A Weekly Soul Planner

A Weekly Soul Planner

Many people struggle these days because of the pressures placed upon them from work, family, commitments, and even church. Folks are often running on empty and depleted spiritually. They don’t do this on purpose, it’s just that the 21st century is making impossible demands and personal urgencies on all of us. Most people that I know wish that they could ‘get it together’ – faith, family, finances, and friendships. Unfortunately, the self-imposed pressures that we lay upon ourselves lead to more stress, more isolation, and more dissatisfaction with life in general.

With this in mind, here’s a simple way to try to rediscover and recapture a solid spiritual life which will refresh our weary souls and calm our restless spirits. It’s a basic mnemonic created from the names that we give each day. :)

Sunday – S is for Sacred Day. Make time to meet other Christians and worship God. This does replenish the soul, gives you a good feeling, and makes a great start to the week.

Monday – M is for Meditation Day. Read over the passages from scripture from yesterday’s worship service, or start a new book of the Bible, reading a new chapter sequentially each week. Look at each verse and think about what it means for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you guidance.

Tuesday – T is for Teaching Day. Choose a character from the Old or New Testament and do some research on the internet. Read about the person and ask how her or his faith affects your own. You could also choose the name of a Biblical city or a book of the Bible.

Wednesday – W is for Witness Day. Think about someone in your family, circle of friends, colleague at work, or member at church who is undergoing a personal crisis, illness, or tough time. Send an encouraging card, email, Facebook message, or text to let them know that you’re thinking about them, praying for them, and are ready to support them. Supportive love and sincere compassion are great ways to faithfully witness to others.

Thursday – Th is for Thanksgiving Day. Take time to thank God for the blessings you have experienced this week. Make a short list of the good things, good people, and good times. Delight in God’s gladness for you and receive a renewed sense of purpose, meaning, and satisfaction.

Friday – F is for Family or Friendship Day. Call a friend or family member today; skype with a loved one who is far away. Life is too short to neglect those who mean so much to us. Make TGIF real by communicating and celebrating with a loved one.

Saturday – Sa is for the Sabbath Day. Rest, be thankful, chill out and relax. You are a wonderful creation and a child of God’s grace. Enjoy this day as a gift from God. Be happy. Don’t worry. :)

Experiencing each week like this may help you to draw closer to God, as well as friends and family. Try it for a month. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how meaningful each day will become.
God bless!
© John Stuart 2014

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has written sixteen devotional e-books, exclusively available on Amazon. He is also a creative artist whose religious drawings have been used by many churches around the world, as well as on the front covers of religious magazines.

He writes regularly online at his Heaven’s Highway blog. His drawings can also be seen on his art page at Stushie’s Art.

Creation devotion: Wildlife Wonders - 1 Kings 4:33

1 Kings 4:33   Solomon described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.

            One of the best programs that we have in our church takes place on Wednesday nights. It’s called the Pioneer Club and our Family Ministry Director, Joy, puts together special presentations about animals and wildlife. Most of the kids who attend the program are not church kids; they are siblings of other children who are involved in our popular Creative Ministry program called the Sonshine Company.

            I attended Joy’s programs and was often amazed about the animals she spoke about. She used pictures and books, videos and sounds to captivate the kids’ attention. She gave them animal stickers and treats which delighted the young children. Joy also prepared special crafts which the kids made and proudly took home with them. It was a great program and a wonderful way to reach out to unchurched families. Joy was not just teaching the children about different wildlife, she was doing missionary work by giving these kids a positive experience at the church we both serve. Hopefully, in future years, the children will remember Joy’s programs and perhaps they will be drawn nearer to God as the Creator of all Living Things.

            I like today’s verse from 1 Kings. Solomon was a wise person, but he also was a great naturalist, maybe even the David Attenborough of his day. He used the talents of wisdom that God gave him not just for the running of his kingdom, but also to increase his knowledge about the wonders of life and all living things. I find that both incredible and also very understandable. Most people who enjoy God’s Creation seek to learn more about it, whether it be life on earth, birds in the sky, fish in the sea, or even planets and stars in the vast universe.

            As I reflect on this, the first question and answer in the Westminster Shorter Catechism of the reformed tradition comes to mind:

Q: What is the chief end of man?  A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

            I think that for me, and for Joy, and for the kids at Pioneer Club, for Solomon too, and may other good folks, enjoying God also means to delight in His works of wondrous creation. After all, life on earth would not be possible without God’s creative handiwork and sustaining grace.

Questions for personal reflection

What is it about life on Earth that fascinates me? Where do I see God’s handiwork on this planet?

