Daily devotions: Unbelievable! - Matthew 4:3

Matthew 4:3   The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

I didn’t sleep very well last night, so what’s new? As usual, I had taken too much caffeine and my mind was swirling with thoughts and ideas, issues and problems. The main one concerned an internet posting that a PCUSA pastor had written, boldly stating that Jesus did not die for the sins of humanity.

Yes, you are reading truly; he wrote that Jesus DID NOT die for our sins. In fact, he called it a theological fantasy, perpetrated by the Church to control the hearts and minds of people. I honestly could not believe what I was actually reading. How could a Christian Presbyterian pastor write this? It goes against Christian theology and the essential tenets of the Reformation itself. How can a pastor do this to himself, his congregation, denomination and faith?

An even greater question is this: how can a church, a presbytery, and a denomination allow this to stand? This is the equivalent of the devil questioning Christ’s authority in the wilderness. If Jesus did not die upon the Cross to save us from our sins, then how can we be saved? If His death, as the pastor writes, was merely a political expedient execution, then how can we be justified by our faith in Christ?

I have watched mainstream denominations radically change over the past 25 years in order to accommodate the culture, but this goes beyond anything that I have ever known. This is heresy and what really troubles me is that the PCUSA might allow this kind of false theology and heretical thinking to stand unopposed.

I am deeply shocked and feel as though we’ve all allowed this to happen because we’ve not paid attention to the slippery slope that we’ve been on. This is the outcome of the church giving culture an inch; it ends up taking a mile and the loss of faith altogether. The pastor may have his doubts and denials, his lack of faith in Christ’s sacrifice and Redemption, but that does not give him the right to trample on the Reformed beliefs of the Church, which are essential to our faith, and for him to be held unaccountable.

An important line has been crossed which will affect the faith of future generations. Either this kind of heresy is stopped in its tracks now, or our denomination will die from this theological deceit. We cannot have our cake and eat it. Or to put it another way, we cannot have Christ’s Cross and then destroy it.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. You sacrificed Your life on the Cross, so that we might be washed clean of our sins and restored to God’s everlasting love. Keep us from diminishing Your atoning work with our arrogant thinking and foolish ideas. Help us to cling to Calvary and know that we are justified through our faith in You alone as the Son of God and Savior of our souls. Amen.

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

Daily Devotion: A Lost Generation - Matthew 2:3

Today’s Bible readings:   Isaiah 9:8-15   and Matthew 2:1-6

Matthew 2:3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Herod was a bad ruler and a terrifying king. He murdered both his relatives and rivals. He terrorized his own people. He ruled with an iron fist and a heartless heart. He was an insecure and insane tyrant, so when he became disturbed about the news of the Messiah’s birth, the whole city of Jerusalem also became anxious and agitated.

The people were almost panicked because they knew what Herod was like. If the king was upset, then heads would soon roll. It must have been a terrifying time for the people of God, which was ironic because they were always hoping for the Messiah to be born. As the hymn writer once wrote: “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” That was about Bethlehem, but it could have been written about Jerusalem too.

These are also anxious days for the Church. Society seems to have gained the upper hand and many young people are moving away from the Christian faith in order to embrace a universal movement of peace, equality, and love. Those are high ideals and noble causes, but we’ve been down this road before in the 60s and 70s. Eventually those high ideals gave way to anarchy, irresponsibility, and immorality. The Hippie movement of 50 years ago, which started with so much happiness and love, degenerated into a despicable drug culture that ruined millions of lives.

Christ is moving among us, but not in the ways that our culture wants or society predicts. The Spirit of God is strong throughout the rest of the world and one day faithful men and women, who have given their lives to Christ in other nations and lands, will come again as missionaries to these shores to revive the Church, reclaim the people, and restore Christ’s Way, Truth, and Life to a generation that is presently lost, as well as to those yet unborn.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You see the turmoil in the Church and the restlessness across our nations. You’ve seen this all before in other lands and cultures, at other times and ages. Already, You are planting the seeds for a new generation of missionaries to come to our lost generation. We praise Your Name and pray for the time when the Church will be released from its cultural Babylonian captivity and re-brought into the Light of Your True Love. In Your Holy Name, we fervently pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s Psalms project drawings. It depicts a verse from Psalm 37 – “Commit Your Way to the Lord.” You can view a larger version at the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3283895612_313bf65d2a_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: Too Much Truth - Jude 1:1-7

Jude 1:3           Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 

Sharing salvation is one of the greatest joys that Christians can ever experience. Contending for the faith, however, can be one of the hardest tasks that Christians endure.

