Losing Battle

Colossians 1:14 …in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The other day I was at the quarterly Presbytery meeting. I normally don’t go because I get frustrated and upset at the bureaucratic nonsense and long winded speeches that usually occur over trivial matters. Now, I must confess that in the past, I was just as guilty as everyone else, but in this last year, I’ve tried to stop speaking out and stirring up trouble. I’m doing it as much for my blood pressure and health more than for presbytery’s convenience and well-being.

Anyway, on Tuesday I was there and I almost broke my vow of silence. Three ministers were being introduced to Presbytery and their statements of faith were presented. None of them mentioned redemption; not one of them talked about forgiveness of sins. Needless to say, I was perturbed, but I was so weak from this nagging cold, that I couldn’t be bothered walking down the stairs from the balcony to go and pitch a theological fit at the mike on the floor.

I guess I’m just tired of fighting a losing battle in the PC(USA). Everybody wants to be inclusive, so to talk about redemption and forgiveness is being absolutist and culturally intolerant. People would rather express ‘healing’ for forgiveness, and ‘unity’ for redemption. I could be wrong, but it’s almost as if they don’t want to hear about original sin and depraved humanity anymore. Calvinism is out; culturalism is in.

The early Christians in Paul’s time knew what it meant to be redeemed and forgiven. And because they understood it, they wanted to passionately share it with the rest of the world. Needless to say, the world, just like today, didn’t want to hear that it required being redeemed and forgiven. Generations of Christians lost their lives preaching and living a message that was culturally offensive and socially combative.

It just makes me wonder if those New Testament people would actually recognize us as Christians today, or would they be preaching to us the same offensive message?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You redeemed our lives and souls from out of the decay and decadence, the contamination and abomination that we had let them become. You paid the whole price for our personal sins and private shame. Without Your death, we have no life. Without Your mercy, we have no hope. Without Your forgiveness, we have no faith. Challenge and change us today. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Sing to the Lord

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

I can remember someone asking me why Christians sing so often in their churches. It puzzled him that we spend so much time in worship using music and songs to convey our praise and prayers. “If you cut out the music,” he said, “everyone would get out at 11.30AM. It wouldn’t make any difference to God. He’s only interested in your prayers anyway.”

Obviously, this person hadn’t read the Bible. It’s full of songs and is written lyrically. The scriptures are meant to be sung – joyfully as in the Psalms, or dolefully as in Lamentations; loudly like the Angels on the hillside or quietly like Mary giving praise to God.

There’s even a verse in scripture, the one that we have today, which tells us that God Himself likes to sing! Music is an integral part of creation, heaven, and salvation. Song is a sacred vehicle of how we approach God, confess to Him, and praise His glorious Name. If we were to take out music from our worship, if we were to remove all singing, we would be left with something tedious, droll, and unfeeling.

Music captivates our hearts and connects with our souls, so that in turn, we may mystically connect with God. And one day, when all of His Son’s followers are gathered in eternity, we will hear the most beautiful voice and the most beautiful singing in all creation, because that will be the sacred moment when God sings and rejoices with those who are saved.

Prayer: Sing to the Lord a joyful song,
Lift up your hearts, your voices raise
To us His gracious gifts belong,
To Him our songs of love and praise. John Samuel Bewley Monsell

Kingmaker

(You can listen to the audio commentary by double clicking here http://hometown.aol.com/traqair/Todaysdev.mp3 or by downloading the emailed attachment - if you get a page full of symbols, just click on the link again)


John 6: 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.


They were motivated by greed, not by love. Jesus had satisfied their stomachs; they didn't need Him to look after their souls. All they wanted was a king who could feed an army; they weren't interested in one who could save their people. Those hungry spectators on the hillside had found what they were looking for – a messenger of God who could nourish their bodies. They weren't searching for a suffering servant or a spiritual leader; all they desired was a provider of a feast and a fulfiller of their wants.


But Jesus wasn't buying into any of it. He wasn't about to become their genie, or even their king. First and foremost, He answered to God and not their wishes. He had taken pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, like lemmings without a leader. He fed them because they were hungry, and not because He wanted to be their king. If Jesus had accepted their crown that day, He would have had to perform the same miracle three times a day to keep up with their wants. But if He ever stopped the food chain, they would have turned on Him, dethroned Him, and abandoned Him. If He didn't give them what they wanted, He would have no right to be their king.


