leading; that way we end up pleasing Him instead of satisfying ourselves.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for calling us to be Your people and to be part of Your flock. You perfectly know the duties, responsibilities, and tasks that we need to complete this day. Bless us with Your guidance and equip us with all that we need for You to work in us. We want to please You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Insomniac Screensaver: Midnight Sunflowers - Inspired by Van Gogh

Liberty rings as the people speak! Knox County comms guilty this week!

Gotcha! The People Have Spoken!

Knox County jurors have just found the commissioners guilty of betraying the Sunshine Law. Now let's vote them off the commission and replace them with real representatives.

No more carpetbagging, nepotism or freeloading. Knox County PEOPLE RULE!

Daily Devotional : Living Freely - why open government is good for everyone

1 Peter 2:16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (NIV)

Our town, Knoxville, Tennessee, has been rocked by the corrupt practices of our local government. Our local newspaper, the News-Sentinel, has at last lived up to its name by bringing a law suit against the Knox County commissioners who made backroom deals with regard to replacement commissioners. According to the Sentinel’s law suit, these commissioners broke the Sunshine law by ensuring that their own people, and in some cases, their own family members, were awarded the vacant seats. We even ended up having a convicted drug dealer representing some people in our county. How corrupt is that?

For some people, this was major news. They didn’t think that our local government was capable of this kind of wheeling and dealing. For me, it was old news. You may remember that I was a regular guest of the morning radio show “The Voice” hosted by Lloyd Daugherty and Kelvin Moxley. We had been talking about this level of corruption in local government eighteen months before the newspaper decided to take up the cudgel and try to oust the backroom boys. We raised these issues on a regular basis and became a thorn in the authority’s side. We stopped broadcasting because some mysterious buyers purchased the station and turned it into a sports radio channel. It seems to me that we were making waves, so some groups were happy when we were no longer on the air.

Now these issues have come to the surface and the whole town is reeling from it. Our trust in our local commissioners has hit an all time low and it will probably take one or two elections to properly oust the backroom shenanigans and replace it with open government. Perhaps, in due course, our county commissioners will gain the respect of the people, and use their power not to cover up shady dealings, but to live as servants of the people they represent.

I guess this is an unusual devotional this morning because it deals with politics instead of faith, but in God’s world there is no separation. All of us are accountable for what we do with our freedom and our faith. Let’s hope and pray that we can all do a better job of choosing our representatives in the future, and that they will do an excellent job of representing their constituents.

Prayer: Lord, we pray for those who are in authority above us through being elected to represent the people in government. We ask that You will guide their hearts and minds to freely, fairly, and openly make decisions on behalf of our community. Grant them the courage to oust corruption and to stand up to those who would take false advantage of their privileged positions. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Effective Resistance: Why American Christians need to be serious about their faith, in order to help persecuted Christians around the world

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.(NIV)

Peter’s first letter was written at a time when Christians were being persecuted throughout the Roman Empire. Christianity was a fledgling faith and because it was beginning to spread all over the Mediterranean, civil and religious authorities sought to target it and crush it out of all existence.

Peter’s letters were written during the persecutions of Nero, the infamous emperor who reputedly fiddled while Rome burned. Christians were arrested and publicly executed. Even Peter, the Big Fisherman, was eventually crucified during these persecutions. His letters were important because they contained warnings of what Christians were going to experience and what the faithful community had to endure.

In our cozy Western society, Christians are more often ignored as opposed to being persecuted. But in other places throughout the world, followers of Christ are being hunted down and harmed, arrested, tortured, and executed. Yesterday, our Sunday School class was watching a video clip about a Pakistani girl who was assaulted and raped for being a Christian. Despite her unjust beatings and painful victimization, Safeena still holds tenaciously to her faith. She understands what it means to really suffer as a Christian. She knows what it is like to stand firm in the faith.

For most of us, we are going to be busy this week attending to our own homes, work, and life. Persecution is not something that we will experience, however our spirits will undergo satanic attacks and we will be faced with a plethora of temptations. For the sake of Christ, and for our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters around the world, we need to be strong, resolute, and faithful. If we are going to continue making a difference in our communities and societies, then we’ve got to start taking our faith seriously. It will require a revival of faith in our hearts and a focused application of Christian beliefs in our homes. In order to help Christians in other lands, we will have to change the world. We change the world a small bit at a time at a time – and that change begins with us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we hardly ever suffer for our faith and we often forget the price that other people pay to witness effectively as Christians in communities throughout the world. Help us to understand that this is not a game or a pastime. Keep us from diminishing Your words, or trivializing Your ways through our indifference and inaction. By the power of Your Holy Name, we make these prayers. Amen.