These days, a lot of people want the blessings of salvation without the burden of commitment. They want the Gospel to be glamorous and the Bible to be light. They want God to accept everything and they want to give hardly anything in return. In other words, there’s a market out there for cheap grace, so whoever can provide this will win the most shallow of followers.

But Christianity is not glamorous; instead it is onerous. Jude makes this quite clear in his letter’s opening remarks and in terms that make post-modern people wince. He doesn’t pull any punches, nor does he accommodate any societal sensitivity. He is very candid about the divine judgment and everlasting punishment that will befall those who are sexually immoral. In other words, Jude condemns the whole of our present progressive and permissive society to Hell.

Whether or not we agree with Jude’s statements is left to us. But we should bear two things in mind as we consider his words. Firstly, he is writing to the Church about the sinfulness of the Church and not the world. Secondly, this letter is in our Bibles, so it must have sacred and eternal truth attached to it. Can we same the same for our thoughts, our letters, and our own opinions?

The problem with Jude has always been a problem for the Church: he is far too blunt. However, the question we need to ask ourselves is this: is he also being completely truthful, which is why his letter offends us?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, in every generation we have to find and face the truth about ourselves, about You, and about God. We struggle today with issues of our own making, and we wrestle with problems that we have created. Reclaim us as Your own, and set the Church back onto the right and truthful path, even when it offends us. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

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

Daily Devotions: Life Haters - Ecclesiastes 2:17

Ecclesiastes 2:17         So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

The horrendous mass-murders that took place last week in Norway shocked the world. Norway, after all, is known to be one of the most peaceful and tolerant nations on the planet. The Norwegian people are known for their openness and friendship, as well as their care of the environment and community. The murders devastated the whole nation and we are all grieving because a noble people have been terribly wounded.

The shooter’s hatred for life and all things different from him displayed a wickedness and callousness that can only be described as satanic and inhumane. The pain and torture that he inflicted upon his young victims is hard to fathom or understand. In his heart and mind, he probably thinks that he is a crusader hero to his chosen cause. In reality, he is a monster whose murderous ways will not go unpunished either by society or by God.

Almost all of these kinds of shootings are perpetrated by angry men. They are incapable of controlling their anger or of analyzing what is real. Just this weekend, another shooting with multiple deaths took place in the US at a skating rink where children were having a birthday party. The shooter killed his ex-wife and a few of her relatives before turning the gun on himself.

I don’t like guns, either here or abroad, but I can’t stop people from possessing them. I would however say that every three years, gun owners should have to go through a compulsory anger-management class, possibly run by the local sheriff’s office. I also believe that young men in High school should also have to go through anger-management courses before they are allowed to graduate. This might cut down the number of irate boyfriends hurting, injuring, or killing their ex-girlfriends.

Some people will say that you cannot legislate against angry feelings; I would argue, however, that you can provide people with coping mechanisms and emotional knowledge to counter this kind of hatred, anger, and destructiveness.

Yesterday in church, we read the prayer for Norway that was written by the World Council of Churches. The concluding line of the prayer speaks directly to this kind of terrible and violent tragedy. May it also be our prayer for today:

These prayers and the heavy silence of our hearts we offer in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ who trod the path of peace in the face of violence. 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, save us from our pride and delusions. Open our hearts and minds to God’s Word and Your Way. Keep us from molding You into our own misconceived Messiah; help us instead to be reshaped and restored by Your love and grace. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

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

Daily devotions: Blind Leading the Blind - Matthew 15

Matthew 15:14            (Jesus said) “Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

There’s a true story about John Calvin that many in the Presbyterian Church either don’t know or they have forgotten. When he was a young preacher in Geneva trying to get the Reformation established, he was confronted by a group called the Libertines. They believed in sexual promiscuity and even had a local law that allowed a man to be both married and have one mistress at the same time. They also believed in complete sexual freedom of any sort and that they were allowed to do this because they were Christians under the grace of God.

Calvin opposed them and his life was threatened. The Libertines conspired against him and planned to rush at the Communion table when the Lord’s Supper would be next celebrated. They wanted to be at the front of the congregation and take communion, so that everyone else in the congregation and community could see that God approved of their Libertine lifestyles.