That’s why Jesus left them. That’s why He withdrew to another mountain by Himself. He needed to be alone with God. He needed to get away from the people. He needed to avoid the temptation of stardom and celebrity status. The mob was trying to confer on Jesus the very same things that the devil had tempted Him with in the wilderness – power, popularity, and prestige. It looks so simple on paper, but Jesus was a man. It must have been very difficult to give up that crown, that control, and that acclamation.


I guess the question we need to ask ourselves is this: is Jesus our King simply because He caters to our needs and helps us fulfill our goals? Or is He our King because we want to be His servants and seek to do His will?


Prayer: Lord Jesus, our faith is just as fickle as those who were on the mountainside with You. When our needs are met, our beliefs are strong; when our wants are fulfilled, You are our undoubted king. Forgive us for being full of greed and guile. Help us to serve You and not enslave You. Keep us from making You into what we want, instead of doing for You what You require of us. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Can You Fix This For me?

My computer just sneezed. It must have a virus.

Bigger Barns

Luke 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

We can build up a living reputation, but only God can redeem a life. We can be ambitious and successful, but in the end, it’s only what is sacred and eternal that will remain. It’s a dilemma that everyone faces – do I build up my resources to live well in retirement, or do I share the blessings God has given me to edify His church and His world? Do I push myself to growing my nest egg for the future, or do I pledge some of my money for the future well-being of the church? Again, there’s no easy answer; whatever we choose, we will be held accountable by God.

That’s why this parable about the successful farmer stings us each time we read it. We all know that the farmer in the story is really everyone of us. We’re all busy building bigger barns, trying to get one step ahead of the rest, and aiming to have more at the end of the year when we started, but God warns us each and every day, this may be our last.

Every year, our church loses people to death. Not one of us lives forever, and sometimes people make plans so that their families will be looked after and financially well-off. But as we head towards that one last day, have we taken time to leave something for the church, for God’s work and Christ’s ministry? Or have we been so busy building barns that we’ve neglected to do so? After all, what has God ever done for us that we should leave Him something behind?

Prayer: Lord God, by the end of this year and certainly by the end of this decade, some of us who are reading this devotional may no longer be here on earth. Hopefully, we will have made the necessary arrangements of honoring You with what we leave behind. Keep us from building bigger barns all of the time and help us to build a bigger church around the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen

Digital Glass: Advent of the Magi

Cubist stained glass window representing the journey of the Wise men to Bethlehem. Do you see what I see?

Justice

Job 5:16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.

Last weekend, our local newspaper presented a highly informative article about the homeless in our town. It was well researched and reported. It pulled no punches about the hopelessness of itinerant travelers in our city. People on the streets, managers in the relief agencies, and even local politicians gave their opinions about how to reduce and remedy the situation. Hopefully, over the next ten years everyone involved will work together to diminish homelessness in our town.

One of the saddest facts about being homeless was the number of drug addicts who walk our streets during the day and who sleep outside at night. About 55% of Knoxville homeless people have drug addictions and most of them have come from High School graduation backgrounds. The old adage of a wasted mind is a wasted life appears to be true. Something happens to young kids when they are on their way to doing something better with their lives: they become addicted to substances and they lose everything. It’s criminal that young educated lives are wasted on drugs. They become old and weary before their time, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that can save them from the misery of homelessness ahead of them.

The article was enlightening, but I then today I picked up the newspaper only to read about well-educated and highly–esteemed citizens in our city who have written letters of commendation on behalf of a local drug baron, whose family used their ill-gotten gains to revitalize downtown Knoxville. Erstwhile citizens, who should know better and who should be ashamed of themselves, are trying to have this drug baron and his family get a fair deal in the courts because of the rebirth of our downtown. It’s unbelievable.

There are adults and young people on our streets whose lives have been ruined by this drug baron, whose families are frantically trying to save their sons and daughters, and whose friends weep bitter tears. Yet the sophisticated elite, who probably wouldn’t stop to give the homeless a cent, nickel or dime, want to advocate on behalf of reprehensible people who built their reputations upon the broken lives and addicted hopelessness of others.

The poor in our city need a voice; and, as the scripture says, those who are unjust should shut their mouths.