Prayer:            Lord God and Creator of all Life, thank You for allowing us to enjoy Your wonderful works. We praise You for sustaining Life on this planet and for the great enjoyment that we, as human beings, experience in the world today. Bless all life and enable us to appreciate it as a precious gift. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s many wildlife drawings. It features a Baby Raccoon. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Baby Raccoon.

Breaking News! - Newly Discovered Verse from Genesis 1

Wow!

Archaeologists in the Dead Sea region have just discovered a new scroll of Genesis which contains an extra verse at the end of Genesis 1. This will have major implications for both science and religion.

A copy of the new text can be found at the following link:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14319824788_d242b35397_b.jpg

Peace Devotion: World War 1 - Revelation 6:4

Revelation 6:4             Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.

            Three days from today, the world will begin a five year centennial commemoration of World War 1. Articles will be written in many newspapers and a plethora of historical documentaries will be broadcast on television channels. We will remind ourselves of the inhumane slaughter that took place, especially in and across the trenches of Europe and Turkey. Battles like the Somme, Ypres, and Gallipoli will once again become familiar and we will probably be horrified by the millions of lives that were wasted. It will not be a celebration or jingoistic fest. It will be a grave and somber commemoration of those dark days when humanity went insane for five terrible years.

            Despite the awful carnage that took place, this ‘Great War,’ as it was once known, did not become the war to end all wars. Instead, after the war, the world became more divided, destructive, and decadent. Within a generation, this planet succumbed to satanic forces and another six year world war was fought all over the globe. Despite the outcome and the victory of the Allied Forces, we are still fighting localized wars which, I believe, stem from the brokenness of the First World War. Africa, Asia, and the Middle East are still areas of strife, violence, and war. Even Bosnia and Serbia, where the First World War began in Sarajevo, are still potentially hostile, unforgiving, and prone to the wickedness of ‘ethnic cleansing.’

            It seems that peace on Earth will never be actually achieved until the Prince of Peace returns. As Christians, we can hope and pray, as well as strive for reconciliation and tolerance, as well as respect and peace, throughout the world, but we are not always going to achieve this. And even in the Church itself, the divisions that we have caused and the theological fights that we have fought, have weakened our witness and eviscerated our effectiveness. We are at war with ourselves, and so the message of Christ’s Peaceable Kingdom is being tarnished and largely ignored by our society.

            Perhaps hostility and war are part of the depravity and wretchedness of humankind. Perhaps this is the actual price of our sinful ways and separation from God. Perhaps hell exists on earth just as much as it exists beyond death. If so, then we are urgently and wholly in need of a Savior to bring us salvation from belligerent selves, in order to restore us to the One, Triune, and Living God.

Questions for personal reflection

Where do I see hostility in my community, church, nation, and world? What should Christ’s Church be doing about this?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of peace and the Savior of the world. We appeal to You for guidance and strength, peace and discernment in these troubled times. Open our hearts and minds to Your Spirit of true Peace and lead us in ways that will help heal this broken and embattled world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or offer comments on today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com. John reads all of the emails.

Today’s image is one of John’s Remembrance drawings. It’s called ‘Tommy’s War,’ and it symbolizes the mud, blood, and tears of trench warfare. You can view a larger image at the following link: https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2029/1977408030_ab40752c5f_b.jpg

D-Day Devotion: Overlord

Genesis 17:8   The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

Today is the 70^th anniversary of the commencement of ‘Operation Overlord,’ otherwise known as the Battle of Normandy which included ‘Operation Neptune,’ or the D-Day landings. Over 12,000 allied planes were involved in the battle, along with 7000 vessels. Initially over 160,000 American, British, and Canadian troops assaulted the beaches and fought valiantly in order to secure the coastline. By the end of Operation Overlord, the Allied Forces incurred almost 250,000 casualties but also managed to inflict 400,000 casualties on the Nazi troops. Within a month, 1.3 million Allied troops of many nations had landed on French soil and the Liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation earnestly began.

When I look at old newsreels of the young men wading through bloody waters and trying to get past enemy fire, I wonder what they must have been thinking and feeling. Most of them were aliens in a foreign land, fighting and dying on strange shores, giving up everything so that the whole world could have peace. Those who survived do not readily speak of those horrifying days. They must have seen, heard, and experienced terrifying times. They put their lives on the line for foreign people and for generations that were still to be born. In my book, they are the greatest heroes who ever fought and died for all of the freedoms that I experience today.

God’s ancient promise to Abraham was also fulfilled on D-Day and throughout the year of battles that took place after that historic and monumental event. The Jewish people, without European Liberation, would have been remorselessly and totally eradicated by the Nazis. God could not and would not allow that, which is why I believe the Hand of God was also evident in the Battle of Normandy.