John Calvin was informed that this would take place, so he had a choice. He could allow this to happen and let the Libertines overtake the newly Reformed Church, or he could oppose them and possibly be killed.

When it came to the celebrating of Communion, the Libertines rushed forward to receive the elements first. John Calvin bravely stood between them and the elements of bread and wine. He then Calvin flung his arms around the sacramental vessels as if to protect them from sacrilege, while his voice rang through the building: "These hands you may crush, these arms you may lop off, my life you may take, my blood is yours, you may shed it; but you shall never force me to give holy things to the profaned, and dishonor the table of my God."

John Calvin saved the Reformation in Geneva at that critical moment in time by ‘fencing in’ the Lord’s Table from those who slandered the church, disdained God’s Word, and who were unrepentant of their sexual immorality. Presbyterianism grew out of his uncompromising ministry and his devotion to God’s Word.

Today, the PCUSA has changed its course from Calvin’s Reforms. The Libertines have won the battle and the unrepentant blind are leading the flock astray. The question we all need to ask ourselves today is this: what have we become?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are blinded by our own sense of cultural morality and therefore we create our own system of modern beliefs. We pick and choose from Scriptures what we want to read and hear, and then discard those things that confront and challenge our worldly ways. We are all sinners, but some of us don’t ever want to repent, so we remain unforgiven. Lord, have mercy on our souls. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Daily Devotions: The Next Battle - Titus 1:9

Titus 1:9          He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Do you get the feeling that Paul was on the offensive when writing to Titus? When I re-read this passage, I realized that Paul wasn’t holding back or pulling any of his punches. He’s totally committed to Christ and completely concerned about the church. He’s making Titus understand the serious nature about the current conflict that the New Testament church was experiencing. For Paul, everything is black and white, wrong or right. There’s no middle ground; no room for compromise; no negotiating with the opposition.

As our current denomination sinks lower into a quagmire of its own making, I’m beginning to think that dialogue and conversation are at an end. The ordination debates which are bedeviling our presbyteries have been going on for thirty years. If, after three decades of in-fighting and the loss of 33% of our membership, we cannot see that we are going against the Holy Spirit, then dialogue is no longer of any value. The die has been cast and the numbers will soon be in. Those who seek to get their own way, rather than God’s way, can celebrate all they like, but know this: the conversation is over.

The next battle, and perhaps final battle, is going to take place over the unique Lordship of Christ. Universalism is creeping into our churches and some people, as well as pastors, no longer hold to the essential Reformation tenet that Christ is the Only Savior of the World. They say things to conceal it like: ‘we cannot limit God to what He can do’ or ‘God’s grace knows no boundaries’ or ‘we cannot fully know what God decides.’

In other words, Christ’s role as Savior is set aside and His Cross only offers limited atonement. Jesus is diminished and other religions are given equal respect. The fact that the First Christians were surrounded by many religions and hundreds of pagan gods and yet they still maintained that Christ was the Only Way, Truth, and Life will pale into insignificance in a worldwide religious rush to embrace one another spiritually, worshipfully, and religiously. Any Way, any Truth, and any Life will be acknowledged, tolerated, and accepted as our beloved denomination finally surrenders to appeasement and apostasy.

The conversation is over. The battle is at an end. The war to win wayward souls back to Christ has just begun.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, Your Church has been constantly attacked from within, even from the early days when Paul was teaching and preaching. After this ordination battle is over, Your unique Lordship will be under attack. Help us to learn from this battle to remain resolute, faithful, and true. Grant us the courage to stand up, speak out, and to state unequivocally that You are the One and Only Savior of and in the world. In Your Holy Name, we adamantly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is from one of my Holy Week images from 2010. It’s called “Son Down” and depicts Christ Crucified at Calvary. You can view a larger version of this image at the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4442496002_fab6cfb6ac_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: If God Lied... Titus 1:2

Titus 1:2   …a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…

It all comes down to one thing: does God lie?

I’ve written for months about the struggle that our church is currently experiencing. Very soon changes are going to occur which will alter who we are and what we believe. If find it very disconcerting and am deeply troubled. I’m far from perfect and nowhere near as sinless as I should be, but there’s one clear truth that I have believed in no matter how much of a faithless failure I have been: God does not lie.