Prayer: Lord God, we seek justice for those who lives have been wasted by drug-pushers and drug barons in our city. We ask that You tear down the walls of elitism, cultural respectability and decadence that protect these killers of souls and destroyers of families. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Carbon Copy Carnival

A Circus parade on old used paper




Part of the Digital Glass series: alternative images for 21 century church windows or bringing cirque du soleil into places of prayer

Thanksgiving

Deuteronomy 8:10, 14 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Otherwise your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

From what I’ve seen and experienced over the last eleven years, Thanksgiving in America is a time of immense pressure and stress for those who are hosting family & friends this coming Thursday. I know that in our household, we’re trying to get everything ready, the house cleaned, the garden and garage tidied, the menu preplanned and the turkey defrosted & cooked on time for our family arriving at 5PM. There’s a checklist of things to be done and a ‘honey-do’ list for me to finish, so instead of quietly meditating what Thanksgiving really means, the Stuarts, like everyone else, are caught up in the preparations for the season instead of attending to my prayers of Thanksgiving.

So, on Wednesday night I’m going to start a new tradition of my own. I’m going to write down all the things that I’m thankful for this year, and read them to my family at the dinner table after we have eaten. According to today’s scripture, that’s something we should all practice, so that we don’t become proud and forgetful. Thanksgiving is when we take time to give thanks to God for all our blessings, so shouldn’t He also be invited to the feast?

Prayer: Lord God, we rush through the holidays without remembering that they are holy days. We get so caught up with our lists and responsibilities that we forget You are the source of all our blessings. Forgive us for being forgetful; help us to be mindful of Your gifts. In Jesus’ Name. we pray. Amen.

Today's Radio Show 17 Nov

1 John 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Today at 4.00pm (EST), I’ll be interviewing Laura Jensen walker on my radio show. She’s a national author of thirteen best-selling books and her latest one, “Reconstructing Natalie” has been chosen as this year’s Women of Faith Novel.

The book is based upon Laura’s own experiences with Breast Cancer and tells her tale of what she went through and how she survived it. Laura was only 27 and just recently married when she was diagnosed. Because of the threat to her life, she had to have a double mastectomy and was given implants. It took a great deal of courage to endure the whole process and sometimes her faith wore thin. But Laura eventually persevered and used her journals to launch a new career of becoming a best-selling author.

“Reconstructing Natalie” is her thirteenth book, published in her thirteenth year of being cancer-free. In 2007, a Women in Faith conference is being held in Atlanta and I think Laura may be one of the key speakers. Her testimony, if it is anything like this novel, will be extraordinary. I might even sign up and go to the conference just to meet her.

So be listening at your radio this afternoon or from your computers. The program is broadcast on WVLZ1180AM Knoxville and WKCE1120AM Maryville. You can hear it live from your computer by going to www.southernrootsradio.com

I’m giving away a review copy of the book this afternoon, but if you want your own copy, visit Cedar Springs Bookstore. It costs $14.99 and would make a great gift to any of your friends. As you buy your copy, tell them you heard about it on John Stuart’s Seven Days Radio Show. Who knows, they may give you a discount!

Prayer: Lord God, sometimes we face serious issues which make other things in the world pale into insignificance. During those critical times in our lives, help us to focus on Your will and look to You for the strength to overcome our troubles. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Saved Forever

Psalm 49:8,9 The ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-- that he should live on forever and not see decay.

One of the morning network TV shows is doing a series about “getting to heaven.” The broadcasters and interviewers are traveling all over the world to talk to people of different faiths and religions, to get them to express what they believe about the after-life and what heaven will look like when they get there. I guess there’s a lot of interest over here about eternal life. I just wish that local churches could tap into the curiosity and present a simple message to people to get them on heaven’s highway.

Being a Christian pastor, I don’t think like most people. I spend most of my life immersed in scripture, constructing sermons and lessons of faith, and meditating on Christ. Other folks don’t have that option. I think they get on with life, busy themselves with balancing their responsibilities and duties, take off some leisure time, and then somehow think about God, Christ, and the after-life in small pockets of time. As I say, I’m a pastor, so perhaps my understanding of what’s real about life is colored by my vocation.