Today, let’s give thanks to God for our freedoms, but also let’s take time to pray for and thank those veterans among us who, as young men and women, put their lives on the line for the entire world.

Prayer:            Lord God, we praise You for the success of Operation Overlord and we remember the price of our freedom. We honor those who gave up everything, so that we may retain our civil rights and human liberties. Bless those veterans who are still with us. Comfort them as they recall within their hearts and minds the hell that they experienced in battle in order to win freedom for the Earth. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Short devotion - Nothing New - 1 John 5:20

1 John 5:20    We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

            The Apostle John lived in a multicultural and diverse world. The Roman Empire contained many different people from all sorts of backgrounds, nations, and religions. The success of the Empire lay not just in its military strength, but also in its tolerance of different cultures. Romanization of different ethnic groups and races did not involve the complete wiping out of local traditions, gods, and cultures. As long as people did not rebel and paid homage by paying taxes to the Emperor, they could remain under the protection of Rome.

            However, when Christianity appeared on the scene, it came into conflict with the Roman authorities almost immediately. The fact that Christ had been crucified under Roman Law meant that His followers were seen as insurrectionists who could not be tolerated or allowed to grow across the Empire. This is why so many of Christ’s original disciples were martyred; they were considered to be hostile extremists whose sole mission was to bring down the Roman Empire. In fact, only the Apostle John who wrote today’s verse, lived to a ripe old age, albeit in exile on a lonely island in the Aegean Sea.

            John was writing his first letter to new Christians who may have been frightened by the persecuting power of the Roman authorities. He expressed to them his absolute certainty that Jesus was sent by God in order to lead people to the Truth, so that his readers would know where and from whom to find eternal life. John states it simply and succinctly: ‘we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.’

            Today, we have the opportunity of sharing in and experiencing the same reality. Christ alone forgives our sins, draws us to God, and grants us eternal life. In a cosmopolitan, multicultural world, this is currently interpreted as being narrow-minded, exclusive, and intolerant. So what’s new? Those were the very same criticisms and charges that were raised against the Apostle John and the First Century Christians – why should we think that the world would see us any differently?

Questions for personal reflection

What makes me a Christian? Do I accept John’s ancient words that Jesus is the true God and eternal life? Why?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are all seeking the Truth so that our lives can be lived out purposefully, genuinely, and effectively. Keep us mindful of the original beliefs that the Apostles like John had and which the First Christians embraced. In Your Holy Name, may we remain devoted to You. Amen.

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

Please feel free to share and forward this message to your friends and families.

Today’s image is one of John’s Pentecost drawings called “Spirit Window.” You can view a larger version at the following link: Spirit Window.

Gospel Devotion: This Is Love - 1 John 4:10

1 John 4:10    This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

            I like to read what the Apostle John has written about faith. Whether it comes from his Gospel writing, his letters, or even the Book of Revelation, John had the gift of writing something succinctly and directly. He was usually not confrontational like Paul; he just wanted people to receive Christ’s message through the power of love.

            His description of love in today’s verse shows us what God did to prove that He truly loved us: God sacrificed His own Son to atone for our sins. Think about it: the Creator of the Universe gave up what was the most precious thing to Him – His own Son – in order to rescue the vilest sinners in the Universe – human beings. I cannot fully fathom why God would do such an awful thing to save us; it just doesn’t make sense. Instead of sacrificing Jesus, God could have destroyed everything that He made, and then have started again, making sure that sin never came into the equation at all. That would have been the easy way out, but God has never been One for taking things easy.

            The hardest thing that God could do in order to save us and restore creation, was to sacrifice His loving, precious, and dearest Son. Only a God who was loving and just could have done that; a capricious demiurge would have backed away from such a terrible sacrifice. True love is not just about embracing, accepting, and encouraging – true love always includes sacrifice, selflessness, and surrender. For love of us, God surrendered His Son to our demented depravity in order to deliver us from ourselves, our sins, and our deaths. For love of His Father, Jesus gave up His life to ensure our salvation, to overcome evil, and to honor God. It sounds crazy to us, but there is a deeper love involved here than we could ever imagine, know, or experience for ourselves.

            As John wrote long ago: This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

What more could God ever do to show that He loves us completely?

Prayer:                        Lord God, we can never fathom the depths of Your amazing and almighty love. To sacrifice Your sinless Son for despicable sinners like us is incomprehensible for us to fully understand. All that we can simply do is gratefully and humbly accept Your remarkable grace and unequalled love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing called “Surfing Style.” To view a larger version, click on the following link: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/14082073517_ceeae46cc7_b.jpg