In recent times, we have become so used to compartmentalizing truth from feelings, integrity from interpretation, and honesty from our emotions that we’ve deluded ourselves into thinking that God is okay with what we choose to do. So what if God called something abominable in the past, He needs to loosen up and get with the 21^st century program. Who cares if some sins once affected our salvation, God needs to get over it and get on board society’s band wagon!

In other words, God lied. Or He was mistaken or misguided. Or He wasn’t being serious or meant to be taken literally. God lied; He might not have meant it, so we’ll forgive Him and let Him join us.

This is why I am unsettled and troubled. If God lied in the past, then He is capricious and not worthy of our worship. If we are deluding ourselves, then we are on the road to perdition where only repentance can save us.

If God lied, then Christ was forsaken on the Cross and there is no salvation.

If God lied, then Christ’s body turned to dust and there was no resurrection.

If God lied, then we are the most pitiable of fools and there is no point in having or sharing faith.

If God lied, then Christianity is a curse and there is no life after death.

Maybe now you understand my struggle.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You told us that You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If that is certain, then we are guilty of leading ourselves astray, away from the Truth, with no hope of Life to come. Break down the walls of our convenient compartmentalized choices and make us see the stupidity of our erroneous ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing called “Happy Place.” It’s a rendering of sunrise at Ormond Beach in Florida. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5561482881_b0270db4e6_b.jpg

An 8x10 inch print is also available which you can view on Ebay at http://tinyurl.com/4h3z468

PCUSA Gay Ordination: Transformation, not Reformation

PCUSA Gay ordination: Transformation, not Reformation

The current on-going issue in the PCUSA concerns the biennial problem of ordaining gay people who are in active sexual relationships. As each year passes, the opposition to this is diminishing which denotes a change in culture as opposed to a change in Biblical standards. And this is where I have a problem with the PCUSA church and its Louisville leaders.

They are calling this a re-formation of the church which is false. Reformation is originally a military term that refers to soldiers in the battlefield. The order for reforming is meant to bring the scattered forces together again in the midst of the battle to a basic standard formation in order to consolidate the strength of the troops. When Luther, Calvin & Knox called for the Church to be reformed, they were asking Christians throughout Europe to get back to the basics of New Testament Christianity. They weren’t seeking to change the church; they were looking to have it return to its most basic biblical principles.

Ordaining gay people is not re-formation, it is transformation because the Church is being asked to radically change from its Biblical and New Testament beliefs. Those who call it reformation are wrong, because in order to reform the church would have to get back to its biblical basics.

Homosexuality has never been a practice that was acceptable in the original Christian church, so what we are being asked to do is to radically change who we are and what we believe is right. If we take this path to accept the ordination of practicing homosexuals then we are separating ourselves from the New Testament Church. We will have transformed into something else and into something other than New Testament Christianity. Our Western culture may demand this of our society, but our churches are meant to be separate from our culture in matters of doctrine, Biblical teaching, and Christ given truth.

In essence we have to ask ourselves this important question: are we Christ’s church in the world, or are we the Western World’s Church?

Church Devotions: Challenged and Changed

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 

This is one of those verses that challenge all of us today, including me. We live in the most impurest of times and we are all tainted by some degree of sexual immorality. Rather than change our lives as Christians, we find it more and more convenient to change the rules and appease our consciences. Instead of submitting to Biblical authority, we subvert the Word of God, making it fit our worldly ways and self-centered civilization.

If we speak out against the brazenness and sickness of our society, Christians and preachers are called bigots and dinosaurs, hypocrites and schismatics. Then the teaching of the past is cast aside as a new one world vision is embraced and religious morality is abandoned. People can do what they want and when they want to, without meddling preachers spoiling the fun. God is now created in society’s image and people make Him the Almighty Approver of our world view.

But God did not call us to be impure; He called us to live holy lives. Unfortunately, we have all failed miserably and as our society continues to degenerate, holiness is replaced with haughtiness. The World challenges and chides the Church to change its ways, instead of the other way around.