But from what I gather, most people think that to gain eternal life, all that they have to do is die, turn up at the Pearly Gates and walk straight through them. If that was the case, then we’d all want to die everyday. It seems to me that there’s something within us which keeps us wanting to avoid death at all costs because we know that salvation isn’t guaranteed. Most people might say that they’re not ready for death, when really they’re saying, “we’re not ready for God’s judgment.”

As the psalmist wrote long ago, ‘the ransom for a life is costly,’ so guess what? The ransom for eternal life is infinitely priceless. We could never buy everlasting life for ourselves – it takes someone greater than us. And yes, that’s why Christ is the only way to eternal life and everlasting salvation. His priceless sacrifice ransomed our souls and only our personal faith in Him guarantees immortality.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, only You have been given the authority to save people from the completeness of death and the human tragedy of oblivion. Open our hearts and minds to Your way of salvation. Help us to show our families and friends the real access to everlasting life. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Handemonium

What if Picasso had painted the Sistine Chapel?



Divine and human hands meeting across a diverse, divided, and decadent world

Misfits

Luke 9:49, 50 "Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us." "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

Sometimes I wonder about the man who drove out demons in Jesus’ Name. He was not a disciple and we don't even know if he was a convert, but he seemed to be successful at exorcising people with demons. Was he a charlatan, a quack doctor, or a showman? The Bible doesn't say, but whoever he was, after Jesus died on the Cross, did he stop what he was doing or did he become a misguided misfit, who still carried out remarkable healings in Christ’s Name? I guess we'll never know until we get to heaven. The fact that he remains unnamed in the Gospels suggests that soon after the resurrection he was never heard of again.

Last night, I watched an old black & white movie called “The Misfits.” It starred Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe in what turned out to be their very last movie. Both of them died soon after the film’s release, so as I was watching the movie, I was looking for signs of illness and sickness. Instead, I was utterly captivated by their remarkable performances. Both of them played their characters so real that I forgot I was looking at actors and became entranced with their misfitting personalities. It takes great acting to do that and, at the end of the movie, I felt privileged to have seen two stars perform at their very best.

As Christians, we can all feel like misfits at times. The world seems to be going crazy and our faith is looking out dated. The glory days are in the past and our influence on society appears to be waning. Pop stars like Madonna, Elton John, and others take delight in mocking our beliefs or decrying our faith. Celebrities like Rosie O’Donnell denigrate people of faith, especially when church lifestyles and traditional Christian views conflict with their own. We're being made to feel like there is no room on earth for believers in Christ or worshippers of God anymore. We're misfits who maintain their lives around manufactured myths and lying legends that have no place in today’s sophisticated world.

And yet, as we begin another Christian year, we can take heart in the fact that the One we worship was treated much the same. He was born in a stable and laid in a feeding trough. He became a refugee in a strange land and when he returned, he grew up in a backwater town, amongst the poorest of the poor. He was never fully accepted by his own people and when he came to the capital city, they trussed him up like a sacrificial beast and publicly impaled him to a cross. He was God’s Misfit to a world of misfits. And yet, somehow by the grace of God, he conquered sin and death, and inspired the lives of millions upon millions of people, who deem it an honor to be called misfits for God and fools for Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, life isn't easy and even for You it was a tough road to endure. Sometimes we get bewildered when the world becomes belligerent against our faith. Sometimes we become confused when people with power, fame and fortune castigate our Christian beliefs. Help us to remember that they did the same to You, but that You overcame it all. Long after these fortune seekers and pop icons have turned to dust and their accomplishments are forgotten, Your name, Your work, and Your mission will still endure. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Joash's Journey

2 Chronicles 24: 2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years of Jehoiada the priest.

Joash was an infant king and whilst he listened to the advice of Jehoida his priest and mentor, he ruled wisely and faithfully. However, after Jehoida died, Joash surrounded himself with people who led him astray. At the end of his reign, the country was divided, society was decadent, and God’s anger brought about the downfall of Joash’s monarchy. As an infant king, Joash started off well, but then when he became an adult, he started to make foolish and unwise choices.

When I was a boy, I enjoyed worshipping in church and being in Sunday School. I loved to hear the preachers preach and hear the stories of God from my teachers. When I was a teenager I thought I was too old for such childish stuff, and I cast aside my faith in order to enjoy life’s pleasures. It was a mistake, for even though I satisfied my every whim, I still felt empty, miserable, and depressed. The choices I made were self-destructive and, because of my pride, I didn’t seek help until I hit rock bottom.

It was only when I had no other way out of my misery that I turned to the Lord. I discovered that He was waiting for me and ever since then, I have depended upon Christ to lead me on this path of faith. I still make mistakes and I am guilty of foolish choices at times, but I know that the Lord can help me; I know that the Lord can guide me.

If only Joash had sought the Lord when he was older, his reign might have had a different ending. Perhaps there’s someone out there reading this who needs to seek the Lord and turn their life around. Perhaps there’s someone you know who needs to set their feet on a new path, a new direction. Send them this message and pray for them today.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You want our lives to have better endings and You constantly seek to show us Your way that leads to eternal bliss and endless blessings. We are stubborn and full of pride, self-destructive and addicted to our own ways. Free us from these false gods of our own making and return us to Your Truth, Your Way, and Your Life. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Today's Radio Show

Each week, I host a relgious radio show on Fridays called "Seven Days."

Today's show details:

(You can listen live on WVLZ 1180AM Knoxville & WKCE 1120AM Maryville, between 4-5PM EST, as well as live across the internet at www.southernrootsradio.com)

In this week’s show, we‘ll be looking at how this week’s elections have affected Evangelicals across America and ask whether the Religious Right is beginning to be left behind by the rest of society?

We'll also be talking to Wayne Smith about AIDS in Knoxville and how churches are supporting HIV sufferers in this region of East Tennessee.

And in our third segment, we'll be discussing a highly controversial issue that’s brewing in Britain right now, where some doctors are calling for mercy killings of severely disabled babies: is this compassion or social engineering?

We'll also have a great book to give away by called “Raising Kids for Greatness” by Dr. Tim Kimmel.

In the studio today we will have three guests: Wendy Neff, who is the Presbyterian pastor at Highland Church in Maryville, who used to be the Assistant Pastor at First Presbyterian in Knoxville before becoming a solo pastor; we'll also have Wayne Smith, who is one of the directors of a special ministry to AIDS patients and HIV sufferers in Knoxville, which was compassionately established by Central Baptist Church of Bearden, Knoxville; and we'll have Mark Moreland, the Young Adult and Missions pastor at the same Central Baptist church, who is a regular guest pastor on Seven Days.

Fairy Stones

(You can listen to the audio commentary by double clicking here http://hometown.aol.com/traqair/Todaysdev.mp3 - if you get a page of symbols, don't worry, just double click the link again)

 

Proverbs 22: 28          Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

 

They call them ‘fairy stones’ in Scotland. You see them in the middle of fields. The owner of the field works around them and tries not to disturb these very large boulders for fear of bringing a curse upon his farm and family. The farmers believe that the faeries who circle the stone on moonlit nights would be angry if the rock was moved. Most of the farmers know it’s only a superstition, but because they depend upon the fortunes of the weather and the intricate cooperation of nature to grow large crops, they won't test their luck by removing the boulder.

 

They are ancient stones, which were probably left by a receding glacier, but somehow the local Scottish people attached superstitions and folklore to them that has survived many generations. The stone does nothing for the farm and it only causes bother when working around it, but it takes a brave and reckless farmer to remove one. And if he does, then every piece of bad luck, blighted crops, or personal tragedies are blamed on the removal of the stone.

 

The ancient Hebrews were warned against removing stones from their land, but not for superstitious reasons. The stones that they set up were used for land measurements, separating allotments, and for marking historical or religious events. A stone was an enduring witness to the claims of local landowners. They also marked the times of deliverance that the people experienced from God. Removing these ancient stones was prohibited because it would lead to property disputes and make the people forget God's great deeds of the past.

 

Christians talk more about rocks than they do of stones. We call Christ our Rock and our Redeemer, implying that His work of salvation endures generation after generation. He doesn't get in the way, for He is our way. He isn't an obstacle to work around; He is the center of our lives. And because He is our Rock, we can rely upon Him for strength and support, stability and assurance. We don't need to lead our lives fearfully and be subjected to ancient superstitions. We can walk in faith and be fortified by His power.