For the sake of our salvation, we need to change our ways, but not because the World says so; we need to change our ways because we are called to live holy lives. Let us pray that it is not too late to do so. The future salvation of our children and their children depends upon what we decide and do now.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have all fallen short of God’s glory, but instead of turning back to You and changing our lives, we give into the World’s demands and desecrate the holiness we once had. Forgive us for being arrogant and foolish, sexually immoral and wickedly brazen. Call us back to purity and holiness, faithfulness and prayer. In Your Holy Name, we humbly ask. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Scottish drawings. It depicts the Military Tattoo that takes place at Edinburgh castle, Scotland each year. If you would like to view a larger image of this print, please visit the following link:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5391466563_b3f504a9b8_b.jpg

New Year Devotions: Christ's Chosen One

Ephesians 4:19           Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 

The trouble with Paul is that he knows humanity so well and bluntly speaks the truth. He could have written today’s verse a couple of seconds ago because it’s highly relevant to the issues that the Church and our society are currently facing. We seem to have lost our sensitivity to God and instead we indulge in our sensuality. Instead of being fully devoted to Him, we are desirous of fulfilling our own pleasure.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: we are all contaminated by the brazenness of our culture. We view things we should never see. We act out scenarios we should never do. We tolerate sexual idolatry and excuse it as artistic, sophisticated, and modern. In short, we fall far short of what God expects and end up expecting Him to accept our sinful lifestyles and embrace our selfish whims.

The older I get, the odder the world seems. Traditional values are treated disrespectfully and the Word of God is woefully described as being outdated, hypocritical, and irrelevant. Even so called church people, who hardly ever open or read their Bibles, seem to believe that their own opinions, ideas, and tolerances trump God’s advice, guidance, and truth. Paul is berated as being hostile, homophobic, and hypocritical by Christians who could not walk two paces in his shoes. They honestly and arrogantly believe that they know better than Christ’s Chosen Apostle simply because they live in the here and now as opposed to living in the way back then.

I shudder to think about God’s wrath which will come as a complete shock to this present generation of ungodly people. They will not know what hit them and will never understand why they are so completely wrong. Unless they make time to repent, they will never be released from the cultural weeds that are choking their spiritual sensitivity and replacing it with ungodly sensuality.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, how dare we diminish the writings of Paul; after all, he was Your Chosen Apostle. Forgive our Biblical ignorance and spiritual arrogance. Reclaim our souls and restore our minds to Your ways, Your works, and Your words. In Your Holy Name, we fervently pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest winter drawings. It’s called “Edinburgh Blizzard” and depicts the world-famous castle and Princes Street during the 2010 snowstorm. If you would like to view a larger version, please go to the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5282150038_e7aeb19b56_b.jpg

Daily devotions: Theological Kudzu - Acts 12

Acts 12:22       They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."

When our family initially came to Knoxville in 1994, we encountered kudzu for the very first time. It’s an annoying Japanese ivy that covers and practically obliterates every tree in its path. At the height of summer, instead of seeing beautiful oaks, elms, sycamores and fir trees at the sides of the road, all you can view in some areas is a wilderness of kudzu. It smothers the land in a blanket of green ivy. You literally can’t see the forest because of the kudzu.

Theological kudzu is smothering the Western Christian Church. In our scramble to keep from declining, most mainstream denominations have elected to allow the current trends to dictate our policies. We take on non-biblical standards and our theology becomes fuzzy. Being nice and tolerant trumps being faithful and committed. The path that we’re on and the journey that we’re making is given greater significance than where we’re eternally headed. In the end, we can’t see Christ because of the culture.

Because we’re in love with ourselves, our trends, and our culture, we falsely believe that we speak with the authority of God. It’s a Grand Delusion and a dangerous one that is separating more people from Christ inside the Church. Something has gone wrong and because our theology is contaminated and our biblical knowledge is diminishing, we are in peril of sacrificing our sacred beliefs for the sake of appeasing society.

From what I’ve read in the New Testament, the First Christians were faced with similar issues and yet they opposed the predominant Roman culture and were prepared to die for Christ. They didn’t surrender to peer pressure, indulgent lifestyles, or the cosmopolitan culture. They remained faithful to Christ, first and foremost, no matter how unpopular it made them.