 

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are the Rock of Ages and the Living Stone of Faith. We depend upon You for every blessing under the sun and every moment of our days. We praise You for being our solid Savior and resourceful Redeemer. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Raising Kids

Proverbs 23:13, 14 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

Bringing up kids is never easy, basically because no one gives you a handbook of instructions when the child is born. Most parents that have I known ‘wing it’ through each day of their child’s life and manage to get by without too much trouble. Others though, err in one or two ways: they organize and structure their children’s lives too much, or they don’t set enough boundaries and seek to raise “free spirits.” In both cases, they tend to end up with problematic kids who either kick against authority for the rest of their lives, or who can’t settle into steady relationships, schools or careers.

Every week a new book comes out on raising kids, so there’s plenty of material to choose from. I think the best that I have recently come across are “Boundaries with Kids” by Henry Cloud & John Townsend, and “Raising Kids for True Greatness” by Tim Kimmel*. Both books are biblically based, which means that they don’t overlook the spiritual development of kids. Most parenting books these days are more about getting the best academic, athletic, and social qualities to emerge from our kids. These books tend to forget that it is a child’s spirit or psyche that holds all of these attributes together.

As Christians, we want to raise our kids to become servants of Christ and heirs of His Kingdom. We want them to grow in God’s love and know of His grace. That’s why church attendance at worship and education at Sunday school become so important to the spiritual well-being of our kids. Christian children need their Christian community to be a significant part of the development of their hearts, spirits, minds and souls.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today we pray for parents who need patience, guidance and encouragement each day. They are given the most sacred and solemn responsibility in our world today: the raising of their kids. Be with them through the years of parenting and grant them the blessing of Your love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

* By the way, I am giving away a copy of this book on my radio show, Seven Days, tomorrow (Friday 10 November) between 4-5pm EST. The show airs on WVLZ 1180AM Knoxville & WKCE 1120AM Maryville. You can listen on the internet at www.southernrootsradio.com. You can also visit the show’s website at www.sevend.net

Fairy Stones

(You can listen to the audio commentary by double clicking here http://hometown.aol.com/traqair/Todaysdev.mp3 - if you get a page of symbols, don't worry, just double click the link again)

Proverbs 22: 28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

They call them ‘fairy stones’ in Scotland. You see them in the middle of fields. The owner of the field works around them and tries not to disturb these very large boulders for fear of bringing a curse upon his farm and family. The farmers believe that the faeries who circle the stone on moonlit nights would be angry if the rock was moved. Most of the farmers know it’s only a superstition, but because they depend upon the fortunes of the weather and the intricate cooperation of nature to grow large crops, they won't test their luck by removing the boulder.

They are ancient stones, which were probably left by a receding glacier, but somehow the local Scottish people attached superstitions and folklore to them that has survived many generations. The stone does nothing for the farm and it only causes bother when working around it, but it takes a brave and reckless farmer to remove one. And if he does, then every piece of bad luck, blighted crops, or personal tragedies are blamed on the removal of the stone.

The ancient Hebrews were warned against removing stones from their land, but not for superstitious reasons. The stones that they set up were used for land measurements, separating allotments, and for marking historical or religious events. A stone was an enduring witness to the claims of local landowners. They also marked the times of deliverance that the people experienced from God. Removing these ancient stones was prohibited because it would lead to property disputes and make the people forget God's great deeds of the past.

Christians talk more about rocks than they do of stones. We call Christ our Rock and our Redeemer, implying that His work of salvation endures generation after generation. He doesn't get in the way, for He is our way. He isn't an obstacle to work around; He is the center of our lives. And because He is our Rock, we can rely upon Him for strength and support, stability and assurance. We don't need to lead our lives fearfully and be subjected to ancient superstitions. We can walk in faith and be fortified by His power.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Rock of Ages and the Living Stone of Faith. We depend upon You for every blessing under the sun and every moment of our days. We praise You for being our solid Savior and resourceful Redeemer. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Voting Rights

Psalm 72:1      Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.

 

It’s called a ‘coronation psalm’ because it was composed for and sung at the annual crowning ceremonies of the Israelite kings in Jerusalem. It was meant to bring blessings upon the ruler of the people, which in turn would convey blessings upon the people. Justice and mercy, honor and integrity were as important for leaders way back then, as they are now. The people of olden days just took more time to pray for their leaders and petition to God for their own well-being.

 

Today, many of us will be casting votes in local, regional, and state elections. We will be exercising our great liberty of political choice. Most people in the world don't know what democracy is. Most people in the world never get a chance to vote for their rulers. We are part of a privileged amount of people on earth who get to choose their leaders.

 

In the midst of our voting, will we take time to pray? Will we ask God to bless whatever representative is chosen with compassion, commitment, and concern for the people. Will we sing to God about our hopes and ask His blessing upon those who will become our leaders at the beginning of 2007? Will we keep them in prayer, even if we didn't vote for them or their party?

 

Whatever the outcome of the elections, and whoever is chosen to represent us, let’s not forget to pray for the qualities of justice and righteousness, discernment, and good government – for these are endowed by God.

 

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, today we exercise a right that You didn't have – the right to vote. Help us to treat it respectfully and not take it for granted by being too busy or too lazy to vote. Remind us that voting is not a divine right, nor a human one throughout the earth. Bless those who are chosen and may we keep them in our prayers each day. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Dealing with Tyrants

(You can listen to the audio commentary by double clicking here http://hometown.aol.com/traqair/Todaysdev.mp3 - if you get a page of symbols, don't worry, just double click the link again)

 

Psalm 9:16      The LORD is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

 

I cannot believe that some people are calling for clemency to be shown to Saddam Hussein. Human Rights advocates, Islamic fundamentalists, and some liberal theologians are declaring that the tyrant from Iraq should not be executed. They believe that keeping him alive would be humane and merciful, politically astute and vital to the world’s peace.

 

The voices of the Kurdish children who were horribly gassed in their villages or the screams of women being raped and mutilated in Saddam’s palace dungeons are to be ignored. What matters to these appeasers is that we should show humanity to someone who, when he was in power, had thousands of people slaughtered on a mere whim.

 

Saddam Hussein is a wicked man. There’s no doubt in my mind about that and if he was kept in prison, there would always be someone somewhere who would be trying to help him escape. A tyrant like Hussein deserves to be punished for all of his wickedness. He has committed the unholy act of murdering thousands of innocent men, women, and children. He did it against his own people and now he is experiencing justice from free Iraqi citizens. As the psalmist wrote so long ago: “the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.”

 

Where is Christ in the midst of all this? Weeping with the families who have to live with their losses; and grieving with Hussein and his henchmen as yet another child of God has become a monster from hell. As one of this nation’s forefathers once said: “Resisting tyranny is obedience to God.” Executing tyrants is the same.

 

Prayer:             Lord Jesus, we get so confused about what’s right and wrong because so many voices say different things. We hear preachers and mullahs, politicians and spokesmen calling for mercy to one who has shown none in the past. Help us to recall from the Bible that tyrants have all met deplorable ends. May Your justice prevail and may God’s will be done. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Set Apart

Romans 1:1    Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.

 

Our church is undergoing the annual search for elders and the Nominations committee is praying and working hard to ensure that they find and locate those whom God has already chosen to be our new elders. It’s a tough process to go through because the responsibility of the congregation’s leadership lies heavily upon the committee’s shoulders. The members of the committee want to get it right, pleasing God with their choices and helping His people at Erin to be blessed with new leadership. It’s a serious business, which is why we should be praying every week whilst the committee is in session.

 

Elders, including pastors who are teaching elders, are chosen to be ‘set apart’ to do God’s holy work in the congregation. They are not ‘set above’ or ‘set aside.’ They are ‘set apart’ to devote the next three years of their lives serving God in special ways. Not everyone is chosen to be an elder because it is a difficult and time-consuming responsibility. It takes a great deal of patience to be an elder. It takes a greater faith commitment to remain an elder. Church politics can make heavy demands on people in key areas of leadership in any church. Elders need to be team players because they will eventually become team leaders in the congregation.

 

Paul was ‘set apart’ by God for a mission that caused him a lot of suffering, trouble and pain. The road that he traveled was very hard to endure and at the end of it he was martyred. Eldership in any church does not bring with it many accolades or medals. And, in these times when churches are scrambling to remain effective, relevant, and strong, good elders who are supportive, sincere, and set on strengthening the congregation become great blessings to God’s Kingdom and His people.

 

So, wherever our churches are located, let’s be encouragers to our elders. They are set apart to do God’s work. With our support, prayers and positive commitment to our churches, they can become all that God plans and wants them to be.

 

Prayer:                        Lord God, we pray that You will bless the current searches that are going on in our congregations as we seek to find those You have chosen to become elders. Grant blessings of discernment and discipleship upon those who are elected and set apart to do Your Holy Work. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Jesus Died for Us

Acts 6:11         Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."