I think that it’s time for the mainstream Church to be reformed and rediscover its true roots. If we make changes for changes sake then we will become like the European Church – irrelevant, ineffective and no longer influential. We have to remind ourselves that being Christian is never easy and that every generation has to fight for the faith.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, these are turbulent times for Your Church and God’s Kingdom. We are at a crossroads of our own making and are in danger of taking the wrong path, which will only lead to perdition and self-destruction. Give us the courage to come out of the worldly wilderness and re-find Your True Path. In Your Holy Name, we fervently pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Savannah series drawings. It’s called River Walk Trolley and features a Savannah streetcar down by the riverside. You can view a larger version of this print at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4802760967_b609e43cba_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: Jabbing Jesus - Acts 9

Acts 9:5           "Who are you, LORD?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.

I read an article today about a couple who decided to have an atheist wedding. They didn’t want God mentioned in the ceremony and no clergy person to conduct it. All they wanted was an event where they could publicly pledge their love for one another and be legally married.

How sad! I wonder if in years to come they will regret making that choice. And when old age, infirmity, and serious illness come their way, what will happen to their love? Will it just be gone forever?

The number of atheists is rising, but from what I’ve read it’s more of an anti-religious movement because people have been let down by the Church. Sometimes I think that more people would become followers of Jesus if Christians didn’t get in the way.

Next week, our denomination has its biennial General Assembly. I used to be very interested in the proceedings and policies, but lately I’m tired of all the decisions and divisions, ordination wars and theological fist-fights that take place every time the GA meets. I feel that Jesus is being persecuted by His own people and if the usual Presbyterian shenanigans go on, then no wonder atheism is increasing. If our politics, polities, and procedures are all that the world sees of Christianity, then we really do get in the way of Jesus.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, forgive us for being poor witnesses of the Gospel and half-hearted servants of Your Kingdom. Keep us from getting in Your Way by insisting on getting our own ways. Re-teach us the path of Truth and fill us with Your Holy Life. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s humorous snowman drawings. It’s called “Frosty the Vol Fan.” If you want to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4737362030_3014b24530_b.jpg

4 Minute Daily Devotions: Saying "No."

Titus 2:12        It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

I wonder what the Christians in Paul’s time would have made of our society. Would they have applauded our freedoms and approved of our liberties? Would they have accepted our standards and applied our syncretism? Would they have allowed our culture to shape our churches? I suspect that the answer to those questions would be a resounding “No.”

There are so many boundaries and barriers that we have crossed that it is sometimes very unclear to see any difference between Christians and other people. And yet, there has to be a difference. There has to be something which sets us apart from the world.

I also wonder if we substituted our type of Christianity with that of Paul’s time, would the Christian faith and church have emerged from the heart of the Roman Empire? Sadly, I think that the answer to that question would also be “No.”

We need to take a step back from the cultural abyss that we’re about to jump into as Christians. We need to honestly ask ourselves if we are being guided by the Holy Spirit or engulfed by worldly ways. We need to ask these questions because the salvation of our souls and those of our children depend upon us taking the right choices and making the right moves. If we fail to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, then we fail as a generation that claims to be Christian. We may fool and delude ourselves, but we can never fool and deceive God.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, there are so many pressures laid upon our society that would steal our souls away from You. We delight in our distractions and take pleasure in pleasing ourselves. Help us to truly realize what it means and costs to be Christian people. Save us from ourselves and bring us to our senses. In Your Holy Name, we fervently 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.

Daily Devotions: Fellow Elders

1 Peter 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

Eldership is at the heart of what it means to be Presbyterian. All of our Presbyterian churches are led by our ruling elders and teaching elders. They are called by God to seek the Holy Spirit in a particular congregation and to follow that path sincerely, faithfully, and effectively. It’s one of the great strengths of the Presbyterian system and, when it is employed properly, it makes Presbyterianism a great light amongst Christian denominations.

I love being both a Presbyterian Christian and a teaching elder in the church. I feel connected to the apostles like Peter because of the special, mysterious, and holy laying on of hands that is part of the ordination process. I feel connected to the elders around me, both active on Session and pro-active in the congregation. There is a great sense of team work, responsibility, and faith in Christ that we share amongst us.

I also like the fact that Peter refers to elders as being witnesses to Christ’s suffering, which reminds me that being ruling and teaching elders in the church is never an easy process. We think, we question, and we struggle with our faith. We solve problems, seek answers, and look for guidance from the Holy Spirit. We try to keep the church on the right path, just as the world tries to distract our goals and diminish our effectiveness. We are the gate keepers of the faith and are meant to be the visionaries of our churches. Elders are always looking at the bigger picture and what lies ahead. If we only concentrate on the here and now, we will never reach the blessings yet to come.