 

Last night, I stayed in the office until about 11.00PM. I was answering some emails from pastors who seem to be blissfully unaware about the brutal killings that are going on in places like Iran. I watched a video of a stoning that took place under Iran's Sharia laws. It was gruesome and inhumane. It was barbaric and satanic.

 

The video had been secretly taped and it showed a savagery that only religious fanatics could incite. Thugs and bullies gathered in a circle around the victims, who were wrapped in white sheets and stuck in the ground up to their waists. Rocks the size of baseballs were thrown and blood spattered everywhere. You couldn't hear the cries of the two people being stoned because the violent mob continually cried “Allah Akbar!” – God is almighty! It was a sickening sight and each time a rock hit the person beneath the sheet, he or she writhed in agony. After fifteen horrific minutes, the execution was over. Blood, torn flesh, and brains were all over the ground. What was once a human being had become a gory pulp.

 

This had a profound affect on me and when I started reading about Stephen this morning in today’s chosen passage, I realized that he underwent the same shameful death. All he wanted to do was to spread the gospel and bring people to Jesus. All the religious fanatics wanted to do was to spread lies about him and have him stoned to death for blasphemy.

 

For too long we, as Christians, have forgotten about what our faith has cost. We take our beliefs for granted and go into denial about the evil forces in the world today. As we quietly read this devotion or listen to it from the comfort of our homes or the safety of our workplaces, we, of all people, should not be taking our faith so lightly. Martyrs like Stephen didn't die so that we could enjoy the blessings of comfort and joy. They died so that we could carry on the message of salvation to a world that is driven by greed and gore, banality and brutality, savagery and sin.

 

We need to take time out today from our busy schedules and honestly ask God this question: what do You want me to do for You and to whom do You want me to take Your Gospel message?

 

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You died for us, but we say that so often that it has lost its impact on our hearts and souls. YOU DIED FOR US! You underwent the savagery of a shameful and barbaric death in order to cleanse the world of sin and win eternal salvation for us. You died for us, and yet we still find it hard to fully surrender ourselves to You. Forgive us, Lord of Death and King of Life. Forgive us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

 

 

Holy Humor

Zechariah 9:12-17

 

Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword.

Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,

and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.

The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.

How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

 

John 1:44-51

 

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.

"Come and see," said Philip.

 

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

 

Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

 

John 1:47       When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

 

I've always loved this passage of scripture, mainly because it reveals something about Jesus that we don't normally see: His humor. He is joking with Nathaniel when Christ says “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” The day before this encounter, Nathaniel hesitated to accept what Philip said about Jesus, mainly because Christ came from Nazareth. Nathaniel had got it into his mind that Nazareth was not a suitable place for the Messiah to come from. It had nothing to do with Christ’s ability to lead or teach. According to Nathaniel, Jesus came from the wrong end of the country, so how could he be the long-expected Anointed One? It just didn't fit into his idea about who the Messiah should be.

 

That’s why Jesus calls out in jest. He is making Nathaniel aware that Christ knows who he is, what he has said, and what he prejudicially thinks about Jesus. He uses humor to disarm Nathaniel and to put his doubts to rest. Nathaniel doesn't get the jest; he’s too serious about himself. But when Christ tells him that he saw him the day before, something happens inside of Nathaniel that makes him realize who Jesus really is. He blurts out that Jesus is the Son of God and the true King of Israel, which makes Jesus continue his joke for just one second longer. He seems to say:

“You think all of these things about me just because I saw you under a fig tree? You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

 

I suppose we like to think that Jesus will treat us with the same kind of patience and humor each day of our lives. We all say and do stupid things, but we hope and pray that He will forgive us, and lead us on to the greater things He still has in store for us. Perhaps one day in heaven, we'll hear Jesus kindly laugh at some of our mistakes, and then He'll tell how He helped us to overcome them. Until then, we'll live for that moment when we'll see Jesus smiling with His eyes, as we love and worship Him with all our hearts.

 

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, look down favorably at us and guide us with Your godly ways. Help us to hold on to the hopes of hearing Your laughter and experiencing Your smile. Restore us to Your Father’s favor, so that we may rejoice in Your goodness for the rest of our lives. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.