These are anxious times for our faith, but if our elders across the Presbyterian Church remain faithful to Christ, uphold His teachings, and live according to God’s Word, then we will not only share in Christ’s glory, but we will also be handing over a strong church for the elders yet to be ordained in years to come.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the precious gifts of eldership that You have bestowed upon the Presbyterian Church. We pray that the faithfulness, integrity, and spirituality of our ruling and teaching elders may continue to inspire our people and lead them through these uncertain times into future years of bounty and blessing, discipleship and service for Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we fervently 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.

Daily Devotions: Outside the Box

Psalm 37: 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this.

Our congregation is about to embark on a new adventure. We are trying to raise $1 million in order to renovate our church in such a way that the next generation of church members will not face mounting bills which will limit their mission. We’ve come a long way to get here and sometimes people don’t truly understand how much effort it takes to keep a church growing.

During the last fourteen years, we’ve seen a steady increase at Erin. In contrast, our denomination (PCUSA) and Presbytery have been diminishing. Previous pastors had followed the denominational path and subsequently the church stopped growing. Erin took a great risk in 1995 when I was invited to be the pastor because my thinking would usually be outside of the denominational box.

I know that throughout the years some people have left because I don’t toe the denominational line, but my response to them is this: would you have rather had a mediocre church that was dying, or would you prefer a church that has constantly grown and has a dynamic future?

I’ve mentioned before that our wee church is at a major crossroads. We stand at the threshold of a new and vibrant future, but in order to progress forward we need to get over the past. If I’m expected to totally give of myself to this campaign and this church, then I cannot keep looking back. I’m committing my way to the LORD and focusing on the future of this congregation. I firmly believe that if everyone else gets on board, then God will truly do great things here.

Finally, I had lunch with the local Presbytery Executive last week and he sees how important our work is at Erin. He asked me to consider being a part of the New Development Strategy for Presbyterian churches in our area. Toeing the denominational line has not helped to grow our local churches. He wants someone involved who can “think outside the box.” I see that as an affirmation of what I have tried to accomplish here with the people of Erin and by the Spirit of God. It’s nice to have a PCUSA representative officially recognize what’s happening here. Maybe we can help other churches to do the same.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One who permits churches to grow and Your Holy Spirit’s presence is essential for those congregations who would grow in the future. Without You, we are just another religious club trying to keep afloat. Help us to think outside of the box and go outside of our church in order to find where Your Spirit is working in the midst of our community. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

4 Minute Devotions: Holocaustic or Holistic?

Do we use faith as a weapon of fear and hostility, or as an instrument of compassion and reconciliation?

Podcast version here

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

I grew up at a time when the world was constantly threatened with a nuclear holocaust. I don’t know where or when I learned about the US-Soviet arms race, but I can remember worrying about a nuclear war even during the best of my younger days.

It was a terrible fear to live under. It tainted every aspect of life. As a teenager, I wanted to try anything and everything before the world was wiped out and blown to smithereens. I didn’t care about what I did or who I hurt, because the world didn’t care about hurting me.

And then things changed. Several movies on the TV and the big screen made us all aware of our madness. “Threads,” “War Games,” and even “The Martian Chronicles” showed us all the futility of nuclear deterrents and Cold War antagonism. A shift in the philosophies of Western and Soviet leaders brought about concord and pacts were made to avoid the holocaust that I and billions of other people on earth dreaded.

Christian fatalists, who used today’s verse with glee as a means to get people fearfully saved before the impending holocaust, were disregarded as a new hope blossomed throughout the world. Books like “The Late Great Planet Earth” and songs like “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” were set aside. Instead of fear being used as a method to convert people to Christ, peace and love, along with redemption and reconciliation, were offered as a means of getting to know Jesus.

Perhaps you’re anxious about your family and friends, and worry about their salvation. Maybe you come across as being fearful instead of faithful, crushing instead of Christian, or hellish instead of heavenly. Think about how Jesus loved and embraced sinners in order to gain their trust. Think about how He employed compassion and reconciliation in order to open hearts and minds. Think about these Christ-like things and then apply them. Don’t be hostile or holocaustic with your faith; instead, become helpful and holistic.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, save us from using fear to bring others to faith. Instead, allow us to be compassionate and loving, gracious and generous in order to attract people to You and Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.